[Clinical characteristics, CT and MRI findings for delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate clinical and imaging characteristics of delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) and their relationship to the prognosis.

Methods: The clinical, CT and MRI findings in 46 patients with DEACMP were analysed and compared.

Results: The main manifestations of the disease were mental and extrapyramidal impairment. CT scan showed diffuse low density changes in bilateral cerebral white matter, bilateral or unilateral globus pallidus or basal ganglia areas. The MRI showed necrosis and degeneration of glodus pallidus and cerebral white matter demyelination mainly around the ventricles, with high signal intensity in T(2)-weighted and equal or low signal intensity in T(1)-weighted as well as the lesions in hippocampus and brain stem. There was the sign of encephalatrophy in the late stage. The positive detectable rate of MRI was 82.1%, higher than that of CT, 43.2%. MRI was more sensitive than CT.

Conclusion: The prognosis of the patients is closely related with the age, time of come after DEACMP and the effectiveness of treatment. Both CT and MRI are valuable in the diagnosis and evaluation of the prognosis for DEACMP. MRI is more sensitive than CT in the diagnosis of DEACMP.