Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Correlation of Imaging Findings with Neurological Outcome / Lesão traumática da medula espinal cervical: Correlação de achados de imagem com laudo neurológico

Background Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is extremely costly to the global health system. Due to the significant frequency rate of traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries (TCSCI), the possible association between imaging findings and clinical outcome is not yet clear. In this study, we quantified maximum spinal cord compression and maximum cord swelling following TCSCI and determined the relevance of imaging findings to clinical outcome in patients. Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort comprises 20 patients with TCSCIs (C3-C7), classified as complete, incomplete, and no SCI, who were treated at the Poursina Hospital, Iran, from 2018 to 2020, and underwent spinal surgery. Patients with penetrating injuries and multiple trauma were excluded. Imaging findings revealing spinal cord compression, swelling, and canal stenosis, based on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grades of patients from hospital admission (up to 48 hours after injury) and improvement of postoperative neurological symptoms (6­12 months) were evaluated. Results Cord compression (p » 0.05) and cord swelling (p » 0.02) were significantly related to predictive neurological outcomes in all cases. Evaluation with AIS at hospital admission and at 6 to 12 months postoperatively showed significant correlation with fracture type (p » 0.05) and the longitudinal length of the intramedullary lesion (IML); p » 0.01, respectively. Conclusion According to the results obtained in this study, it may be concluded that there is a significant association between cervical spinal cord compression and swelling, and clinical outcomes in patients with complete, incomplete, and no SCI.

Introdução A lesão traumática da medula espinal (LTME) é extremamente onerosa para o sistema de saúde global. Devido à significativa taxa de frequência de lesões traumáticas da medula espinal cervical (TCSCI), a possível associação entre achados de imagem e evolução clínica ainda não está clara. Neste estudo, quantificamos a compressão medular máxima e o edema medular máximo após TCSCI e determinamos a relevância dos achados de imagem para o resultado clínico dos pacientes. Materiais e métodos Esta coorte retrospectiva compreende 20 pacientes com TCSCIs (C3-C7), classificados como completos, incompletos e sem LME, que foram tratados no Hospital Poursina, Irã, de 2018 a 2020, e submetidos a cirurgia da coluna vertebral. Pacientes com lesões penetrantes e politraumatismos foram excluídos. Achados de imagem revelando compressão da medula espinhal, edema e estenose do canal, com base nos graus da American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) de pacientes desde a admissão hospitalar (até 48 horas após a lesão) e melhora dos sintomas neurológicos pós-operatórios (6-12 meses) foram avaliados. Resultados A compressão do cordão (p = 0,05) e o edema do cordão (p = 0,02) foram significativamente relacionados aos desfechos neurológicos preditivos em todos os casos. A avaliação com AIS na admissão hospitalar com 6 a 12 meses de pós-operatório mostrou correlação significativa com o tipo de fratura (p = 0,05) e o comprimento longitudinal da lesão intramedular (IML); p = 0,01, respectivamente. Conclusão De acordo com os resultados obtidos neste estudo, pode-se concluir que existe uma associação significativa entre compressão e edema da medula espinal cervical e desfechos clínicos em pacientes com lesão medular completa, incompleta e sem lesão medular.

A Rare Case of Medulloblastoma with Supratentorial Metastasis Two Years after Treatment

One of the most invasive malignant tumors of the cerebellum is medulloblastoma, which is also the most common malignant tumor of the brain in children. Patients with a recurrent disease following initial treatment have the most unfavorable prognosis. The most common metastasis locations are the spine, the posterior fossa, the bones, and the supratentorium. Late medulloblastoma metastasis in the supratentorial intraventricular region is uncommon. We report here a case with supratentorial seeding.

Cell therapy for traumatic brain injury: opportunities and pitfalls

Today, stern cell transplantation is a hot topic in scientific circles as a novel therapeutic approach to repair the structure and function of central nervous system. The safe and neuroprotective effects of cell therapy in models and traumatic brain injury patients were evaluated in many experimental and clinical studies in recent decade and somewhat promising results were provided to the scientific community

Nevertheless, there are still obstacles in translating experimental studies in the laboratory into clinical practice that should not be overlooked. In this review study, a brief explanation is provided about biological events and endogenic neurogenesis and angiogenesis after TBI; the performance of transplanted cells in restoration of damaged neurons; the role and potential use of mesenchymal stem cells as adult stem cells preferred in cell transplantation and clinical trials ever conducted in this area; features of cell transplant candidates who will most benefit from transplantation, the type of and proper time for cell transplantation, optimal method for conducting transplant to deliver cells to the brain, and the best dose for effectiveness of transplantation. Finally, the various neuroimaging techniques are discussed, which are used to track and evaluate the survival and implantation of transplanted cells