Brain MRI findings in acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy secondary to ischemic hepatitis: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Acute encephalopathy is frequently seen in Neurology and Internal Medicine Departments, it makes for a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric abnormalities, but its brain magnetic resonance imaging appearance in the adult population is not well recognised. We present the case of an acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy in the setting of ischemic hepatitis secondary to global heart failure and its MRI findings with a review of the literature.

Keywords

• acute hepatic encephalopathy
• hyperammonemia
• ischemic hepatitits
• insular cortex
• flair hypersignal
• restriction of diffusion