DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2021.v07i11.005

Pages: 610-612

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a serious neurologic condition resulting from thiamine deficiency (vitamin B1). The majority of cases involve alcoholism; however, nonalcohol-associated WE do occur and is under-recognized. Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard imaging modality to confirm the diagnosis. We report two cases of young women with abundant vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum), causing symptomatic Wernicke’s encephalopathy. The diagnostic was made by MRI showing a T2-weighted hyperintensity in the periaqueducal, thalami and mammillary bodies. However, it is imperative that WE is diagnosed and treatment is started as quickly as possible.