Keywords
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Prion Diseases
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze the main radiological changes identified in individuals with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), highlighting the role of neuroimaging in early diagnosis and differentiation of disease subtypes. Methods:This is an integrative review, conducted in December 2025, in the PubMed and MEDLINE databases via the Virtual Health Library. Descriptors related to radiological changes and CJD were used, combined with Boolean operators. Studies published between 2020 and 2025, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, and freely available in full, were included. After applying the eligibility criteria, 20 articles comprised the final sample. Results: The studies showed that magnetic resonance imaging, especially diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and FLAIR sequences, has high sensitivity in detecting CJD. The most frequent findings were diffuse cortical hyperintensity and involvement of the basal ganglia, mainly the putamen and caudate nucleus. Specific patterns also helped differentiate between sporadic and genetic forms. Final considerations: Diffusion-weighted MRI is essential in supporting the early diagnosis of CJD, although findings still depend on association with complementary exams and there are limitations due to the scarcity of large-scale studies.
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