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Magnetic resonance imaging features of brain and spinal cord injury in a fatal case of isopropanol intoxication
Authors Mahajan P, Mathew J, Jayaram A, Negi V, Abu Hmaira MM
Received 4 January 2014
Accepted for publication 29 January 2014
Published 24 March 2014 Volume 2014:7 Pages 57—61
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IMCRJ.S60082
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 2
Video abstract presented by Parag Suresh Mahajan
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Parag Suresh Mahajan,1 Joyal Jacob Mathew,2 Abhilash Pulincherry Jayaram,1 Vidya Chander Negi,1 Mohamed Milad Abu Hmaira2
1Department of Radiology, 2Department of Medicine, Al-Khor Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
Abstract: A 60-year-old man presented with headache, dizziness, and disorientation one day after consumption of isopropanol along with ethanol. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain performed immediately was unremarkable. The patient collapsed within the hospital 30 minutes after the CT scan was done, and remained comatose until death, showing no improvement with symptomatic treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine done 6 days after admission revealed bilaterally symmetrical hyperintensities involving the cerebral and cerebellar cortex and white matter, basal ganglia, thalami, and brainstem on T2-weighted, fluid attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion weighted images; similar hyperintensities were seen involving the swollen and edematous cervical spinal cord and cerebellar tonsillar herniation compressing the proximal cervical cord. Petechial hemorrhages were also noted within the brainstem. These features are compatible with toxic injury to the brain and cervical spinal cord. To our knowledge, the magnetic resonance imaging features of brain and spinal cord injury and cerebellar tonsillar herniation, secondary to isopropanol intoxication have not been reported in the published literature before.
Keywords: alcohol intoxication, computed tomography, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, toxicity
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