Magnetic resonace imaging study in major psychiatric disorders.

Magnetic resonance brain imaging provides good contrast between the three principal compartments of the brain: gray and white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Not only brain volumic and structural understanding, the application of magnetic imaging techniques as in Functional MRI (MRI), Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) also has greatly enhanced the range of findings in brain function of psychiatric patients. The objective of this paper was to present a brief review of the technological advances in magnetic neuroimaging, and to indicate how these techniques have impacted the study ofpsychiatry. Reviews of recent researches, examples of imaging techniques, and major findings for schizophrenia, affective disorder, anxiety, personality and other major psychiatric disorders are offered. In summary, the using of magnetic neuroimaging as an aid to diagnosis is discussed, and findings from the most accessible imaging techniques are reviewed.

MR imaging of CNS leiomyosarcoma in AIDS patients.

Leiomyosarcomas of the central nervous system are extremely rare; however they are becoming more prevalent in immunocompromised patients. The authors present MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of six cases of pathological proved leiomyosarcomas of the central nervous system in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. MR images of 4 cases of intraspinal leiomyosarcoma showed lobulated masses expanding multilevel of neural foramina with extradural and intradural extension, giving dumbbell appearance which mimic neurofibroma. Two cases of intracranial leiomyosarcoma revealed a mass at the left cavernous sinus involving prepontine cistern in one case and two lesions in the other case showing masses with dural based appearance at the region of the planum sphenoidale and the posterior aspect of the falx cerebri which mimiced a meningioma. The leiomyosarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of extra-axial CNS lesions in HIV-infected patients.