Neuroimaging findings in eclamptic patients still symptomatic after 24 hours: a descriptive study about 19 cases

To describe the neuroimaging findings in eclamptic patients still symptomatic after 24 hours. All parturients consecutively admitted over a 12-month period for eclampsia and presenting with neurological disorders (coma, focal neurological abnormalities, and eye sight disturbance) underwent cerebral CT-scan and/or MRI. Nineteen women were studied, and all had abnormal neuroradiological findings. The CT-scan was normal in three cases. Cerebral oedema was the predominant lesion (14 cases). It was localized in the parietal or occipital area (12 cases), paraventricular area (1 case), or was diffuse (1 case). Diffusion weighted MRI was performed in four cases and showed cytotoxic cerebral oedema in one case. There were three cases of cerebral venous thrombosis and two cases of intracerebral haemorrhage. Various neuroradiological lesions can be observed in eclamptic patients. A localized cerebral oedema is the most frequent. Diffusion weighted MRI should be systematically done when neurological disorders persist.