Cancer Radiomic and Perfusion Imaging Automated Framework: Validation on Musculoskeletal Tumors.

PURPOSE: Limitations from commercial software applications prevent the implementation of a robust and cost-efficient high-throughput cancer imaging radiomic feature extraction and perfusion analysis workflow. This study aimed to develop and validate a cancer research computational solution using open-source software for vendor- and sequence-neutral high-throughput image processing and feature extraction. METHODS: The Cancer Radiomic and Perfusion Imaging (CARPI) automated framework is a Python-based software application that is vendor- and sequence-neutral. CARPI uses contour files generated using an application of the user's choice and performs automated radiomic feature extraction and perfusion analysis. This workflow solution was validated using two clinical data sets, one consisted of 40 pelvic chondrosarcomas and 42 sacral chordomas with a total of 82 patients, and a second data set consisted of 26 patients with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) imaged at multiple points during presurgical treatment. RESULTS: Three hundred sixteen volumetric contour files were processed using CARPI. The application automatically extracted 107 radiomic features from multiple magnetic resonance imaging sequences and seven semiquantitative perfusion parameters from time-intensity curves. Statistically significant differences (P < .00047) were found in 18 of 107 radiomic features in chordoma versus chondrosarcoma, including six first-order and 12 high-order features. In UPS postradiation, the apparent diffusion coefficient mean increased 41% in good responders (P = .0017), while firstorder_10Percentile (P = .0312) was statistically significant between good and partial/nonresponders. CONCLUSION: The CARPI processing of two clinical validation data sets confirmed the software application's ability to differentiate between different types of tumors and help predict patient response to treatment on the basis of radiomic features. Benchmark comparison with five similar open-source solutions demonstrated the advantages of CARPI in the automated perfusion feature extraction, relational database generation, and graphic report export features, although lacking a user-friendly graphical user interface and predictive model building.

Role of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Map-Based First- and High-Order Radiomic Features for the Discrimination of Sacral Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas With Overlapping Conventional Imaging Features.

PURPOSE: Chondrosarcomas arise from the lateral pelvis; however, midline chondrosarcomas (10%) display similar imaging features to chordoma, causing a diagnostic challenge. This study aims to determine the diagnostic accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-based radiomic features and two novel diffusion indices for differentiating sacral chordomas and chondrosarcomas. METHODS: A retrospective, multireader review was performed of 82 pelvic MRIs (42 chordomas and 40 chondrosarcomas) between December 2014 and September 2021, split into training (n = 69) and validation (n = 13) data sets. Lesions were segmented on a single slice from ADC maps. Eight first-order features (minimum, mean, median, and maximum ADC, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, and entropy) and two novel indices: restriction index (RI, proportion of lesions with restricted diffusion) and facilitation index (FI, proportion of lesions with facilitated diffusion) were estimated. One hundred seven radiomic features comparing patients with chondrosarcoma versus chordoma were sorted based on mean group differences. RESULTS: There was good to excellent interobserver reliability for eight of the 10 ADC metrics on the training data set. Significant differences were observed (P < .005) for RI, FI, median, mean, and skewness using the training data set. Optimal cutpoints for diagnosis of chordoma were RI > 0.015; FI < 0.25; mean ADC < 1.7 × 10-3 mm2/s; and skewness >0.177. The optimal decision tree relied on FI. In a secondary analysis, significant differences (P < .00047) in chondrosarcoma versus chordoma were found in 18 of 107 radiomic features, including six first-order and 12 high-order features. CONCLUSION: The novel ADC index, FI, in addition to ADC mean, skewness, and 12 high-order radiomic features, could help differentiate sacral chordomas from chondrosarcomas.

Development of Very-Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease After Multiple Early-Life Antibiotic Exposures: A Case Report and Literature Review.

The use of antibiotics has increased drastically over the last few decades. Many antibiotics can target the commensal microbiota and promote gut dysbiosis. These alterations contribute to disease onset and exacerbation. Although the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is mostly unknown, it involves a complex interaction among host genetics, microbiota, environmental factors, and aberrant immune responses. Studies have shown a relationship between very-early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO-IBD) and microbiota alterations. The case discussed in this report endorses the current clinical evidence for this interaction. This is an anonymous record review with no identifiers involving a 23-month-old female patient who was brought to the emergency department by her parents due to persistent bloody diarrhea. Eight days before the presentation, she had experienced watery diarrhea that progressed to bloody stools. The patient had a history of acute otitis media, acute enteritis, and right-arm cutaneous abscess, for which she had received multiple antibiotic therapies. Strategies to manipulate the microbiome through diet, probiotics, antibiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may be used therapeutically to modulate disease activity. A high index of clinical suspicion for VEO-IBD should be maintained for patients with a history of multiple, recurrent antibiotic use. We believe this case report will raise awareness about the issue of early anaerobic antibiotic exposure and help prevent its unnecessary use and, consequently, prevent gut microbiota dysbiosis that can lead to VEO-IBD. Also, our literature review will hopefully prompt clinicians to consider alternative therapeutic options for this patient population, such as rebuilding intestinal microbiota composition to improve VEO-IBD activity.

Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome associated with anti Kelch-like protein-11 antibodies in a young female patient without cancer.

Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a rare neurological disorder. The pathogenesis is thought to be immune-mediated. In adults, it may be idiopathic or paraneoplastic in origin. However, most cases of paraneoplastic OMS in adults are not associated with well-characterized antibodies, except for a small subgroup who have anti-Ri antibodies. Herein, we provide the first detailed description of a case of OMS associated with a Kelch-like protein-11 antibody, a newly discovered biomarker for paraneoplastic neurological syndromes associated with germ-cell tumors. This was a young female patient in whom no tumor was ever detected and who had an excellent response to rituximab.

Osteoid Tumors of Bone.

We present a review of several bone (osteoid)-forming tumors including enostosis, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, and osteosarcoma. These entities were chosen because they are reasonably common-neither seen every day nor rare. When applicable, recent information about the lesions is included.

Advanced Imaging in Musculoskeletal Oncology: Moving Away From RECIST and Embracing Advanced Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Imaging (ABASTI) - Part I - Tumor Response Criteria and Established Functional Imaging Techniques.

According to the Revised Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1, the majority of bone metastases are considered to be nonmeasurable disease. Traditional response criteria rely on physical measurements. New criteria would be valuable if they incorporated newly developed imaging features in order to provide a more comprehensive assessment of oncological status. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences such as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) with dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion imaging are reviewed in the context of the initial and post-therapeutic assessment of musculoskeletal tumors. Particular attention is directed to the pseudoprogression phenomenon in which a successfully treated tumor enlarges from the pretherapeutic baseline, followed by regression without a change in therapy.

Advanced Imaging in Musculoskeletal Oncology: Moving Away From RECIST and Embracing Advanced Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Imaging (ABASTI)-Part II-Novel Functional Imaging Techniques.

Functional imaging can add valuable information to conventional imaging in the settings of tumor characterization and treatment response assessment. Traditional response criteria rely primarily on physical measurements, while functional imaging can potentially give a more comprehensive evaluation of oncological status. The second part of this review article discusses advanced imaging techniques such as susceptibility-weighted imaging, tumor-associated macrophage imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, perfusion-weighted imaging, Dixon imaging, whole-body magnetic resonance imaging, whole-body low-dose dual energy computed tomography with virtual noncalcium technique, and ultrasound elastography.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: pathogenesis, current staging, and radiological findings.

To this date, it is a major oncological challenge to optimally diagnose, stage, and manage intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Imaging can not only diagnose and stage ICC, but it can also guide management. Hence, imaging is indispensable in the management of ICC. In this article, we review the pathology, epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation, staging, pathology, radiology, and treatment of ICC.

Desmoid fibromatosis following surgical resection of spinal meningioma.

A 42-year-old female patient with a history of cervicothoracic junction meningioma World Health Organization grade I, resected in early 2011, was admitted to the hospital with intractable headache and lower extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an epidural mass compressing the spinal cord at the prior surgical site, which was interpreted as recurrent meningioma. Following surgical resection, histopathological analysis revealed desmoid fibromatosis (desmoid tumor). In retrospect, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging performed prior to surgery should have allowed for prospective exclusion of meningioma as the recurrent mass and suggested an alternative diagnosis such as post-traumatic desmoid fibromatosis or the need for biopsy to confirm diagnosis.

On the first evidence of exchange-bias feature in magnetically contrasted consolidates made from CoFe2O4-CoO core-shell nanoparticles.

Hetero-nanostructures based on magnetic contrast oxides have been prepared as highly dense nanoconsolidates. Cobalt ferrite-cobalt oxide core-shell type nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by seed mediated growth in polyol and subsequently consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) at 500 °C for a few minutes while applying a uniaxial pressure of 100 MPa. It is interesting to note that the exchange bias feature observed in the core-shell NPs is reproduced in their ceramic counterparts, or even attenuated. A systematic structural characterization was then carried out to elucidate the decrease in the exchange magnetic field, involving mainly advanced X-ray diffraction, zero-field and in-field 57Fe Mössbauer spectrometry, magnetic measurements and electron microscopy.

On the limits of Reactive-Spark-Plasma Sintering to prepare magnetically enhanced nanostructured ceramics: the case of the CoFe2O4-NiO system.

Magnetic materials are crucial for the efficiency of the conversion-storage-transport-reconversion energy chain, and the enhancement of their performance has an important impact on technological development. The present work explores the possibility of preparing hetero-nano-structured ceramics based on magnetic oxides, by coupling a ferrimagnetic phase (F) with an antiferromagnetic one (AF) on the nanometric scale. The field-assisted sintering technique or SPS (Spark-Plasma Sintering), adopted at this purpose, ensures the preservation of nano-sized crystals within the final solid structure. The aim is to establish how exchange bias may affect the resulting nano-consolidates and to investigate the potential of this process to increase the total magnetic anisotropy of the CoFe2O4 grains, and thus their coercive field, while keeping the saturation magnetization the same. The structure, microstructure and magnetic properties of the ceramics obtained were studied by several techniques. The results show that the sintering process, along with its typical reductive atmosphere, modifies the composition of the constituents. A new metallic phase appears as a consequence of the reciprocal diffusion of Co and Ni cations, leading to a change in the amount and structure of the AF phase. We propose a schematic representation of the atomic movements that hinder an exchange bias effect between the F and AF phases.

Cryptic diversity of a widespread global pathogen reveals expanded threats to amphibian conservation.

Biodiversity loss is one major outcome of human-mediated ecosystem disturbance. One way that humans have triggered wildlife declines is by transporting disease-causing agents to remote areas of the world. Amphibians have been hit particularly hard by disease due in part to a globally distributed pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]). Prior research has revealed important insights into the biology and distribution of Bd; however, there are still many outstanding questions in this system. Although we know that there are multiple divergent lineages of Bd that differ in pathogenicity, we know little about how these lineages are distributed around the world and where lineages may be coming into contact. Here, we implement a custom genotyping method for a global set of Bd samples. This method is optimized to amplify and sequence degraded DNA from noninvasive skin swab samples. We describe a divergent lineage of Bd, which we call BdASIA3, that appears to be widespread in Southeast Asia. This lineage co-occurs with the global panzootic lineage (BdGPL) in multiple localities. Additionally, we shed light on the global distribution of BdGPL and highlight the expanded range of another lineage, BdCAPE. Finally, we argue that more monitoring needs to take place where Bd lineages are coming into contact and where we know little about Bd lineage diversity. Monitoring need not use expensive or difficult field techniques but can use archived swab samples to further explore the history-and predict the future impacts-of this devastating pathogen.

Contrast-enhanced Reformatted MR Images for Preoperative Assessment of the Bridging Veins of the Skull Base.

Magnetic resonance (MR) venography and computed tomographic (CT) venography are suited for displaying the convexity veins that drain the medial and lateral surfaces of the brain hemispheres. However, such is not the case for the bridging veins of the skull base. Technical factors prevent contrast material-enhanced MR or CT images obtained in standard axial, coronal, and sagittal planes from fully displaying the curved pathways of these clinically important venous structures. This limitation can be overcome by using a reconstruction technique that depicts these venous structures and their interconnections. Curved and multiplanar reformatted images that distill the important venous features often require knowledgeable manipulation of source images by an operator who is familiar with numerous venous variants and their surgical implications. The normal anatomy of the draining veins is detailed-anatomy that radiologists must master before they can show the surgeon the important venous anatomy that is often missing at standard imaging; this information will foster better communication between radiologists and their surgical colleagues. As a practical matter, the skull base veins are arbitrarily subdivided into those that are at greatest risk with the pterional approach and the subtemporal approach, respectively. These approaches can be expanded to define connections between the superficial venous system and the other valveless venous networks that drain the deep portions of the cerebral hemisphere, the scalp, face, muscles of the neck, diploë of the skull, and meninges. As radiologists gain experience, their image interpretations should mature beyond simple analysis of the primary hemodynamic changes induced by intraoperative sacrifice or injury.

Metástasis durales: una forma infrecuente de recurrencia en tumores nasosinusales malignos / Dural metastasis: an uncommon form of recurrence in malignant sinonasal tumours

Abstract: Dural metastases are an unusual form of spread in treated sinonasal malignancies. An analysis is presented of 20 cases of dural metastases diagnosed during imaging follow-up in a selection of cases in which anterior craniofacial resection was performed. They included 12 undifferentiated sinonasal carcinomas, 7 olfactory neuroblastomas, and 1 adenoid cystic carcinoma case. Dural metastases appeared on an average of 7.3 years after treatment in olfactory neuroblastoma. The maximum distance from malignancy to dural metastases was 14 cm for olfactory neuroblastoma, and 4.3 cm for undifferentiated sinonasal carcinoma. Dural metastases in the Burr holes were observed in 50% of undifferentiated sinonasal carcinoma, and 29% of olfactory neuroblastomas. Dural metastases presented as a nodular (60%), multinodular (10%), cystic (15%), and plaque (15%) pattern. These are suggestive of a local venous spread mechanism related to tumour rupture during surgery of anterior cranial fossa. Long-term follow-up with cranial inclusion would be indicated, given the possible late and distant presentation of dural metastases.

Resumen: Presentamos las metástasis durales como forma inusual de diseminación de tumores nasosinusales malignos tratados; se revisan 20 casos diagnosticados durante el seguimiento imagenológico a un grupo tratado con resección craneofacial anterior. Evaluamos metástasis durales en 12 carcinomas nasosinusales indiferenciados, 7 neuroblastomas olfatorios y un carcinoma adenoquístico. En neuroblastomas olfatorios aparecieron metástasis durales en promedio 7,3 años postratamiento. La distancia máxima del tumor a la metástasis fue de 14 cm para neuroblastoma olfatorio y de 4,3 cm para carcinoma nasosinusal indiferenciado. Observamos metástasis durales en los agujeros de trepanación en el 50% de los carcinomas nasosinusales indiferenciados y en el 29% de los neuroblastomas olfatorios. Las metástasis durales presentaron patrón nodular (60%), multinodular (10%), quístico (15%) y en placa (15%). Proponemos un mecanismo venoso local de diseminación relacionado a disrupción tumoral o quirúrgica de la fosa craneal anterior. El seguimiento a largo plazo con inclusión craneal estaría indicado por la posible presentación tardía y distante de metástasis durales.

Clinical and Demographical Characteristics of Patients with Medication Overuse Headache in Argentina and Chile: Analysis of the Latin American Section of COMOESTAS Project.

BACKGROUND: Data on the characteristics of Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) in Latin American (LA) are scarce. Here we report the demographic and clinical features of the MOH patients from Argentina and Chile enrolled in the multinational COMOESTAS project in the period 2008-2010. METHODS: The LA population was formed by 240 MOH subjects, 110 from Chile and 130 from Argentina, consecutively attending the local headache centres. In each centre, specifically trained neurologist interviewed and confirmed the diagnosis according to the ICHD-II criteria. A detailed history was collected on an electronic patient record form. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 38.6 years, with a female/male ratio of 8:2. The mean time since onset of the primary headache was 21 years, whereas duration of MOH was 3.9 years. The primary headache was migraine without aura in 77.5 % and migraine with aura in 18.8 %. Forty two % of the patients self-reported emotional stress associated with the chronification of headache; 43.8 % reported insomnia. The most overused medications were acute drug combinations containing ergotamine (70 %), NSAIDs (33.8 %) and triptans (5.4 %). CONCLUSION: Though little described, MOH is present also in LA, where it affects mostly women, in the most active decades of life. Some differences emerge as regards the demographic and clinical characteristics of MOH in this population as compared to Europe or Northern America. What seems more worrying about MOH in Argentina and Chile is that most patients overuse ergotamine, a drug that may cause serious adverse events when used chronically. These findings once more underscore the importance of properly diagnose and treat MOH.

Injuria renal aguda, perfil epidemiológico intrahospitalario y factores asociados al riesgo de muerte / Acute kidney injury, hospital epidemiologic profile and associated factors of death risk

La injuria renal aguda (IRA) es un evento mórbido de gran impacto en la vida de las personas. La tasa de letalidad de la IRA ha sido un tema relevante y se han estudiado muchos factores relacionados. Objetivos: Determinar el perfil epidemiológico de los pacientes con IRA en un hospital de Lima y los factores asociados a la mortalidad durante el periodo de hospitalización. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo de una cohorte de pacientes incidentes con diagnóstico de IRA. Se calculó la letalidad bruta y la ajustada a tiempo de permanencia hospitalaria. Se usó la regresión multivariante de Cox, así como el mejor modelo para regresión logística binaria asociada a letalidad. Se aceptó una significancia estadística de p<0,05. Resultados: Se identificaron 90 pacientes con IRA en los años 2002, 2003 y 2004 (incidencia de 30, 39 y 21 pacientes/año, respectivamente). Su permanencia hospitalaria fue 13,44 ± 1,66 (promedio±1ES) días, la tasa bruta de letalidad 39% y la tasa ajustada 2,89 fallecidos/100 días de hospitalización. Las variables relacionadas al riesgo de muerte en el tiempo fueron el estado de shock, el diagnóstico de sepsis y la disfunción respiratoria al momento de la admisión. Conclusiones: La gravedad clínica como condición al momento de la admisión al centro hospitalario, el estado séptico y la presencia de disfunción respiratoria, fueron los factores que influenciaron en el pronóstico de supervivencia de pacientes con IRA. (AU)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a morbid event of great impact on the lives of people. The fatality rate of the IRA has been prominent and studied many related factors. Objectives: To determine the epidemiological profile of patients with AKI in a hospital in Lima and factors associated with mortality during the hospitalization. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of a cohort of incident patients diagnosed with AKI was performed. Gross lethality was calculated and adjusted to length of hospital stay. Multivariate Cox regression was used as well as the best model for binary logistic regression associated with lethality. Statistical significance of p<0.05 was accepted. Results: 90 patients with AKI were identified in 2002, 2003 and 2004 (incidence of 30, 39 and 21 patients / year, respectively). Their average hospital stay was 13.44 ± 1.66 days, crude case fatality rate of 39% and an adjusted rate of 2.89 deaths/100 days of hospitalization, variables related to the risk of death at the time also was shock, sepsis diagnosis and respiratory dysfunction at the time of admission. Conclusions: The critical condition of admission to a hospital, a septic state and the presence of respiratory dysfunction, are the elements that influence the prognosis of survival of patients with AKI. (AU)

Correlación entre índices de bioimpedancia eléctrica y score Apache II en pacientes con shock séptico / Correlation between indexes of electrical bioimpedance and Apache II score in patients with septic shock

Objetivo: Determinar la correlación entre diversos índices de bioimpedancia eléctrica (IBE) y el score APACHE II (sAII) en pacientes con shock séptico. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron 30 pacientes >14 años con shock séptico de la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) adultos del Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia-Perú a quienes se calculó el (sAII) y se midió el ángulo de fase, índice de impedancia y relación LIC/LEC, correlacionándolos posteriormente mediante Pearson y regresión lineal múltiple. Resultados: El 60% fueron varones, la edad promedio fue 60 ± 20,92 años, talla 1,61 ± 0,06m, peso 65,46 ± 8,7 Kg. y tiempo de ingreso a UCI 8,4 ± 5,99 horas. El 86,6% requirió ventilación mecánica, el foco infeccioso más frecuente fue respiratorio (63,3%). El promedio del sAII fue 18,83 ± 9,23, la permanencia en UCI 8,4 ± 5,99 días y la letalidad al mes 50%. Solamente se encontró correlación negativa con significancia estadística (r = -0,46; p = 0,01) entre el ángulo de fase (AF) y el (sAII). Ni el índice de impedancia ni la relación LIC/LEC tuvieron correlación significativa. El mejor predictor de mortalidad fue el AF: todos los que fallecieron tuvieron un AF<6grados (promedio 3,67 ± 0,63), p<0,05. Conclusiones: Únicamente el AF se correlacionó con el score (sAII) y fue el índice que mejor predijo mortalidad en pacientes con shock séptico, siendo superior al score APACHE II (sAII).

Objective: To determine the correlation between various indexes of bioelectrical impedance (IBE) and APACHE II score (sAII) in patients with septic shock. Material and methods: We included 30 patients > 14 years old with septic shock admitted to the Adults intensive care unit (ICU) at the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia û Peru. The (sAII) was calculated and various IBE parameters were measured (phase angle, impedance index and relationship ICF/ECF). Correlations were calculated by multiple linear regression and Pearson. Results: 60% were male, mean age was 60 ± 20.92 years, height 161 ± 6 cm, weight 65.46 ± 8.7 kg and time of admission ICU was 8.4 ± 5.99 hours. 86.6% required mechanical ventilation, the most common infection was respiratory in origin (63.3%). The mean sAII was 18.8 ± 9.2, ICU stay was 8.4 ± 5.99 days and mortality was 50% per month. We only found a statistically significant negative correlation (r = - 0.46, p = 0.01) between the phase angle (FA) and (sAII). Neither the impedance index nor the relationship ICF/ECF had significant correlation. The best predictor of mortality was FA: those who died had an FA <6 degrees (average 3.67 ± 0.63), p <0.05. Conclusions: Only FA correlated with the score (sAII) and was the index that best predicted mortality in patients with septic shock, exceeding the APACHE II score (sAII).

[Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to Behçet disease. Report of one case]. / Pseudotumor cerebri como una manifestación excepcional de la enfermedad de Behçet. Caso clínico.

The classical manifestations of Behçet disease are mouth ana genital ulcers, cutaneous lesions ana ocular involvement. The central nervous system is affected in 5 to 59% of the cases, usually in the form of meningoencephalitis or sinus venous thrombosis. We report a 17-year-old femóle presenting with a two weeks history of progressive headache, nausea and blurred vision. An initial magnetic resonance was normal. Fifteen days later she was admitted to the hospital due to progression of visual impairment. She gave a history of oral ulcers and arthralgias. A new magnetic resonance was normal. A lumbar puncture showed a cerebrospinal fluid with a protein concentration of 14 mg/dl, a glucose concentration of 64 mg/dl, 20 fresh red blood cells and a pressure of 26 cm H(2)0. The diagnosis of a pseudotumor cerebri, secondary to Behçet disease was raised and the patient was treated with colchicine and acetazolamide. The evolution was torpid and an anterior uveitis was also found. After discharge, she continued with oral and genital ulcers and was treated with infliximab. Despite treatment, headache persists.

Pseudotumor cerebri como una manifestación excepcional de la enfermedad de Behçet: caso clínico / Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to Behçet disease: report of one case

The classical manifestations of Behçet disease are mouth ana genital ulcers, cutaneous lesions ana ocular involvement. The central nervous system is affected in 5 to 59 percent of the cases, usually in the form of meningoencephalitis or sinus venous thrombosis. We report a 17-year-old femóle presenting with a two weeks history of progressive headache, nausea and blurred vision. An initial magnetic resonance was normal. Fifteen days later she was admitted to the hospital due to progression of visual impairment. Shegave a history of oral ulcers and arthralgias. A new magnetic resonance was normal. A lumbar puncture showed a cerebrospinal fluid with a protein concentration of 14 mg/dl, aglucose concentration of 64 mg/dl, 20fresh red blood cells and a pressure of 26 cm H(2)0. The diagnosis of a pseudotumor cerebri, secondary to Behçet disease was raised and the patient was treated with colchicine and acetazolamide. The evolution was torpid and an anterior uveitis was alsofound. After discharge, she continued with oral and genital ulcers and was treated with infliximab. Despite treatment, headache persists.

Complicaciones neurológicas en pacientes adultos sometidos a trasplante hepático ortotópico: experiencia de un centro universitario / Neurological complications following a liver transplantation: experience from a Chilean center

Background: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the treatment of choice for multiple acute and chronic end-stage liver diseases as well as for selected cases of liver malignancy and ¡iver-site metabolic disorders. Neurological impairment is a major source of morbidity and moñality following OLT. Aim: To describe the incidence and the type of neurological complications occurring in the post-operative period of OLT in patients transplanted in our hospital. Material and methods: Between March 1994 and August 2007, 76 adult patients underwent OLT. Data on incidence, time of onset, and outcome of central nervous system (CNS) complications have been obtained from our program data base and patient charts. Results: Twenty three patients (30.3 percent) had CNS complications following OLT. The leading complications were immunosuppressive drug-related neurological impairment in nine patients (39.1 percent), peripheral nerve damage in five patients (21.7 percent), central pontine myelinolysis in four patients (17.4 percent), cerebrovascular disease in three (13 percent) and CNS infection in three (13 percent). Most CNS events (90 percent) occurred in the first 2 weeks after OLT. Five patients with neurological complications died (22 percent). Conclusions: CNS complications occurred in almost one fifth of the population studied, and they had a poor outcome, as previously reported).