Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging Findings of Cortical Vein Thrombosis at 3 T.

PURPOSE: Diagnosis of cortical vein thrombosis (CVT) on the basis of clot hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been reported as limited. Our aim was to evaluate different DWI findings of CVT either in isolated form or in combination with sinus thrombosis. METHODS: In this review-board-approved study, patients with the diagnosis of CVT on magnetic resonance venography (MRV) between 2004 and 2011 were evaluated, and 13 patients with 26 CVT (3 isolated and 23 combined CVT) sites were recruited. The evaluated DWI findings were as follows: (1) the hyperintense clot signal (CS) itself, and (2) clot susceptibility signal (CSS) that appears next to the CVT. Two blinded radiologists evaluated the data. Kappa (κ) statistics was applied for interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Both readers reported CS within the vascular clot itself in 6 of 26 (23%) CVT sites on DWI. CSS was reported in 16 of 26 (61.5%) CVT sites by reader 1, and in 14 of 26 (54%) of the CVT sites by reader 2. At four CVT sites with thrombosed veins on MRV, both readers reported no DWI findings. When both CS and CSS were evaluated together, reader 1 reported a positive DWI finding in 22 of 26 (84%) of the CVT sites, and reader 2 reported in 20 of 26 (79%) of the sites. κ Statistics showed a very good agreement (κ: 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Besides the hyperintense CS, with additional evaluation of the presence of CSS, DWI can provide an additional clue in CVT patients and may suggest its diagnosis, which is important in clinically unsuspected patients.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: surgical results and factors affecting prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: A variety of factors may affect surgical outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The aim of this study is to determine these factors on the basis of preoperative radiological and clinical data. METHODS: To assess the factors affecting postoperative outcome after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy, the clinical and radiological data of 27 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy were reviewed. Functional and neurological statuses were assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scale modified by Benzel. In all patients, the effect of age, symptom duration, cervical curvature, presence or absence of preoperative high signal intensity within the spinal cord as revealed by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and diameters of the spinal canal and vertebral body on pre- and postoperative neurological statuses were investigated. Plain radiographs were obtained for all patients, magnetic resonance images for 21 patients (77.8%), computed tomographic scans for 13 patients (48.1%), myelograms for 6 patients (22.2%), and computed tomographic myelograms for 4 patients (14.8%). There were five patients with a JOA score of 10, six patients with a JOA score of 11, six patients with a JOA score of 12, four patients with a JOA score of 13, four patients with a JOA score of 14, one patient with a JOA score of 15, and one patient with a JOA score of 16. All patients underwent cervical laminectomies. The mean follow-up period was 54.1 months. The final neurological examinations revealed improvement in the JOA scores of 85.1 % of the patients. RESULTS: Statistical analysis of all patients revealed mean JOA scores of 12.185 +/- 1.618 and 14.370 +/- 2.15 before surgery and at final examination, respectively. The difference between the preoperative JOA score and the final JOA score was determined to be statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Statistical analyses also showed better neurological improvement in patients younger than 60 years and in patients with normal preoperative cervical lordosis. Although patients without preoperative high signal intensity of the spinal cord showed a better improvement rate than did patients with preoperative high signal intensity, the determined difference was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that age and abnormal cervical curvature predict less postoperative neurological improvement. The presence of preoperative high signal intensity within the spinal cord may also reflect less neurological improvement.

Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of benign macrocephaly in children.

Benign macrocephaly of infancy is a common problem in the child neurology practice. The radiologic features of this entity are not well defined. In most of the previous studies, macrocephalic patients were evaluated by computed tomography. To define the radiologic characteristics of this entity, 20 children with macrocephaly with normal neurologic examinations were enrolled in the study. All the patients were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging studies. Sixty-five percent of patients had enlargement of the subarachnoid space and 35% of patients had megalencephaly. None of the patients had subdural collections. The mean age of patients with enlargement of the subarachnoid space was found to be younger than those with megalencephaly. The cases with parental histories of macrocephaly demonstrated both enlargement of the subarachnoid space and megalencephaly. Our results suggest that the radiologic finding of benign macrocephaly can be both enlargement of the subarachnoid space and megalencephaly.

Sagittal sinus thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia: a report of two patients.

Reported are two patients presenting with both thrombocytopenia and sagittal sinus thrombosis. The first patient is a 42-month-old male with no identified thrombophilic risk factors who developed acute neurologic symptoms after an acute infection. The second patient is a 22-month-old female with no history of preceding infection but had a positive lupus anticoagulant test. She also developed deep venous thrombosis and was treated with intravenous heparin. Both patients are currently doing well without neurologic deficits. To the authors' knowledge the second patient is the youngest reported patient with cerebral vein thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia and lupus anticoagulant. These observations call attention to the need for a thorough investigation of thrombophilic risk factors in pediatric patients with thrombotic complications.

Correlation between computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in diastematomyelia.

Preoperative neuroradiological evaluation of diastematomyelia cases is of vital importance in order to increase surgical success rate. This paper reports the neuroradiological data of diastematomyelia cases in the light of surgical findings, and discusses the efficacy of CT and MRI in the evaluation of patients with diastematomyelia.

CT myelography in communicating syringomyelia.

Although the etiology of syringomyelia is not clearly understood, many surgical methods have been proposed for its treatment. One widely used technique in cases of communicating syringomyelia is that of posterior fossa decompression and plugging of the obex (Gardner's Operation). In this paper we present five cases of syringomyelia which were investigated using detailed myelo-computerized tomographic techniques, of which two appeared to be communicating syringomyelia and which were treated by posterior fossa decompression and obex plugging. We also discuss the place of computed tomography in the differential diagnosis of communicating syringomyelia.

Intradural rupture of cervical vertebral disc.

STUDY DESIGN: The authors discuss their experience with a patient who had cervical intradural disc herniation and relate the case to the relevant literature. OBJECTIVES: The patient was evaluated with direct radiographies, myelography, electromyography, and computerized tomography, as well as with neurologic examination. The follow-up period was 10 months post-operative. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Intradural disc herniation is a rare pathology nearly always confined to the lumbar region. In 1989, Katooka et al reviewed the existing literature and discovered 70 cases. Cervical intradural disc herniation, on the other hand, is much rarer, and there are only five cases in the literature. METHODS: The patient's neurologic, neuroradiologic, and operative findings were evaluated and compared with the cases reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: The five patients in the literature had signs of cord compression, but the present patient is the first with root compression.

Middle cerebral artery duplication associated with multiple intracranial aneurysms. Case report.

We present a case of middle cerebral artery (MCA) duplication associated with ipsilateral distal MCA and contralateral MCA bifurcation aneurysms.

Evaluation of parietal pleural invasion of lung cancers with breathhold inspiration and expiration MRI.

The goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility of detecting invasion of the parietal pleura by lung cancer with inspiratory-expiratory magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-three patients with lung cancer in contact with pleura were studied with multisectional MRI during deep inspiration and expiration on the axial and coronal planes. Changes in the tumor's relation relative to the chest wall markers, vertebral bodies, or mediastinal structures were noted. Surgical correlation was available for each case. Twelve tumors were located at the right middle and lower lobes. Five patients who had a significant change in the position of the tumor were found not to have pleural invasion at surgery. The remaining seven tumors without change in their position with respiration were surgically found to invade the parietal pleura. Only 1 of the 11 upper lobe and apical segments of the lower lobe-located tumors showed a change in its position, which had no parietal pleural invasion at surgery. The remaining 10 tumors did not show any movement. Four of them had parietal pleural invasion that were surgically proven, and six tumors had no parietal pleural invasion at surgery. In conclusion, MRI performed during deep inspiration and expiration is a complementary method in detecting parietal pleural invasion for the tumors located in the lower and middle lobes.

Cervical neural foraminal widening caused by the tortuous vertebral artery.

A case of cervical neural foraminal widening due to tortuous vertebral artery is presented. This entity is rarely seen. Plain radiography, CT, 3-D CT angiography, MRI, and MRA findings of the case are presented and the importance of this vascular anomaly in the differential diagnosis of neural foraminal widening is discussed.

Diagnostic value of computed tomography in spinal and lateral recess stenosis, preoperatively and for long-term follow-up: a prospective study in 50 cases.

Preoperative measurements of lateral recess, anterior-posterior diameter of the spinal canal and interpedincular distance were made in 50 patients with low back pain. The results were compared with the surgical findings. The patients were followed up for two years. CT findings and clinical results were evaluated to determine whether preoperative CT could provide any evidence of failed spinal surgery in patients with recurrent symptoms.

Calcitonin and calcium combined therapy in osteoporosis: effects on vertebra trabecular bone density.

Calcitonin is a hormone produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland. Like calcium salts, calcitonin acts by reducing bone resorption. In this study, 26 osteoporotic patients were given 100 IU salmon calcitonin for 10 days and, thereafter, 100 IU calcitonin every other day for 80 days combined with 1000 mg/day calcium salts. Prior to and after the combined therapy, the mean trabecular bone densities from the levels of thoracic 12 and lumbar 1 and 2 were obtained and routine thoracic and lumbar radiography performed. Combined calcitonin and calcium therapy for 3 months produced significant increases in vertebra trabecular bone density. The evaluation of the trabecular bone density and the number of non-traumatic compression fractures in 26 osteoporotic patients prior to the therapy did not indicate any close relationship between them. It is concluded that, in addition to other factors reported previously, microtraumas during daily activities have some effect on the incidence of fractures.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with the absence of technetium-99m MDP uptake of lungs.

The authors report a patient with alveolar microlithiasis who was treated for miliary tuberculosis eight years earlier and whose Tc-99m MDP scan revealed absent lung uptake. Diagnosis was established by bronchoalveolar lavage. Both the roentgenogram and computed tomography of the chest confirmed alveolar microlithiasis.

Chiari II malformation: computed tomographic evaluation.

In this study cranial computed tomographic (CT) features of 28 cases with Chiari II malformation are presented. 26 of these cases had hydrocephalus (92.9%) and the fourth ventricle was either absent or small in 25 (89.3%) of the cases. Caudal displacement of the fourth ventricle was noted in 15 (53.6%) of the cases, and craniolacunia was present in 18 (64.3%) of the cases with seven of them being more than one-year-old (up to 18-years-old). We found CT to be a safe, non-invasive and effective method of elucidating the types of abnormalities associated with this disorder. Preoperative computed tomographic evaluation of patients with Chiari II malformation helps to differentiate it from other types of hydrocephalus, thus yielding a change in the operative approach.

Computerized tomography findings of the posterior fossa in children: etiology and clinical correlation.

Of 1105 childhood cases who were evaluated by computerized tomography (CT) in a two-year interval, 93 who had posterior fossa abnormalities are reviewed. The cerebellar atrophies, either alone or accompanied by cerebral atrophy, were the most common morphological diagnoses. The clinical picture, etiology, and developmental state of the cases are discussed in relation to the CT findings.

Meckel Gruber syndrome: a case diagnosed in utero.

A case of Meckel Gruber syndrome is presented, diagnosed prenatally from the medical history of the mother which revealed a previous malformed stillborn with anencephaly, meningomyelocele, polydactyly and ambiguous genitalia. This was the first prenatally diagnosed case ever reported in Turkey. The clinical, computed tomography and postmortem findings and the related literature are reviewed.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas in tuberous sclerosis.

Two cases of tuberous sclerosis with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma are presented. This rare autosomal dominant disorder was also detected in family members of the patients who had never had any symptoms of cerebral involvement. Both patients underwent surgery because of signs of increased intracranial pressure.

The aid of computerized tomography in hemifacial spasm.

Although the physiopathological mechanisms causing hemifacial spasm are not clearly understood, it is generally accepted that the causative factor is compression of the facial nerve at its root exit zone. In this paper we present seven cases of hemifacial spasm which were studied by dynamic CT scanning in the preoperative period, and treated with microvascular decompression. We suggest that CT scanning has considerable diagnostic value in disclosing the asymmetrical vascular formation causing root exit zone compression and that microvascular decompression should be the treatment of choice in this condition.