A unique MRI finding of bilateral medial medullary infarctioncausing a miserable clinical course

Abstract

A 77-year-old man was admitted with vertigo and headache. The following day, he developed dysarthria and left hemiplegia. Diffusion-weighted imaging demonstrated bilateral medial medullary infarcts which were separately located in the anterior and posterior portions. He gradually developed quadriplegia and dysphagia, and died due to aspiration pneumonia. Diffusion-weighted imaging findings of the present case revealed a unique configuration, which might predict poor outcome in patients with medial medullary infarction.