title: Hypointensity in T2-weighted images of the basal ganglia in solvent-exposed patients with multiple sclerosis: clinical, MRI and CSF characteristics.
abstract: Several studies have indicated an association between MS and organic solvent exposure. Our objective was to analyse differences regarding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) properties, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and cerebral metabolites, measured by proton spectroscopy (1H-MRS), in 20 patients with spontaneous multiple sclerosis (MS) and in 20 patients with MS after solvent exposure; 15 healthy subjects served as controls. CSF examinations were retrospectively reviewed from the medical files. There were no significant differences in the CSF regarding pleocytosis, spinal-serum albumin ratio or mean extended IgG index. However, T2-weighted images of the solvent-exposed MS patients showed more hypointenseareas in the basal ganglia. Hypointensity on T2-weighted images of the basal ganglia in the solvent-exposed MS patients may correspond to neurodegeneration and could be an early event in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nervous System and Locomotion, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Landtblom
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Thuomas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sjödqvist
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Flodin
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Nyland
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Söderfeldt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents