[Functional magnetic resonance imaging in brain tumour neurosurgical resection risk assessment].

UNLABELLED: To establish the possibilities of functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) in the assesment of preservation of the motor and speech brain functions in the primary brain tumour patients planed for neurosurgery. METHODS AND MATERIAL: fMRI of motor and/or speech areas was performed on 3T MRI unit in 17 patients with primary brain tumours and dominant focal epileptic symptomatology. RESULTS: None of the patients demonstrated motor neurologic deficit before the operation, while in one patient a moderate speech disorder was noted. Operative treatment has been performed in 11/17 patients, and in 6/11 patients total tumour resection has been performed. Motor deficit has not been noted in any of the patients. Transitory speech deficit was noted in 3/11 patients, while 1/11 patients demonstrated a permanent but mild speech deficit. CONCLUSION: fMRI may be of significant help in the assessment of potential postoperative neurological deficit risks, enabling the optimization of neurosurgical resection procedure in the brain tumour patients.

[Newer techniques in diagnostic imaging of colorectal carcinoma].

A wide spectrum of nowadays availible radiological and imaging methods in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with colorectal cancer enabled not only the improvement of primary colorectal malignancy detection, precise staging, regional involvement and metastatic spread assessment, but also the posttherapeutical estimation and follow-up. Having in mind that the exact diagnostic assessment of colorectal carcinoma by use of different imaging modalities still raises a lots of contradictories, in this report we have tried to present the possibilities of newer imaging techniques in the diagnostic evaluation of the patients with colorectal cancer.

[Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with cancer of unknown primary origin].

UNLABELLED: Cancer of unknown primary origin is not an uncommon clinical state, usually accounting for 2%-7% of all cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed in 17 patients with histologically proven metastatic tumors of unknown primary and negative or inconclusive conventional diagnostic procedures. RESULTS: The study included 17 patients (8 male and 9 female) age from 42 to 76 years. PET / CT has pointed out the probable localization of primary tumors in 10 patients. According histological diagnosis of carcinoma of unknown origin, most common is adenocarcinoma (64.71%). Origin of the primary cancer was found in 72.73% patients with adenocarcinoma 66.67% of respondents with squamocelular carcinoma and 50% of respondents with low differentiated carcinoma. Location of primary cancer was not found in 41.18% of the respondents, including patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma and patients with melanoma. CONCLUSION: FDG PET/CT demonstrates very good whole-body imaging method in evaluation of patients with unknown primary carcinoma.

[Magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma ].

PURPOSE: To estimate the diagnostic possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques and three-dimensional multivoxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with clinical suspicion of prostate carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 36 patients suspected to have prostate carcinoma underwent MRI with dynamic contrast enhanced study and MRS at 1.5T MRI unit using a pelvic phased array coil. MRI and MRS results were correlated with pathohystological findings after radical prostatectomy and standard biopsy with 12 or 24 cores or guided biopsy. RESULTS: Out of 44 detected prostate carcinomas, 38 (86.36%) demonstrated low T2W signal intensity while pathognomonic contrast enhancement has been detected in 40 (91%) carcinomas. MRS showed (Cho+Cr)/Ci ratio mean value of 3.52 in carcinoma, and 0.14 in normal prostatic tissue (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: MR techniques, both nonenhanced and contrast enhanced when combined with MRS can provide reliable diagnostic results in the evaluation of prostate carcinoma even by use of pelvic phased array coil at 1.5T unit.

[Functional MRI imaging in the detection of eloquent areas of the brain].

Functional magnetic resonance imaging--fMRI is a relative new magnetic resonance technique that may be used for identification of eloquent cortical areas. Gold standard for detection of eloquent areas that should be preserved subsequent to resection is a direct cortical stimulation, which is invasive and frequently difficult to be performed. On the other hand, fMRI has proved to be a promising alternative with good time and spatial resolution. The paper explains the method of the functional MR imagining, origins of the signal and its relation to the neuronal activation. fMRI technique is illustrated by the example of the motor cortex identification. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging--fMRI is a relatively new MR application that can be used for detection of eloquent areas of the brain. The gold standard for identifying eloquent areas of the brain to be avoided in resections is direct cortical stimulation, which is an invasive and difficult procedure. On the other hand fMRI shows great promise as noninvasive alternative to invasive brain mapping with good temporal and spatial resolution. This paper introduces the technique of fMRI, explain the origin of the signal and his connections with neural activations. An illustrative example of a motor activation study is described.