Coexistence of open-angle glaucoma and sarcoidosis-associated optic neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: In cases with advanced glaucomatous disc changes, further changes associated with other optic neuropathies cannot be easily identified. We present a case of preexisting open-angle glaucoma and concurrent involvement of sarcoidosis-associated optic neuropathy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old man presented with gradual visual loss in his left eye, which began 1 year ago and accelerated 3 months ago. The best-corrected visual acuity in the right eye was 20/20 and counting fingers in the left. Intraocular pressures (IOP) were 12 mmHg in the right eye and 34 mmHg in the left. We diagnosed him with advanced open-angle glaucoma in the left eye based on the advanced glaucomatous cupping of the left optic disc. The IOP in the left eye dropped to 10 mmHg and was well controlled with antiglaucomatous medication; however, his left optic disc developed pallor 3 months after the treatment. The patient was revealed to be diagnosed with sarcoidosis a month ago and had been treated with systemic corticosteroids thereafter by a pulmonologist. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging revealed sarcoidosis-associated optic neuropathy in the left eye. Subsequently, optic neuropathy occurred in his right eye. CONCLUSIONS: In eyes with advanced glaucomatous disc change, detecting the coexistence of other optic neuropathies can be difficult. This report highlights the importance of careful ophthalmic examinations and investigation for etiologies of other optic neuropathies if non-glaucomatous changes are suspected even in eyes with advanced glaucoma.

Effect of selenium supplementation for protection of salivary glands from iodine-131 radiation damage in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we examined whether selenium supplementation during iodine-131 (131I) treatment had a radio-protective effect on salivary glands. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients after total thyroidectomy, before 131I treatment, were divided into two groups; 8 patients in the selenium group and 8 patients in the control group. Patients in the selenium group received 300νg of selenium orally for 10 days, from 3 days before to 6 days after 131I treatment. The control group received a placebo over the same period. To assess salivary gland function, salivary gland scintigraphy was performed before and 6 months after 131I treatment. Serum amylase and whole blood selenium levels were measured before and 2 days and 6 months after 131I treatment. Using salivary gland scintigraphy, maximum uptake ratio (MUR), maximum secretion percentage (MSP), and ejection fraction (EF) of each salivary gland were calculated. RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics, baseline amylase and selenium levels, and parameters of baseline salivary gland scintigraphy were not significantly different between selenium and control groups (P>0.05). On a blood test performed 2 days after 131I treatment, the selenium group showed a significantly higher whole blood selenium level (P=0.008) and significantly lower serum amylase level (P=0.009) than the control group. On follow-up salivary gland scintigraphy, the control group showed significantly decreased, MUR of the bilateral parotid and left submandibular glands, MSP of the bilateral parotid and submandibular glands, and EF of the left submandibular glands (P<0.05), while the selenium group only had a significant decrease in MSP of the right submandibular gland and EF of the left submandibular gland (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Selenium supplementation during 131I treatment was effective to reduce salivary glands damage by 131I radiation in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

The utility of susceptibility-weighted imaging for differentiating Parkinsonism-predominant multiple system atrophy from Parkinson's disease: correlation with 18F-flurodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography.

Our study was intended to demonstrate the different signal intensity (SI) pattern of the putamen seen on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) between that of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Parkinsonism-predominant multiple system atrophy (MSA-P), and to correlate it with (18)F-flurodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET). Thirty patients with PD and 17 with MSA-P underwent SWI, and (18)F-FDG PET were included. The SI was measured on SWI in the anterior and posterior halves of the putamen using a region-of-interest (ROI) on both sides. The normalized regional glucose metabolism (standardized uptake value ratio, SUVR) was measured on co-registered (18)F-FDG PET images using the ROI obtained with SWI. Analysis included a group-level comparison of the SI values obtained on SWI, and these results were correlated with the SUVR on (18)F-FDG PET. The SIs of the bilateral posterior, dominant-side of the posterior, mean values of the bilateral anterior and posterior halves of the putamen on SWI, differed significantly between the two groups (P < 0.001, respectively). The SUVR of the all locations also differed significantly between PD and MSA-P (P < 0.001, respectively). There was a moderate degree of positive correlation between the SI and the SUVR of the left posterior half, and mean value of the bilateral posterior putamen in MSA-P (r = 0.634, P = 0.006, r = 0.492, P = 0.045). In conclusion, the low SI seen on the posterior putamen may differentiate MSA-P from PD. Furthermore, low SI in the putamen correlated with hypometabolism on (18)F-FDG PET. Therefore, SWI could be a potential complementary diagnostic tool to (18)F-FDG PET for differentiating these conditions.