ABSTRACT
Introducción: Las lesiones desmielinizantes focales seudotumorales se definen como lesiones solitarias, desmielinizantes, con diámetro superior de 2 cm. Estas pueden imitar mediante el estudio imagenológica una neoplasia o absceso cerebral, lo que lleva a medidas diagnósticas y terapéuticas invasivas en algunos casos, incrementando la morbilidad. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar y caracterizar estas lesiones clínica, radiológica y patológicamente, lo que, sumado a la revisión de la literatura, aportará al entendimiento de este tipo de trastornos. Métodos: En este estudio descriptivo, se reportan 5 casos con diagnóstico patológico. Mediante la revisión de informes relacionados, clínicos, radiológicos y patológicos, se resumen las características de los sujetos. Resultados: La edad de los pacientes osciló entre los 12 y los 60 años, 3 pacientes fueron de género femenino. La latencia de los síntomas hasta admisión hospitalaria fue entre 3 y 120 días, las manifestaciones clínicas fueron diversas y dependientes de la localización de la lesión, en el 80% de los pacientes se encontraron signos piramidales y no se encontraron clínica o imagenológicamente lesiones de la médula espinal; el seguimiento de los pacientes abarca desde un año hasta 15 años. Conclusión: La biopsia cerebral es el estándar de oro para el diagnóstico de las lesiones desmielinizantes seudotumorales; no obstante, las características clínicas, junto con varias características de la resonancia magnética, tales como el realce en anillo abierto, el realce venular y la presencia de glutamato en la espectroscopia, entre otras, pueden ser satisfactorias en la diferenciación de las lesiones desmielinizantes focales seudotumorales de lesiones neoplásicas
Introduction: Focal tumour-like demyelinating lesions are defined as solitary demyelinating lesions with a diameter greater than 2 cm. In imaging studies, these lesions may mimic a neoplasm or brain abscess; as a result, invasive diagnostic and therapeutic measures may be performed that will in some cases increase morbidity. Our aim was to analyse and characterise these lesions according to their clinical, radiological, and pathological characteristics, and this data in addition to our literature review will contribute to a better understanding of these lesions. Methods: This descriptive study includes 5 cases with pathological diagnoses. We provide subject characteristics gathered through reviewing their clinical, radiology, and pathology reports. Results: Patients ages ranged from 12 to 60 years; 3 patients were female. The time delay between symptom onset and hospital admission was 3 to 120 days. Clinical manifestations were diverse and dependent on the location of the lesion, pyramidal signs were found in 80% of patients, there were no clinical or radiological signs of spinal cord involvement, and follow-up times ranged from 1 to 15 years. Conclusion: Brain biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of demyelinating tumour-like lesions; however, their clinical features, along with several magnetic resonance imaging features such as open ring enhancement, venular enhancement, the presence of glutamate in spectroscopy, and others, may be sufficient to differentiate neoplastic lesions from focal tumour-like demyelinating lesions
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS/diagnosis , Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS/drug therapy , Multiple Sclerosis/diagnosis , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Diagnostic Imaging , Wounds and Injuries , Biopsy , Central Nervous System Neoplasms , Brain NeoplasmsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Focal tumour-like demyelinating lesions are defined as solitary demyelinating lesions with a diameter greater than 2 cm. In imaging studies, these lesions may mimic a neoplasm or brain abscess; as a result, invasive diagnostic and therapeutic measures may be performed that will in some cases increase morbidity. Our aim was to analyse and characterise these lesions according to their clinical, radiological, and pathological characteristics, and this data in addition to our literature review will contribute to a better understanding of these lesions. METHODS: This descriptive study includes 5 cases with pathological diagnoses. We provide subject characteristics gathered through reviewing their clinical, radiology, and pathology reports. RESULTS: Patients' ages ranged from 12 to 60 years; 3 patients were female. The time delay between symptom onset and hospital admission was 3 to 120 days. Clinical manifestations were diverse and dependent on the location of the lesion, pyramidal signs were found in 80% of patients, there were no clinical or radiological signs of spinal cord involvement, and follow-up times ranged from 1 to 15 years. CONCLUSION: Brain biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of demyelinating tumour-like lesions; however, their clinical features, along with several magnetic resonance imaging features such as open ring enhancement, venular enhancement, the presence of glutamate in spectroscopy, and others, may be sufficient to differentiate neoplastic lesions from focal tumour-like demyelinating lesions.
Subject(s)
Brain/pathology , Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS/diagnosis , Adult , Biopsy/methods , Child , Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS/mortality , Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS/pathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fibrocartilaginous embolism from the nucleus pulposus has been reported as a rare cause of spinal cord ischemia. We were unable to find previous reports of embolism from this source to cerebral arteries. CASE DESCRIPTION: A previously healthy 17-year-old girl fell during a basketball game. Left hemiparesis and unresponsiveness developed followed by signs of right uncal herniation and death over a 3-day period. There was no evidence of neck, head, or spine trauma, and cardiac evaluation was normal. Neuropathological examination showed extensive ischemic infarction of the right middle cerebral artery territory, brain edema, and herniation. Complete embolic occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery by fibrocartilaginous material, consistent with nucleus pulposus, was documented. Small, terminal coronary artery branches also showed embolism by the same material and limited areas of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Acute cerebral embolism after minor trauma in a young patient may be rarely due to fibrocartilaginous embolism from the nucleus pulposus. The pathogenesis of this problem remains poorly understood, but systemic embolism appeared to have occurred in this case.
