Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy: fluctuating symptoms and CT.

We describe a 29-year-old man with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. The patient's disorder was characterized by lactic acidosis, hemiparesis, seizures, aphasia, and hemianopia. CT revealed low-density areas that corresponded to the symptoms. His 56-year-old mother is also involved subclinically, demonstrating that muscle biopsy is an important requisite in the final determination of a familial inheritance pattern in mitochondrial myopathy. Neuronal mitochondrial disorders are suggested as the pathogenesis of his neurologic symptoms.