[Analysis on clinical features and functional MRI of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes].

Objective

To explore the clinical and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) characteristics of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) in order to improve the early diagnosis rate.

Methods

Clinical and imaging data of 46 patients with final diagnosis of MELAS treated in Henan Province People's Hospital from January 2012 to June 2016 were collected.

Results

Patients presented with symptoms of epilepsy, hemiplegia, language disorders, and decreased visual acuity and so on. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the lesion area showed a high signal, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) chart with the course of disease development can be a high signal, low signal, high and low signal. Vascular stenosis was not seen in all the patients by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). PWI perfusion increased in acute phase and was normal or decreased in the chronic phase.

Conclusions

The clinical manifestations of MELAS patients are complex and various, and lack of specificity. Routine MRI examination is of great significance for the screening of the lesion, which has a characteristic performance and is helpful to improve the early diagnosis rate of the disease.