Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can be correlated with medical illness, hypertension, and treatment with medications that cause immunosuppression. This syndrome was first described by Hinchey and colleagues in 1996. PRES is not necessarily confined to the posterior white matter of the brain as the name indicates, but can be located in the frontal lobes, basal ganglia, cortex, and brain stem. Manifestations of this syndrome include seizures, headache, visual loss, altered mental status, visual changes, and radiologic alterations, and are easily detected on magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain.
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