J Korean Soc Radiol.  2014 Jun;70(6):399-402. 10.3348/jksr.2014.70.6.399.

Reversible Splenial Lesion in the Corpus Callosum on MRI after Ingestion of a Herbicide Containing Glufosinate Ammonium: A Case Report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Radiology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Korea. dwpark@hanyang.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Radiology, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Glufosinate ammonium (GLA) is a broad-spectrum herbicide used worldwide. Transient lesions involving the splenium of the corpus callosum have been described in patients with encephalitis or encephalopathy of varied etiology, but have not been reported in association with GLA poisoning. We describe a patient who had attempted suicide by ingesting GLA-containing herbicide, with a focal diffusion-restrictive lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum on MRI, which had disappeared four weeks later with no sequalae.


MeSH Terms

Ammonium Compounds*
Corpus Callosum*
Eating*
Encephalitis
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Poisoning
Suicide, Attempted

Figure

  • Fig. 1 MR images from a 38-year-old woman who ingested glufosinate ammonium-containing herbicide in a suicide attempt. Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) (A) and diffusion-weighted (B) axial MR images show an oval shaped high signal intensity lesion at the mid portion of splenium of the corpus callosum (arrows), which is low signal intensity (arrow) on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map (C), suggestive of cytotoxic edema. Follow-up axial MRI, one month later, shows complete resolution of the splenial lesion on FLAIR (D), diffusion-weighted MRI (E), and the ADC map (F).


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