Graus et al reported criteria for various types of autoimmune encephalitis. One of these is acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The authors are from multiple institutions from around the world.
Patient selection: encephalitis
Criteria for acute disseminated encephalomyelitis - all of the following:
(1) a first multifocal, clinical CNS event consistent with an inflammatory demyelinating cause
(2) encephalopathy that cannot be explained by fever
(3) an abnormal brain MRI (see below)
(4) no new clinical or MRI findings after 3 months of symptoms onset
(5) reasonable exclusion of alternative causes
The brain MRI may show:
(1) diffuse, poorly demarcated lesions 1-2 cm in diameter predominantly involving the cerebral white matter
(2) T1 hypointense lesions in the white matter (rare)
(3) deep white matter abnormalities involving thalamus and/or basal ganglia
