Cerebral sparganosis.

A 22 years male patient presented with recurrent seizures, CT and MRI diagnosis of tuberculoma was made and the patient was treated. When seizures persisted, a craniotomy was done and the excised mass revealed an abscess with a segment of broad solid non-cavitory body, wall with no scolex and loose stroma and smooth muscle fibers. A diagnosis of sparganosis cerebral abscess was made. The case is reported in view of the rarity of cerebral sparganosis in India and the need for awareness of the entity in India.

Hemangioblastoma: a study of radiopathologic correlation.

Computerized tomography (CT) scan and operative observations, and histolopathogical findings of 25 cases of intracranial hemangioblastoma were correlated. Solid hemangioblastomas showed a large number of thin-walled capillaries and abundant stromal cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm. Tumors with a cystic component and a mural nodule had a large number of stromal cells with vacuolated cytoplasm and microcysts.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma--a clinicopathological study.

Six cases of Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma of central nervous system are presented. One case presented with recurrent refractory seizures and others as intracranial space occupying lesions. They were located in temporal/parietal lobes, were partly cystic and partly solid on CT scan, enhancing with contrast. Histopathology was characterized by pleomorphic giant cells and cells with vacuolated cytoplasm. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was strongly positive in all the cases.

Pyomyositis - clinical and MRI characteristics report of three cases.

We report three patients with pyomyositis due to Staphylococcus aureus. Magnetic resonance imaging aided in the accurate diagnosis of the infection and of the extent of involvement. Incision, drainage and antibiotic therapy eradicated the infection in all the patients. We suggest clinical or subclinical bacteraemic seeding of the diseased muscle, as the most likely mechanism for pyomyositis.

Acute transverse myelitis: MR characteristics.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in 13 patients with acute transverse myelitis are reviewed. In 12 cases centrally located high intensity signal extending over few spinal segments was noted. The lesion occupied more than two thirds of the cord's cross-sectional area in 8 patients. Central dot sign was noted in 7 patients. Variable cord enlargement was seen in 5 patients. Contrast study in one patient showed peripheral enhancement. The MR characteristics that help in differentiating transverse myelitis from spinal form of multiple sclerosis are discussed.

Clinical, electrophysiological and magnetic resonance imaging study of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

AIM: To study the clinical syndromes, antecedent events, evoked potential abnormalities and magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings in patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and also to find differences if any when compared to ADEM reported from the Western countries. METHODS: Case records of 64 patients with ADEM seen over a period of 10 year were reviewed. RESULTS: Specific viral infections and Semple antirabies vaccination together accounted for 56% of antecedent events. Diffuse or multifocal form of ADEM was the clinical syndrome in 56.5% of patients with specific infections. Myeloradiculopathy formed 61% of neuroparalytic complications following Semple antirabies vaccination. Acute cerebellar ataxia made up 67% of post varicella encephalitis. Abnormalities observed on multimodality evoked potential studies corresponded to the clinical localisation of the lesion. White matter lesions observed on MR imaging were similar to the lesions observed in multiple sclerosis. However distribution was subcortical and/or centrum semiovale in 11 patients and thalamic in three patients. No signal alterations in the white matter were seen in all the four patients with acute cerebellar ataxia following varicella infections. Significant disability was seen in 23.5% of cases with diffuse or multifocal form of ADEM. Specific viral infection was the antecedent event in all of them. CONCLUSIONS: Specific viral infections and Semple antirabies vaccination still form important antecedenent events for ADEM in India. The type of clinical syndrome to some extent depends on the type of antecedent event.