MRI reveals multiple reversible cerebral lesions in an attack of acute intermittent porphyria.

A 20-year-old woman had an attack of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) with seizures and hallucinations. MRI revealed multiple lesions in both hemispheres. Both the cerebral clinical abnormalities and the MRI lesions resolved following treatment. These findings suggest that a vascular mechanism may underlie the pathogenesis of cerebral dysfunction in AIP.