Hallazgo por neuroimaginología de microangiopatía cerebral retiniana con calcificaciones y quistes / Neuroimaging findings in cerebroretinal microangiopathy with calcifications and cysts

La microangiopatía cerebral retiniana con calcificaciones y quistes es una enfermedad poco frecuente, caracterizada por alteraciones cerebrales, retinianas y óseas, así como por predisposición al sangrado gastrointestinal. Existen pocos reportes de casos de esta condición, especialmente en adultos, en quienes la incidencia es baja. Los hallazgos por medio de neuroimágenes son característicos, con calcificaciones bilaterales y múltiples formaciones quísticas. El propósito de este artículo fue hacer una revisión bibliográfica e ilustrar dos casos cuyo diagnóstico fue posible con la ayuda de neuroimágenes.

Cerebroretinal microangiopathy with calcifications and cysts is a rare condition characterized by brain, retinal and bone anomalies, as well as a predisposition to gastrointestinal bleeding. There are few reported cases of this condition in adults, among whom the incidence is low. Neuroimaging findings are characteristic, with bilateral calcifications, leukoencephalopathy and intracranial cysts. The purpose of this article was to do a literature survey and illustrate two cases diagnosed with the aid of neuroimaging.

Clinicopathologic Analysis of Pituitary Adenoma: A Single Institute Experience

Pituitary adenoma (PA) is a common benign neuroendocrine tumor; however, the incidence and proportion of hormone-producing PAs in Korean patients remain unknown. Authors analyzed 506 surgically resected and pathologically proven pituitary lesions of the Seoul National University Hospital from 2006 to 2011. The lesions were categorized as: PAs (n = 422, 83.4%), Rathke's cleft cysts (RCCs) (n = 54, 10.6%), inflammatory lesions (n = 8, 1.6%), meningiomas (n = 4), craniopharyngiomas (n = 4), granular cell tumors (n = 1), metastatic renal cell carcinomas (n = 2), germinomas (n = 1), ependymomas (n = 1), and unsatisfactory specimens (n = 9, 1.8%). PAs were slightly more prevalent in women (M: F = 1:1.17) with a mean age of 48.8 yr (9-80 yr). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that prolactin-producing PAs (16.6%) and growth hormone-producing adenomas (9.2%) were the most common functional PAs. Plurihormonal PAs and nonfunctioning (null cell) adenomas were found in 14.9% and 42.4% of patients with PAs, respectively. The recurrence rate of PAs was 11.1%, but nearly 0% for the remaining benign lesions such as RCCs. 25.4% of patients with PAs were treated by gamma-knife after surgery due to residual tumors or regrowth of residual tumor. In conclusion, the pituitary lesions and the proportions of hormone-producing PAs in Korean patients are similar to those of previous reports except nonfunctioning (null cell) PAs, which are unusually frequent.

Early destructive lesions in the developing brain: clinical and electrographic correlates

OBJECTIVE: Early brain insults can cause cavitary lesions including porencephaly (POR) and multicystic encephalopathy (MCE). The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and electrographic correlates associated to these types of destructive brain lesions. METHOD: Patients with POR and MCE were selected and submitted to clinical and Video-EEG monitoring. The following variables were analyzed: demographic data, type of lesion, presence of gliosis, perinatal complications, epilepsy, brain atrophy, and presence and frequency of epileptiform discharges. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included, 65 percent males, 35 percent females, ages ranging from 1 to 40 years, 14 with MCE and 6 with POR. Eighteen patients had hemiparesis, 19 had epilepsy (current or in the past), seven of them had refractory seizures, and 16 had epileptiform discharges. All patients with MCE had gliosis while only 2 with POR had it. CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was observed between type of lesion and clinical and electrographical outcome. However, a positive correlation was observed between frequency of discharges and presence of brain atrophy, and between MCE and gliosis.

OBJETIVO: Insultos cerebrais precoces podem causar lesões cavitárias incluindo porencefalias (POR) e encefalomalacias multicisticas (EMC). O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar correlatos clínicos e eletrográficos associados a estes dois tipos de lesões destrutivas. MÉTODO: Pacientes com POR e EMC foram selecionados e submetidos à avaliação neurológica e monitorização vídeo-eletrencefalográfica, analisando-se as seguintes variáveis: dados demográficos, tipo de lesão, presença de gliose, complicações perinatais, epilepsia, atrofia cerebral, presença e freqüência de descargas epilépticas. RESULTADO: Vinte pacientes foram incluídos, sendo 65 por cento do sexo masculino, 35 por cento do feminino, idades entre 1 e 40 anos, sendo 14 com EMC e 6 com POR. Dezoito pacientes tinham hemiparesia, 19 tinham ou tiveram epilepsia (7 deles refratários ao tratamento medicamentoso) e 16 deles tinham paroxismos epileptiformes. Todos com MCE tinham gliose associada, contra apenas 2 dos pacientes com POR. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve correlação entre tipo de lesão e evolução clínica e eletrográfica. Houve, entretando, correlação positiva entre freqüência de descargas epilépticas e presença de atrofia cerebral, e entre lesão do tipo EMC e presença de gliose.

Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts: MRI and proton spectroscopic features.

Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC) is a rare, recently described disease. It is characterized clinically by a large head, mild neurological symptoms and a remarkably slow course of functional deterioration. The MRI is characterized by 'swollen white matter' and large symmetrical cystic changes in the cerebral hemispheres. MLC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children with megalencephaly and leukoencephalopathy. We report a child with this disease and discuss the MRI and MRS features.