High grade glioblastoma is associated with aberrant expression of ZFP57, a protein involved in gene imprinting, and of CPT1A and CPT1C that regulate fatty acid metabolism.

The diagnosis of glioblastoma is still based on tumor histology, but emerging molecular diagnosis is becoming an important part of glioblastoma classification. Besides the well-known cell cycle-related circuitries that are associated with glioblastoma onset and development, new insights may be derived by looking at pathways involved in regulation of epigenetic phenomena and cellular metabolism, which may both be highly deregulated in cancer cells. We evaluated if in glioblastoma patients the high grade of malignancy could be associated with aberrant expression of some genes involved in regulation of epigenetic phenomena and lipid metabolism. We measured the mRNA levels of ZFP57, TRIM28, CPT1A, CPT1B, and CPT1C in a cohort of 80 patients divided in two groups: grade II and grade IV. We evidenced that high grade glioblastoma is associated with increased level of ZFP57, a protein involved in gene imprinting, and aberrant expression of CPT1A and CPT1C, regulators of fatty acid oxidation. Our study may pave the way to identify new markers that could be potentially useful for diagnosis and/or prognosis of glioblastoma.

Is the distance between mammillary bodies predictive of a thickened third ventricle floor?

Object The aim of this study was to correlate intraoperative endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) findings in hydrocephalic patients with the MR imaging appearance of the mammillary bodies (MBs), the fundamental anatomical landmarks of the third ventricle floor (TVF) region. Methods The authors reviewed brain MR images and intraoperative ETV records in 23 patients with hydrocephalus as well as MR imaging data from 120 randomized control volunteers of various ages to define the normal intermammillary distance (IMD). Results In control volunteers, no measurable IMD ("kissing" configuration) was observed in 91 (85%) of 107 cases, and there was mild MB splitting (mean +/- standard deviation, 0.18 +/- 0.12 cm) in only 16 cases with age-related cerebral atrophy. Among the 21 patients with complete MR imaging and ETV data sets, 12 ETV procedures were hindered by anatomical anomalies such as a thickened TVF or an "upward ballooning" phenomenon. On preoperative MR imaging in these 12 patients, there was an increased IMD (0.55 +/- 0.41 cm) compared with that in the remaining 9 patients (0.27 +/- 0.25 cm) who had a normal thin TVF during ETV and in the control group (0.03 +/- 0.08 cm). Magnetic resonance imaging and ETV data concordantly displayed nonsplit MBs in 6 of 9 cases with a thin TVF and split MBs in 10 of 12 cases with a thick TVF. Conclusions The normal configuration of MBs is no measurable IMD, with mild splitting occurring in patients with age-related brain atrophy. In hydrocephalic patients, a thickened TVF was present almost exclusively with an increased IMD on preoperative MR imaging and separated MBs on endoscopic viewing. Large retrospective series are needed to confirm that a preoperative increased IMD is predictive of a thickened TVF during ETV.

Retropharyngeal cerebrospinal fluid collection as a cause of postoperative dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy.

BACKGROUND: Transient dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy is not uncommon. It is usually related to esophageal edema secondary to retraction, mechanical adhesions of the esophagus to the anterior spine, and stretch injuries to nerves involved in the swallowing mechanism. Structurally induced dysphagia, secondary to laceration of the neck viscera or to the presence of retropharyngeal masses, is by far less frequent, and it does not usually improve over time. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors present the case of a 36-year-old woman who complained of severe dysphagia both for solids and liquids after C4 through C5 anterior discectomy and fusion, complicated by a millimetric dural tear of the anterior thecal sac. Postoperative neuroimaging revealed retropharyngeal fluid collection, extending in front of the vertebral bodies of C3, C4, and C5, exerting a mass effect on the posterior wall of the pharynx. Taking into account both the MRI aspect of the collection and the dramatic improvement of symptoms after lumbar punctures, we conducted a diagnosis of CSF collection in continuity with the subarachnoid space. The dysphagia and the CSF collection resolved with conservative therapy (bed rest and 3 lumbar punctures). CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, such a complication has never been described before in the literature. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with postoperative dysphagia lasting more than 48 hours.