Dementia - Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD)

A 53 year old woman developed a rapidly progressive dementia over 3 monthts associated with myoclonic jerks.

Show the Caudate / Putamen Lesions    Show the Medial Thalamic Lesions    Show the Cingulate Gyrus Lesions    Show the Cortical Lesions

MRI axial diffusion weighted images. Note the numerous areas of high intensity in the caudate, putamen and medial thamalus bilaterally, as well as cortical lesions posteriorly and midline along the cingulate gyrus. These diffusion weighted scans are consistent with the clinical diagnosis of CJD. CJD is a transmissible, progressive, fatal spongiform encephalopathy. The cardinal manifestations of the disease are rapidly progressive dementia, generalized myoclonus, and periodic sharp wave complexes on EEG.

Revised 04/19/06.
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