[abstract] BRAIN MRI SPECTROSCOPY IMPROVES WITH OHB TREATMENT IN ONE PATIENT WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. CASE REPORT

Abstract

CASE REPORT: A young, asymptomatic male patient presented with a left cerebellar cortical lesion noted on a control magnetic resonance imaging completed at one month after acute carbon monoxide poisoning associated with the loss of consciousness. Per neurologist's order, he was treated with hyperbaric oxygen, receiving 12 sessions at 2.4 ATA during the second month and 10 sessions during the 6th months after this event. RESULTS: After the last course of HBO treatment, the cerebellar lesion in the MRI persisted without modifications. However there were some changes in the spectroscopy: the disappearance of lactate (whose presence indicates the state of catabolism, being found in necrotic or cystic lesions), partial descent of the abnormal level of choline (indicator of the membranes disorder, also present in tumor cells), and, in particular, marked recovery in the level of n-acetyl aspartate (its concentration diminishes in different types of brain lesions) was observeCONCLUSIONS: The hyperbaric oxygen treatment of neurological sequelae resulted in the partial recovery of some metabolic markers of the brain tissue measured by the MRI spectroscopy. Whether or not this improvement can be attributed to HBO is not clear. Controlled trials are needed.