Incidental Finding of MEGDEL Syndrome Based on Neuroimaging: Case Report

Abstract

MEGDEL 3-methylglutaconic (MG) aciduria, deafness, encephalopathy, Leigh-like syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with infantile hypoglycemia, progressive psychomotor developmental delay, cerebellar atrophy with lesions in the basal ganglia, spasticity, dystonia, deafness, and transient liver problems, which typically occur in the first year of life. Other clinical presentations include failure to thrive, epilepsy, and optic nerve atrophy. The serine active site-containing 1 (SERAC1) mutation is localized at the mitochondria-associated membranes, which are responsible for encoding a phosphatidylglycerol remodeler essential for both mitochondrial function and intracellular cholesterol trafficking and is thus responsible for the disease. Diagnosis is confirmed by the elevation of and concentrations of 3-MG acid and 3-methylglutaric acid in the urine or by identification of bi-allelic SERAC1 pathogenic variants on molecular genetic testing. Different pathological variants of SERAC1 have been identified in MEGDEL syndrome to date. Here, we report a case of a child with MEGDEL syndrome due to SERAC1 mutation. The child presented with accidental finding by CT showing hypodensity on bilateral symmetric anterior putamen and caudate abnormal. Neurological examination was unremarkable. This report presents a new neuroimaging finding by CT of MEGDEL syndrome.