Resting-state fMRI in patients with refractory epilepsy with and without drop attacks: exploring the connectivity of sensorimotor cortex.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with multifocal or generalized epilepsies manifesting with drop attacks have severe refractory seizures and significant cognitive and behavioural abnormalities. It is unclear to what extent these features relate to network abnormalities and how networks in sensorimotor cortex differ from those in patients with refractory focal epilepsies. Thus, in this study we sought to provide preliminary data on connectivity of sensorimotor cortex in patients with epileptic drop attacks, in comparison to patients with focal refractory epilepsies. METHODS: Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data was available for 5 patients with epileptic drop attacks and 15 with refractory focal epilepsies undergoing presurgical evaluation. Functional connectivity was analyzed with a seed-based protocol, with primary seeds placed at the precentral gyrus, the postcentral gyrus and the premotor cortex. For each seed, the subjects' timeseries were extracted and transformed to Z scores. Between-group analysis was then performed using the 3dttest+ + AFNI program. RESULTS: Two clusters of reduced connectivity in the group with drop attacks (DA group) in relation to those with focal epilepsies were found in the between-group analysis: the precentral seed showed reduced connectivity in the surrounding motor area, and the postcentral seed, reduced connectivity with the ipsilateral posterior cingulate gyrus. In the intra-group analyses, sensorimotor and premotor networks were abnormal in the DA group, whereas patients with focal epilepsies had the usual connectivity maps with each seed. CONCLUSION: This pilot study shows differences in the cerebral connectivity in the sensorimotor cortex of patients with generalized epilepsies and drop attacks which should be further explored to better understand the biological bases of the seizure generation and cognitive changes in these people.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of metastasis in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is a noninvasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and stage tumors, as well as to assess therapeutic responses in oncology. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of WB-MRI for the diagnosis of metastases in pediatric patients. The following electronic databases were searched: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. All of the selected studies included children and adolescents with histopathological confirmation of a primary tumor. Collectively, the studies included 118 patients ranging in age from 7 months to 19 years. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of WB-MRI were, respectively, 0.964 (95% CI: 0.944-0.978; I 2 = 0%) and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.882-0.919; I 2 = 98.4%), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.991. We found that WB-MRI had good accuracy for the diagnosis of metastases in pediatric patients and could therefore provide an alternative to complete the staging of tumors in such patients, being a safer option because it does not involve the use of ionizing radiation.

A ressonância magnética de corpo inteiro (WB-MRI) é um método de imagem não invasivo que pode ser usado para diagnosticar, estadiar e avaliar a resposta terapêutica em oncologia. O objetivo desta meta-análise foi avaliar a precisão do diagnóstico de WB- MRI no diagnóstico de metástases em crianças. Foram pesquisadas as seguintes bastes de dados: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Todos os estudos incluíram crianças e adolescentes com prova histopatológica de um tumor original. Os estudos selecionados incluíram 118 pacientes com idade variando de 7 meses a 19 anos. A sensibilidade e especificidade combinadas de WB-MRI foram, respectivamente, 0,964 (IC 95%: 0,944-0,978; I 2 = 0%) e 0,902 (IC 95%: 0,882-0,919; I 2 = 98,4%), com AUC de 0,991. A WB-MRI tem uma boa precisão para o diagnóstico de metástases em pediatria e pode potencialmente fornecer um método alternativo não ionizante mais seguro para completar o estadiamento da doença maligna em crianças.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of metastasis in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis / A ressonância magnética de corpo inteiro no diagnóstico de metástases em crianças e adolescentes: uma revisão sistemática e meta-análise

Abstract Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is a noninvasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and stage tumors, as well as to assess therapeutic responses in oncology. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of WB-MRI for the diagnosis of metastases in pediatric patients. The following electronic databases were searched: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. All of the selected studies included children and adolescents with histopathological confirmation of a primary tumor. Collectively, the studies included 118 patients ranging in age from 7 months to 19 years. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of WB-MRI were, respectively, 0.964 (95% CI: 0.944-0.978; I2 = 0%) and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.882-0.919; I2 = 98.4%), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.991. We found that WB-MRI had good accuracy for the diagnosis of metastases in pediatric patients and could therefore provide an alternative to complete the staging of tumors in such patients, being a safer option because it does not involve the use of ionizing radiation.

Resumo A ressonância magnética de corpo inteiro (WB-MRI) é um método de imagem não invasivo que pode ser usado para diagnosticar, estadiar e avaliar a resposta terapêutica em oncologia. O objetivo desta meta-análise foi avaliar a precisão do diagnóstico de WB- MRI no diagnóstico de metástases em crianças. Foram pesquisadas as seguintes bastes de dados: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Todos os estudos incluíram crianças e adolescentes com prova histopatológica de um tumor original. Os estudos selecionados incluíram 118 pacientes com idade variando de 7 meses a 19 anos. A sensibilidade e especificidade combinadas de WB-MRI foram, respectivamente, 0,964 (IC 95%: 0,944-0,978; I2 = 0%) e 0,902 (IC 95%: 0,882-0,919; I2 = 98,4%), com AUC de 0,991. A WB-MRI tem uma boa precisão para o diagnóstico de metástases em pediatria e pode potencialmente fornecer um método alternativo não ionizante mais seguro para completar o estadiamento da doença maligna em crianças.

Control of drop attacks with selective posterior callosotomy: Anatomical and prognostic data.

OBJECTIVE: In a previous proof of concept study, selective posterior callosotomy achieved similar degree of control of drop attacks as total callosotomy, while sparing prefrontal interconnectivity. The present study aims to confirm this finding in a larger cohort and to provide anatomical and prognostic data. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with refractory drop attacks had selective posterior callosotomy and prospective follow up for a mean of 6.4 years. Twenty-seven patients had post-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18 had tractography (DTI) of remaining callosal fibers. Pre and postoperative falls were quantified and correlated with demographic, clinical and imaging data. RESULTS: Mean monthly frequency of drop attacks had a 95 % reduction, from 297 before to 16 after the procedure. Forty- one patients (80 %) had either complete or greater than 90 % control of the epileptic falls. Age and duration of epilepsy at surgery correlated with outcome (p values, respectively, 0.042 and 0.005). Mean index of callosal section along the posterior-to-anterior axis was 53.5 %. Extending the posterior section anterior to the midbody of the corpus callosum did not correlate with seizure control (p 0.91), providing fibers interconnecting the primary motor (M1) and caudal supplementary motor areas (SMA) were sectioned. Only one patient had a notable surgical complication which resolved in two days. CONCLUSIONS: This level III cohort study with objective outcome assessment confirms that selective posterior callosotomy is safe and effective to control epileptic falls. Younger patients with smaller duration of epilepsy have better results. A posterior section contemplating the splenium, isthmus and posterior half of the body (posterior midbody) seems sufficient to achieve complete or almost complete control of drop attacks.

Validation of PI-RADS v.2 for prostate cancer diagnosis with MRI at 3T using an external phased-array coil.

PURPOSE: To date, few studies have validated the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Version 2 (PI-RADS v. 2) for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Our aim was to validate PI-RADS v.2 using 3 Tesla (T) MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 54 consecutive patients who underwent 3T MRI with a body-array coil for diagnostic confirmation of prostate cancer or cancer staging between June 2013 and June 2015. Sensitivity, specificity, and agreement were calculated based on a criterion of PI-RADS score = 3. Inter-examiner agreement was determined by the weighted kappa statistic. RESULTS: Histological findings were positive for cancer in 33 patients and negative in 21 patients. Considering a PI-RADS score of 3 as positive for cancer, the accuracy of each reader was 85.20% and 70.40%, respectively, and agreement coefficients were κ = 0.69 and κ = 0.35. Considering PI-RADS 3 as absence of cancer, the accuracy of each reader was 77.80% and 77.80%, respectively, and agreement was κ = 0.55 and κ = 0.54. Inter-reader agreement was moderate/good (weighted κ = 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.39-0.66; P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: High accuracy was obtained for the diagnosis of prostate cancer using 3T MRI with a body coil and the PI-RADS v.2 score. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1354-1359.