MR imaging of seven presumed cases of central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis

MRI was performed in seven patients with presumed central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis. The underlying diseases were diabetes, lung cancer, Wilson disease, trauma, alcoholism, renal insufficiency and hemodialysis. CPM was found in four cases (in two of them extrapontine lesions were considered as resulting from Wilson disease), CPM and EPM in three patients. The localization of extrapontine changes included cerebellum, cerebral peduncles, caudate and lentiform nuclei, internal capsules, white matter and cortex of the cerebrum.