Early detection of hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portsystemic shunt using multiparametric magnetic resonance with spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). AIMS: Extend the knowledge about the early detection of multiple brain metabolic abnormalities following TIPS; these abnormalities can be detected and managed prior to the clinical manifestation of HE with use of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance with Spectroscopy. METHODS: 12 cirrhotic Patients underwent TIPS; each Patient underwent a 3 T MRI evaluation before and after TIPS. The spectroscopic images were processed measuring the values of the metabolites N-acetylaspartate (NAA) - Glutamine / Glutamate (Glx) - Colina (Cho) - Myinositol (mI) at the level of the nuclei of the base. RESULTS: Spectroscopic examination performed before the TIPS procedure showed low values of Cho and Mi, instead following the procedure: an increase in the Glx value, a mean reduction in the values of Cho and mI, a statistically significant reduction in the Cho / Creatine ratio, in the mI / Creatine ratio and an increase of the Glx / Creatine ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the efficacy of spectroscopy in Patient subjected to TIPS. MR 3 T with spectroscopy can become a valid tool for monitor the dynamics of changes in brain metabolism after TIPS and to provide an early diagnosis of HE allowing an early treatment.

Right-sided aortic arch with mirror image branching and situs solitus: a case of a 79 years old woman.

Right aortic arch with mirror image branching (RAMI) is a rare congenital defect of the aorta. The exact incidence of RAMI in the general population is unclear. In RAMI the first branch arising from the arch is the left innominate artery, followed by the right carotid artery and right subclavian arteries. We report a case of an adult female patient with RAMI discovered as an incidental finding during radiological investigations for suspected pulmonary embolism in emergency department. No other congenital malformations were reported. It is important to recognize congenital variants of the aortic arch, as they can have relevant implications for patients' prognosis and management. Therefore, being aware of these conditions is key to avoid any mistakes or surgical and endovascular complications.

Expression of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Introduction. The receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB (RANK), ligand (RANK-L) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are implicated in the pathogenesis of acute Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN). Materials and Methods. This study aimed to investigate the expression of RANK-L and OPG in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with acute CN. Results. We found that the expression of RANK-L was lower in patients with acute CN as compared with diabetic control subjects and healthy control participants; whereas OPG expression was not detected in patients and in both control groups. RANK-L expression at the onset of disease was inversely correlated with the index of polyunsaturation (PUI), a bone marrow MRS-derived measurable index that allows evaluation of disease activity in acute CN, and recovery time. Finally, the expression of RANK-L increased at the time of healing compared with the values found during the acute phase. Conclusions. In conclusion, our preliminary data provide a first step in applying analysis of RANK-L expression in peripheral blood cells to the diagnosis of acute CN. Based on our data we also suggest that analysis of RANK-L expression could be a complementary tool that can be employed to obtain quantitative parameters that may help clinicians to monitor disease activity in patients with acute CN.