Cortical Blindness and Retrograde Amnesia following Cerebral Angiography Studied by Early Diffusion Weighted MR Imaging

Abstract

Cortical blindness is a well described neuro-ophthalmologic complication of angiography due to neurotoxicity following contrast media exposure. A rarer association with retrograde amnesia has also been reported. Since ischemic stroke due to embolism remains the most common aetiology of neurological complications of diagnostic and therapeutic arterial catheterisation, prompt identification of the mechanism responsible for the clinical symptoms is essential for patient management. Although CT and conventional MRI findings have been reported in this condition, experience with diffusion weighted (DW) sequences is lacking especially in cases associated with memory impairment. A 65-year-old man with tinnitus underwent cerebral angiography for suspicion of a dural arteriovenous fistula. During the procedure the patient developed complete loss of vision and rapidly became confused. Brain CT showed bilateral cortical enhancement in the occipital lobes. MR with DWI was performed 3.5 hours after angiography. Early DWI showed no signal abnormalities thereby excluding an ischaemic complication. Gradual improvement of visual function occurred over the next 24 hours. After 48 hours the patient was alert and orientated but profound retrograde amnesia persisted with no memory for the events of the day of angiography. CT follow-up at one year was normal. DWI is invaluable in the evaluation of patients with cortical blindness with or without memory deficits precipitated by angiography and may advance understanding of the pathophysiology. Diffusion-weighted MRI is crucial in differentiating neuro-ophthalmologic complications precipitated by intracortical contrast leakage after angiography from an ischaemic stroke needing a prompt and often invasive treatment.