Multitracer PET imaging in a patient with Heidenhain variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Objective: To assess whether positron emission tomography (PET) can be of diagnostic value and provide early insight into the course of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Background: We studied a 34-year old patient with probable Heidenhain variant of CJD. He presented with progressive impairment of stereoscopic vision (visus 0.5 L, 0.2 R), clumsiness of the right hand, fatigue and cognitive deterioration (initial MMSE 16/30, on reassessment 12/30). Liquor tested positive for neuron-specific enolase and 14–3-3 protein without evidence of inflammation. Flash and pattern reversal visual evoked potentials showed prol…