Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in Early Infancy

Introduction

PRES (Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome) is a diagnosis based on clinical and neuroradiological characteristics which was first described in 1996 (Hinchey J et al., N Engl J Med 1996; 334 (8): 494–500). Typical findings are subcortical white matter edema occuring bilaterally in parietal and occipital lobes. Recently, also patients with grey matter involvement and monolateral or frontal/cerebellar/brainstem/basal ganglia localization have been reported. Although most patients show complete recovery, severe sequelae as infarction, hemorrhage, persisting symptomatic epilepsia and death are possible.

The entity mainly occurs above toddler's age with only one known patient reported in literature below one year of age (10 month; Gocmen R et al., Eur J Radiol 2007; 62 (3): 454–459).

Here, we report a 5-week-old boy with clinical and radiologic findings of PRES.