Lead Poisoning

  • Etiology: Overdose of lead
  • Imaging Radiograph:
    — Dense metaphyseal lines in bones
    — Dense ingested lead containing objects in gastrointestinal tract
    — Skull suture separation due to lead encephalopathy causing brain edema
  • DDX:
  • Complications: Lead encephalopathy
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical: Abdominal distension and pica

Radiology Cases of Lead Poisoning

Radiograph of lead poisoning
AXR AP (left) shows a marked amount of constipation with punctate radioopaque objects throughout the colon, most clearly seen in the magnified AP view of the rectum (center). AP radiograph of the wrist (right) shows a dense line in the metaphysis of the radius.
Radiographs of lead poisoning
AP radiographs of the lower extremities show dense transverse lines in the proximal and distal metaphyses of the femora, tibiae and fibulae bilaterally.
AXR of lead poisoning
AXR shows multiple punctate and linear radiopaque objects in the ascending colon.