Neuroimaging Findings in Toxic Brain Injuries

The neurotoxic effects of various drugs and metabolites are often overlooked in the larger picture of complex medical problems. However, with the advent of novel MR imaging techniques, these neurologic effects are being increasingly recognized. These agents include exogenous and endogenous metabolites, and their manifestations may be subtle to recognize. The reversibility of their neurotoxic effects depends on prompt radiologic recognition of the neuroimaging findings to alert the ordering physicians and to initiate appropriate therapy. In this article, the neurotoxic potential of various metabolites is presented and their MR imaging findings are summarized.