Brain magnetic resolution imaging to diagnose bing-neel syndrome

• Published in: Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 588 - 591
• Main Authors: Kim, Ho-Jung, Suh, Sang-Il, Kim, Joo Han, Kim, Byung-Jo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Neurosurgical Society 01.12.2009; 대한신경외과학회
• Subjects: Case Report; 신경외과학; Waldenström's macroglobulinemia; MRI; Bing-Neel syndrome
• ISSN: 2005-3711; 1598-7876
• DOI: 10.3340/jkns.2009.46.6.588

Radiologic findings of Bing-Neel syndrome, which is an extremely uncommon complication resulting from malignant lymphocyte infiltration into the central nervous system (CNS) in patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM), have been infrequently reported due to extreme rarity of the case. A 75-year-old man with WM presented at a neurology clinic with progressive gait and memory disturbances, and dysarthria of 2 months duration. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation electrophoresis showed IgM kappa-type monoclonal gammopathy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed multifocal, hyperintense lesions on T2 weighted-images. Brain diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) demonstrated hyperintensities in cerebral and cerebellar lesions that appeared isointense on apparent diffusion coefficient maps, which were compatible with vasogenic edema. Although histologic analysis is a confirmative study to prove direct cell infiltration into the brain, brain MRI with DWI may be a good supportive study to diagnose Bing-Neel syndrome.