Three Cases of Calcifying Pseudoneoplasm which Involve the Epidural Space of the Spine

Calcifying psuedoneoplasm of the spine is a rare non-neoplastic lesion of unknown origin. Radiologic and histologic manifestations are very variable and clinical symptoms include isolated pain, myelopathy, and radiculopathy. Surgical resection is the preferred option of treatment. This report describes three cases of calcifying pseudoneoplasm in the spine. The first case is a 77-year-old female with pain in both legs. The second case is a 67-year-old woman who presented as right leg pain. The third case is a 78-year-old woman with isolated back pain. The involved sites of each of cases were T12, L2-3, and L1, respectively. Surgical resection of the involved masses relieved symptoms.

Giant Cystic Cerebral Cavernous Malformation with Multiple Calcification: Case Report

Cerebral cavernous malformation with giant cysts is rare and literature descriptions of its clinical features are few. In this case study, the authors describe the clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and pathological diagnosis of cerebral cavernous malformations with giant cysts, reviewing the relevant literature to clearly differentiate this from other disease entities. The authors present a case of a 19-year-old male with a giant cystic cavernous malformation, who was referred to the division of neurosurgery due to right sided motor weakness (grade II/II). Imaging revealed a large homogenous cystic mass, 7.2x4.6x6 cm in size, in the left fronto-parietal lobe and basal ganglia. The mass had an intra-cystic lesion, abutting the basal portion of the mass. The initial diagnosis considered this mass a glioma or infection. A left frontal craniotomy was performed, followed by a transcortical approach to resect the mass. Total removal was accomplished without post-operative complications. An open biopsy and a histopathological exam diagnosed the mass as a giant cystic cavernous malformation. Imaging appearances of giant cavernous malformations may vary. The clinical features, radiological features, and management of giant cavernous malformations are described based on pertinent literature review.

Comparative Study of Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion via Unilateral and Bilateral Approaches in Patients with Unilateral Leg Symptoms

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the clinical and radiological advantages of unilateral laminectomy in posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) procedure comparing with bilateral laminectomy, under the same procedural condition including bilateral instrumentation and insertion of two cages, in patients with degenerative lumbar disease with unilateral leg symptoms. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 124 consecutive cases of PLIF via unilateral or bilateral approach between January 2006 and April 2010. In 80 cases (bilateral group), two cages were inserted via bilateral laminectomy, and in 44 cases (unilateral group), via unilateral laminectomy. The average follow-up duration was 29.5 months. The clinical outcomes were evaluated with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI). The fusion rates and disc space heights were determined by dynamic standing radiographs and/or computed tomography. Operative times, intra-operative and post-operative blood losses and hospitalization periods were also evaluated. RESULTS: In clinical evaluation, the VAS and ODI scores showed excellent outcomes in both groups. There were no significant differences in term of fusion rate, but the perioperative blood loss and the operative time of the unilateral group were lower than that of the bilateral group. CONCLUSION: Unilateral laminectomy can minimize the operative time and perioperative blood loss in PLIF procedure. However, the different preoperative disc height between two groups is a limitation of this study. Despite this limitation, solid fusion and satisfactory symptomatic improvement could be achieved uniquely by our surgical method. This surgical method can be an alternative surgical technique in patients with unilateral leg pain.

Comparison of Fusion with Cage Alone and Plate Instrumentation in Two-Level Cervical Degenerative Disease

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the efficacy of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with cage alone compared with ACDF with plate instrumentation for radiologic and clinical outcomes in two-level cervical degenerative disease. METHODS: Patients with cervical degenerative disc disease from September 2004 to December 2009 were assessed retrospectively. A total of 42 patients received all ACDF at two-level cervical lesion. Twenty-two patients who underwent ACDF with cage alone were compared with 20 patients who underwent ACDF with plate fixation in consideration of radiologic and clinical outcomes. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Robinson's criteria and posterior neck pain, arm pain described by a 10 point-visual analog scale. Fusion rate, subsidence, kyphotic angle, instrument failure and the degenerative changes in adjacent segments were examined during each follow-up examination. RESULTS: VAS was checked during each follow-up and Robinson's criteria were compared in both groups. Both groups showed no significant difference. Fusion rates were 90.9% (20/22) in ACDF with the cage alone group, 95% (19/20) in ACDF with the plate fixation group (p = 0.966). Subsidence rates of ACDF with cage alone were 31.81% (7/22) and ACDF with plate fixation were 30% (6/20) (p = 0.928). Local and regional kyphotic angle difference showed no significant difference. At the final follow-up, adjacent level disease developed in 4.54% (1/22) of ACDF with cage alone and 10% (2/20) of ACDF with plate fixation (p = 0.654). CONCLUSION: In two-level ACDF, ACDF with cage alone would be comparable with ACDF with plate fixation with regard to clinical outcome and radiologic result with no significant difference. We suggest that the routine use of plate and screw in 2-level surgery may not be beneficial.

Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Cervical Spinal Nerve Root: A Case Report

Primary malignant melanoma of the nervous system is a rare disease, and accounts for only 1% of melanoma cases. Primary melanomas on the spinal nerve root, particulary the cervical spinal nerve root, are extremely rare. Only a few cases of primary melanoma arising from the spinal nerve root have been reported. We report our experience with a case of primary malignant melanoma of the cervical spinal nerve root.

Time to Recover Consciousness in Patients with Diffuse Axonal Injury : Assessment with Reference to Magnetic Resonance Grading

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between the degrees of injury on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the time interval to recovery of consciousness in patients with diffuse axonal injury. METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2008, 25 patients with diffuse axonal injury were treated at our hospital. We retrospectively investigated the patients' medical records and radiological findings. We divided the patients into three groups according to the grade of MRI finding : grade I, small scattered lesions on the white matter of the cerebral hemisphere; grade II, focal lesions on the corpus callosum; and grade III, additional focal lesions on the brain stem. RESULT: Seven patients belonged to the grade I group; 10 to the grade II group; and 8 to the grade III group. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of all patients at the time of admission was 7.28. Recovery of consciousness was observed in 23 of the 25 patients; the remaining two patients never regained consciousness. The time interval to recovery of consciousness (awake status) ranged from 1 day to 125 days (mean 22.1 days) : grade I group patients, within approximately 1 week (mean 3.7 days); grade II group patients, within approximately 2 weeks (mean 12.5 days); and grade III group patients, within approximately 2 months (mean 59.5 days). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest a correlation between the mean time interval to recovery of consciousness in patients with diffuse axonal injuries and the degrees of brain injuries seen on MRI. Patients with grade I and II diffuse axonal injuries recovered consciousness within 2 weeks, while patients with grade III injuries required approximately 2 months.

Spontaneous Dissecting Aneurysm of the Anterior Cerebral Artery

Spontaneous dissection of the anterior cerebral artery is an unusual cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present a case of a dissecting aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. A 51-year-old woman presented to our hospital with severe headache. Neurological examination demonstrated neck stiffness, decreased visual acuity of the left eye, and left ankle weakness. Computed tomographic scans showed subarachnoid hemorrhage. The initial cerebral angiogram demonstrated a slightly narrowed caliber and mild poststenotic dilation of the right A1 segment. A second cerebral angiogram 14 days later revealed no change in the focal narrowing of the proximal A1 segment but marked progression of the dilatation of the distal A1 segment. Right pterional craniotomy was performed. A sausage-like dilation of the right A1 segment was found with no definite mural hematoma. This abnormal right A1 segment was wrapped with a Sundt clip. A postoperative computed tomographic scan revealed infarction of the right head of the caudate nucleus and the anterior limb of the right internal capsule. If a dissecting aneurysm is suspected, serial angiographic studies should be performed because of the possibility of dynamic changes over a short period.

The Incidence and Clinical Significance of Fenestrations in the Horizontal Segment of the Anterior Cerebral Artery Detected by Conventional Angiography and Magnetic Resonance Angiography

OBJECTIVE: We examined the incidence of fenestration in the proximal segment of the anterior cerebral artery(ACA) and reviewed its clinical significance. METHODS: Cerebral angiography was performed in 843 patients and magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) in 1,787; all patients had, or were suspected to have, cerebrovascular disease. We subsequently reviewed the angiography and MRA data. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (six men and eight women, 35~81 years of age, median age = 67 years) had proximal ACA fenestrations. Three of the 843 patients (0.36%) undergoing cerebral angiography had fenestrations of proximal ACA as did eleven of the 1,787 MRA patients (0.62%). Seven fenestrations were located on the right side and seven fenestrations were located on the left side. The fenestrated ACA in one patient was associated with a saccular aneurysm at its proximal end. None of the 120 patients who underwent both conventional cerebral angiography and cranial MRA showed fenestration of proximal ACA. CONCLUSION: Although fenestration of ACA has little clinical significance, knowledge and recognition of this condition is important in the interpretation of cerebral images, especially during neurosurgical procedures.

Suboccipital Suprameatal Approach for Petrosal Meningiomas Extended into Meckel's Cave

OBJECTIVE: The petrosal meningiomas involving the middle cranial fossa through the Meckel's cave represent a difficult surgical challenge. We report our experience of removing these lesions through the suboccipital approach combined with a technique that expose the Meckel's cave by removing the bony prominence located above the porus of the internal acoustic meatus, called the suprameatal tubercle, and the surrounding bone. METHODS: Between the period of January 1999 and October 2001, a total of seven patients with petrosal meningiomas involving the Meckel's cave were operated upon using suboccipital suprameatal approach. In the supine position, suboccipital craniotomy was performed. The main mass located predominantly within the cerebellopontine angle(CPA) was removed using intradural approach. The suprameatal tubercle was drilled-out to expose the Meckel's cave. And then, the tumor extended into the middle cranial fossa through the Meckel's cave was removed. RESULTS: In every case, the tumor extending into the Meckel's cave was exposed well. The tumors were completely removed in all patients without serious complications. CONCLUSION: We believe that suboccipital suprameatal approach offers a safe and effective method to remove some selected lesions of the CPA area extended into the middle cranial fossa through the Meckel's cave without the need for complex procedures, if the main mass is located predominantly in the CPA area.

Radiological Characteristics in Rathke's Cleft Cyst

OBJECTIVE: The study is conducted to define the preoperative radiological findings of Rathke's cleft cysts (RCCs) differentiating these lesions from other sellar/parasellar cystic tumors. METHODS: A retrospective study of 65 patients with RCC patients from two institutes (53 cases / 12 cases) was performed. All patients had preoperative magentic resonance imaging(MRI) studies, and computed tomography(CT) studies were available in 25 patients. RESULTS: Calcification detectable on CT scanning was present in only 8% of RCC patients. Of the patients who were available for precontrast CT images, 48% had cysts of low attenuation, 28% had cysts of the same attenuation, and 24% had cysts of increased attenuation relative to the brain. Of the patients who had postcontrast CT images, 84% showed no significant change following contrast agent administration, and 16% demonstrated rim enhancement. MR imaging revealed multiple patterns. In T1-weighted sequences, 55.4% showed hyperintense signals, 27.7% showed hypointense signals, 12.3% showed isointense signals, and we saw a mixed-intense signal in 4.6%. In T2-weighed images, we observed a hyperintense signal in 60%, a hypointense signal in 20%, a mixed-intense signal in 13.8%, and an isointense signal in the remaining 6.2%. In Gd-DTPA enhanced images, 72.3% of the 65 patients showed no enhancement either of the cyst contents or of the cyst wall, and 27.7% demonstrated rim enhancement. Forty-five of the 65 patients were preoperatively diagnosed as RCCs. CONCLUSION: RCCs show variable CT and MRI characteristics. There is no unique finding for this pathology. Thus, even with CT and MRI studies, differential diagnosis with other cystic lesions of the sellar/parasellar region remains difficult.

An Experience of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Hypothalamic Hamartoma with Gelastic Seizure / 대한간질학회지

We report a 12 year-old girl patient with hypothalmic hamartoma presented a gelastic seizure for 11 years. On magnetic resonance images, a 10.5 mm-sized mass was detected that was originated from the tuber cinereum into the third ventricle. This mass was isosignal intensity on T1WI, slightly high signal intensity on T2WI and not enhanced with Gadolinium. On interictal EEG, the frequent spike or polyspike dischage was recorded from the left fronto-central area. On ictal EEG, the suspicious polyspike dischages followed by spike and wave discharge were recorded from the left or both fronto-central or fronto-centro-temporal area. On 18-FDG PET (18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography), the glucose metabolism was decresed on the mass. We treated this lesion using gamma knife radiosurgery (18 Gy at 50% margin, 508.2 mm3 volume). After 6 months, the frequency of gelastic seizure was decreased.

Recurrent Intramedullary Neurenteric Cyst of the Spine

Neurenteric cysts are developmental cysts derived from embryonic endodermal layers. Fewer than 100 have been reported in which there were no associated bone or soft-tissue malformations and only six among those cases showed intramedullary location in the literatures. The authors report a 16-year-old young man with a thoracic intramedullary neurenteric cyst which presented with symptoms of axillary pain and paraparesis. The magnetic resonance imaging showed intramedullary mass extended from level of T3 to T7. There was no associated bone or soft-tissue anomaly. This cyst was partially excised and marupialized into subarachnoid space. The pathological findings were compatible with neurenteric cyst. Nine months later, the cyst recurred and at second operation, cyst wall was removed completely.