Late presentation of NMOSD as rapidly progressive leukoencephalopathy with atypical clinical and radiological findings

Abstract

Brain abnormalities in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are highly heterogeneous and often non-specific. Extensive white matter involvement has been described and frequently manifests with encephalopathy requiring prompt intervention. Rarely, this may represent the only manifestation at onset without concurrent suggestive features of the disease, thus making diagnosis challenging. NMOSD may potentially occur at any age, but it seems that this disorder has distinctive clinical features in the elderly. We describe a case of NMOSD presenting as rapidly progressive leukoencephalopathy with atypical clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a 69-year-old woman.