Although conventional MRI allows visualization of detailed
neuroanatomy, especially the cerebral white matter
(7), it is not sufficiently sensitive to detect the earliest
stages of white matter damage from toluene. The insensitivity
of standard MRI to mild degrees of toluene leukoencephalopathy
hampers early detection of individuals
at risk, and it is therefore possible that a crucial opportunity
for effective intervention is lost. Recent improvements
in MRI technology that promise to rectify this include
diffusion tensor MRI (DTI), magnetization transfer
imaging (MTI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy
(MRS).