Local edema and hemorrhage caused by Crotalus durissus terrificus envenoming evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to detect the presence of local edema and hemorrhage caused by Crotalus durissus terrificus envenoming using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Six patients bitten by Crotalus durissus terrificus snakes were treated at the Emergency Unit and Tropical Diseases Unit of Botucatu School of Medicine, UNESP, Säo Paulo State, Brazil. After receiving specific serotherapy, the patients were submitted to MR of the bite site. Post contrast T1 and T2 spin-echo MRI were obtained revealing the following lesions edema associated with hemorrhage in subcutaneous and muscular tissue (n=3), edema in subcutaneous tissue (n=2), and perimuscular hemorrhage (n=1). In this study, MR demonstrated a local effect of Crotalus durissus terrificus envenoming in inducing edema and hemorrhage, mainly in muscular tissues and perimuscular areas. These results indicate that Crotalus durissus terrificus venom cause a local muscular tissue damage in human envenoming represented by edema and hemorrhage.