[Damages to the central nervous system due to illicit drug use]

Illicit drugs can cause a myriad of CNS damages. The toxicity might be caused by the drug itself or by diverse contaminants. The most common changes are ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke as well as subarachnoid hemorrhage and leukoencephalopathies. This article gives a review of the most important morphological imaging findings of the CNS in illicit drug users.

In cases of stroke or unclear leukoencephalopathies in young adults, the differential diagnosis of illicit drug use should be considered.