Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Multi-modal Pulmonary Imaging: Using Complementary Information from CT and Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI to Evaluate Lung Structure-Function
02:09

Multi-modal Pulmonary Imaging: Using Complementary Information from CT and Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI to Evaluate Lung Structure-Function

Published on: April 12, 2024

Acute carbon monoxide poisoning: diffusion MR imaging findings

R Nuri Sener1

  • 1Department of Radiology, Ege University Hospital, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|August 15, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause acute white matter damage, visible on diffusion MRI. This white matter damage resolves over time, indicating its sensitivity to ischemia.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Radiology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a common cause of toxic encephalopathy.
  • Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) is sensitive to changes in water molecule movement within tissues.

Observation:

  • Acute CO poisoning demonstrated high signal intensity lesions in white matter on dMRI (b=1000 s/mm2).
  • Affected white matter regions exhibited restricted diffusion with low apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values (0.18-0.34 x 10(-3) mm2/s).

Findings:

  • White matter lesions observed during acute CO poisoning disappeared on follow-up MRI after 16 days.
  • These findings suggest that white matter is particularly sensitive to ischemic injury in the acute phase of CO poisoning.

Implications:

  • Early detection of white matter injury in CO poisoning is possible with dMRI.
  • Understanding the differential vulnerability of white and gray matter to CO-induced ischemia can inform clinical management and prognosis.

More Related Videos

Acquiring Hyperpolarized 129Xe Magnetic Resonance Images of Lung Ventilation09:08

Acquiring Hyperpolarized 129Xe Magnetic Resonance Images of Lung Ventilation

Published on: November 21, 2023

Diffusion Imaging in the Rat Cervical Spinal Cord10:46

Diffusion Imaging in the Rat Cervical Spinal Cord

Published on: April 7, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Radiological Investigation II: MRI and Ventilation Perfusion Scan01:30

Radiological Investigation II: MRI and Ventilation Perfusion Scan

Description
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ventilation Perfusion Scans are two radiological investigations that offer detailed diagnostic images of the body, particularly lung structures.
MRI
MRI uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency signals to distinguish between normal and abnormal tissues. This technology provides a more detailed diagnostic image than CT scans, enabling it to characterize pulmonary nodules, stage bronchogenic carcinoma, and evaluate inflammatory activity in...
Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion01:17

Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion

Understanding and evaluating diffusion and perfusion is critical in assessing a patient's respiratory and circulatory health. These processes play key roles in maintaining the body's internal environment, ensuring that tissues receive adequate oxygen while waste products are efficiently removed.
The Role of Diffusion in Respiration
Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the respiratory system, this principle...
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI01:21

Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, or CMRI, is a non-invasive diagnostic test that employs a magnetic field and radiofrequency waves to create precise images of the heart and arteries. It provides comprehensive information about cardiac anatomy, function, perfusion, and tissue characterization without ionizing radiation.IndicationsCMRI diagnoses various heart conditions, including tissue damage from heart attacks, ischemic heart disease, myocarditis, aortic issues (tears, aneurysms,...
Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan01:13

Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan

Radiological investigations are paramount in the diagnosis and management of various pulmonary diseases. Two essential investigations are the Pulmonary Angiogram and the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan.
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...
Magnetic Resonance Imaging01:24

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging technique based on a phenomenon of nuclear physics discovered in the 1930s, in which matter exposed to magnetic fields and radio waves was found to emit radio signals. In 1970, a physician and researcher named Raymond Damadian noticed that malignant (cancerous) tissue gave off different signals than normal body tissue. He applied for a patent for the first MRI scanning device in clinical use by the early 1980s. The early MRI...
Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology01:10

Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology

Atelectasis develops when alveoli lose their air and collapse inward. Because lung tissue is naturally elastic, these air sacs shrink rather than remaining open. Collapsed alveoli are no longer ventilated, reducing their role in gas exchange. Blood flow may continue in these regions, creating a ventilation–perfusion mismatch. Clinical findings include decreased breath sounds, dullness to percussion, reduced chest expansion, and decreased tactile fremitus as sound transmission through collapsed...