ABSTRACT
@#Background and Objectives: Stroke mimics are medical conditions producing stroke-like symptoms but eventually get diagnosed as non-stroke diseases. Epileptic seizure is a common type of stroke mimic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of emergency multimodal computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of epileptic seizure. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case group of patients with suspected stroke in the emergency stroke care service of the First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University from September 2017 to October 2019. We included those who underwent multimodal CT, including non-contrasted cranial CT, CT perfusion with CT angiography, and were ultimately diagnosed as epileptic seizures. Ten patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke were assigned as controls. Results: A total of five cases met the inclusion criteria. Multimodal CT was completed within 2.25 to 3.50h from symptom onset. On CT perfusion, hyperperfusion was shown in four cases and slightly increased perfusion in one case with epileptic seizures. Cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume were significantly increased, while time to peak and mean transit time decreased in the regions of interest of the epileptic hemisphere when compared to either the non-affected hemisphere or the ischemic area in the control group (P<0.05). The abnormal perfusion areas did not follow vascular territory supply and CT angiography did not show vessel occlusion in the case group. Conclusion: Emergency multimodal CT could be used effectively to differentiate epileptic seizure from stroke.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of iodine contrast agent on the biological responses of CT examination. Methods A total of sixty patients with suspected urinary tract disease who underwent computed tomography urography ( CTU ) examination were randomly divided into control group and experimental group. The control group was treated with routine CTU, where only CT scan was performed on the first day. CTU was added after 3 days. The test group was treated with fractional injection CTU and injected with enhanced scanning agent on the first day. Before and after CT examination, the patients′peripheral blood was collected and the number of γ-H2AX foci in lymphocytes ( mononuclear cells) was measured by immunofluorescence, and the differences of DNA damage in these two groups were observed. Results Before and after CT examination, the number ofγ-H2AX foci was 0. 06 ± 0. 02 and 1. 06 ± 0. 27 in the lymphocytes of control group,0. 06 ± 0. 03 and 1. 42 ± 0. 50 in the test group, respectively. Hence, the number ofγ-H2AX foci in the test group was increased by 38. 14%. Moreover, the change ofγ-H2AX foci in these two groups was not influenced by gender, but correlated with ages( between≤50 years old and>50 years old) in control group (t= -4. 76, P<0. 05) and in test group(t= -8. 16, P <0. 05). Conclusions The iodine contrast agent can increase DNA damage of CT examination, and therefore the use of iodine contrast agent in CT should be reduced as much as possible in clinical work.