Objective: To explore the diagnosis value of CT and MRI in delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP).
Methods: The clinical, CT and MRI data of 20 patients with DEACMP were analysed.
Results: The main clinical manifestations of the disease were intellectual disturbances and personality disorders. CT scan in DEACMP showed that some characteristic changes (such as diffuse low density) was observed within bilateral cerebral white matter, prominently within bilateral or unilateral globus pallidus or basal ganglia areas. The MRI showed that brain lesions in DEACMP were bilateral symmetric punctate, spotty or confluent foci within periventricular white matter and centrum semioval, which showed high signal intensity in T2-weighted and low signal intensity in T1-weighted. The chronic ischemia changes were found in the globus pallidus or basal ganglia areas. Cerebral cortex lesions were observed occasionally.
Conclusions: The diagnosis of DEACMP mainly depends on case history, clinical features and neuroradiological presence. MRI is more valuable in the diagnosis and the differential diagnosis than CT.