Marchiafava-Bignami Disease Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Jennifer Ault, DO, DPT; Chief Editor: B Mark Keegan, MD, FRCPC   more...
 
Updated: Feb 3, 2012
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

The corpus callosum may also be affected in other diseases, such as ischemic stroke, contusion, lymphoma, and multiple sclerosis. However, Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is distinguished by callosal lesions that are usually symmetrical and located in the middle of the corpus callosum.

Other conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis o MBD include the following:

  • Paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis
  • Pick disease
  • Status epilepticus
  • Tonic-clonic seizures

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Jennifer Ault, DO, DPT  Resident Physician, Department of Neurology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Jennifer Ault, DO, DPT is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Osteopathy, American Medical Association, and American Physical Therapy Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Stephen A Berman, MD, PhD, MBA  Professor of Neurology, University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Stephen A Berman, MD, PhD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Neurology, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Eric Dinnerstein, MD  Consulting Staff Neurologist, Maine Medical Partners Neurology

Eric Dinnerstein, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology

Disclosure: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Grant/research funds PI conpensation

Mardjohan Hardjasudarma, MD, MS  Chief of Neuroradiology, Program Director, Professor, Departments of Clinical Radiology and Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport

Mardjohan Hardjasudarma, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Medical Association, American Society of Neuroradiology, Canadian Medical Association, Ontario Medical Association, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

B Mark Keegan, MD, FRCPC  Assistant Professor of Neurology, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic; Master's Faculty, Mayo Graduate School; Consultant, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester

B Mark Keegan, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Medical Association, and Minnesota Medical Association

Disclosure: Novartis Consulting fee Consulting; Bionest Consulting fee Consulting

Additional Contributors

Jonathan S Rutchik, MD, MPH Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California at San Francisco

Jonathan S Rutchik, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Society of Toxicology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Reference Salary Employment

Florian P Thomas, MD, MA, PhD, Drmed Director, Spinal Cord Injury Unit, St Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Director, National MS Society Multiple Sclerosis Center; Director, Neuropathy Association Center of Excellence, Professor, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Associate Professor, Institute for Molecular Virology, and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, St Louis University School of Medicine

Florian P Thomas, MD, MA, PhD, Drmed is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, American Paraplegia Society, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, and National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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T2-weighted axial image in a patient with Marchiafava-Bignami disease showing a high-signal lesion in the corpus callosum.
 
 
 
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