General description

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease is an autoimmune disorder that primarily targets melanocytes. This disease is more prevalent in Oriental populations and manifests with a range of systemic symptoms due to the widespread distribution of melanocytes.

The initial phase of the disease often presents with acute visual impairments due to uveitis and retinal detachment. Alongside these ocular symptoms, patients may experience aseptic meningitis and deafness, reflecting the multi-systemic nature of the disease. Following this acute phase, patients often develop more chronic manifestations such as vitiligo, characterized by patches of depigmented skin, premature graying of the hair, and alopecia (hair loss).

Radiographic features

An MRI reveals FLAIR hyperintensity and a contrast effect on T1WI, along with thickening in the bilateral uveal tracts. The MRI also shows a contrast effect in the leptomeninx, which reflects aseptic meningitis on contrast-enhanced T1WI and FLAIR.