Congestive Myelopathy Due to Spinal Epidural Arteriovenous Fistula

No abstract available.

Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast (DSC) Perfusion MR in the Prediction of Long-Term Survival of Glioblastomas (GBM): Correlation with MGMT Promoter Methylation and 1p/19q Deletions

PURPOSE: To investigate the surgical, perfusion, and molecular characteristics of glioblastomas which influence long-term survival after treatment, and to explore the association between MR perfusion parameters and the presence of MGMT methylation and 1p/19q deletions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board. A total 43 patients were included, all with pathologic diagnosis of glioblastoma with known MGMT methylation and 1p/19q deletion statuses. We divided these patients into long-term (≥ 60 months, n = 7) and short-term (< 60 months, n = 36) survivors, then compared surgical extent, molecular status, and rCBV parameters between the two groups using Fisher's exact test or Mann-Whitney test. The rCBV parameters were analyzed according to the presence of MGMT methylation and 1p/19q deletions. We investigated the relationship between the mean rCBV and overall survival using linear correlation. Multivariable linear regression was performed in order to find the variables related to overall survival. RESULTS: Long-term survivors (100% [7 of 7]) demonstrated a greater percentage of gross total or near total resection than short-term survivors (54.5% [18 of 33]). A higher prevalence of 1p/19q deletions was also noted among the long-term survivors (42.9% [3 of 7]) than the short-term survivors (0.0% [0 of 36]). The rCBV parameters did not differ between the long-term and short-term survivors. The rCBV values were marginally lower in patients with MGMT methylation and 1p/19q deletions. Despite no correlation found between overall survival and rCBV in the whole group, the short-term survivor group showed negative correlation (R2 = 0.181, P = 0.025). Multivariable linear regression revealed that surgical extent and 1p/19q deletions, but not rCBV values, were associated with prolonged overall survival. CONCLUSION: While preoperative rCBV and 1p/19q deletion status are related to each other, only surgical extent and the presence of 1p/19q deletion in GBM patients may predict long-term survival.

Secondary Aneurysmal Bone Cyst in a Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia: Case Report

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare non-neoplastic bone lesion that involves mostly the long bones and vertebrae and may occur very rarely in the craniofacial bones. ABCs may occur as secondary bony pathologies in association with various benign and malignant bone tumors and with fibrous dysplasia (FD). FD is a common non-neoplastic bony pathology mostly affecting craniofacial bones. Secondary ABC occurring in craniofacial FD is extremely rare, with only approximately 20 cases reported in the literature to date. Here, we report on a case of secondary ABC in a 25-year-old woman who has had a craniofacial deformity for over 10 years and who presented to us with a rapidly growing painful pulsatile mass in the right frontal region that began over 2 months prior to admission. On thorough examination of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging brain scans taken at two-month interval, an aggressive, rapidly enlarging ABC, arising from the right frontal FD, was diagnosed. The patient underwent preoperative embolization followed by gross total resection of the ABC and cranioplasty. The 6-month follow up showed no recurrence of the ABC, nor was any progression of the FD noticed.

Simple Coiling versus Stent-Assisted Coiling of Paraclinoid Aneurysms: Radiological Outcome in a Single Center Study

OBJECTIVE: Paraclinoid aneurysms are a group of aneurysms arising at the distal internal carotid artery. Due to a high incidence of small, wide-necked aneurysms in this zone, it is often challenging to achieve complete occlusion when solely using detachable coils, thus stent placement is often required. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of stent placement in endovascular treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms. METHODS: Data of 98 paraclinoid aneurysms treated by endovascular approach in our center from August 2005 to June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into two groups: simple coiling and stent-assisted coiling. Differences in the recurrence and progressive occlusion between the two groups were mainly analyzed. The recurrence was defined as more than one grade worsening according to Raymond-Roy Classification or major recanalization that is large enough to permit retreatment in the follow-up study compared to the immediate post-operative results. RESULTS: Complete occlusion was achieved immediately after endovascular treatment in eight out of 37 patients (21.6%) in the stent-assisted group and 18 out of 61 (29.5%) in the simple coiling group. In the follow-up imaging studies, the recurrence rate was lower in the stent-assisted group (one out of 37, 2.7%) compared to the simple coiling group (13 out of 61, 21.3%) (p=0.011). Multivariate logistic regression model showed lower recurrence rate in the stent-assisted group than the simple coiling group (odds ratio [OR] 0.051, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.005–0.527). Furthermore there was also a significant difference in the rate of progressive occlusion between the stent-assisted group (16 out of 29 patients, 55.2%) and the simple coiling group (10 out of 43 patients, 23.3%) (p=0.006). The stent-assisted group also exhibited a higher rate of progressive occlusion than the simple coiling group in the multivariate logistic regression model (OR 3.208, 95% CI 1.106–9.302). CONCLUSION: Use of stents results in good prognosis not only by reducing the recurrence rate but also by increasing the rate of progressive occlusion in wide-necked paraclinoid aneurysms. Stent-assisted coil embolization can be an important treatment strategy for paraclinoid aneurysms when considering the superiority of long term outcome.

Metastatic Intracranial Hemangiopericytoma to the Spinal Column: A Case Report

Intracranial hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare brain tumor with aggressive biologic behavior associated with high recurrence rate and often with extracranial metastasis. The most common sites of extracranial metastasis of the intracranial HPC are the long bones, lung, liver and abdominal cavity in the order of frequencies. Extracranial metastases usually occur long after the initial diagnosis of the primary tumor. Metastatic intracranial HPC to the vertebra has been rarely reported. We present a case of intracranial HPC metastasized to the L2 vertebral body 13 years after multiple surgical resections and radiotherapy of the primary intracranial HPC.

Craniosynostosis : Updates in Radiologic Diagnosis

The purpose of this article is to review imaging findings and to discuss the optimal imaging methods for craniosynostosis. The discussion of imaging findings are focused on ultrasonography, plain radiography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography with 3-dimensional reconstruction. We suggest a strategy for imaging work-up for the diagnosis, treatment planning and follow-up to minimize or avoid ionized radiation exposure to children by reviewing the current literature.

Relationship between Gyrus Rectus Resection and Cognitive Impairment after Surgery for Ruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: The gyrus rectus (GR) is known as a non-functional gyrus; hence, its resection is agreed to be a safe procedure frequently practiced to achieve a better surgical view during specific surgeries. This study aimed at comparing the cognitive outcomes following GR resection in patients who underwent surgery for ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2012 to 2015, 39 patients underwent surgical clipping for ruptured ACoA aneurysms. Mini-mental state examinations (MMSE) were performed in 2 different periods. The statistical relationship between GR resection and MMSE results was evaluated, and further analysis of MMSE subgroup was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-five out of the 39 patients (64.19%) underwent GR resection. Mean initial and final MMSE scores in the GR resection group were 16.3 ± 9.8 and 20.8 ± 7.3, respectively. In the non-resection group, the mean initial and final MMSE scores were 17.1 ± 8.6 and 21.9 ± 4.5, respectively. Neither group's scores showed a significant change. Subgroup analysis of initial MMSE showed a significant difference in memory recall and language (p = 0.02) but not in the final MMSE scores. CONCLUSION: There was no significant relationship between the GR resection and cognitive outcomes in terms of total MMSE scores after surgery for ruptured ACoA aneurysm. However, subgroup analysis revealed a temporary negative effect of GR resection in the categories of language and memory recall. This study suggests that GR resection should be executed superficially, owing to its close anatomical relationship with the limbic system.

Charcoal-Induced Granuloma That Mimicked a Nodal Metastasis on Ultrasonography and FDG-PET/CT after Neck Dissection

Charcoal can be used for preoperative localization of metastatic lymph nodes in the neck. Charcoal remains stable without causing foreign body reactions during as hort period. However, foreign body reactions may develop if charcoal is left in situ for more than 6 months. We reported a case of charcoal granuloma mimicking local recurrence on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography and ultrasonography in a 47-year-old woman who had cervical lymph node dissection due to metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Radiologic and Pathologic Findings of a Follicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Cancer with Extensive Stromal Fat: A Case Report

Thyroid cancer may have small adipose structures detected by microscopy. However, there are no reports of thyroid cancer with gross fat evaluated by radiological methods. We reported a case of a 58-year-old woman with a fat containing thyroid mass. The mass was hyperechoic and ovoid in shape with a smooth margin on ultrasonography. On computed tomography, the mass had markedly low attenuation suggestive of fat, and fine reticular and thick septa-like structures. The patient underwent a right lobectomy. The mass was finally diagnosed as a follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer with massive stromal fat.

Effect of Imaging Time in the Magnetic Resonance Detection of Intracerebral Metastases Using Single Dose Gadobutrol

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of imaging time delay on the MR detection of intracerebral metastases using single dose gadobutrol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients with intracerebral metastases underwent contrast-enhanced MR with three-dimensional T1-weighted sequence at 1 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes after a single dose injection of gadobutrol. One hundred index metastatic lesions (1 to 30 mm; median, 7 mm) were chosen for the analysis. For the qualitative analysis, lesion conspicuity were assessed on a 1 (worst) to 5 (best) scale of the index lesions by an expert reader. For the quantitative analysis, signal intensity (SI) of enhancing lesions and normal parenchyma was measured to determine the contrast rate (CR, %) ([postcontrast SI lesion - postcontrast SI white matter] x 100 / postcontrast SI white matter) and the enhancement rate (ER, %) ([postcontrast SI lesion - baseline SI gray matter] x 100 / baseline SI gray matter). Statistical comparisons were made between three different time delays. RESULTS: Lesion conspicuity did not differ significantly among the three time delays (p = 0.097). Although the SI, CR and ER of lesions did not reveal any significant difference between 1 minute and 5 minutes delayed images, both the 1 minute and 5 minutes delayed images showed significantly higher CRs of lesions compared with the 10 minutes delayed images (p = 0.004 and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: With single dose gadobutrol, imaging time delay did not have an effect on lesion conspicuity. Both 1-minute and 5-minute-delayed imaging after gadobutrol injection appears to be effective for the detection of intracerebral metastases.

Clinical Characteristics of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis in a Single Center in Korea

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in a single center in Korea. METHODS: A total of 36 patients were diagnosed with CVT from August 2005 to May 2013. The patient data regarding age, sex, disease stage, pathogenesis, location, laboratory findings, radiological findings, and treatment modalities were retrospectively collected. The results were compared with those of previous studies in other countries. RESULTS: The patient group comprised 21 men and 15 women with a mean age of 46.9 years (ranging from three months to 77 years). The most common cause was a prothrombotic condition (8 patients, 22.2%). Within the patient group, 13 patients (36.1%) had a hemorrhagic infarction, whereas 23 (63.9%) had a venous infarction without hemorrhage. By location, the incidence of hemorrhagic infarction was the highest in the group with a transverse and/or sigmoid sinus thrombosis (n=9); however, the proportion of hemorrhagic infarction was higher in the cortical venous thrombosis group (75%) and the deep venous thrombosis group (100%). By pathogenesis, the incidence of hemorrhagic infarction was the highest in the prothrombotic group (n=6), which was statistically significant (p=0.016). CONCLUSION: According to this study, CVT was more prevalent in men, and the peak age group comprised patients in the sixth decade. The most common cause was a prothrombotic condition. This finding was comparable with reports from Europe or America, in which CVT was more common in younger women. Hemorrhagic infarction was more common in the prothrombotic group (p=0.016) than in the non-prothrombotic group in this study.

Recanalization of Acute Intracranial Artery Occlusion Using Temporary Endovascular Bypass Technique / 신경중재치료의학

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to present our preliminary experience of the temporary endovascular bypass (TEB) technique using an Enterprise stent for recanalization of acute intracranial artery (IA) occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated by TEB were enrolled in this retrospective study from January 2009 to May 2010. All the procedures consist of temporary partial deployment and subsequent retrieval of Enterprise stent, supplemented by intra-arterial infusion of urokinase (UK) and/or tirofiban. According to the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) classification, recanalization was evaluated with initial and postprocedural angiography. Safety was evaluated related to the procedure and clinical outcomes were assessed by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at discharge and modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 3 months. RESULTS: Eleven patients (median NIHSS 12.8, mean age 61.6 years, male: female = 8:3) with acute IA occlusion were treated with TEB. All the patients presented with TICI 0, and the occluded vessel was the middle cerebral artery (n=7), the basilar artery (n=1), and the distal ICA occlusion (n = 3). IV infusion of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was done in 4 patients and mechanical thrombolysis with intra-arterial UK was performed in 9. Recanalization was achieved in 73% (8 patients; TICI > or = 2). There were no procedure-related complications except for two asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhages. Improvement (> or = 4 points on the NIHSS) and good outcome (mRS < or =2) after 90 days was shown in six patients (55%). One patient died 6 days after procedure. CONCLUSION: TEB may be a valuable treatment option in acute thromboembolic IA occlusion without stent implantation.

Primary Intracranial Fibrosarcoma Presenting with Hemorrhage

Primary intracranial fibrosarcomas (PIFs) are extremely rare and the origin of these tumors is still controversial. The rarity of primary intracranial fibrosarcomas makes it difficult to diagnose them correctly and establish a standard treatment. The pathologic diagnosis is made by distinguishing findings from light microscopic and immunohistochemistry analysis. PIFs have been known to be very aggressive neoplasms. The extra-axial location of the tumor could provide an opportunity to perform a total resection even if it does not mean a cure. We present a case of PIFs mimicking a falx meningioma in a 17-year-old man.

Extremely Delayed Brain Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma

Brain metastasis occurs in 3.9-24% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), with an average interval from nephrectomy to brain metastasis of 1 to 3 years. A few cases have been reported where brain metastasis occurred after a delay of more than 10 years from the initial onset of renal cell carcinoma. This long interval for central nervous system metastasis from the primary cancer has been recognized as an indicator of better prognosis. Histopathological confirmation and aggressive treatment must be considered in these delayed brain metastases cases, since the patients usually show long survival and good prognosis. We present a case of a 76-year-old woman who developed extremely late multiple brain metastases 18 years after a nephrectomy for RCC.

Comparative Results of the Patients with Intracerebral and Intra-sylvian Hematoma in Ruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the prognosis of the patients with intra-sylvian hematoma (ISH) and intracerebral hematoma (ICH) in ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. METHODS: We categorized hematoma into ISH and ICH by the presence of intra-hematomal contrast enhancing vessel (IHCEV) on computed tomography angiography (CTA). Forty-four ruptured MCA aneurysm patients with ICH or ISH were grouped by the grading system proposed by the authors in our previous study. We investigated the relevance of the following factors: patient's age, gender, Hunt-Hess grade, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and changes in Glasgow coma scale (GCS) between pre-operation and 7 days after operation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences statistically in age, gender, Hunt-Hess grade, and GOS between the ISH and ICH groups. In their peri-operative GCS change, the ICH group showed greater improvement compared to the ISH group (p = 0.0391). The hematoma grade had a significant relevance with the patients' GOS. CONCLUSION: Although there were no significant statistic differences in the GOS of the 2 hematoma groups, there were prominent improvements of post-operative GCS in the ICH group. Unlike in the ISH group, effective removal of hematoma was possible in most patients of the ICH group. Thus although there is no difference in the prognosis of the 2 groups, early surgical evacuation of hematoma seems to be effective in improving the short-term GCS score in peri-operative period.

Comparative Results of the Patients with Intracerebral and Intra-sylvian Hematoma in Ruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the prognosis of the patients with intra-sylvian hematoma (ISH) and intracerebral hematoma (ICH) in ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. METHODS: We categorized hematoma into ISH and ICH by the presence of intra-hematomal contrast enhancing vessel (IHCEV) on computed tomography angiography (CTA). Forty-four ruptured MCA aneurysm patients with ICH or ISH were grouped by the grading system proposed by the authors in our previous study. We investigated the relevance of the following factors: patient's age, gender, Hunt-Hess grade, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and changes in Glasgow coma scale (GCS) between pre-operation and 7 days after operation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences statistically in age, gender, Hunt-Hess grade, and GOS between the ISH and ICH groups. In their peri-operative GCS change, the ICH group showed greater improvement compared to the ISH group (p = 0.0391). The hematoma grade had a significant relevance with the patients' GOS. CONCLUSION: Although there were no significant statistic differences in the GOS of the 2 hematoma groups, there were prominent improvements of post-operative GCS in the ICH group. Unlike in the ISH group, effective removal of hematoma was possible in most patients of the ICH group. Thus although there is no difference in the prognosis of the 2 groups, early surgical evacuation of hematoma seems to be effective in improving the short-term GCS score in peri-operative period.

Thyroid Incidentaloma Detected by Time-Resolved Magnetic Resonance Angiography at 3T: Prevalence and Clinical Significance

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas detected by time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography (TRMRA) and to evaluate their clinical significance by using an ultrasonographic (US) and cytologic correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 2010 consecutive TRMRA examinations performed at our institution between August 2006 and April 2010. The TRMRA findings of thyroid incidentalomas were analyzed according to location, size, as well as vascularity, and were correlated with the US findings and cytologic results. Each nodule was classified as suspiciously malignant, indeterminate or probably benign according to the US criteria recommended by the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology. RESULTS: A total of 102 incidentalomas were detected in 90 of 2010 patients (5%). TRMRA showed homogenous hypervascularity in 48 (47%), inhomogeneous hypervascularity in 46 (45%), and hypovascularity in 8 (8%) thyroid nodules. At follow-up study, out of 26 patients with 30 incidentalomas on TRMRA, 27 nodules were identified on US. Of the 27 nodules, 24 (89%) nodule were classified as indeterminate, two (7%) as probably benign, and one (4%) as suspiciously malignant. Among the 16 nodules with available cytopathologic results, 14 (82%) were benign, one (6%) was indeterminate, and one (6%) was malignant. CONCLUSION: Thyroid incidentalomas are found in 5% of TRMRA examinations. Although their presence does not necessarily indicate malignancy, nonspecific findings of detected incidentalomas on TRMRA require further evaluation by US.

Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Hypointensity of the Pulvinar Nucleus of Patients with Alzheimer Disease: Its Possible Association with Iron Accumulation as Evidenced by the T2* Map

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that prominent pulvinar hypointensity in brain MRI represents the disease process due to iron accumulation in Alzheimer disease (AD). We aimed to determine whether or not the pulvinar signal intensity (SI) on the fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences at 3.0T MRI differs between AD patients and normal subjects, and also whether the pulvinar SI is correlated with the T2* map, an imaging marker for tissue iron, and a cognitive scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty one consecutive patients with AD and 21 age-matched control subjects were prospectively included in this study. The pulvinar SI was assessed on the FLAIR image. We measured the relative SI ratio of the pulvinar to the corpus callosum. The T2* values were calculated from the T2* relaxometry map. The differences between the two groups were analyzed, by using a Student t test. The correlation between the measurements was assessed by the Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: As compared to the normal white matter, the FLAIR signal intensity of the pulvinar nucleus was significantly more hypointense in the AD patients than in the control subjects (p < 0.01). The pulvinar T2* was shorter in the AD patients than in the control subjects (51.5 +/- 4.95 ms vs. 56.5 +/- 5.49 ms, respectively, p = 0.003). The pulvinar SI ratio was strongly correlated with the pulvinar T2* (r = 0.745, p < 0.001). When controlling for age, only the pulvinar-to-CC SI ratio was positively correlated with that of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (r = 0.303, p < 0.050). Conversely, the pulvinar T2* was not correlated with the MMSE score (r = 0.277, p = 0.080). CONCLUSION: The FLAIR hypointensity of the pulvinar nucleus represents an abnormal iron accumulation in AD and may be used as an adjunctive finding for evaluating AD.

Retrograde Stent Placement for Coil Embolization of a Wide-Necked Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm

Wide-necked aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are infrequently encountered in cerebrovascular practice, and endovascular treatment is difficult or impossible even with the use of several neck remodeling techniques. We present the case of a patient with a wide-necked aneurysm of the PICA, which was treated by the retrograde stenting through the contralateral vertebral artery and vertebrobasilar junction with antegrade coil embolization.

Differentitation between Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma and Glioblastoma: Added Value of Quantitative Analysis of CT Attenuation and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient

PURPOSE: Purpose of this study was to determine if quantitative measures of CT attenuation and ADC values in combination with conventional imaging features can differentiate primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and glioblastoma (GBM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with histologically-proven GBM (14 men and 12 women; median age, 50 years; age range, 22 - 73 years) and 14 patients with PCNSL (11 men and 3 women; median age, 61 years; age range, 41 - 74 years) were enrolled. Maximum CT attenuation, minimum ADC, and lesion to normal parenchyma minimum ADC ratios were measured in solid tumor regions. Conventional imaging features were evaluated for the following: ill-defined margin, homogeneous enhancement pattern, degree of necrosis, extent of tumor involvement and multiplicity. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare maximum CT attenuation and minimum ADC values for PCNSL and GBM. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate relationships between pathologic diagnoses and imaging features. RESULTS: The CT attenuations were similar for PCNSL and GBM (37.84 +/- 6.90 HU versus 37.00 +/- 5.54 HU, p = 0.68), but minimum ADC and minimum ADC ratio were significant lower in PCNSL than in GBM (595.01 +/- 228.28 10(-6) mm2/s versus 736.52 +/- 162.05 10(-6) mm2/s; p = 0.028, 0.87 +/- 0.26 versus 1.14 +/- 0.29; p = 0.007). PCNSL showed greater homogeneous enhancement and smaller necrotic areas than GBM (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively) and was more likely to have multiple tumors than GBM (p = 0.039). When necrotic PCNSL (n = 4) and necrotic GBM (n = 24) were compared, minimum ADC and minimum ADC ratios were also significantly lower in PCNSL, but CT attenuation were not. CONCLUSION: Although CT attenuation does not provide valuable information, minimum ADC and minimum ADC ratio and some imaging features can aid the differentiation of PCNSL and GBM.