Clinical Significance of Mammillary Body Enhancement in Wernicke Encephalopathy: Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Literature

Abstract

In 2 cases of Wernicke encephalopathy in which the initial symptom was double vision, the only abnormal finding on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was abnormal enhancement of the mammillary bodies. The mammillary bodies are the region most vulnerable to abnormal enhancement. Because MR imaging with contrast enhancement can detect such abnormal enhancement at an early stage, it should be performed more often in patients with oculomotor disorders to avoid underdiagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy.