Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis with Prefrontal Cortex Involvement in a 9-Year-Old Child after COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report

Abstract

The aim of the study was to present the rare co-occurring radiological findings of a child presenting with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) with a spinal cord and prefrontal cortex involvement after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness. The patient, who had COVID-19 a few weeks earlier, presented with progressive weakness in the right upper and lower extremities. Neurological examination of the patient was performed, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was taken on the same day. Serum severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus immunoglobulin M antibody testing was positive. MRI of the brain parenchyma and thoracic spine revealed fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2-weighted hyperintense lesions. Additionally, mild contrast enhancement was observed in both the prefrontal cortexes. The patient was discharged 10 days later with complete clinical recovery. Unlike other post-COVID-19 ADEM cases presenting in the literature, prefrontal cortex involvement makes our case rare.