A Case of Methanol Intoxication with Multifocal Enhancing Lesions in Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ABSTRACT

In accidental or suicidal methanol ingestion, bilateral necrosis of the putamen and hemispheric white matter lesions are the most common findings on CT and MRI. There are a few reports that have demonstrated abnormal CT findings in methanol intoxication, however, to our knowledge, contrast enhancement of these lesions have not been reported in Korea. We report the case of a 36-year-old male who had a brain MRI performed 3 weeks after accidental methanol intoxication. T2 weighted MRI showed bilateral symmetrical high signal lesions in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia with hemorrhaegic necrosis. A postcontrast MRI demonstrated multifocal enhancing lesions in both frontal lobes, right temporal lobe, both basal ganglias and both cerebellar hemispheres. We suggest that the characteristic brain MRI finding and careful history taking are helpful in diagnosis of methanol intoxication.