Circulating tumour DNA from the cerebrospinal fluid allows the characterisation and monitoring of medulloblastoma.

The molecular characterisation of medulloblastoma, the most common paediatric brain tumour, is crucial for the correct management and treatment of this heterogenous disease. However, insufficient tissue sample, the presence of tumour heterogeneity, or disseminated disease can challenge its diagnosis and monitoring. Here, we report that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) recapitulates the genomic alterations of the tumour and facilitates subgrouping and risk stratification, providing valuable information about diagnosis and prognosis. CSF ctDNA also characterises the intra-tumour genomic heterogeneity identifying small subclones. ctDNA is abundant in the CSF but barely present in plasma and longitudinal analysis of CSF ctDNA allows the study of minimal residual disease, genomic evolution and the characterisation of tumours at recurrence. Ultimately, CSF ctDNA analysis could facilitate the clinical management of medulloblastoma patients and help the design of tailored therapeutic strategies, increasing treatment efficacy while reducing excessive treatment to prevent long-term secondary effects.

Brain paraneoplastic syndromes in a patient with mediastinal ganglioneuroma.

Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes are a rare and heterogeneous group of immune-mediated syndromes caused by underlying solid and nonsolid tumors. We present a case of 8-year-old female with long history of mild headaches and central instability who presented multiple poorly defined signal abnormalities at the subcortical white matter of both cerebral hemispheres and cerebellar atrophy on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Further studies revealed a posterior mediastinum ganglioneuroma derived from a mature ganglioneuroblastoma that was treated with surgery. Two paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes were considered: Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis due to the resolution of subcortical signal abnormalities after mediastinal mass resection and opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome due to cerebellar atrophy. Intertnational guideline established the criteria for definite diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes and detection of onconeural antibodies is not mandatory for their diagnosis. Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes may appear several years before the tumor is detected.

Primary endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke in teenage patients: a short case series.

PURPOSE: To analyze the safety and efficacy of primary endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients younger than 18 years of age. METHODS: Review of 4 patients < 18 years of age with AIS, prospectively enrolled in an electronic database registry for acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent thrombectomy at tertiary centers, from January 2011 to February 2017. Clinical and imaging data were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients were female. Patients 1 to 4 were 14, 13, 16, and 13 years old, respectively. Patients 1 and 3 had left middle cerebral artery occlusion, patient 2 basilar occlusion, and patient 4 right tandem occlusion. Mean NIHSS score was 13 (7-19) on arrival and 4 (0-5) at 24 h. Patient 2 had Osler-Weber-Rendu disease and patient 4 a previously surgically repaired complete atrioventricular canal. All patients presented with clinical-radiological mismatch. CT/CTA was used in patients 1 and 4 and MRI/MRA in patients 2 and 3. Stent retriever was used in 3 patients (patients 1, 3, and 4) and direct aspiration first-pass technique in 1 (patient 2). All 4 procedures resulted in successful recanalization and 3-month functional independence. CONCLUSION: Primary EVT is reported in patients 13 to 16 years of age with AIS due to large vessel occlusion and clinical-radiological mismatch. Procedures were safe and effective with prompt recanalization and good clinical outcome.

[Clinical variability of polymicrogiria: report of 35 new cases and review of the literature]. / Variabilidad clínica de la polimicrogiria: a propósito de 35 nuevos casos y revisión de la bibliografía.

INTRODUCTION: The study of polymicrogyria with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made possible the report of several series of patients in which the main clinical manifestations differ considerably. The aims of the study were to review the literature and to know the clinical variability of the patients attended in a neuropediatric service. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted between 1989-2011 for the patients attended in our neuro-pediatric service and diagnosed of polymicrogyria by MRI. RESULTS: On the totality of 44 patients having polymicrogyria, 9 did not satisfy de inclusion criteria (Barkovich's radiological criteria). The polymicrogyria was bilateral in 22/35 patients (1 frontal, 22 perisylvian) and unilateral in 13/35 (2 frontal, the rest perisylvian). All patients with bilateral polymicrogyria had intellectual disability, 71% had global development delay, 75% had oromotor disorder and 40% had epilepsy. Patients with unilateral polymicrogyria had the following symptoms: 65% intellectual disability, 55% global development delay, 55% oromotor disorder, 55% epilepsy and 2 patients where free of symptoms (the oldest 2 year old). The initial symptoms were depending upon the age: the oromotor disorder was the most common in the newborn period, global development delay if the symptoms started before 2 years old and after 2 years epilepsy was the initial most common symptom. CONCLUSION: In our study the most common symptom was intellectual disability (independently of the type of poly-microgyria), followed by oromotor disorder and, with fewer proportion, epilepsy (in contrast with other series).

Variabilidad clínica de la polimicrogiria: a propósito de 35 nuevos casos y revisión de la bibliografía / Clinical variability of polymicrogiria: report of 35 new cases and review of the literatureepi

Introducción. El estudio diagnóstico de polimicrogiria mediante resonancia magnética ha facilitado la publicación de varias series de pacientes en las que las manifestaciones clínicas predominantes varían considerablemente. Objetivo. Conocer la variabilidad fenotípica de la polimicrogiria basándose en la serie de pacientes atendidos en nuestro servicio y la revisión de la bibliografía. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo de los pacientes diagnosticados de polimicrogiria mediante resonancia magnética y seguidos en consultas durante los años 1989-2011.Resultados. De un total de 44 pacientes, nueve fueron excluidos por no cumplir los criterios diagnósticos radiológicospropuestos por Barkovich. La polimicrogiria fue bilateral en 22/35 pacientes (una frontal, 21 perisilvianas) y unilateral en13/35 (dos frontales, el resto perisilvianas). Todos los pacientes con polimicrogiria bilateral tenían algún tipo de discapacidadintelectual, un 71% tenía retraso global del desarrollo, un 75% tenía trastorno oromotor y un 40% tenía epilepsia. Los pacientes con polimicrogiria unilateral presentaron discapacidad intelectual (65%), retraso global del desarrollo (55%), trastorno oromotor (55%) y epilepsia (55%), estando asintomáticos dos pacientes (2 años de edad). La presentación clínica de los pacientes dependía de la edad: en el período neonatal, el síntoma guía fue el trastorno oromotor; antes de los 2 años, el retraso global del desarrollo; y partir de los 2 años, la epilepsia. Conclusión. En este estudio, a diferencia de otras series, el síntoma más prevalente fue la discapacidad intelectual (independientemente del tipo de polimicrogiria), seguido del trastorno oromotor y, en menor medida, la epilepsia (AU)

Introduction. The study of polymicrogyria with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made possible the report of severalseries of patients in which the main clinical manifestations differ considerably. The aims of the study were to review the literature and to know the clinical variability of the patients attended in a neuropediatric service. Patients and methods. A retrospective study was conducted between 1989-2011 for the patients attended in our neuropediatric service and diagnosed of polymicrogyria by MRI.Results. On the totality of 44 patients having polymicrogyria, 9 did not satisfy de inclusion criteria (Barkovich’s radiological criteria). The polymicrogyria was bilateral in 22/35 patients (1 frontal, 22 perisylvian) and unilateral in 13/35 (2 frontal, the rest perisylvian). All patients with bilateral polymicrogyria had intellectual disability, 71% had global development delay, 75% had oromotor disorder and 40% had epilepsy. Patients with unilateral polymicrogyria had the following symptoms: 65% intellectual disability, 55% global development delay, 55% oromotor disorder, 55% epilepsy and 2 patients wherefree of symptoms (the oldest 2 year old). The initial symptoms were depending upon the age: the oromotor disorder was the most common in the newborn period, global development delay if the symptoms started before 2 years old and after 2 years epilepsy was the initial most common symptom.Conclusion. In our study the most common symptom was intellectual disability (independently of the type of polymicrogyria), followed by oromotor disorder and, with fewer proportion, epilepsy (in contrast with other series) (AU)