Mechanical thrombectomy in young patients with large vessel occlusion-related ischemic stroke: Data from the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The weight of outcome predictors in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients older than 60 years is not necessarily mirrored in the younger population, posing the question of whether outcome determinants specific for the latter might vary. Very few data are available on predictors of outcome in young AIS patients receiving endovascular treatment (EVT). METHODS: We analyzed data for patients aged between 16 and 55 years from the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. We divided our population into patients <45 years old and patients aged between 45 and 55 years. After testing the differences between groups in terms of 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2, mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, we looked for predictors of poor outcome (mRS 3-6), death, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 438 patients younger than 45 years and 817 aged 45-55 years were included; 284 (34.8%) patients aged 45-55 years and 112 (25.6%) patients younger than 45 years old showed poor 90-day functional outcome (p = 0.001). Predictors of poor outcome in the older group were baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS; p < 0.001), diabetes (p = 0.027), poor collateral status (p = 0.036), and groin puncture-to-recanalization time (p = 0.010), whereas Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2b-3 had an inverse association (p < 0.001). Predictors of poor outcome in patients younger than 45 years were baseline NIHSS (p < 0.001) and groin puncture-to-recanalization time (p = 0.015), whereas an inverse association was found for baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (p = 0.010) and TICI 2b-3 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one third of young adults treated with EVT do not reach a good functional outcome. Fast and successful recanalization, rather than common risk factors, has a major role in determining clinical outcome.

Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke Beyond 6 Hours From Onset: A Real-World Experience.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate outcome and safety of endovascular treatment beyond 6 hours of onset of ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, in routine clinical practice. METHODS: From the Italian Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy, we extracted clinical and outcome data of patients treated for stroke of known onset beyond 6 hours. Additional inclusion criteria were prestroke modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 and ASPECTS score ≥6. Patients were selected on individual basis by a combination of CT perfusion mismatch (difference between total hypoperfusion and infarct core sizes) and CT collateral score. The primary outcome measure was the score on modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. Safety outcomes were 90-day mortality and the occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Data were compared with those from patients treated within 6 hours. RESULTS: Out of 3057 patients, 327 were treated beyond 6 hours. Their mean age was 66.8±14.9 years, the median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 16, and the median onset to groin puncture time 430 minutes. The most frequent site of occlusion was middle cerebral artery (45.1%). Functional independence (90-day modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2) was achieved by 41.3% of cases. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 6.7% of patients, and 3-month case fatality rate was 17.1%. The probability of surviving with modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2 (odds ratio, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.43-0.77]) was significantly lower in patients treated beyond 6 hours as compared with patients treated earlier No differences were found regarding recanalization rates and safety outcomes between patients treated within and beyond 6 hours. There were no differences in outcome between people treated 6-12 hours from onset (278 patients) and those treated 12 to 24 hours from onset (49 patients). CONCLUSIONS: This real-world study suggests that in patients with large vessel occlusion selected on the basis of CT perfusion and collateral circulation assessment, endovascular treatment beyond 6 hours is feasible and safe with no increase in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

General Anesthesia Versus Conscious Sedation and Local Anesthesia During Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As numerous questions remain about the best anesthetic strategy during thrombectomy, we assessed functional and radiological outcomes in stroke patients treated with thrombectomy in presence of general anesthesia (GA) versus conscious sedation (CS) and local anesthesia (LA). METHODS: We conducted a cohort study on prospectively collected data from 4429 patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. RESULTS: GA was used in 2013 patients, CS in 1285 patients, and LA in 1131 patients. The rates of 3-month modified Rankin Scale score of 0-1 were 32.7%, 33.7%, and 38.1% in the GA, CS, and LA groups: GA versus CS: odds ratios after adjustment for unbalanced variables (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]), 0.811 (95% CI, 0.602-1.091); and GA versus LA: aOR, 0.714 (95% CI, 0.515-0.990). The rates of modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2 were 42.5%, 46.6%, and 52.4% in the GA, CS, and LA groups: GA versus CS: aOR, 0.902 (95% CI, 0.689-1.180); and GA versus LA: aOR, 0.769 (95% CI, 0.566-0.998). The rates of 3-month death were 21.5%, 19.7%, and 14.8% in the GA, CS, and LA groups: GA versus CS: aOR, 0.872 (95% CI, 0.644-1.181); and GA versus LA: aOR, 1.235 (95% CI, 0.844-1.807). The rates of parenchymal hematoma were 9%, 12.6%, and 11.3% in the GA, CS, and LA groups: GA versus CS: aOR, 0.380 (95% CI, 0.262-0.551); and GA versus LA: aOR, 0.532 (95% CI, 0.337-0.838). After model of adjustment for predefined variables (age, sex, thrombolysis, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, onset-to-groin time, anterior large vessel occlusion, procedure time, prestroke modified Rankin Scale score of <1, antiplatelet, and anticoagulant), differences were found also between GA versus CS as regards modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2 (aOR, 0.659 [95% CI, 0.538-0.807]) and GA versus LA as regards death (aOR, 1.413 [95% CI, 1.095-1.823]). CONCLUSIONS: GA during thrombectomy was associated with worse 3-month functional outcomes, especially when compared with LA. The inclusion of an LA arm in future randomized clinical trials of anesthesia strategy is recommended.

IER-SICH Nomogram to Predict Symptomatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage After Thrombectomy for Stroke.

Background and Purpose- As a reliable scoring system to detect the risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after thrombectomy for ischemic stroke is not yet available, we developed a nomogram for predicting symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation who received bridging of thrombectomy with intravenous thrombolysis (training set), and to validate the model by using a cohort of patients treated with direct thrombectomy (test set). Methods- We conducted a cohort study on prospectively collected data from 3714 patients enrolled in the IER (Italian Registry of Endovascular Stroke Treatment in Acute Stroke). Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was defined as any type of intracerebral hemorrhage with increase of ≥4 National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score points from baseline ≤24 hours or death. Based on multivariate logistic models, the nomogram was generated. We assessed the discriminative performance by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results- National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, onset-to-end procedure time, age, unsuccessful recanalization, and Careggi collateral score composed the IER-SICH nomogram. After removing Careggi collateral score from the first model, a second model including Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score was developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the IER-SICH nomogram was 0.778 in the training set (n=492) and 0.709 in the test set (n=399). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the second model was 0.733 in the training set (n=988) and 0.685 in the test set (n=779). Conclusions- The IER-SICH nomogram is the first model developed and validated for predicting symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after thrombectomy. It may provide indications on early identification of patients for more or less postprocedural intensive management.

Carotid artery stenting during endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke with tandem occlusion: the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke.

PURPOSE: The management of tandem extracranial internal carotid artery and intracranial large vessel occlusion during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has been under-investigated. We sought to investigate outcomes of AIS patients with tandem occlusion (TO) treated with carotid artery stenting (CAS) compared to those not treated with CAS (no-CAS) during EVT. METHODS: We performed a cohort study using data from AIS patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. Outcomes were 3 months' mortality, functional outcome, complete and successful recanalization, any intracranial hemorrhage, parenchymal hematoma and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. RESULTS: Among 466 AIS patients with TO, CAS patients were 122 and no-CAS patients were 226 (118 excluded). After adjustment for unbalanced variables, CAS was associated with a lower rate of 3 months' mortality (OR 0.407, 95% CI 0.171-0.969, p = 0.042). After adjustment for pre-defined variables, CAS was associated with a lower rate of 3 months' mortality (aOR 0.430, 95% CI 0.187-0.989, p = 0.047) and a higher rate of complete recanalization (aOR 1.986, 95% CI 1.121-3.518, p = 0.019), successful recanalization (aOR 2.433, 95% CI 1.263-4.686, p = 0.008) and parenchymal hematoma (aOR 2.876, 95% CI 1.173-7.050, p = 0.021). CAS was associated with lower 3 months mortality (OR 0.373, 95% CI 0.141-0.982, p = 0.046) and higher rates of successful recanalization (OR 2.082, 95% CI 1.099-3.942, p = 0.024) after adjustment for variables associated with 3 months' mortality and successful recanalization, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among AIS patients with TO, CAS during EVT was associated with a higher rate of successful reperfusion and a lower rate of 3 months' mortality.

Association of the Careggi Collateral Score with 3-month modified Rankin Scale score after thrombectomy for stroke with occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.

BACKGROUND: The Careggi Collateral Score (CCS) (qualitative-quantitative evaluation) was developed from a single-centre cohort as an angiographic score to describe both the extension and effectiveness of the pial collateral circulation in stroke patients with occlusion of the anterior circulation. We aimed to examine the association between CCS (quantitative evaluation) and 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score in a large multi-center cohort of patients receiving thrombectomy for stroke with occlusion of middle cerebral artery (MCA). METHODS: We conducted a study on prospectively collected data from 1284 patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke. According to the extension of the retrograde reperfusion in the cortical anterior cerebral artery (ACA)-MCA territories, CCS ranges from 0 (absence of retrograde filling) to 4 (visualization of collaterals until the alar segment of the MCA). RESULTS: Using CCS of 4 as reference, CCS grades were associated in the direction of unfavourable outcome on 3-month mRS shift (0 to 6); significant difference was found between CCS of 0 and CCS of 1 and between CCS of 3 and CCS of 4. CCS ≥ 3 was the optimal cut-off for predicting 3-month excellent outcome, while CCS ≥ 1 was the optimal cut-off for predicting 3-month survival. CCS of 0 and CCS < 3 were associated in the direction of unfavourable recanalization on TICI shift (0 to 3) compared with CCS ≥ 1 and CCS ≥ 3, respectively. Compared with CCS ≥ 3 as reference, CCS of 0 and CCS 1 to 2 were associated in the direction of unfavourable recanalization on TICI shift. There was no evidence of heterogeneity of effects of successful recanalization and procedure time ≤ 60 min on 3-month mRS shift across CCS categories. CONCLUSION: The CCS could provide a future advantage for improving the prognosis in patients receiving thrombectomy for stroke with M1 or M1-M2 segment of the MCA occlusion.

Sex differences in outcome after thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. A propensity score-matched study.

Background and purpose: We sought to investigate whether there are gender differences in clinical outcome after stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) after mechanical thrombectomy (EVT) in a large population of real-world patients. Methods: From the Italian Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy, we extracted clinical and outcome data of patients treated for stroke due to large vessel occlusion. We compared clinical and safety outcomes in men and women who underwent EVT alone or in combination with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in the total population and in a Propensity Score matched set. Results: Among 3422 patients included in the study, 1801 (52.6%) were women. Despite older age at onset (mean 72.4 vs 68.7; p < 0.001), and higher rate of atrial fibrillation (41.7% vs 28.6%; p < 0.001), women had higher probability of 3-month functional independence (adjusted odds ratio-adjOR 1.19; 95% CI 1.02-1.38), of complete recanalization (adjOR 1.25; 95% CI 1.09-1.44) and lower probability of death (adjOR 0.75; 95% CI 0.62-0.90). After propensity-score matching, a well-balanced cohort comprising 1150 men and 1150 women was analyzed, confirming the same results regarding functional outcome (3-month functional independence: OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.04-1.51), and complete recanalization (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.09-1.53). Conclusions: Subject to the limitations of a non-randomized comparison, women with stroke due to LVO treated with mechanical thrombectomy had a better chance to achieve complete recanalization, and 3-month functional independence than men. The results could be driven by women who underwent combined treatment.

Complications of mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: Incidence, risk factors, and clinical relevance in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in acute stroke.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data concerning procedure-related complications of endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion strokes. AIMS: We evaluated the cumulative incidence, the clinical relevance in terms of increased disability and mortality, and risk factors for complications. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2017, 4799 patients were enrolled by 36 centers in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Stroke Treatment. Data on demographic and procedural characteristics, complications, and clinical outcome at three months were prospectively collected. RESULTS: The complications cumulative incidence was 201 per 1000 patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. Ongoing antiplatelet therapy (p < 0.01; OR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.21-2.73) and large vessel occlusion site (carotid-T, p < 0.03; OR 3.05, 95% CI: 1.13-8.19; M2-segment-MCA, p < 0.01; OR 4.54, 95% CI: 1.66-12.44) were associated with a higher risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage/arterial perforation. Thrombectomy alone (p < 0.01; OR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.83) and younger age (p < 0.04; OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99) revealed a lower risk of developing dissection. M2-segment-MCA occlusion (p < 0.01; OR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.19-0.64) and hypertension (p < 0.04; OR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.6-0.98) were less related to clot embolization. Higher NIHSS at onset (p < 0.01; OR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06), longer groin-to-reperfusion time (p < 0.01; OR 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07), diabetes (p < 0.01; OR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.25-2.23), and LVO site (carotid-T, p < 0.01; OR 1.96, 95% CI: 1.26-3.05; M2-segment-MCA, p < 0.02; OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.08-2.42) were associated with a higher risk of developing symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage compared to no/asymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. The subgroup of patients treated with thrombectomy alone presented a lower risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (p < 0.01; OR 0.70; 95% CI: 0.55-0.90). Subarachnoid hemorrhage/arterial perforation and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after endovascular thrombectomy worsen both functional independence and mortality at three-month follow-up (p < 0.01). Distal embolization is associated with neurological deterioration (p < 0.01), while arterial dissection did not affect clinical outcome at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Complications globally considered are not uncommon and may result in poor clinical outcome. Early recognition of risk factors might help to prevent complications and manage them appropriately in order to maximize endovascular thrombectomy benefits.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Intracranial Carotid Occlusion with Patent Intracranial Arteries : The Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke.

PURPOSE: Intracranial carotid artery occlusion represents an underinvestigated cause of acute ischemic stroke as well as an indication for mechanical thrombectomy. We investigated baseline and procedural characteristics, outcomes and predictors of outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke secondary to intracranial carotid artery occlusion. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke was performed. Patients with intracranial carotid artery occlusion (infraclinoid and supraclinoid) with or without cervical artery occlusion but with patent intracranial arteries were included. The 3­month functional independence, mortality, successful reperfusion and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were evaluated. RESULTS: Intracranial carotid artery occlusion with patent intracranial arteries was diagnosed in 387 out of 4940 (7.8%) patients. The median age was 74 years and median baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 18. Functional independence was achieved in 130 (34%) patients, successful reperfusion in 289 (75%) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in 33 (9%), whereas mortality occurred in 111 (29%) patients. In univariate analysis functional independence was associated with lower age, lower NIHSS at presentation, higher rate of successful reperfusion and lower rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Multivariable regression analysis found age (odds ratio, OR:1.03; P = 0.006), NIHSS at presentation (OR: 1.07; P < 0.001), diabetes (OR: 2.60; P = 0.002), successful reperfusion (OR:0.20; P < 0.001) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR: 4.17; P < 0.001) as the best independent predictors of outcome. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a not negligible rate of intracranial carotid artery occlusion with patent intracranial arteries, presenting mostly as severe stroke, with an acceptable rate of 3­month functional independence. Age, NIHSS at presentation and successful reperfusion were the best independent predictors of outcome.

IER-START nomogram for prediction of three-month unfavorable outcome after thrombectomy for stroke.

BACKGROUND: The applicability of the current models for predicting functional outcome after thrombectomy in strokes with large vessel occlusion (LVO) is affected by a moderate predictive performance. AIMS: We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram with pre- and post-treatment factors for prediction of the probability of unfavorable outcome in patients with anterior and posterior LVO who received bridging therapy or direct thrombectomy <6 h of stroke onset. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study on patients data collected prospectively in the Italian Endovascular Registry (IER). Unfavorable outcome was defined as three-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 3-6. Six predictors, including NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, age, pre-stroke mRS score, bridging therapy or direct thrombectomy, grade of recanalization according to the thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia (TICI) grading system, and onset-to-end procedure time were identified a priori by three stroke experts. To generate the IER-START, the pre-established predictors were entered into a logistic regression model. The discriminative performance of the model was assessed by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). RESULTS: A total of 1802 patients with complete data for generating the IER-START was randomly dichotomized into training (n = 1219) and test (n = 583) sets. The AUC-ROC of IER-START was 0.838 (95% confidence interval [CI]): 0.816-0.869) in the training set, and 0.820 (95% CI: 0.786-0.854) in the test set. CONCLUSIONS: The IER-START nomogram is the first prognostic model developed and validated in the largest population of stroke patients currently candidates to thrombectomy which reliably calculates the probability of three-month unfavorable outcome.

Direct thrombectomy for stroke in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT)-ineligible patients undergoing direct thrombectomy tended to have poorer functional outcome as compared with IVT-eligible patients undergoing bridging therapy. We aimed to assess radiological and functional outcomes in large vessel occlusion-related stroke patients receiving direct thrombectomy in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for IVT vs relative exclusion criteria for IVT and vs non-exclusion criteria for IVT. METHODS: A cohort study on prospectively collected data from 2282 patients enrolled in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke cohort for treatment with direct thrombectomy (n = 486, absolute exclusion criteria for IVT alone; n = 384, absolute in combination with relative exclusion criteria for IVT; n = 777, relative exclusion criteria for IVT alone; n = 635, non-exclusion criteria for IVT). RESULTS: After adjustment for unbalanced variables (model 1), ORs for 3-month death was higher in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for IVT alone (vs relative exclusion criteria for IVT alone) (1.595, 95% CI 1.042-2.440) and in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for IVT alone (vs non-exclusion criteria for IVT) (1.235, 95% CI 1.014-1.504). After adjustment for predefined variables (model 2: age, sex, pre-stroke mRS ≤ 1, NIHSS, occlusion in the anterior circulation, onset-to-groin time, and procedure time), ORs for 3-month death was higher in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for IVT alone (vs relative exclusion criteria for IVT alone) (1.235, 95% CI 1.014-1.504) and in the presence of absolute exclusion criteria for IVT alone (vs non-exclusion criteria for IVT) (1.246, 95% CI 1.039-1.495). No significant difference was found between the groups as regards any type of intracerebral hemorrhage and parenchymal hematoma within 24 h, successful and complete recanalization after procedure, and modified Rankin Scale score 0-2 at 3 months. After adjustment for predefined variables of model 2, ORs for death were higher in the presence of recent administration of IV heparin (OR: 2.077), platelet count < 100,000/mm3 (OR: 4.798), bacterial endocarditis (OR: 15.069), neoplasm with increased hemorrhagic risk (OR: 6.046), and severe liver disease (OR: 6.124). CONCLUSIONS: Radiological outcomes were similar after direct thrombectomy in patients with absolute, relative, and non- exclusion criteria for IVT, while an increase of fatal outcome was observed in the presence of some absolute exclusion criterion for IVT.

Contrast-enhanced FLAIR in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis.

We investigated the accuracy of MRI in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis with emphasis on the value of gadolinium-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence. Twenty-seven patients with clinical suspicion of infectious meningitis were included. MRI was performed within 3 h of clinical evaluation. For all patients, T1-weighted spin-echo, dual-echo T2-weighted fast-spin-echo and FLAIR sequences were performed, followed by gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo and FLAIR sequences. Final diagnosis was based on the clinical findings and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, obtained by lumbar puncture after the MRI. Infectious meningitis was confirmed in 12 patients. In all of these patients of the plain studies, FLAIR was positive in only four patients. MRI gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR showed abnormal meningeal enhancement in all 12 patients, while gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo was positive only in six cases. There were no false-positive or false-negative results. It is concluded that MRI could have an important role in the early screening for infectious meningitis, provided a gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR sequence is used.

Degenerative disorders of the spine.

Patients with back pain and degenerative disorders of the spine have a significant impact on health care costs. Some authors estimate that up to 80% of all adults experience back pain at some point in their lives. Disk herniation represents one of the most frequent causes. Nevertheless, other degenerative diseases have to be considered. In this paper, pathology and imaging of degenerative spine diseases will be discussed, starting from pathophysiology of normal age-related changes of the intervertebral disk and vertebral body.

Spontaneous resolution of lumbar disk herniation: predictive signs for prognostic evaluation.

Spontaneous regression of lumbar disk herniation in patients who did not undergo surgery nor interventional therapy is reported in up to 70% of cases; however, no perspective study has clarified the possible predictive signs of a positive evolution. Aim of our study was to search for plan and contrast enhancement MRI signs able to define disk-herniation resolution. We enrolled 64 patients, affected by 72 lumbar disk herniations as per the classification proposed by the American Society of Neuroradiology (Nomenclature and Classification of Lumbar Disk Pathology 2001). MRI examinations were performed by 1.5-T magnet, using T1w SE sequences on sagittal and axial planes, before and after contrast, and T2w FSE ones on the same planes. The following parameters were considered: age, sex, level and size of disk herniation, its relationship to the spinal canal, clinical onset interval, type of disk herniation, herniated-material signal intensity on T2w sequences and its pattern of contrast enhancement. All the patients, conservatively treated, underwent clinical and MRI follow-up examination after 6 months. At MRI follow-up exams spontaneous regression of disk herniation was observed in 34.72% of cases. Among these, free fragments regressed in 100% of cases, herniations with high signal intensity on T2w sequences in 85.18%, herniations with peripheral contrast-enhancement in 83% of cases. Disk-herniation evolution did not show any relationship with location, size and level. Our study demonstrates that MRI, in addition to its high diagnostic value, offers predictive information about disk-herniation evolution.

Malignant obstructive jaundice: comparison of MRCP and ERCP in the evaluation of distal lesions.

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the diagnosis of malignant stenosis of the distal common bile duct. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients (12 males and 9 females, mean age 62 years) with a clinical suspicion of malignancy of the distal biliary tract and pancreatic head underwent tomographic RM evaluation and diagnostic MRCP, followed by diagnostic and, where possible, therapeutic ERCP. The images obtained with ERCP and MRCP were reviewed blind by two experts who evaluated the presence, site, signal features and locoregional extension of the tumours. Histology performed by brushing or biopsy during ERCP and after surgical resection provided the standard of reference for all 21 patients. RESULTS: CPRM correctly identified the presence and site of the distal biliary stenosis in 21/21 (100%) cases, as well as allowing evaluation of the upper abdomen by associating it with conventional MRI. ERCP, instead, allowed detection of the presence and site of biliary stenosis in 20/21 (95%) cases. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: ERCP may have some limitations as regards identification of distal bile duct stenosis in cases of critical stenosis. The non-invasive nature and panoramic capabilities of MRCP and the fact that no contrast material is needed make MRCP the examination of reference in the diagnosis of malignant stenosis of the distal bile duct, also thanks to its ability to visualise the entire biliary tree in the presence of critical strictures of the common bile duct. The rationale for the use of ERCP lies in the possibility of taking histological samples and performing minimally invasive surgical interventions.