Progressive conus medullaris lesions are suggestive of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spinal cord lesions are observed in 40% of all central nervous system lesions in intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL). However, because IVLBCL is a very rare disease, its clinical features are not well defined, which may delay appropriate diagnosis and treatment, whilst the acute to subacute course of brain lesions in patients with IVLBCL is well established. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the clinical features of spinal cord lesions in patients with IVLBCL. METHODS: The medical records of patients with IVLBCL admitted to our hospital between 2010 and 2020 were searched. The inclusion criteria were preceding neurological symptoms without non-neurological symptoms and pathologically confirmed IVLBCL in various organs. Clinical features of spinal cord involvement in patients with IVLBCL were assessed and distinguished from those of brain involvement. RESULTS: Sixteen consecutive patients with IVLBCL were divided into two groups: six patients with spinal involvement (spinal cord type) and 10 patients with brain involvement (brain type). In the spinal cord type, four patients had chronic progression and two had subacute progression. Acute progression (0% vs. 80.0%) and sudden onset (0% vs. 50.0%) occurred significantly less frequently in the spinal cord than in the brain. All spinal cord lesions involved the conus medullaris. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal cord involvement in IVLBCL has a predominantly chronic progressive course that is exclusive to brain involvement. Conus medullaris lesions are suggestive of IVLBCL and are useful for early and accurate diagnosis and treatment.

[Presurgical evaluaton for lateral suboccipital craniotomy using contrast-enhanced CT volumetric imaging].

To safely and precisely accomplish lateral suboccipital craniotomy (LSOC), we have presurgically evaluated the three-dimensional (3-D) relationships of various vascular structures and cranial landmarks in the occipito-cervical region by volumetric imaging of 3-D contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT). The 3-D anatomies visualized by adjusting the window width, window level, and opacity level of the specific CT value for each structure were an occpital artery (OA), mastoid and posterior condylar emissary veins (MEV and PCEV), which were useful in dissecting muscles and exposing the cranial surface, and the relationship of the transverse-sigmoid sinus CTSS) and the asterion, which was necessary and decisive for making a key burr hole to perform craniotomy. The morphologic analysis for our 48 cases with cerebello-pontine angle tumor or neurovascular compression syndrome showed running patterns of OA, varieties of MEV and PCEV in their sizes and connections, right dominance of TSS, and the various relationship between the TSS and the asterion. Especially, the exact location of the TSS compared to the astenon was found to be inferior in 56%, right below in 38%, and superior in 6%. In conclusion, presurgical evaluation using volumetric imaging of 3-D CECT is a convenient and valuable method for obtaining the anatomic information required for performing LSOC safely and precisely in individual patients.

[Surgical strategy for malignant glioma resection with intraoperative use of fluorescein Na].

Cytoreductive surgery is accepted by many neurosurgeons to be the best treatment for patients with malignant gliomas. Resection of a contrast-enhancing lesion on a CT or MR image is a particularly common treatment, because observation of such lesions indicates the presence of viable tumor cells. We have used intravenous injection of fluorescein Na (0.2 cc/kg body weight) as a chemical probe for resection of malignant gliomas. Following this injection, the yellow-stained tumor is visible to the naked eye. For tumors located in an eloquent area, resection is performed at the surface of the yellow-stained tumor, or tumor debulking within the yellow-colored lesion is conducted until the resection surface becomes pale yellow. For tumors located in non-eloquent regions, suction of peritumoral white matter is also required. This procedure requires no special equipment and has wide applicability in resection of malignant gliomas.