Infarction or Metabolic Breakdown? Longitudinally Extensive Diffusion-Restricted Lesions from the Medulla Oblongata to the Lumbar Spinal Cord

TL;DR

An elderly woman with rheumatoid arthritis developed severe neurological issues linked to a metabolic breakdown rather than a known genetic disorder.

Contribution

This case highlights a novel presentation of metabolic breakdown causing extensive spinal cord lesions not explained by vascular or autoimmune causes.

Findings

Extensive diffusion-restricted lesions spanned from the brainstem to the lumbar spinal cord.

Metabolic screening revealed low folate, hypocupremia, and signs of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

The case suggests that metabolic and nutritional deficiencies may contribute to severe neurological damage.

Abstract

A 78-year-old woman with a history of rheumatoid arthritis (treated with methotrexate) developed disturbed consciousness, emesis, and intestinal perforation. Initial labs revealed hyperammonemia (189 μg/dL) and hypertonic dehydration. Despite ammonia normalization, her neurological status improved only slightly, necessitating additional tests. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed no pleocytosis but positive oligoclonal bands and markedly elevated myelin basic protein (>500 pg/mL). Serum autoimmune markers were negative, including anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4), anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies. MRI revealed T2/DWI-hyperintense lesions in the left parietal lobe and cerebellum. Crucially, extensive T2/DWI-hyperintense lesions with diffusion restriction spanned the white matter from the medulla oblongata to the lumbar spinal cord. Axial spinal DWI demonstrated diffuse hyperintensity throughout the entire white matter, accompanied by gray matter atrophy. Subsequent metabolic screening revealed low folate and hypocupremia (34 μg/dL) as well as urinary orotic acid and low serum citrulline, suggesting late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. Given the clinical context, this was interpreted as a metabolic breakdown rather than an established genetic diagnosis. This case is characterized by a long, diffusion-restricted lesion from the brainstem to the spinal cord that does not correspond to vascular territories. She experienced sudden death. We hypothesize that an underlying metabolic disorder, nutritional deficiencies and drug-induced neurotoxicity contributed to lesion formation.

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