MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING AND C-11 N-METHYLSPIPERONE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY STUDIES IN A PATIENT WITH THE INTERVAL FORM OF CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING/

Magnetic resonance (MR) and C-11-N-methylspiperone (C-11-NMSP)/positro n emission tomography (PET) imagings were repeatedly performed in a 50 -year-old man with the interval form of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning . In MR images obtained when delayed neuropsychiatric symptoms develop ed (two months after poisoning), the inner segments of the bilateral g lobus pallidus appeared as high signal intensities in the T1-weighted and low signal intensities in the T2-weighted images, suggesting prior focal hemorrhage in these areas. A PET study with C-11-NMSP performed at that time showed an increase in dopamine D-2 receptor binding in t he caudate and putamen. Treatment with bromocriptine was very effectiv e and five months after the poisoning, MR and C-11-NMSP/PET images sho wed improvement, concomitantly with the disappearance of the neuropsyc hiatric symptoms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.