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IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

Case 1, image 1: This 39 year old man died of volatile inhalant and mixed drug toxicity. He reportedly worked for a refrigerant/cooler company. Autopsy revealed microscopic changes in the brain secondary to chronic solvent vapor use.

Case 1, image 2: A section of the parietal paraventricular white matter shows scattered perivascular PAS-positive macrophages.

Case 1, image 3: A closer look at PAS-positive macrophages.

BACKGROUND

Solvent vapor (inhalant) abuse can lead to histopathologic changes within the white matter including demyelination accumulation of PAS-positive macrophages in perivascular spaces (Fornazzari).

REFERENCES

Fornazzari L, et al. Solvent abuse-related toluene leukoencephalopathy. Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine (2003) 10, 93-5.

Last updated: 2013-10-22
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