Bilateral symmetrical deep gray matter involvement and leptomeningeal enhancement in a child with MOG-IgG-associated encephalomyelitis

BACKGROUND: Currently, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-IgG-associated encephalomyelitis (MOG-EM) is regarded as an independent inflammatory demyelinating disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities occur in 44.4% of patients with MOG-EM. However, symmetrical deep gray matter involvement with leptomeningeal enhancement is rarely described in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital because of acute onset fever, headache, vomiting and disturbance of consciousness. Neurological examination showed somnolence, neck stiffness and positive Kernig’s sign. Brain MRI demonstrated bilateral symmetrical lesions in the basal ganglia and thalamus as well as diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement along the sulci of bilateral hemisphere. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis demonstrated increased cell count (7 cells/mm3, mononuclear cells dominant) and protein (1.17 g/L) without glucose and chloride abnormality. Work-up for infectious and autoimmune causes, serum MOG IgG was positive by cell based assay. Therefore, a diagnosis of MOG-EM was established according to the international recommendatory criteria in 2018. He was administrated with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by oral corticosteroids and had recovered completely within 1 week. CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of meningoencephalitis-like clinical presentation with bilateral symmetrical deep gray matter involvement, MOG-EM should be distinguished from other infectious and autoimmune disorders, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and Anti-NMDA receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. Besides, aseptic meningitis associated with leptomeningeal enhancement may be an atypical phenotype of MOG-EM.