The role of CT brain findings in the early diagnosis of infantile encephalitic beriberi

Background

Thiamine deficiency disease may occur in infants from thiamine-deficient mothers in developing countries, as well as in infants fed solely with soy-based formula. Thiamine deficiency in infants may present with acute neurological manifestations of infantile encephalitic beriberi.

Objective

To review the role of noncontrast CT brain findings in infantile encephalitic beriberi in early diagnosis.

Materials and methods

A retrospective review of noncontrast CT scans of the brain in 21 infants with acute-onset infantile encephalitic beriberi was carried out.

Results

On noncontrast-enhanced CT brain, hypodense lesions were seen symmetrically in the putamen in all the babies; symmetric hypodensities were seen in the caudate nuclei in 14/21 (67%), in dorsomedial thalami/hypothalamic/subthalamic area in 4/21 (19%), and in the globi pallidi in 2/21 (9.5%) of the infants.

Conclusion

Recognition of symmetrical hypodense lesions in the basal ganglia and medial thalami/hypothalamic/subthalamic area on noncontrast CT scan of the brain are important early features to recognize in encephalitic beriberi in at-risk infants.

Advances in knowledge

IEBB is a cause of hypodense bilateral basal ganglia and may be identified by this finding in the appropriate clinical settings.