J Vet Sci.  2013 Dec;14(4):499-502. 10.4142/jvs.2013.14.4.499.

Clinical signs, MRI features, and outcomes of two cats with thiamine deficiency secondary to diet change

• Moon SJ
• Kang MH
• Park HM

• KMID: 1712320
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2013.14.4.499

Abstract

Two cats were presented with vestibular signs and seizures. Both cats were diagnosed with thiamine deficiency. The transverse and dorsal T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images revealed the presence of bilateral hyperintense lesions at specific nuclei of the midbrain, cerebellum, and brainstem. After thiamine supplementation, the clinical signs gradually improved. Repeated MR images taken 3 weeks after thiamine supplementation had started showed that the lesions were nearly resolved. This case report describes the clinical and MR findings associated with thiamine deficiency in two cats.

Keyword

cat; MRI; thiamine deficiency

MeSH Terms

Animals
Brain Stem/pathology
Cat Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis/*drug therapy
Cats
Cerebellum/pathology
Diet/veterinary
Dietary Supplements/analysis
Female
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/veterinary
Male
Mesencephalon/pathology
Seizures/chemically induced/pathology/veterinary
Thiamine/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use
Thiamine Deficiency/chemically induced/diagnosis/drug therapy/*veterinary
Treatment Outcome
Thiamine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Transverse T2-weighted MR images (WI) of (A, C, and E) a cat with thiamine deficiency (Case 1). (A) At the level of the thalamus, symmetrical hyperintense signals at the lateral geniculate nuclei (arrows) were noted. (C) Images of the caudal colliculi (arrows) and periaqueductal gray matter (arrowhead) revealed the presence of hyperintense lesions. (E) Bilateral symmetrical hyperintensities were also evident in the medial vestibular nuclei (arrows) and cerebellar nodulus (arrowhead). After 3 weeks of thiamine administration, transverse MR images showed that the lesions had resolved except for ones in the cerebellar nodulus (B, D, and F).

• 

  Fig. 2 Transverse (A~C) and dorsal (D and E) T2-WI of a cat with thiamine deficiency (Case 2). (A) Symmetrical hyperintense signals in the lateral geniculate nuclei (arrows) were noted at the level of the thalamus. (B) Images of the caudal colliculi (arrows), periaqueductal gray matter (lesions between the arrows), and facial nuclei (arrowhead) revealed the presence of hyperintense lesions. (C) Bilateral symmetrical hyperintensities were also evident in the medial vestibular nuclei (arrows) and cerebellar nodulus (arrowhead). Bilateral symmetrical hyperintensities were observed in the lateral geniculate body (D; arrows) and cerebral peduncle (E; arrow). After 3 weeks of thiamine administration, clinical signs were nearly resolved. However, additional MRI was not attempted for this cat.

• 

  Fig. 3 Dorsal T2-WI of a cat with thiamine deficiency (Case 1). Bilateral, symmetrical hyperintense lesions at the lateral geniculate body (A; arrows) and cerebral peduncle (C; arrow) were observed. Panels B and D correspond to the images shown in panels A and C after 3 weeks of thiamine supplementation. Completely resolved lesions were noted.

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