This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal

Another Nonmetabolic Cause

John W. Miller, MD; Donald W. Klass, MD; Bahram Mokri, MD; Haruo Okazaki, MD

Arch Neurol. 1986;43(11):1191-1193.

Abstract
• A 59-year-old woman with a metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown origin and no metabolic abnormalities developed a diffuse encephalopathy, with generalized triphasic waves seen on the electroencephalogram. Postmortem examination revealed widespread, multifocal perivascular carcinomatosis of the cerebral cortices. Triphasic waves have been described with dementing processes, subdural hematomas, and cerebrovascular disease, but they are more commonly seen with metabolic encephalopathies. This case demonstrates an additional nonmetabolic cause of triphasic waves.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Neurology (Drs Miller, Klass, and Mokri), and the Section of Medical Pathology (Dr Okazaki), Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication May 7, 1986.

Reprint requests to Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (Dr Mokri).