Serial assessments of delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging on 3.0T system.
To elucidate the still unclear mechanism of delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, we serially performed single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on a 3.0T system and intelligence tests in 2 patients, while they were undergoing hyperbaric oxygenation therapy. The chronological changes in (1)H-MRS- and DTI-derived parameters indicated the following: (1) White matter demyelination, aerobic metabolism inhibition, and cytotoxic edema persisted for at least 3 months even after starting the hyperbaric oxygenation therapy; (2) the axonal function and structural integrity of the white matter were initially severely impaired and then gradually and partially improved for 5 months, showing changes similar to those in the scores of the intelligence tests. The results demonstrated that brain damage after CO poisoning may persist longer than expected, and that the (1)H-MRS- and DTI-derived parameters are good indicators of the clinical progress of a patient. The combination of (1)H-MRS and DTI on a 3.0T system is useful for monitoring the changes in brain damage and the clinical symptoms of patients with delayed encephalopathy after CO poisoning.
Terajima
Kenshi
K
Center for Integrated Human Brain Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan. terajima@bri.niigata-u.ac.jp
Igarashi
Hironaka
H
Hirose
Masaki
M
Matsuzawa
Hitoshi
H
Nishizawa
Masatoyo
M
Nakada
Tsutomu
T
D000368:Aged; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000150:complications*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*
D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D002794:Choline