Investig Magn Reson Imaging.  2017 Mar;21(1):61-64. 10.13104/imri.2017.21.1.61.

Methanol-Induced Encephalopathy: a Case Report

• Kim HJ
• Sunwoo MK
• Lee JH
• Choi YS
• Kim DY

• KMID: 2376272
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13104/imri.2017.21.1.61

Abstract

A characteristic imaging finding in cases of methanol intoxication is putaminal necrosis, but its presence is usually not suspected due to its rarity. Methanol intoxication generally produces serious neurological symptoms that include visual disturbances and diminished consciousness, characteristically with metabolic acidosis. We reported the case of a 59-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with diminished consciousness. Acute methanol intoxication was determined as the cause. Laboratory tests revealed high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Diffusion-weighted MRI indicated diffuse symmetric diffusion restriction lesions in the subcortical white matter of both cerebral hemispheres.

Keyword

Methanol intoxication; Diffuse symmetric subcortical white matter lesion; Magnetic resonance imaging

MeSH Terms

Acid-Base Equilibrium
Acidosis
Brain Diseases*
Cerebrum
Consciousness
Diffusion
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Methanol
Middle Aged
Necrosis
White Matter
Methanol

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 59-year-old man with diminished consciousness. (a-d) Diffusion-weighted MRI shows bilateral diffuse symmetric subcortical white matter lesions with a high signal intensity and decreased apparent diffusion coefficient values (white arrows). The lesions were evenly and peripherally distributed, except for the slight predominance in both occipital lobes. These lesions did not affect the overlying cortex. There was no evidence of putaminal necrosis or hemorrhage in this patient.

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