Christianson syndrome: spectrum of neuroimaging findings

Thangamadhan Bosemani; Ginevra Zanni; Adam L Hartman; Rony Cohen; Thierry A G M Huisman; Enrico Bertini; Andrea Poretti

doi:10.1055/s-0033-1363091

Christianson syndrome: spectrum of neuroimaging findings

Neuropediatrics. 2014 Aug;45(4):247-51. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1363091. Epub 2013 Nov 27.

Authors

Thangamadhan Bosemani¹, Ginevra Zanni², Adam L Hartman³, Rony Cohen⁴, Thierry A G M Huisman¹, Enrico Bertini², Andrea Poretti¹

Affiliations

¹ Section of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
² Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children's Research Hospital, Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
⁴ Schneider's Children Medical Center of Israel and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

PMID: 24285247
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1363091

Abstract

Christianson syndrome (CS) is caused by mutations in SLC9A6 and is characterized by severe intellectual disability, absent speech, microcephaly, ataxia, seizures, and behavioral abnormalities. The clinical phenotypes of CS and Angelman syndrome (AS) are similar. Differentiation between CS and AS is important in terms of genetic counseling. We report on two children with CS and confirmed mutations in SLC9A6 focusing on neuroimaging findings and review the available literature. Cerebellar atrophy (CA) occurs in approximately 60% of the patients with CS and develops after the age of 12 months. Hyperintense signal of the cerebellar cortex (CbC) is less common, and may be diffuse, patchy, or involve only the inferior part of the cerebellum and is best seen on coronal fluid attenuation inversion recovery images. CA and CbC-hyperintensity are not neuroimaging features of AS. In a child with the phenotype of AS, CA and/or CbC-hyperintensity are rather specific for CS and should prioritize sequencing of SLC9A6.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Angelman Syndrome / diagnosis
Ataxia / complications
Ataxia / diagnosis*
Ataxia / genetics
Ataxia / pathology*
Atrophy / complications
Atrophy / pathology
Cerebellum / pathology*
Child
Diagnosis, Differential
Epilepsy / complications
Epilepsy / diagnosis*
Epilepsy / genetics
Epilepsy / pathology*
Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / complications
Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / diagnosis*
Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / genetics
Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / pathology*
Humans
Intellectual Disability / complications
Intellectual Disability / diagnosis*
Intellectual Disability / genetics
Intellectual Disability / pathology*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Microcephaly / complications
Microcephaly / diagnosis*
Microcephaly / genetics
Microcephaly / pathology*
Mutation
Ocular Motility Disorders / complications
Ocular Motility Disorders / diagnosis*
Ocular Motility Disorders / genetics
Ocular Motility Disorders / pathology*
Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / genetics

Substances

SLC9A6 protein, human
Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers

Supplementary concepts

Mental Retardation, X-Linked, Syndromic, Christianson Type