Non-ketotic hyperglycaemia-induced hemichorea-hemiballism may represent glioma-like pattern on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging: can 1H spectroscopy help in the differentiation?

Non-ketotic hyperglycaemia (NKH)-induced hemichorea-hemiballismus (HC-HB) is an infrequent reversible condition observed in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes. In this report, we present a case of NKH-induced HC-HB exhibiting distinctive morphological and functional alterations on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), followed by subsequent monitoring. A 70-year-old male with a 20-year history of diabetes presented with severe unilateral involuntary movement. Computer tomography revealed heightened attenuation in the left putamen and caudate nucleus. The conventional MRI revealed the presence of focal T2-hyperintensity, noticeable mass effect, and ring-like enhancement, which are indicative of glioma. Additionally, the DWI showed unrestricted diffusion of water molecules within the lesion. MRS analysis further demonstrated significantly elevated lactate (Lac) and lipids (Lip), minimal increased choline (Cho), basically stable creatine (Cr), and modest decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels (which remained larger than both Cho and Cr peaks), leading to a diagnosis of NKH-induced HC-HB. This report emphasizes the significance of acknowledging that NKH-induced HC-HB can manifest with imaging features that bear resemblance to those of glioma. The presence of a slightly elevated Cho/NAA ratio alongside a notable increase in Lac/Lip peak on MRS may aid in ruling out neoplastic conditions.