Three cases of acute encephalopathy with low density areas in the occipital lobes on CT

Three female infants with acute encephalopathy (aged from 5 months to 1 year and 8 months) are presented in whom peculiar features were obtained on cranial CT. Disturbances of consciousness and spasm were seen in all patients. Although two patients had been in good health until the onset, the other patient had had nodular sclerosis. Laboratory data showed no evidence of inflammation in the spinal fluid, but increased levels of transaminase and LDH. CT around 7 days after the onset revealed diffuse low density areas. This was noted in the temporal and occipital lobes, mainly resulting from edema. Follow-up CT examinations revealed localized low density areas corresponding to the surface area, being probably attributable to disturbances of the arterial and venous circulations. In two patients with severe disturbances of consciousness, low density areas became more marked with time. (Namekawa, K.)