Scientific article
Case report
English

Illustrating the relevance of updated diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: a teaching neurocase

Published inBMJ case reports, vol. 2013
Publication date2013
Abstract

A 75-year-old woman with unremarkable medical history, consulted for a 5-month history of involuntary shaking of left upper limb. Clinical examination revealed polyminimyoclonus of the upper limbs with cogwheel-like rigidity, hyperreflexia, bradykinesia, inconstant spastic-like rigidity in the lower limbs and a stiff and cautious gait. These symptoms, together with the memory impairment found on neuropsychological assessment yielded suspicion for a subacute encephalopathy probably due to a non-conventional infectious agent. There was no 14-3-3 protein found in the cerebrospinal fluid and no periodic sharp wave complexes on EEG. These findings made the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) rather unlikely according to the current WHO diagnostic criteria. However, typical isolated cortical hyperintensity of right temporal, parietal and occipital lobes on MRI suggested a probable CJD and prompted cerebral biopsy which confirmed the diagnosis. This article emphasises the need to update the current WHO criteria by including radiological findings.

Citation (ISO format)
KAMTCHUM TATUENE, Joseph et al. Illustrating the relevance of updated diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: a teaching neurocase. In: BMJ case reports, 2013, vol. 2013. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-010061
Main files (1)
Article (Accepted version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
Journal ISSN1757-790X
812views
1downloads

Technical informations

Creation11/11/2013 16:46:00
First validation11/11/2013 16:46:00
Update time14/03/2023 20:53:32
Status update14/03/2023 20:53:32
Last indexation30/10/2024 16:01:13
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack