PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - S. Geibprasert
AU  - M. Gallucci
AU  - T. Krings
TI  - Addictive Illegal Drugs: Structural Neuroimaging
AID  - 10.3174/ajnr.A1811
DP  - 2010 May 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 803--808
VI  - 31
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/31/5/803.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/31/5/803.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2010 May 01; 31
AB  - SUMMARY: Illegal addictive drugs can lead to functional or structural impairment of the central nervous system. This review provides an overview of the structural imaging findings on CT, MR imaging, and conventional angiography related to chronic and acute abuse of the most commonly abused illegal drugs, including cannabis, organic solvents, and amphetamines and opioids and their respective derivatives. Pathomechanisms include excitotoxicity, which may lead to an acute or subacute leukoencephalopathy, and vascular complications, including vasoconstriction, vasculitis, or hypertension, which may lead to intracranial hemorrhage or ischemia. Because clinical findings alone are often nonspecific, and afflicted patients are unlikely to admit to the substance abuse, the neuroradiologist may play an important role in establishing the diagnosis and, thereby, initiating treatment. CBcannabinoid5-HTserotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine)MCAmiddle cerebral arteryMDMA3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamineMRAMR angiographyPETpositron-emission tomography