[MRI of chronic toluene intoxication].

We examined MRI of 7 chronic "thinner" abusers sniffing mainly toluene for more than 5 years. MRI examination revealed cerebral atrophies in 5 out of 7 patients and hippocampal atrophies in 3 out of 7 patients. Five out of 7 patients showed low intensity signal in bilateral thalamus on T2 weighted images and 2 showed high intensity signal in internal capsule (especially posterior limb) on T2 weighted image together with the change of thalamus. The results of intelligence test for 6 patients showed significant impairment (56 +/- 17, mean +/- S.D.). SPECT with 99mTc-HMPAO of a patient showed non-selective diffuse low perfusion in cerebral cortex. Reduction of cerebral blood flow would be significant for understanding cerebral and hippocampal atrophies or the deterioration of the intelligence of chronic toluene abusers.