MR findings in seven patients with organic mercury poisoning (Minamata disease).
OBJECTIVE
To study the long-term MR findings in seven patients with Minamata disease.


METHODS
All patients examined were affected after eating daily considerable amounts of the methylmercury-contaminated seafoods from 1955 through 1958 and showed typical neurologic findings. T1- and T2-weighted images were obtained in axial, coronal, and sagittal sections.


RESULTS
The visual cortex, the cerebellar vermis and hemispheres, and the postcentral cortex were significantly atrophic. The visual cortex was slightly hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images, probably representing the pathologic changes of status spongiosus.


CONCLUSIONS
MR demonstrated the lesions, located in the calcarine area, cerebellum, and postcentral gyri, which are probably related to three of the characteristic manifestations of this disease: the constriction of the visual fields, ataxia, and sensory disturbance, respectively.
Korogi
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takahashi
M
M
Shinzato
J
J
Okajima
T
T
D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D014794:Visual Fields