MRI of CNS lymphoma with choroid plexus involvement in five dogs and one cat.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and outcome of dogs and cats with central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma that involved the choroid plexus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A bi-institutional retrospective study of MRI of dogs and cats with CNS lymphoma, in which the choroid plexus was affected on MRI. Signalment, clinical, MRI, clinicopathologic and histopathologic findings were recorded and evaluated. RESULTS: CNS lymphoma with choroid plexus involvement on the MRI was identified in five dogs and one cat. MRI revealed diffuse enlargement and multifocal nodularity in the choroid plexus in most cases, with the fourth ventricle the most common site affected. Five of the cases had signs of extraneural involvement (including the cat), while the sixth case was not staged. Four of five CSF samples analysed provided a diagnosis of lymphoma. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: We report MRI findings of CNS lymphoma involving the choroid plexus. These results show the importance of recognising novel imaging patterns and the potential utility of CSF collection in diagnosing CNS lymphoma involving the choroid plexus ante mortem.

Sex-related injury patterns among selected high school sports.

This cohort observational study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the incidence of injuries for girls participating in high school sports is greater than that for boys. From 1995 through 1997, players were included in our study if they were listed on the school's varsity team roster for boys' or girls' basketball, boys' or girls' soccer, boys' baseball, or girls' softball. Injuries and opportunities for injury were recorded daily. Certified athletic trainers reported injury and exposure data. Based on 39,032 player-seasons and 8988 reported injuries, the injury rates per 100 players for softball (16.7) and for girls' soccer (26.7) were higher than for baseball (13.2) and boys' soccer (23.4). The knee injury rates per 100 players for girls' basketball (4.5) and girls' soccer (5.2) were higher than for their male counterparts. Major injuries occurred more often in girls' basketball (12.4%) and soccer (12.1%) than in boys' basketball (9.9%) and soccer (10.4%). Baseball players (12.5%) had more major injuries than softball players (7.8%). There was a higher number of surgeries, particularly knee and anterior cruciate ligament surgeries, for female basketball and soccer players than for boys or girls in other sports.

Traumatic brain injury in high school athletes.

CONTEXT: The potential seriousness of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is increasingly recognized; however, information on the frequency of MTBI among high school athletes is limited. OBJECTIVE: To identify the type, frequency, and severity of MTBI in selected high school sports activities. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred forty-six certified athletic trainers recorded injury and exposure data for high school varsity athletes participating in boys' football, wrestling, baseball and field hockey, girls' volleyball and softball, boys' and girls' basketball, and boys' and girls' soccer at 235 US high schools during 1 or more of the 1995-1997 academic years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of reported MTBI, defined as a head-injured player who was removed from participation and evaluated by an athletic trainer or physician prior to returning to participation. National incidence figures for MTBI also were estimated. RESULTS: Of 23566 reported injuries in the 10 sports during the 3-year study period, 1219 (5.5%) were MTBIs. Of the MTBIs, football accounted for 773 (63.4%) of cases; wrestling, 128 (10.5%); girls' soccer, 76 (6.2%); boys' soccer, 69 (5.7%); girls' basketball, 63 (5.2%); boys' basketball, 51 (4.2%); softball, 25 (2.1%); baseball, 15 (1.2%); field hockey, 13 (1.1%); and volleyball, 6 (0.5%). The injury rates per 100 player-seasons were 3.66 for football, 1.58 for wrestling, 1.14 for girls' soccer, 1.04 for girls' basketball, 0.92 for boys' soccer, 0.75 for boys' basketball, 0.46 for softball, 0.46 for field hockey, 0.23 for baseball, and 0.14 for volleyball. The median time lost from participation for all MTBIs was 3 days. There were 6 cases of subdural hematoma and intracranial injury reported in football. Based on these data, an estimated 62816 cases of MTBI occur annually among high school varsity athletes participating in these sports, with football accounting for about 63% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of MTBI vary among sports and none of the 10 popular high school sports we studied is without the occurrence of an MTBI. Continued involvement of high school sports sponsors, researchers, medical professionals, coaches, and sports participants is essential to help minimize the risk of MTBI.

Injury patterns in selected high school sports: a review of the 1995-1997 seasons.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the risk of injury associated with 10 popular high school sports by comparing the relative frequency of injury and selected injury rates among sports, as well as the participation conditions within each sport. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cohort observational study of high school athletes using a surveillance protocol whereby certified athletic trainers recorded data during the 1995-1997 academic years. SUBJECTS: Players listed on the school's varsity team rosters for football, wrestling, baseball, field hockey, softball, girls' volleyball, boys' or girls' basketball, and boys' or girls' soccer. MEASUREMENTS: Injuries and opportunities for injury (exposures) were recorded daily. The definition of reportable injury used in the study required that certified athletic trainers evaluate the injured players and subsequently restrict them from participation. RESULTS: Football had the highest injury rate per 1000 athlete- exposures at 8.1, and volleyball had the lowest rate at 1.7. Only boys' (59.3%) and girls' (57.0%) soccer showed a larger proportion of reported injuries for games than practices, while volleyball was the only sport to demonstrate a higher injury rate per 1000 athlete-exposures for practices than for games. More than 73% of the injuries restricted players for fewer than 8 days. The proportion of knee injuries was highest for girls' soccer (19.4%) and lowest for baseball (10.5%). Among the studied sports, sprains and strains accounted for more than 50% of the injuries, except in field hockey (45.7%). Of the injuries requiring surgery, 60.3% were to the knee. CONCLUSIONS: An inherent risk of injury is associated with participation in high school sports based on the nature of the game and the activities of the players. Therefore, injury prevention programs should be in place for both practices and games. Preventing reinjury through daily injury management is a critical component of an injury prevention program. Although sports injuries cannot be entirely eliminated, consistent and professional evaluation of yearly injury patterns can provide focus for the development and evaluation of injury prevention strategies.