Radiology Case Reports (May 2022)

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after SARS- CoV-2 vaccination: A case report

  • Fereshteh Yazdanpanah, MD,
  • Pooya Iranpour, MD,
  • Sara Haseli, MD,
  • Maryam Poursadeghfard, MD,
  • Fatemeh Yarmahmoodi, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 5
pp. 1789 – 1793

Abstract

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Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an acute demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that is ordinarily monophasic. ADEM can develop following infection or vaccination. Here, we present a 37 y/o male patient with progressive muscle weakness in all limbs along with dysphagia following COVID-19 vaccination. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed typical imaging findings which presented as multifocal T2-FLAIR signal changes in the corticospinal tract, pons, and temporal lobe with diffusion restriction. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) further confirmed the diagnosis by the typical elevation of the Choline and Myoinositol peaks. Neurologic impairments have been reported as the potential side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Appropriate imaging modalities together with a thorough clinical examination are essential for making a correct diagnosis.

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