Abstract
We report the reversible abnormal findings by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and electroencephalogram (EEG) in a 6-year-old girl with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 infection. She was transferred from a local hospital with disturbance of consciousness after exhibiting general convulsion following onset of fever, headache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Supportive therapy successfully avoided acute renal failure. The head MR imaging obtained on the 3rd hospital day revealed multiple spots in the white matter, which showed high-signal intensity on T2-weighted images and low-signal intensity on T1-weighted images. These abnormal findings were not detected on MR imaging obtained 8 days later. The EEG conducted on the 8th hospital day showed delta waves, which resolved after 2 months. The patient recovered without central nerve system (CNS) impairment. Microangiopathy direct injury due to verotoxin may explain these reversible abnormal MR imaging and EEG findings.
