MRI appearances consistent with haemorrhagic infarction as an early manifestation of carbon monoxide poisoning.

High signal in the globus pallidus on T1-weighted images was observed in two patients who underwent early MRI, after exposure to carbon monoxide (CO). We compare these MRI abnormalities with those previously reported, and with CT findings which suggested that the damage to the globi pallidi is of vascular origin. We discuss also the hypothesis that haemorrhagic infarction is an early manifestation of CO poisoning.