Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Background

  • Abbreviation: PRES
  • Risk factors include: malignant hypertension, immunosuppression, eclampsia
  • Poorly understood entity, but thought to be due to failure of cerebral auto-regulation in which the brain sees too high of systemic pressures leading to vasogenic edema
  • Somewhat of a misnomer as changes seen on MRI are not limited to the posterior fossa and symptoms are not always reversible
    • Renamed reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) by the American Academy of Neurology.
Magnetic resonance image showing multiple cortico-subcortical areas of hyperdense signal involving the occipital and parietal lobes bilaterally and pons in a patient with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Clinical Features[1]

Differential Diagnosis[2]

Seizure

Evaluation

Management

Disposition

  • Admit

See Also

References

  1. Staykov D. "Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome". PMID 21257628
  2. 2.0 2.1 Garg RK (January 2001). "Posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome". Postgrad Med J 77 (903): 24–8. doi:10.1136/pmj.77.903.24. PMC 1741870. PMID 11123390