ABSTRACT
A 76-year-old woman with a 7-year history of dementia presented to our hospital with generalized convulsive seizure for the first time. Contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed leptomeningeal enhancement mainly in the right occipital lobe and multiple lobar microbleeds in the bilateral cerebral and cerebellar subcortex. No white matter lesions were observed. A brain biopsy of the right parieto-occipital lobe revealed cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). White matter lesions appeared in the right parieto-occipital lobe three days after the biopsy, and we considered inflammatory CAA. Three courses of methylprednisolone pulse followed by oral prednisolone therapy gradually reduced leptomeningeal and white matter lesions. An apolipoprotein E genotype investigation identified the ε2/ε3 genotype. In patients with inflammatory CAA, a risk of exacerbation should be considered after brain biopsy, in which the ε2 allele might play a role.
Subject(s)
Biopsy/adverse effects , Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy/etiology , Leukoencephalopathies/etiology , White Matter/pathology , Administration, Oral , Aged , Alleles , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Benzimidazoles/administration & dosage , Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy/drug therapy , Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy/genetics , Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy/pathology , Disease Progression , Female , Genotype , Humans , Inflammation , Leukoencephalopathies/drug therapy , Leukoencephalopathies/genetics , Leukoencephalopathies/pathology , Occipital Lobe/pathology , Parietal Lobe/pathology , Prednisolone/administration & dosage , Pulse Therapy, DrugABSTRACT
Cerebral rheumatoid vasculitis (CRV) is a rare, fatal, and diagnostically challenging disorder. We herein report an 81-year-old woman with a 4-year history of rheumatoid arthritis who presented with a fever, progressive disturbance of consciousness, high level of rheumatoid factor, and hypocomplementemia. The enhancement of the perforating branches in the left middle cerebral artery led us to suspect CRV. A brain biopsy could not be performed. After we intensified steroid therapy, the size of the cerebral lesions temporarily decreased. However, recurrence in the left frontal lobe occurred one month later, and the patient subsequently died. Early intensive treatments may be needed for CRV.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Vasculitis, Central Nervous System , Aged, 80 and over , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnosis , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Biopsy , Female , Humans , Rheumatoid FactorABSTRACT
A 48-year-old woman with a right-sided headache beginning a month prior to admission presented with sudden-onset right hemiparesis. On admission, she had weakness of the right lower extremity, which disappeared 3 hours after onset. Contrast enhanced brain MRI revealed no parenchymal lesion, while indicated thrombi in the superior sagittal sinus and the right side of the transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, and internal jugular vein, leading to the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography presented slightly decreased blood flow in the bilateral frontal lobes (left-sided dominant) and the right occipitotemporal lobe. Electroencephalogram showed no abnormal finding. After anticoagulant therapy, thrombi in the venous sinuses decreased and brain blood flow improved. We should consider cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in the case of a patient presenting with symptoms of a transient ischemic attack accompanied with headache. Moreover, the etiology of transient neurological deficits remains controversial.
Subject(s)
Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/diagnostic imaging , Anticoagulants/therapeutic use , Diagnosis, Differential , Electroencephalography , Female , Frontal Lobe/blood supply , Frontal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Headache/etiology , Humans , Ischemic Attack, Transient/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Angiography , Middle Aged , Paresis/etiology , Perfusion Imaging , Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/complications , Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/drug therapy , Temporal Lobe/blood supply , Temporal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Trousseau syndrome is a poor prognosis. We report a case of Trousseau syndrome treated by radical resection after endovascular treatment. CASE: A 59-year-old woman presented to our department reporting spontaneous dizziness and pain of the upper abdomen. Magnetic resolution imaging (MRI) showed shower embolization of Brain. Contrast-enhanced computer tomography (CT) showed renal infarction and splenic infarction, and a tumor was observed in the retrohepatic area. On day 9, sudden right side joint prejudice, neglect of left half space, and left hemiplegia were observed. MRI revealed obstruction of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) perfusion zone. On the same day, endovascular treatment was performed and reperfusion was obtained. We decided on a radical surgery policy because there were a primary lesion and a high risk of new embolism, and no metastasis was seen. DISCUSSION: Trousseau syndrome generally has a poor prognosis, but active treatment should be considered as an option when we can expect the recovery of function.
Subject(s)
Bile Duct Neoplasms , Cholangiocarcinoma , Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic , Cholangiocarcinoma/complications , Cholangiocarcinoma/diagnostic imaging , Cholangiocarcinoma/surgery , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Thrombectomy , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Trousseau's syndrome is a cancer-associated thrombosis. Trousseau's syndrome with cholangiocarcinoma is a rare condition with poor prognosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 59-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain, headache, and nausea. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography revealed liver tumor, splenic infarction, and bilateral renal infarction. Multiple acute cerebral infarctions were also detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Her preoperative serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were > 120,000 U/mL and 589.6 ng/mL, respectively, which were extremely high. Histopathology after right hepatectomy revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma consistent with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Her serum levels of CA19-9 were trending down to 9029.2 and 2659.8 U/mL at 1 and 3 weeks after surgery, respectively. However, at 7 weeks after surgery, her CA19-9 levels increased in the presence of positive imaging findings in the remnant liver, hilar lymph nodes, and peritoneal cavity. The initiation of combination chemotherapy including gemcitabine and cisplatin had a significant effect. The patient was doing well at 6 months after the surgery. CONCLUSION: This rare case of Trousseau's syndrome due to cholangiocarcinoma suggests that extremely high CA19-9 levels might be a pathogenic factor of this syndrome.