ABSTRACT
In a series of 44 image guided stereotactic biopsy from August 1995 until March 1997, findings were as follows (frequency order). Tumors, glioblastoma was the most frequent. Primary lymphoma and other conditions associated to AIDS. Metastasis, three cases, Vasculites, two cases, Arachnoid cyst, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, cortical degeneration, inespecific calcification (one case each). The age varied from 1 to 83 years. Forty one lesions were supratentorial, two infratentorial, and one was outside the brain (dura and skull) and we used stereotaxy to localize it. There was no mortality and morbidity was 2.3%. The literature is reviewed. We conclude that this procedure is safe and highly diagnostic.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System/pathology , Stereotaxic Techniques , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Biopsy , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Prospective series showing the importance of computerized stereotactic brain biopsy in the management of AIDS patients neurologically symptomatic and confirmed by images. Patients undergone an algorithm step by step done by their own doctors and referred to us for stereotactic biopsy. Our protocol was opened in August 1995 and closed in December 1996. Twenty patients were biopsied. This protocol is similar to the Levy's one (Chicago IL, USA). We have got diagnosis in all cases. Lymphoma was predominant and followed by toxoplasmosis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and HIV encephalopathy. We included one patient with diploic giant cells lymphoma. Our mortality and morbidity was zero. By these results we conclude that stereotactic biopsy in AIDS patients is safe and effective.
Subject(s)
AIDS Dementia Complex/pathology , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/pathology , Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal/pathology , Lymphoma/pathology , Stereotaxic Techniques , Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral/pathology , Adult , Biopsy , Humans , Lymphoma, AIDS-Related/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a rare viral-induced demyelinating disease associated to immunodeficiency. A 10-year-old boy with AIDS is reported, who developed subacute cerebellar signs and symptoms with multiple cranial nerve involvement and dementia. A computed tomography scan revealed a focal nonenhancing area of low attenuation in the cerebellum. On magnetic resonance imaging high signal lesions in T2 weighted sequences were shown. The biopsy of one of those lesions showed the typical histological findings of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. It seems important to consider this diagnosis in children with AIDS who present with progressive neurological features.
