Serial diffusion-weighted MR Imaging in delayed postanoxic encephalopathy. A case study.

We report a case of delayed postanoxic encephalopathy (DPE) studied with serial diffusion weighted imaging five times in a one-year period along with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map as well as ADC values of periventricular white matter. Compared to the normal value, the ADC values of the white matter were initially low on the three (0.68 +/- 0.08 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s) and seven-week images (0.67 +/- 0.08 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s) but gradually recovered to the normal range on the four, six, and twelve-month images (0.78 +/- 0.05, 0.80 +/- 0.05 and 0.87 +/- 0.11 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively). Among the several pathogenetic mechanisms associated with DPE, these serial changes may be consistent with cytotoxic edema, from apoptosis, triggered by hypoxia.