Subependymoma of the lateral ventricle.

The case of a girl with a large cystic subependymoma of the lateral ventricle is reported. The tumor, which did not cause hydrocephalus, was attached to the wall of the frontal horn and grew out of the ventricular system extending into the anterior cranial fossa and the orbital cavity. Despite some typical features exhibited by the lesion, its true nature was not recognized during the operation. The importance of the identification of this rare benign tumor is emphasized because a radical removal may be accomplished in most cases with a very good prognosis.

A three-dimensional virtual model of the head generated from digitalized CT or MR images for anatomical-radiological and neurosurgical evaluations.

A computer-generated virtual model has been developed that reconstructs the head in three dimensions from digitalized images obtained with magnetic resonance and computerized tomography. Through programming and the use of commercial graphic animation software, we have developed the whole process of the rotation of the head on different spatial planes. The procedure permits multidirectional anatomical sections to be made on the structure of the head, providing a true dynamic and user-friendly anatomical-radiological atlas. The system serves as a virtual model for the localization of an ideal surgical approach to any lesion thus avoiding possible neurological lesions.

Whipple's disease with isolated central nervous system symptomatology diagnosed by molecular identification of Tropheryma whippelii in peripheral blood.

We report a new case of Whipple's disease (WD) confined to the central nervous system. The patient presented with ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, hypersomnia, hemiparesis and generalized myorhythmia. The diagnosis was confirmed by identification of specific sequences of the causal agent of WD, the actinobacteria Tropheryma whippelii (TW), by PCR of DNA extracted from peripheral blood. An epidemiological survey of TW in patients with dementia suggests that WD is an uncommon cause of dementia in our population. Molecular methods may allow rapid identification of TW in peripheral fluids, and non-invasive diagnosis of this disorder.

La enfermedad de whipple con sintomatología aislada del sistema nervioso central diagnosticada por identificación molecular de tropheryma whippelii en sangre periférica / Whipple's disease with isolated central nervous system symptomatology diagnosed by molecular identification of Tropheryma whippelii in peripheral blood

Se comunica un nuevo caso de enfermedad de Whipple (EW), limitada al sistema nervioso central, en un paciente de 65 años de edad, cuyo proceso se inició con un cuadro de ataxia, oftalmoplejía, hipersomnia, hemiparesia y miorritmia. El diagnóstico se confirmó gracias a la identificación de las secuencias genómicas específicas del agente causal de la EW, la actinobacteria Tropheryma whippelii, mediante amplificación en cadena del ADN total extraído de la sangre periférica. La aplicación de este método al análisis de una muestra epidemiológica de pacientes con demencia de evolución rápida sugiere que la EW es una causa rara de demencia en nuestra población. Los métodos moleculares pueden permitir la identificación rápida del bacilo responsable de la EW en fluidos periféricos y el diagnóstico no invasivo de esta enfermedad. (AU)