Case Report. Marchiafava-Bignami Disease: Reversibility of Neuroimaging Abnormality

Abstract

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) was diagnosed in a malnourished 43-year-old patient with chronic alcoholism, severe generalized extrapyramidal rigid syndrome, and severe dyspraxia. Cranial CT and MRI demonstrated isolated lesions in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum (CC) characteristic for MBD. On thiamine therapy, a slow but steady recovery of clinical symptoms occurred, and serial CT and MRI studies demonstrated marked reversibility of abnormalities in the CC. Besides clinical improvement with a good functional outcome, reversal of CT and MRI abnormalities may occur in MBD.