MRI of the Brain in Wilson Disease

PURPOSE: To describe the abnormal signal intensity seen on MRI of the brain in Wilson disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients (7 male and 1 female, 10 to 33 years of age ) with Wilson disease were studied with a 0.5TMRI system. Patients were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, and MR imaging was compared withclinical data. RESULTS: In 93 lesions, signal intensity was abnormal ; there was involvement of the pallidus(24lesions, 26%), the midbrain (20, 22%), the pons(14, 15%), the putamen (13, 14%), the thalamus(6, 7%), thepituitary gland (4, 4%), the caudate nuclei (4, 4%), the internal capsule (4, 4%), and the dentate nucleus (4,4%). In the putamen, all lesions but one were bilateral, and there was symmetric distribution. The four patientswith neurologic symptoms had 69 lesions and the remaining four without such symptoms had 24 lesions. OnT2-weighted images, high signal intensity was seen in all lesions but two, and on T1-weighted images, this wasseen in 24 lesions. All lesions of the pituitary gland showed high signal intensity on T1-weighted images.CONCLUSION: Lesions were frequently seen in the globus pallidus, midbrain, pons and putamen, and were more commonin patients with neurologic symptoms.

Transcatheter embolization for splanchnic pseudoaneurysm

PURPOSE: To determine the therapeutic effect of transcatheter embolization in the treatment of splanchnicpseudoaneurysm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved eleven patients who underwent embolization for thetreatment of splanchnic pseudoaneurysm. Nine were men and two were women ; their ages ranged from 8 to 74 (mean,51) years. The etiology of these cases included postoperative pseudoaneurysm(n=4), pancreatitis(n=3), stabinjury(n=1), and suspected infection(n=1), while two cases were uncertain. The locations of the pseudoaneurysmwere the splenic artery(n=4), the gastroduodenal artery(n=3), the hepatic artery(n=2), the celiac artery(n=1), andboth the right renal and lumbar artery(n=1). All patients underwent angiography prior to embolization. Thematerials used during embolization were a microcoil, a 5-cm metallic guide wire, and a detachable balloon. RESULTS: Embolization was successful in all eleven cases. Among nine cases in which follow-up was possible, angiographywas performed in four, and five cases of thrombus were confirmed by abdominal CT. Three of these nine patientsunderwent re-embolization. One patient underwent elective surgery for a pseudocyst due to pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter embolization is a safe and convenient modality for the treatment of splanchnic pseudoaneurysm.