Ressonancia magnética e características clínicas em adultos com doen？as desmielinizantes monofásicas: encefalomielite aguda disseminada ou uma variante da esclerose múltipla?

acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (adem) is a widespread monophasic inflamatory disease affecting the central nervous system, that usually follows an infection or vaccination. in this study, we present an analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (mri), cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and clinical aspects in four patients with clinical diagnosis of adem. the presence of mri demyelinating lesions was crucial, but not in itself sufficient for definitive diagnosis. clinical and mri follow up, in order to exclude new lesions and to reevaluate the former ones, as well as csf, were important for the differential diagnosis with other demyelinating diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis. in addition, we have shown that early treatment with methylprednisolone after the initial symptoms was effective for improving clinical manifestations as well as for reducing mri lesions.