Clinical analysis on the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with metallic mercury poisoning from subcutaneous injection by ultrasonography
10.20001/j.issn.2095-2619.20250611
- VernacularTitle:超声影像下诊治皮下注射汞中毒1例 临床分析
- Author:
Xiaozhen XIANG
1
;
Ziwen CAO
;
Zongguang LIU
;
Aichu YANG
;
Qifeng WU
Author Information
1. Department of Ultrasound, Guangdong Provincial Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510300, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Metallic mercury;
Mercury poisoning;
Ultrasound;
Subcutaneous injection;
Diagnosis;
Treatment;
Clinical analysis
- From:
China Occupational Medicine
2025;52(3):304-307
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
To analyze the clinical data and imaging examination data of a patient with metallic mercury poisoning from subcutaneous injection. The abdominal B-ultrasonograph results of the patient indicated multiple scattered hyperechoic spots accompanied by "comet tail" sign in the liver and right renal sinus, the nature of which was not clear and it was considered crystal deposition. The chest X-ray revealed scattered and multiple spot-like, snowflake-like and tree-cast-like high-density shadows in both lung fields. The chest computed tomography scan revealed multiple spot and patchy high-density shadows distributed in both lungs, considering hematogenous distribution deposits, and possible mercury poisoning. Laboratory test results showed that blood mercury level was 4.16 μmol/L and urine mercury level was 6 545.5 μg/g Cr. After 28 days of mercury chelation therapy, the abdominal ultrasound examination showed that the hyperechoic spots in the liver and right renal sinus were reduced compared with the previous examination. Metallic mercury poisoning from subcutaneous injection has specific manifestations in abdominal B-ultrasound imaging, which can provide a basis for the early diagnosis of metallic mercury poisoning in clinical practice and can be used to observe the efficacy of mercury chelation therapy.
