Lesiones inflamatorias del troncoencéfalo: claves diagnósticas en RM / Inflammatory lesions of the brainstem: Keys for the diagnosis by MRI

Objetivo: Describir los hallazgos en resonancia magnética (RM) de las principales enfermedades inflamatorias e inmunomediadas que afectan al troncoencéfalo. Conclusión: El diagnóstico diferencial de las lesiones inflamatorias localizadas en el troncoencéfalo es complicado debido al amplio espectro de enfermedades autoinmunes, infecciosas y síndromes paraneoplásicos que pueden causarlas. Conocer estas entidades, sus características clínicas y sus manifestaciones en RM, sobre todo en cuanto a número, morfología, extensión y apariencia en las diferentes secuencias, es útil a la hora de orientar el diagnóstico radiológico.(AU)

Objective: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for the most common inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases that involve the brainstem. Conclusion: Inflammatory lesions involving the brainstem are associated with a wide range of autoimmune, infectious, and paraneoplastic syndromes, making the differential diagnosis complex. Being familiar with these entities, their clinical characteristics, and their manifestations on MRI, particularly the number of lesions, their shape and extension, and their appearance in different sequences, is useful for orienting the radiological diagnosis.(AU)

Inflammatory lesions of the brainstem: Keys for the diagnosis by MRI.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for the most common inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases that involve the brainstem. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory lesions involving the brainstem are associated with a wide range of autoimmune, infectious, and paraneoplastic syndromes, making the differential diagnosis complex. Being familiar with these entities, their clinical characteristics, and their manifestations on MRI, especially the number of lesions, their shape and extension, and their appearance in different sequences, is useful for orienting the radiological diagnosis.

CT findings for dental disease.

Traumatic and especially inflammatory-infectious dental lesions are very prevalent in our context. Inflammatory-infectious disease is usually discovered incidentally on imaging studies that include the orofacial region. Moreover, these conditions can result in potentially severe complications, so early diagnosis and treatment are important. Multidetector computed tomography offers good diagnostic performance for dental lesions, although the radiological findings can be subtle and can go undetected if the radiologist is not familiar with them. Likewise, invasive dental procedures are becoming increasingly common, and these can also result in complications. On the other hand, in daily practice a variety of radiolucent mandibular lesions or developmental anomalies can lead to erroneous interpretations. For these reasons, radiologists should be familiar with possible findings related with dental conditions.

Hallazgos por imagen de patología dentaria en tomografía computarizada / CT findings for dental disease

La patología dentaria traumática y en especial la inflamatorio-infecciosa son muy prevalentes en nuestro medio. Esta última suele encontrarse de forma incidental en muchos de los estudios radiológicos que incluyen la región orofacial. Además, es una potencial causa de complicaciones graves, lo que hace que su diagnóstico y tratamiento precoz sean importantes. La tomografía computarizada multidetector ofrece un buen rendimiento diagnóstico en la patología dentaria, aunque sus manifestaciones radiológicas pueden ser sutiles y si no se conocen, pasar desapercibidas. Asimismo, son cada vez más frecuentes los procedimientos dentales invasivos, no exentos de complicaciones. Por otra parte, en la práctica diaria pueden encontrarse variedad de lesiones mandibulares radiolucentes o anomalías del desarrollo que pueden llevar a interpretaciones erróneas. Por todo ello, es recomendable que el radiólogo esté familiarizado con los posibles hallazgos en la patología dentaria.(AU)

Traumatic and especially inflammatory-infectious dental lesions are very prevalent in our context. Inflammatory-infectious disease is usually discovered incidentally on imaging studies that include the orofacial region. Moreover, these conditions can result in potentially severe complications, so early diagnosis and treatment are important. Multidetector computed tomography offers good diagnostic performance for dental lesions, although the radiological findings can be subtle and can go undetected if the radiologist is not familiar with them. Likewise, invasive dental procedures are becoming increasingly common, and these can also result in complications. On the other hand, in daily practice a variety of radiolucent mandibular lesions or developmental anomalies can lead to erroneous interpretations. For these reasons, radiologists should be familiar with possible findings related with dental conditions.(AU)

CT findings for dental disease. / Hallazgos por imagen de patología dentaria en tomografía computarizada.

Traumatic and especially inflammatory-infectious dental lesions are very prevalent in our context. Inflammatory-infectious disease is usually discovered incidentally on imaging studies that include the orofacial region. Moreover, these conditions can result in potentially severe complications, so early diagnosis and treatment are important. Multidetector computed tomography offers good diagnostic performance for dental lesions, although the radiological findings can be subtle and can go undetected if the radiologist is not familiar with them. Likewise, invasive dental procedures are becoming increasingly common, and these can also result in complications. On the other hand, in daily practice a variety of radiolucent mandibular lesions or developmental anomalies can lead to erroneous interpretations. For these reasons, radiologists should be familiar with possible findings related with dental conditions.

[Study of neurovascular contact in essential hemifacial spasm: an example of CISS sequence and magnetic resonance angiography]. / Estudio por resonancia magnética del contacto neurovascular en el espasmo hemifacial esencial: empleo de secuencia CISS y angiografía por resonancia magnética.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to assess the validity of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) CISS 3D sequence associated with 3D time of flight (TOF) angiographic sequence in order to detect neurovascular contact (NVC) between the facial nerve and neighbouring arteries in patients with essential hemifacial spasm (HFS) and to determine the relationship between HFS symptoms and NVC and NVC image features (type, number and site). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 120 cerebellopontine angle (CPA) MRI studies, 44 cases with HFS symptoms and 76 which were asymptomatic (controls), using axial T2-weighted (CISS) and axial 3D TOF series with associated Maximal intensity (MIP) reconstructions. Prior TOF angiographic studies were available for 56 cases without associated CISS images and the results obtained from that study were compared with the results of the current study. RESULTS: The diagnostic values obtained significantly favoured the protocol used in this study, which demonstrated a sensitivity of 77.27% and a specificity of 75%. There was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of NVC and HFS symptoms (p<0.0001). Only one statistically significant relationship was found between facial nerve displacement (in type of NVC) and HFS symptoms (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed MRI protocol is sensitive and valid for detecting NVC in patients with HFS. The results of our study support a relationship between NVC and HFS symptoms. It is not a simple relationship, however. It may be influenced by other factors, such as displacement of the facial nerve due to NVC.

Estudio por resonancia magnética del contacto neurovascular en el espasmo hemifacial esencial: empleo de secuencia CISS y angiografía por resonancia magnética / Study of neurovascular contact in essential hemifacial spasm: an example of CISS sequence and magnetic resonance angiography

Objetivos: Evaluar la validez de la secuencia CISS 3D de resonancia magnética (RM) en relación con secuencias angiográficas TOF 3D para la detección del contacto neurovascular (CNV) entre el nervio facial y las arterias vecinas en pacientes con espasmo hemifacial esencial (EHE) y determinar la asociación entre la presencia de síntomas de EHE y el CNV y las características de imagen del CNV (tipo, número y localización).Material y métodos: Se han estudiado prospectivamente 120 ángulos pontocerebelosos (APC), 44 con clínica de EHE y 76 asintomáticos (controles), mediante el empleo de una serie axial potenciada en T2 (CISS) y una serie axial con técnica angiográfica TOF 3D con reconstrucciones MIP; 56 de estos APC tenían un estudio angiográfico TOF previo y se compararon sus resultados con los del estudio actual.Resultados: Los valores diagnósticos obtenidos fueron significativos a favor del protocolo del presente trabajo que mostró una sensibilidad del 77,27% y una especificidad del 75%. Se demostró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la presencia de CNV y la clínica de EHE (p<0,0001). Entre las características del CNV estudiadas, únicamente se halló una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre el desplazamiento del nervio facial (dentro de tipo de CNV) y la clínica de EHE (p=0,019). Conclusiones: El protocolo de RM propuesto es sensible y válido para detectar CNV en pacientes con EHE. Los resultados de nuestro estudio apoyan la asociación entre el CNV y la clínica de EHE, si bien no se trata de una asociación simple, sino que puede estar influida por otros factores, como el desplazamiento del nervio facial producido por el CNV (AU)

Background and purpose: The purpose of this article is to assess the validity of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) CISS 3D sequence associated with 3D time of flight (TOF) angiographic sequence in order to detect neurovascular contact (NVC) between the facial nerve and neighbouring arteries in patients with essential hemifacial spasm (HFS) and to determine the relationship between HFS symptoms and NVC and NVC image features (type, number and site).Materials and methods: We prospectively enrolled 120 cerebellopontine angle (CPA) MRI studies, 44 cases with HFS symptoms and 76 which were asymptomatic (controls), using axial T2-weighted (CISS) and axial 3D TOF series with associated Maximal intensity (MIP) reconstructions. Prior TOF angiographic studies were available for 56 cases without associated CISS images and the results obtained from that study were compared with the results of the current study. Results: The diagnostic values obtained significantly favoured the protocol used in this study, which demonstrated a sensitivity of 77.27% and a specificity of 75%. There was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of NVC and HFS symptoms (p<0,0001). Only one statistically significant relationship was found between facial nerve displacement (in type of NVC) and HFS symptoms (p=0.019).Conclusions: The proposed MRI protocol is sensitive and valid for detecting NVC in patients with HFS. The results of our study support a relationship between NVC and HFS symptoms. It is not a simple relationship, however. It may be influenced by other factors, such as displacement of the facial nerve due to NVC (AU)