Sextus chest radiograph severity score correlates to clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: The value of chest radiography (CXR) in detection and as an outcome predictor in the management of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has not yet been fully understood.To validate a standardized CXR scoring system and assess its prognostic value in hospitalized patients found to have COVID-19 by imaging criteria and to compare it to computed tomography (CT).In this cross-sectional chart review study, patients aged 18-years or older who underwent chest CT at a single institution with an imaging-based diagnosis of COVID-19 between March 15, 2020 to April 15, 2020 were included. Each patient's CXR and coronal CT were analyzed for opacities in a 6-zonal assessment method and aggregated into a "Sextus score." Inter-reader variability and correlation between CXR and coronal CT images were investigated to validate this scoring system. Univariable and multiple logistic regression techniques were used to investigate relationships between CXR scores and clinical parameters in relation to patient outcomes.One hundred twenty-four patients (median [interquartile range] age 58.5 [47.5-69.0] years, 72 [58%] men, 58 [47%] Blacks, and 35 [28%] Hispanics) were included. The CXR Sextus score (range: 0-6) was reliable (inter-rater kappa = 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.83) and correlated strongly with the CT Sextus score (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.75, P < .0001). Incremental increases of CXR Sextus scores of 2 points were found to be an independent predictor of intubation (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]: 4.49 [1.98, 10.20], P = .0003) and prolonged hospitalization (≥10 days) (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]: 4.06 [1.98, 8.32], P = .0001).The CXR Sextus score was found to be reproducible and CXR-CT severity scores were closely correlated. Increasing Sextus scores were associated with increased risks for intubation and prolonged hospitalization for patients with COVID-19 in a predominantly Black population. The CXR Sextus score may provide insight into identifying and monitoring high-risk patients with COVID-19.

Incidental COVID-19 in the radiology department: Radiographic findings of COVID-19 in asymptomatic patient undergoing CT staging for breast cancer.

A 59-year-old incarcerated woman who was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in 2016 was brought in for evaluation of the breast cancer. Upon evaluation of the computed tomography chest for breast cancer restaging, diffuse bilateral ground glass opacities and a reverse halo sign in the right lower lobe concerning for atypical viral pneumonia were discovered. The patient was afebrile, had an oxygen saturation of 100%, and denied chest pain as well as shortness of breath. On physical exam, she exhibited decreased breath sounds bilaterally and expiratory wheezing. She later received a COVID-19 test, which came back positive. Infection with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19) may remain asymptomatic in the initial phase, leading to under-recognition and incidental detection on procedures for standard clinical indications. Hospitals, in particular diagnostic imaging services, should prepare accordingly in regard to health precautions while keeping in mind the potential discrepancies between clinical presentation and resultant radiologic patterns. This awareness should be heightened in patients at higher risk (ie, prisoners). Furthermore, by acting upon the incidental detection of this virus during its early stages, subsequent steps could help prevent the spread of the virus.

Resection of a Thoracic Hemangioblastoma in a Patient With Von Hippel-Lindau: 3-Dimensional Operative Video.

This 3-dimensional operative video illustrates resection of a thoracic hemangioblastoma in a 30-year-old female with a history of Von Hippel-Lindau disease. The patient presented with right lower extremity numbness and flank pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an enhancing intradural intramedullary lesion at T 7 consistent with a hemangioblastoma. The patient underwent a thoracic laminectomy with a midline dural opening for tumor resection. This case demonstrates the principles of intradural intramedullary spinal cord tumor resection. In this particular case, internal debulking was untenable owing to the vascular nature of hemangioblastomas. The operative video demonstrates en bloc tumor removal. Postoperative MRI demonstrated gross total resection. The postoperative course was uneventful. The natural history of this disease, treatment options, and potential complications are discussed.

Clival Metastasis of a Duodenal Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Clival metastases of adenocarcinomas are exceptionally rare tumors, especially when they arise from the small intestine. We present the first, to our knowledge, report of a metastasis of a duodenal adenocarcinoma to the clivus. We also present a systematic review detailing metastasis to the clivus. METHODS: Studies were identified using the search terms "clival metastasis," "skull base metastasis," and "clivus" in PubMed. We collected the following information: histopathology of the primary tumor, symptoms, history, treatment, and follow-up. RESULTS: A comprehensive review of the literature yielded 56 cases. Patients developed the first symptoms of clival metastasis at a mean age of 58 years. The most common primary neoplasms originated from the prostate, kidney, or liver. Most patients presented with an isolated sixth nerve palsy or diplopia. The time interval from diagnosis of the primary tumor to symptomatic presentation of clival metastasis ranged from 2 months to 33 years. Sixteen patients initially presented with symptoms of clival metastasis without a previously diagnosed primary tumor. Survival data were available for 35 patients, of which 63% died within a range of 2 days to 31 months after initial presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Most primary neoplasms originated from the prostate, kidney, and liver, which differ from previous reports on skull base metastases. Abducens nerve palsy is often the first presentation of clival metastasis. Clival metastasis from duodenal carcinoma, although very rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bony lesions of the clivus in a patient with a history of duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Microsurgical keyhole approach for middle fossa arachnoid cyst fenestration.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal surgical treatment for symptomatic temporal arachnoid cysts is controversial. Therapeutic options include cyst shunting, endoscopic fenestration, and craniotomy for fenestration. We reviewed the results for patients who were treated primarily with craniotomy and fenestration at our institution, to provide a baseline for comparisons of the efficacies of other treatment modalities. METHODS: A retrospective review of data for 50 children who underwent keyhole craniotomy for fenestration of temporal arachnoid cysts between 1994 and 2001 was performed after institutional review board approval. During that period, the first-line treatment for all symptomatic middle fossa arachnoid cysts was microcraniotomy for fenestration. Microsurgical dissection to create communications between the cyst cavity and basal cisterns was the goal. All patient records were reviewed and numerous variables related to presentation, cyst size and classification, treatment, cyst resolution, symptom resolution, follow-up periods, and cyst outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty temporal arachnoid cysts in 50 treated patients were identified. The average age at the time of surgery was 68 +/- 57.2 months. The follow-up periods averaged 36 months. There were 34 male and 16 female patients in the series. Twenty-six cysts were on the left side. Indications for surgery included intractable headaches (45%), increasing cyst size (21%), seizures (25%), and hemiparesis (8%). The symptoms most likely to improve were hemiparesis (100%) and abducens nerve palsies. Headaches (67%) and seizure disorders (50%) were less likely to improve. Nine patients exhibited progressive increases in cyst size in serial imaging studies. Those patients were monitored for a mean of 40 +/- 23 months before intervention. In the entire series, 82% of patients demonstrated decreases in cyst size in serial imaging studies. Of those patients, 18% demonstrated complete cyst effacement. Overall, 83% of patients with Grade II cysts and 75% of patients with Grade III cysts exhibited evidence of decreases in cyst size in long-term monitoring. Two patients required shunting after craniotomy (4%). Hospital stays averaged 3.4 days. Total surgical times averaged 115 minutes. No significant blood loss occurred (5-50 ml). Complications included spontaneously resolving pseudomeningocele (10%), transient Cranial Nerve III palsy (6%), cerebrospinal fluid leak (6%), subdural hematoma (4%), and wound infection (2%). CONCLUSION: A microsurgical keyhole approach to arachnoid cyst fenestration is a safe effective method for treating middle fossa cysts. This procedure can be performed with minimal morbidity via a minicraniotomy. Compared with an endoscopic approach, better control of hemostasis can be obtained, because of the ability to use bipolar forceps and other standard instruments. The operative time and length of hospital stay were not excessively increased.

Hydrocephalus in children with middle fossa arachnoid cysts.

OBJECT: The optimal management of children with middle fossa arachnoid cysts (MFACs) remains controversial. In this study the authors evaluated the relationship between two preoperative variables, hydrocephalus and nonspecific macrocephaly, in children undergoing fenestration of temporal arachnoid cysts and hydrocephalus-related shunt placement. METHODS: During a 16-year period, 40 children (30 boys and 10 girls) underwent treatment of MFACs. All but one patient experienced either worsening symptoms or progressive serial imaging-documented cyst enlargement. Hydrocephalus was present in six patients and nonspecific macrocephaly in another nine. The mean age at surgery was 66 months (range 1-201 months, median 36 months), and the mean follow-up duration was 54 months (range 6-83 months, median 39 months). All patients presenting with hydrocephalus required placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt as well as cyst fenestration, regardless of which procedure was performed first. Five patients with macroencephaly undergoing initial fenestration required subsequent VP shunt insertion. Complications of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion were typical. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hydrocephalus or macrocephaly are likely to require VP shunt placement in addition to cyst fenestration. Children with nonspecific macrocephaly may harbor a latent derangement of CSF circulation.

Solution deposition of thin carbon coatings on LiFePO4.

We report the synthesis of ultrathin carbon coatings on polycrystalline LiFePO4 via solution deposition and subsequent annealing. The annealing temperature was systematically investigated with polymer systems on LiFePO4 nanostructures. The crystal structures, sizes, and morphologies were monitored and analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Micro-Raman and TEM were used to interrogate the carbon coatings after heat-treatments. Electrochemical performance of coated materials was investigated by cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and galvanostatic charge-discharge analysis. The olivine structured LiFePO4 remained stable up to 600 °C but underwent a rapid reduction reaction from LiFePO4 to Fe2P above 700 °C. The good compatibility between polyethylene glycol (PEG) and the surface of LiFePO4 enabled the formation of core-shell structure, which was transformed into a thin carbon coating on LiFePO4 after annealing. Both PEG and sucrose carbon-based sources yielded high-quality carbon coatings after annealing, as determined by the graphitic/disordered (G/D) ratios of 1.30 and 1.20, respectively. By producing more uniform and coherent coatings on LiFePO4 particles, batteries with significantly less carbon (i.e., 0.41 wt %) were fabricated and demonstrated comparable performance to traditionally synthesized carbon-coated LiFePO4 with higher carbon loadings (ca. 2.64 wt %). This will enable development of batteries with higher active material loading and therefore significantly larger energy densities.

Integrated imaging approach with MEG and DTI to detect mild traumatic brain injury in military and civilian patients.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of sustained impairment in military and civilian populations. However, mild (and some moderate) TBI can be difficult to diagnose due to lack of obvious external injuries and because the injuries are often not visible on conventional acute MRI or CT. Injured brain tissues in TBI patients generate pathological low-frequency neuronal magnetic signal (delta waves 1-4 Hz) that can be measured and localized by magnetoencephalography (MEG). We hypothesize that abnormal MEG delta waves originate from gray matter neurons that experience de-afferentation due to axonal injury to the underlying white matter fiber tracts, which is manifested on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as reduced fractional anisotropy. The present study used a neuroimaging approach integrating findings of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), evaluating their utility in diagnosing mild TBI in 10 subjects in whom conventional CT and MRI showed no visible lesions in 9. The results show: (1) the integrated approach with MEG and DTI is more sensitive than conventional CT and MRI in detecting subtle neuronal injury in mild TBI; (2) MEG slow waves in mild TBI patients originate from cortical gray matter areas that experience de-afferentation due to axonal injuries in the white matter fibers with reduced fractional anisotropy; (3) findings from the integrated imaging approach are consistent with post-concussive symptoms; (4) in some cases, abnormal MEG delta waves were observed in subjects without obvious DTI abnormality, indicating that MEG may be more sensitive than DTI in diagnosing mild TBI.

Cavernous sinus tumor model in the canine: a simulation model for cavernous sinus tumor surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The recent limitations of working hours for neurosurgical trainees carry the risk of decreasing the amount of microsurgical experience. In the absence of enough surgical exposure to some pathological states, an alternative option of a more continuous source of tactile and visual experience that simulates the real-life state is needed. To help with this problem, we established a cavernous sinus tumor model in the canine. METHODS: A gliosarcoma cell line that was harvested from a tumor model in nude mice was implanted in six mongrel dogs. In the first group (two dogs), the cell line was implanted in the dural leaflets of the cavernous sinus. (Immunosuppression was used in one dog.) In the second group (four dogs), the cell line was implanted in the region of the gasserian ganglion. (Immunosuppression was used in all four dogs.) The condition of each dog was followed through neurological examinations and serial magnetic resonance imaging. The cavernous sinus region later was explored, after which the dogs were later killed and histopathological evaluations of the cavernous sinus region was carried out. RESULTS: The initial cell line implanted within the dural leaflets of the cavernous sinus showed no evidence of tumor growth. The tumor grew in all four dogs that had the gliosarcoma cell line implanted in the region of the gasserian ganglion. The clinical and radiological features as well as the experience of the surgical dissection of these tumors simulated cavernous sinus tumors in humans. CONCLUSION: We established the first cavernous sinus tumor model in the canine. This model simulates the real-life pathological state, and it can be used as an alternative source of surgical experience to advance surgical skills.

Minimally-invasive technique for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).

Minimal access surgical techniques have been described for diskectomy and laminectomy procedures performed through tubular exposures. Tubular exposures, however, restrain visibility to a fixed diameter and require co-axial instrument manipulation. An independent blade retractor system has been developed to overcome the obstacles of working through a tube. Decompression and circumferential fusion can be accomplished through this minimal access exposure via a combination of laminectomy and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) coupled with minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation. Herein, we describe a minimally-invasive technique for TLIF exposure. Illustrations, intraoperative photographs, and fluoroscopic images supplement this technique. We found that the described minimally-invasive system provides comparable exposure to the traditional-open techniques with the benefits of minimally-invasive techniques. Additionally, it does not have the added constraints of a tubular system. We were able to perform TLIFs without any additional complications. Minimal access decompression and TLIF can be performed safely and effectively using this minimally-invasive system. Besides the retractor system, no additional specialized instruments are required. An operative microscope is not required, in fact, all our cases were performed using operative loupes. The light attachment provides superb visbility without the discomfort of having to wear a headlight. Thus far we have found no added risks or complications using this system. We are currently working on long-term analysis and follow-up to further evaluate this system's efficacy.