From the Research
Brain CT scan findings in eclampsia typically include cerebral edema, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), and occasionally intracranial hemorrhage, with the most characteristic finding being PRES, which appears as symmetric areas of low density in the posterior cerebral regions, particularly the parietal and occipital lobes, as reported in the most recent study 1. The CT scan findings in eclampsia are often reversible with prompt treatment of the underlying preeclampsia/eclampsia, which includes blood pressure control, magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis, and delivery of the fetus when appropriate. Some of the key findings in brain CT scans of patients with eclampsia include:
- Cerebral edema, which can be diffuse or focal, and is thought to result from the disruption of the blood-brain barrier due to severe hypertension 2
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), which is characterized by symmetric areas of low density in the posterior cerebral regions, particularly the parietal and occipital lobes 1
- Intracranial hemorrhage, which can occur in some cases, and is thought to result from the rupture of blood vessels due to severe hypertension 3
- Focal areas of hemorrhage, and rarely cerebral infarction, which can also occur in some cases 4 It's worth noting that the study by 5 found that radiologic evidence of diffuse brain edema is probably not a common feature in eclampsia, however, this study is outdated and the most recent studies 2, 1 suggest that cerebral edema and PRES are common findings in eclampsia. The hypertensive crisis in eclampsia causes a breakdown in the blood-brain barrier, leading to fluid extravasation into the brain parenchyma, and the use of magnesium sulfate is recommended for seizure prophylaxis and treatment of eclampsia, as it has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating seizures in eclamptic patients 4, 1.