Radiological and clinical outcome following stereotactic biopsy and radiotherapy for low-grade insular astrocytomas.

Thirty patients with low-grade (WHO Grade II) astrocytomas involving the insula, who had undergone stereotactic biopsy followed by radiotherapy, were followed up to evaluate the outcome with regard to control of seizures, memory and language function, Karnofsky Performance scale and regression in tumor volume. Patients were followed up for a mean of 27.8 months, during which time they showed improvement in all the factors that were studied. A statistically significant change was, however, seen only in the reduction in tumor size, probably due to the small sample size and the short duration of follow-up. Stereotactic biopsy followed by radiation therapy provides a good short-term outcome in patients with low-grade insular astrocytomas.

Isolated ring-enhancing lesion of the brainstem in a patient with cyanotic heart disease: role of stereotactic intervention.

A 23-year-old man with cyanotic heart disease, presented with a ring-enhancing mass in the brainstem. Stereotactic intervention for this clinically and radiologically diagnosed pyogenic abscess, revealed a tuberculoma. Antituberculous therapy led to complete recovery. Stereotactic intervention is an ideal management strategy in patients with cyanotic heart disease and an isolated ring-enhancing mass in the brainstem.

Endolymphatic sac tumor: a rare cerebellopontine angle tumor.

Endolymphatic sac tumors (ELST) are rare papillary tumors of the temporal bone. Previously named as aggressive papillary middle ear tumors, they have recently been shown to arise from the endolymphatic sac. They are a rare in cerebello-pontine angle (CPA). We present a case of an ELST who presented as a CPA tumor with hydrocephalus. He underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt initially. On exploration of the CP angle, the tumor was found to be extremely vascular. He was re-explored following embolization, and a subtotal excision of the tumor was done. Extensive petrous bone infiltration and vascularity of the tumor makes total excision almost impossible with high risk of cranial nerve deficits, excessive blood loss and CSF leak. This tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vascular CPA tumors which erode the petrous temporal bone. The relevant literature is reviewed.

Skull base chondroblastoma: a case report.

Chondroblastoma is a rare tumor of the skull. Temporal bone is the commonest site of involvement in the skull. We present a thirty one year old man who presented with painless swelling over the left temporal bone, which was near totally excised after preoperative embolization. Management of this unusual tumor and its complications are discussed.

Facial myokymia as a presenting symptom of vestibular schwannoma.

Facial myokymia is a rare presenting feature of a vestibular schwannoma. We present a 48 year old woman with a large right vestibular schwannoma, who presented with facial myokymia. It is postulated that facial myokymia might be due to a defect in the motor axons of the 7th nerve or due to brain stem compression by the tumor.

Unusual MR presentation of cerebral parenchymal tuberculosis.

The radiological abnormalities reported in CNS tuberculosis and their pathological correlates are discussed. Focal tuberculous involvement of the CNS without formation of tuberculoma is rare. The MR features in this case were also distinctly unusual for CNS tuberculosis. Therefore, histological confirmation of all lesions thought to be a low grade glioma is mandatory.

High cervical and lumbar canal stenosis of varied etiology: a case report.

Developmental stenosis without any significant spondylotic changes frequently occurs at C3 vertebra or below, and typically extends to C6-C7. However, high cervical focal canal stenosis is unusual. A case of cervical canal segmental stenosis at C2-3 level in addition to a developmental stenosis of the lumbar region, in a 45 year old male, has been presented in this article. The dynamics of the spinal canal in relation to the likely pathology of such conditions are reviewed. We speculate that focal segmental stenosis in the high cervical region may be due to a possible premature fusion of the neurocentral synchondrosis of the cartilage, or due to an abnormal rotary biomechanics which can result in facetal hypertrophy.

Intrasellar tuberculoma presenting as pituitary apoplexy.

The combination of apoplectic symptoms and a sellar mass most often points to a diagnosis of a pituitary adenoma. Sellar tuberculomas are not considered as a cause of 'pituitary apoplexy' and there has been no radiological documentation of haemorrhage associated with them. We report a 27 years old man who presented with 3 previous episodes of pituitary apoplexy. CT scan showed evidence of a sellar mass with haemorrhage. Transsphenoidal biopsy of the intrasellar mass was reported as 'tuberculoma'. The patient had marked reduction in the size of the lesion following antituberculous therapy with no recurrence of symptoms. Intrasellar tuberculomas must be considered as one of the differential diagnosis when patients present with a pituitary apoplexy.

Cerebral cysticercus granuloma associated with a subdural effusion.

The association of a solitary cerebral cysticercus granuloma with a subdural effusion is being reported. The granuloma and the effusion resolved following albendazole therapy. We speculate that the spread of the inflammatory changes around the granuloma to the subdural space could have led to the development of the subdural effusion.

Cisternal cysticercosis: a diagnostic problem--a short report.

We describe a patient in whom a hypodense nonenhancing mass on CT scan in the regions of quadrigeminal cistern, and causing obstructive hydrocephalus, was initially diagnosed as an epidermoid but subsequent MR evaluation and surgery resulted in the diagnosis of a racemose cysticercus cyst.

Massive cerebral infarction as a feature of pituitary apoplexy.

A patient with pituitary apoplexy is reported who, in addition to the clinical features of apoplexy, developed a cerebral infarct secondary to compression of the internal carotid artery. The mechanisms of a cerebral infarct associated with pituitary apoplexy are discussed.

Utility of the cysticercus immunoblot in a patient with an atypical solitary cerebral cysticercus granuloma.

The value of the enzyme linked immunotransfer blot (EITB) assay in avoiding an invasive diagnostic procedure in a patient with an atypical solitary cerebral cysticercus granuloma is presented.