Renal Subcapsular Hematoma after Intravenous Thrombolysis in a Patient with Acute Cerebral Infarction / 신경중재치료의학

A 74-year-old female with acute cerebral infarction was treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Subsequent percutaneous transfemoral angiography and mechanical thrombectomy were performed due to a right middle cerebral artery occlusion, which was successfully recanalized. Two days after treatment, the patient complained of vague right abdominal pain and a laboratory test showed anemia. Abdominal computed tomography showed a right renal subcapsular hematoma. After conservative management, the patient was discharged without complications. We report a rare complication after intravenous thrombolysis in a patient with acute cerebral infarction.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms in Ischemic Stroke Patients / 대한뇌졸중학회지

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The prevalence of unruptured cerebral aneurysms (UCAs) in ischemic stroke patients is not clearly defined. This study aimed to measure the prevalence and characteristics of UCAs in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and to compare our findings with those of the general population. In addition, we investigated the factors associated with cerebral aneurysms in AIS patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the brain magnetic resonance angiography images of 955 patients with AIS and 2,118 controls who had received a brain magnetic resonance angiography as part of a health check-up. We investigated the prevalence, size, location, and risk factors of the subjects in the context of UCAs. RESULTS: UCAs were found in 74 patients with AIS (7.7%) and in 79 who received a health check-up (3.7%). The prevalence of UCAs was significantly higher in the AIS group than in the health check-up group (odds ratio 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.56-3.01). The mean aneurysm diameter was larger in the AIS group than in the health check-up group (3.75 mm vs. 3.02 mm, P=0.009). UCAs were primarily located in the internal carotid artery in both groups, and aneurysms in the middle cerebral artery were particularly common in the AIS group. According to multivariate analysis, hypertension alone was associated with an increased prevalence of UCAs in stroke patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a higher prevalence and larger size of UCAs in AIS patients than in the general population. Hypertension was an independent risk factor of UCA in AIS.

Wernicke's Encephalopathy Mainly Involving the Cerebellum

No abstract available.

Ivy Sign on Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Images in Moyamoya Disease: Correlation with Clinical Severity and Old Brain Lesions

PURPOSE: Leptomeningeal collateral, in moyamoya disease (MMD), appears as an ivy sign on fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) images. There has been little investigation into the relationship between presentation of ivy signs and old brain lesions. We aimed to evaluate clinical significance of ivy signs and whether they correlate with old brain lesions and the severity of clinical symptoms in patients with MMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FLAIR images of 83 patients were reviewed. Each cerebral hemisphere was divided into 4 regions and each region was scored based on the prominence of the ivy sign. Total ivy score (TIS) was defined as the sum of the scores from the eight regions and dominant hemispheric ivy sign (DHI) was determined by comparing the ivy scores from each hemisphere. According to the degree of ischemic symptoms, patients were classified into four subgroups: 1) nonspecific symptoms without motor weakness, 2) single transient ischemic attack (TIA), 3) recurrent TIA, or 4) complete stroke. RESULTS: TIS was significantly different as follows: 4.86+/-2.55 in patients with nonspecific symptoms, 5.89+/-3.10 in patients with single TIA, 9.60+/-3.98 in patients with recurrent TIA and 8.37+/-3.39 in patients with complete stroke (p=0.003). TIS associated with old lesions was significantly higher than those not associated with old lesions (9.35+/-4.22 vs. 7.49+/-3.37, p=0.032). We found a significant correlation between DHI and motor symptoms (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Because TIS has a strong tendency with severity of ischemic motor symptom and the presence of old lesions, the ivy sign may be useful in predicting severity of disease progression.

Differential Diagnostic Value of Transient Increase of Plasma Ammonia Level in Seizure and Syncope

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis between a generalized tonic-clonic seizure and syncope may be difficult due to similar clinical features. The need for a biological marker to distinguish a seizure from syncope has been emphasized from past studies. Transient hyperammonemia could be an indicator of recent convulsive seizure. The purpose of this study is to review the use of plasma ammonia level in the differential diagnosis of seizure and syncope. METHODS: Adult patients who were admitted to the Department of Neurology at Gangnam Severance Hospital with final diagnosis of a generalized tonic-clonic seizure or syncope were eligible for this study. Plasma ammonia levels were checked within 8 hr after an insult. RESULTS: Among the patients with a loss of consciousness who underwent analysis of plasma ammonia level, diagnoses were made with a seizure (n=65) and syncope (n=38). The seizure group had 70.29+/-70.86 micromol/L and the syncope group had 28.37+/-10.27 micromol/L of ammonia level, respectively. The seizure group presented with a significantly increased plasma ammonia (p<0.05) compared to the syncope group. The cut-off value with the reliable diagnostic level was defined as 36 micromol/L (=61.308 microg/dL) with a sensitivity of 0.65 and specificity of 0.80 by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma ammonia measurement during acute post-ictal period may be a useful test for the identification and the differential diagnosis of seizures and syncope.

A case of Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia in primary gastric lymphoma / 대한내과학회지

Burkitt's lymphoma is a distinct clinical entity classified as an undifferentiated lymphoma of B-lymphocytic origin. Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia occurs when Burkitt's lymphoma cells represent more than 20% of marrow cells and exceed about 5000/ul in blood. We report a case of Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia in primary gastric lymphoma in 55-year-old man with 5kg of weight loss for 2 months and epigastric pain for 3 days. Primary gastric lymphoma was diagnosed by biopsies with gastrofiberoscopy and upper abdominal CT scan in this patient. During admission, peripheral blood smear revealed sudden increase in abnormal blasts with multiple vacuoles. Burkitt's lymphoma cell leukemia was diagnosed by peripheral blood smear, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, immunophenotyping and cytogenetic analysis in this patient. For its great rarity, we report this case with review of literature.

Morphological Changes of Hepatic Microcirculation in N-diethylnitrosamine Induced Cirrhotic Rat Liver

Morphological changes of hepatic microcirculation, especially in the peribiliary plexus, in cirrhotic livers of rats induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of N-diethyinitrosamine (DEN) (100mg/kg/week) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Control rats were treated with saline. The livers were perfused with saline and injected with methyl-methacrylated resin (Mercox CL-2B) through the thoracic aorta. Diffuse nodular changes mimicking human cirrhosis were seen in the livers six weeks after injections of DEN. The cirrhotic livers showed an increase of vascular channels composed mainly of venous branches around the regenerating nodules and increased arterioloportal anastonloses. Peribiliary plexi of the cirrhotic livers had more vessels than those of the controls. Many dilated veins and ramificating portal vein branches were also Present. Direct connections between peribiliary plexi and sinusoids or between peribiliary plexi and portal veins were increased in the cirrhotic liver. These results suggest that the peribiliary plexi in experimentally induced cirrhotic liver might play a role in a collateral circulation under a state of portal hypertension.

Holoprosencephaly Associated with 63, XXY Karyotype: An autopsy report

Holoprosencephaly, a grave malformation during cleavage phase of brain development, occurs in association with a variety of clinical syndrome including chromosomal aberration. Among chromosomal anomalies trisomy syndromes, particularly trisomy 18, are often associated with holoprosencephaly. Triploidy with holoprosencephaly had also been described. We report an autopsy case of incomplete triploidy with abnormal sex chromosome, i.e., 63, XXY. Our case showed a marked intrauterine growth retardation, and postmortem examination revealed alobar holoprosencephaly, hypotelorism, bilateral cleft palates and lips, flat nose, microstomia, lowset ears, congenital heart disease and cystic kidney. The brain was microcephalic 5 x 6 cm and was of pancake shape. there was a large dorsal cyst. Olfactory tracts and bulbs were absent. The brain surface was smooth, and only suggestive hippocampal fissure was noted. The basal ganglia and thalami were fused in midline and the aqueductal origin was exposed. The brain stem and cerebellum were unremarkable. Repeated karyotypings revealed 63,XXY consistently. All 21 chromosomes showed trisomy except for D group. The sex chromosome was XXY, and the genital tract and gonad were those of female.

Paraganglioma of Cauda Equina: A case report

The clinical and pathological features of a paraganglioma arising in the cauda equina is described and compared with previous reports. The right microscopic fetures were similar to those of paragangliomas from other sites, with a 'Zellballen' pattern of cells containing arzyrophil granules. Immunohistocytochemical stains for neurone specific enolase, S-100 protein, cytokeratin were positive, but stains for glial fibrillary acidic protein were negative. Electron microscopy showed densely staining membrane-bound granules, cilia like structures and fibros bodies in the cytoplasm. The last two features only occur in paragangliomas from this site. The pathological findings suggest that paragangliomas in this site arise from pre-existing paraganglia, possibly of the visceral autonomic group.

Superficial Angiomyxoma: A case report

Superficial angiomyxoma is a comparatively rare dermal and subcutaneous tumor. We report a case of superficial angiomyxoma of the thumb in view of its rarity and typical light and electronmicroscopic features. The patient was a 46-year-old male. who presented with an asymptomatic, slowly enlarging mass that developed in the left thumb over the 5 years. He had a history of trauma and electric burn in the same area 20~30 years ago. Simple X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging revealed 35x30mm, mass with destruction of distal phalangeal bone. On operation, the lesion was moderately well circumscribed and soft with lobulated nodules that elevated the overlying skin and destroyed the underlying bone. The cut surface of the mass was glistening and slimy. The mass was whitish gray and lobulated. Bony involvement was not present. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of stellated and spindle shaped stromal cells which were scattered throughout myxoid ground substance. Neither nuclear hyperchromasia nor plemorphisam was present. Small to medium sized thin walled blood vessels were scattered. There was a scanty infiltrate of inflammatory cells. The S-100 protein immunostaining was negative in tumor cells. On electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the stromal cells contained well developed rough ednoplasmic reticulums and other features that indicated differentiation toward fibroblasts.