Fulminant intravascular lymphomatosis mimicking acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy

Background Intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) is a rare non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, usually of B cell lineage, characterized by massive angiotropic growth. The clinical presentation of IVL may include changes in mental status, non-localizing neurological deficits, seizures, fever of unknown origin and skin changes. Because of its rarity and the absence of specific diagnostic procedures except for cerebral biopsy, diagnosis is often postmortem. Brain MRI usually shows non-specific abnormalities. The purpose of this case report is to increase the knowledge of clinical and neuroimaging features of IVL by describing the findings observed in a 71-year-old patient. Case report A 71-year-old male was admitted for right hemiparesis, acute cognitive impairment and febricula. A bone marrow biopsy resulted normal. He then developed a rapid progressive impairment of his mental status and left hemisoma motor seizures. Brain CT and MRI were interpreted as consistent with acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy (AHLE), including multiple areas of restricted diffusion without gadolinium enhancement and a small focal area of gadolinium enhancement in the left temporal lobe white matter. The patient died within a few days and the autopsy led to the diagnosis of IVL. Conclusion IVL may present with a variety of clinical signs and symptoms, including stroke and hemiparesis. IVL may mimic AHLE at brain MRI. However, the evidence of multiple areas of restricted diffusion without gadolinium enhancement and of a small area of gadolinium enhancement could have led to the correct diagnosis. IVL should be added to the differential diagnosis of AHLE at brain MRI.