title: Patients with suspected solvent-induced encephalopathy examined with cerebral computed tomography.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between organic solvent exposure and brain atrophy among 85 patients referred to a department of occupational medicine and who underwent cerebral computed tomography. On average, the patients had been heavily exposed to a mixture of organic solvents for 22.9 years. Diseases which may be associated with brain atrophy or high alcohol consumption was observed among 31% of the subjects. Among these subjects the prevalence of brain atrophy was 58%. The prevalence of brain atrophy was 20% among the men without such conditions. None of the eight female patients appeared to have atrophy. The quantitative assessment showed no correlation between the duration of exposure and atrophy-related parameters. However, the width of the third ventricle, bifrontal ratio, and bicaudate ratio were correlated with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Telemark Central Hospital, Porsgrunn, Norway.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ellingsen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bekken
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kolsaker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langård
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents