MR changes after acute cyanide intoxication.

We describe MR changes that occurred 3 and 6 weeks after a suicide attempt with cyanide. The toxicity of cyanide causes damage, primarily to the basal ganglia, and those changes were visible as altered signal intensity on the first MR images. Extensive areas of hemorrhagic necrosis were seen 6 weeks later. Our case shows pseudolaminar necrosis along the central cerebral cortex 3 weeks after cyanide poisoning, showing that the sensorimotor cortex is also a site for toxic necrosis because of its high oxygen dependency.