Neuroimaging Findings and Treatment Update for Neuroinflammation, Autoinflammation, Splenomegaly, and Anemia, a Novel Autoinflammatory Disorder Caused by Bi-Allelic Variants in IRAK4

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Authors: Fiona Price-Kuehne, Jernej Avsenik, Marios Kaliakatsos, Paul Brogan, Kshitij Mankad
Cited by: 2
References: 23

Abstract

. Since our first description of the disorder in 2023, we now report that all 5 cases from 2 unrelated kindreds have developed severe neuroinflammation that is resistant to systemic immunosuppressive treatment. In these 5 individuals, we describe the chronology of clinical features and their correlation with neuroimaging findings, which were notable for a "waxing and waning" pattern of neuroinflammation with an increasing inflammatory burden and areas of atrophy or parenchymal calcifications even at first clinical presentation. We highlight the clinical and therapeutic challenges and provide a commentary on the likely pathogenesis of neuroinflammation in NASA driven by CNS production of interleukin-6, and describe the neuroradiologic features that differentiate this rare syndrome from the more common differential diagnoses of autoimmune or infectious encephalitis. These cases emphasize that neurologic involvement in inborn errors of immunity may be underestimated and, therefore, we advocate for a high index of suspicion in all patients with an inflammatory phenotype.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Inflammasome and immune disorders Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms interferon and immune responses

Publication details

Journal / source
American Journal of Neuroradiology
Publisher
American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR)
Volume
47
Issue
4
Pages
1101–1107
Publication date
1 April 2026
Language
EN