Volume 42, Number 11, 845-848, DOI: 10.1007/s002340000442

Unusual pattern of leukoencephalopathy after morphine sulphate intoxication

R. Nanan, H. B. von Stockhausen, B. Petersen, L. Solymosi and M. Warmuth-Metz

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Abstract

We report a 14-year-old girl with an unusual pattern of leukoencephalopathy after intentional intoxication with morphine sulphate tablets. Toxicological analysis showed exceedingly high levels of morphine and its metabolites. MRI disclosed a leukoencephalopathy with high signal from the centrum semiovale, corpus callosum and cerebellar white matter on T2-weighted images. These findings could be only partially explained by a hypoxic-ischaemic event; neurotoxic effects must be considered in this atypical leukoencephalopathy.

Key words Morphine sulphate intoxication - Leukoencephalopathy - Neurotoxicity - Magnetic resonance imaging

Received: 3 August 1999 Accepted: 3 April 2000

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