Fatal cerebral edema and intracranial hemorrhage associated with hypernatremic dehydration

Abstract

We report neuroimaging findings of intracranial hemorrhage and cerebral edema in an infant with obtundation and seizures, initially suspected to be secondary to non-accidental trauma but finally attributed to hypernatremic dehydration. Neuroimaging findings due to hypernatremic dehydration have not been previously described in the radiologic literature. Hypernatremia should be included in the differential diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage in the infant without evidence of nonaccidental trauma.