Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Author Spotlight: Methanol-Based Whole-Mount Preparation for the Investigation of Retinal Ganglion Cells
Published on: April 7, 2023
Imaging findings after methanol intoxication (cohort of 46 patients)
Manuela Vaneckova1, Sergey Zakharov2, Jiri Klempir3
1MR Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
Objectives:
Our goal is to demonstrate the variability of imaging findings, primarily in the MRI, in 46 patients who survived acute methanol poisoning. This cohort of patients is the largest such sample group examined by MRI.
Methods:
Patients were examined by means of imaging methods (42 patients by MRI and 4 by CT). All had an identical protocol of MR examination (T2WI, FLAIR, T1WI with or without application of contrast medium and T2WI/FFE, DWI in the transversal plane of the scan, and with focus on the optic nerves in the coronal plane of the scan in T2WI-SPIR).
Results:
Imaging methods revealed a positive finding associated with methanol intoxication in 21 patients (46%). These consisted of symmetrical lesions in the putamen--13 patients (28%), haemorrhage--13 cases (28%), deposits in white matter with localization primarily subcortically--4 cases (9%), lesions in the region of the globus pallidus--7 cases (15%) (in 6 cases without combination with the lesions in the putamen), lesions in the brainstem afflicted 6 patients (13%), and lesion in the cerebellum was found in one case. A pathological finding was found only in the patients examined by MRI.
Conclusion:
Almost half of the patients who survived acute methanol poisoning had pathological findings by MRI. The most common finding concerned an affliction of the putamen, which is a predilection area. An interesting finding was the relatively frequent occurrence of selective lesion of the globus pallidus, which is more usually associated with other types of intoxication.
Insights
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed varied pathological findings in nearly half of patients after acute methanol poisoning. The putamen was the most commonly affected area, with some cases showing unusual globus pallidus lesions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Methanol poisoning can cause severe neurological sequelae.
- Imaging findings in survivors of acute methanol poisoning are not well-characterized.
- This study examines the largest cohort to date using MRI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the variability of imaging findings, particularly MRI, in patients who survived acute methanol poisoning.
- To identify common and unusual patterns of brain injury associated with methanol intoxication.
Main Methods:
- 46 patients surviving acute methanol poisoning underwent imaging.
- 42 patients were examined using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with a standardized protocol.
- 4 patients were examined using Computed Tomography (CT).
Main Results:
- 46% of patients (21/46) showed positive imaging findings.
- Symmetrical putamen lesions (28%) and hemorrhage (28%) were most common.
- Other findings included white matter deposits (9%), globus pallidus lesions (15%), brainstem lesions (13%), and cerebellar lesions (1%).
Conclusions:
- MRI is valuable for detecting pathological changes in methanol poisoning survivors.
- The putamen is a predilection site for methanol-induced injury.
- Selective globus pallidus lesions, typically seen in other intoxications, were noted with relative frequency.
![Semi-quantitative Assessment Using [18F]FDG Tracer in Patients with Severe Brain Injury](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F58641.jpg&w=3840&q=50)