Diffuse subcortical white matter restriction: An uncommon finding on metronidazole toxicity

Neuroradiol J. 2023 Feb;36(1):119-124. doi: 10.1177/19714009221111087. Epub 2022 Jul 18.

Abstract

Metronidazole is a common and widely used antibiotic to treat a wide range of infectious diseases and has been associated with serious neurologic disturbances which in some cases were irreversible. We present a metronidazole-induced encephalopathy in a 19-year-old girl after 7 days of metronidazole treatment, with diffusion restricted subcortical white matter lesions along with the corpus callosum involvements. Diverse clinical presentation of a serious neurologic disturbance caused by a common widely used antibiotic should be carefully addressed in the setting of both short- and long-term treatment.

Keywords: antibiotic adverse effect; encephalopathy; metronidazole; metronidazole induced encephalopathy; toxicity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Brain Diseases* / pathology
  • Diffusion
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Metronidazole / adverse effects
  • White Matter* / pathology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Metronidazole
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents