Transient global amnesia: clinical and imaging features

We present the case of a 53-year-old female admitted to the emergency department of our institution with an acute amnesic episode. The patient was playing golf at the onset of symptoms and, at presentation, demonstrated amnesia to events for the preceding 10  h. She also reported a headache and nausea and asked questions repeatedly. Collateral history from a witness reported sudden onset of these symptoms and there was no loss of personal identity and no other focal neurological signs/symptoms. The patient did not demonstrate any seizure activity and had no history of recent head injury. Anterograde amnesia lasted for approximately 3 h, and the symptoms resolved after this time. Initial investigations including electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of the brain and CT intracranial angiogram were unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain performed 48 h after the onset of symptoms demonstrated focal dot-like diffusion restriction in the right and left hippocampi (Figure 1). With this clinical history and characteristic MRI findings, a diagnosis of transient global amnesia (TGA) was made.
Source: QJM - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research