Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Perfusion of Intradural Spinal Lesions.

Fifteen patients with intradural spinal lesions were examined with an optimized dynamic contrast-enhanced MR perfusion sequence at 1.5T and 3T. SNR and mean contrast-to-noise ratio were better on 3T compared with 1.5T (P ≤ .05). The goodness of fit of the Tofts and Tofts extended pharmacokinetic models was similar between 1.5T and 3T. Thus, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR perfusion of intradural spinal canal lesions is technically feasible at 1.5T and 3T, with better image quality at 3T.

Imaging of the cavernous sinus lesions.

This educational paper reviews the normal anatomy of the cavernous sinus (CS) and the imaging findings of common and uncommon lesions of this region. CS lesions may arise from different components of the CS or from adjacent structures and spaces. They can be classified as tumoral, inflammatory/infectious, vascular and congenital. Tumoral lesions include benign (meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, schwannomas) and malignant neoplasms (chondrosarcomas, chordomas, nasopharyngeal carcinomas, leukemia, metastases). Inflammatory/infectious conditions comprise: Tolosa Hunt, abscess, Lemierre syndrome and thrombophlebitis. Vascular lesions include: hemangiomas, carotido-cavernous fistula, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations. Congenital conditions include the epidermoid cyst, dermoid cyst and fatty deposits. Although imaging features of non-vascular CS diseases are most often non-specific, careful analysis of the adjacent structures suggests the correct diagnosis. In vascular pathology, characteristic MR imaging findings are observed.

Cortical subarachnoid haemorrhage in the elderly: a recurrent event probably related to cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Isolated, non-traumatic, cortical subarachnoid haemorrhage (cSAH) is a rare type of cerebrovascular disease caused by various disorders. In a few cases, especially in the elderly, no apparent cause can be identified. We report a case series of patients without apparent cause of cSAH. We aimed to determine whether cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) could be a common cause of cSAH. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed clinical and radiological data of consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary stroke unit with cSAH. All patients had brain MRI as a part of their initial evaluation and a repeat examination during follow-up. RESULTS: Amongst 25 patients with cSAH, 10 patients had no apparent cause of cSAH (six men and four women; mean age ± SD: 73.8 ± 8.5 years). All patients with no apparent cause presented with single or recurrent focal transient neurological symptoms of short duration. Only one patient experienced headache. cSAH was limited to one or two sulci, mostly the central sulcus. MRI showed the evidence of prior asymptomatic bleeding in 9/10 patients: cortical hemosiderosis (9/10), lobar intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) (6/10) and cortical microbleeds (9/10). Eight of ten patients met the Boston criteria for probable CAA and 2/10 for possible CAA. During follow-up, three patients had recurrent bleeding: cSAH (2) and lobar ICH (1). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that CAA could be a common cause of cSAH in the elderly with a fairly uniform clinical presentation. In addition to prior cortical bleeding (ICH, MBs), most patients from the present series had evidence of focal cortical hemosiderosis likely corresponding with prior unrecognized cSAH and suggesting that cSAH was a recurrent event.

Isolated acute nontraumatic cortical subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Our aim was to review the etiologic background of isolated acute nontraumatic cSAH. While SAH located in the basal cisterns originates from a ruptured aneurysm in approximately 85% of cases, a broad spectrum of vascular and even nonvascular pathologies can cause acute nontraumatic SAH along the convexity. Arteriovenous malformations or fistulas, cortical venous and/or dural sinus thrombosis, and distal and proximal arteriopathies (RCVS, vasculitides, mycotic aneurysms, Moyamoya, or severe atherosclerotic carotid disease) should be sought by noninvasive imaging methods or/and conventional angiography. Additionally, PRES may also be a source of acute cSAH. In elderly patients, cSAH might be attributed to CAA if numerous hemorrhages are demonstrated by GRE T2 images. Finally, cSAH is rarely observed in nonvascular disorders, such as abscess and primitive or secondary brain tumors.

[CT and anatomo-pathologic examination in the diagnosis of cavernous sinus lesions]. / Aportul examenului CT si al examenului anatomo-patologic in diagnosticul leziunilor sinusului cavernos.

UNLABELLED: This study presents the CT imaging and histological aspects of a lot of cavernous sinus disease that include primary and secondary neoplastic processes, congenital lesions, infectious and inflammatory processes, and vascular abnormalities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All 47 patients were CT explored with and without intravenous contrast, using specific protocols for orbit and brain. We studied the topography of the tumors, their impact to neighborhood regions and post-treatment results. For all patients we performed histological examination. RESULTS: We found 26 cases with sellar origin of the tumor and 21 cases of para-sellar origin, with a significant extension in 22 cases. The most frequent histologic type of tumors were represented by hypophyseal adenoma (17 cases), followed by meningiomas (9 cases) and cranio-pharyngiomas (5 cases). CONCLUSIONS: CT imaging allows a fast and accurate analysis of sellar and para-sellar tumors, with a tumor extension assessment. The clinical and imaging diagnosis is confirmed by histological examination.