MRI of neurologic complications in end-stage renal failure patients on hemodialysis: pictorial review

Abstract

End-stage renal disease patients who have been on long-term hemodialysis tend to develop central nervous system complications. The most common neurologic complications in this patient group include white matter changes, cerebral atrophy, osmotic demyelination syndrome, dialysis encephalopathy, hypertensive encephalopathy, intracranial hemorrhage, infarct, sinus thrombosis, and infection. Clinical evaluation of these patients is somehow complicated and MRI is important before establishment of the therapy. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the range of MRI findings of neurologic complications in end-stage renal failure patients on hemodialysis with etiologic factors.