Late onset cyclosporine-induced cerebral blindness with abnormal SPECT imagings in a patient undergoing unrelated bone marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2000 Jul;26(1):105-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1702467.

Abstract

A 23-year-old woman underwent HLA-matched unrelated BMT for CML. She developed cerebral blindness on day 81. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed hyperintensity on a T2-weighted image in the white and gray matter of the right frontal and both occipital lobes. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was consistent with a decrease in radionuclide uptake in these areas, suggesting a vasoconstrictive mechanism. A diagnosis of CsA-induced encephalopathy was made and CsA was discontinued. Her vision recovered completely after 24 h and abnormal imaging resolved within 2 weeks. This case demonstrates late onset CsA-induced cerebral blindness with the previously unreported abnormalities on SPECT.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Blindness, Cortical / chemically induced*
  • Blindness, Cortical / diagnosis
  • Blindness, Cortical / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / immunology*
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / therapy*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Occipital Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine