[1H-MR spectroscopic imaging: an approach to evaluating alcohol breakdown in the brain].

The local alcohol concentration in the human brain was determined in 10 cases using MR spectroscopic imaging. Therefore 7 subjects with an average blood alcohol concentration of 0.8/000 were examined after oral intake of alcoholic beverages. Varying alcohol concentration was found intracranially which was recorded spectroscopically w.r.t. time. Relatively high ethanol concentrations were determined in the cerebellum as well as in the ventricular system. Contrary to this, lower concentrations were found in the regions of grey and white matter.