ABSTRACT
In order to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage, 14 patients with recent haemorrhage verified by CT or lumbar puncture were investigated with both selective intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IA-DSA) and MRA by two independent teams, each having the same preangiographic information. The results were compared with each other and whenever possible (all positive cases except one) with those of surgical intervention. Seven patients were identified by MRA and IA-DSA as having a single aneurysm on the circle of Willis, 1 an aneurysm of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery 1 an aneurysm of the internal carotid artery (siphon) and 2 patients with two aneurysms on the circle of Willis. MRA and IA-DSA both failed to demonstrate aneurysms in 2 cases. Three patients had negative results on both methods and no surgical intervention was attempted. The aneurysms ranged from 0.3 to 1.5 cm in size. In most cases there was agreement between MRA and DSA, leading us to believe that, if the proper protocols are followed, MRA is a powerful alternative to other established methods in the detection of intracranial aneurysms. At this stage it will not replace IA-DSA prior to surgery, but the ability to obtain various projections using 3D MRA may improve surgical planning.
Subject(s)
Angiography, Digital Subtraction , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aneurysm/pathology , Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnosis , Carotid Artery Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Artery, Internal/pathology , Cerebellum/blood supply , Cerebral Angiography , Cerebral Arteries/pathology , Child , Female , Humans , Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnosis , Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Thirty nine patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis, were submitted to brain computerized tomography in order to investigate the probable existence of brain atrophy. Evaluation was done by measuring the size of brain ventricles by means of a planimeter. An enlargement of the ventricles ranging from 1.43 to 3.13 times the normal was found in all patients. No relation was observed between the degree of the ventricular enlargement and the EEG findings, the clinical neurological picture and the duration of hemodialysis.
Subject(s)
Brain/pathology , Renal Dialysis/adverse effects , Adult , Aged , Atrophy , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Electroencephalography , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
C.S.F. lysozyme concentrations were determined in 24 normal subjects and 14 patients with a variety of neurologic diseases. We found absent or very low activity (below 0-5 mg/ml, in 4 out of 24) in normal individuals. Patients with tumours and other neurological diseases had high lysozyme activity in C.S.F. Our findings suggest that lysozyme is not an accurate indicator of the presence of neoplastic disease as suggested by other investigators.
