[Radiodiagnostics of brain tumors before and after operation].

The radiation diagnosis made before and after operation was analyzed in 231 case histories of patients with brain tumors treated in hospitals of St.Petersburg in 2009. Most typical errors of administration and interpretation of radiation diagnostic methods were established. MRI was not performed in 54% of cases, in 32% operative intervention was performed without SCT findings. Contrast enhancement was used but in 68% of observations, angiographic methods--in 8%. Not a single radiation examination was performed in 61% of patients, in 33% SCT was made, in 6%--MRI, only in a third of patients contrast enhancement was used. In 52% of cases control radiation examination was not prescribed in dynamics. The estimation of the data obtained helped to obtain more exact criteria of using radiation methods in patients with tumors of the brain before and after operation.

Craniopharyngioma of the pineal region.

Craniopharyngiomas generally develop either in the suprasellar region or in both suprasellar and intrasellar regions. We report on a nontypical location of the craniopharyngioma in the pineal region. An 8-year-old boy was admitted to the department of pediatric neurosurgery in a grave condition. An MRI scan of the brain was performed after the neurological examination and revealed a large neoplasm situated in the posterior part of the III ventricle and in the pineal region, measuring 8.5x6.5x5 cm. The size of the tumor and its location meant it was occluding three ventricles, with subsequent hydrocephaly. Total removal of the tumor was carried out. Microscopic investigation of the tissue removed showed the typical structure characteristic for craniopharyngioma of the adamantinomatous type. Results of a consultation 6 months after the operation revealed that the patient was feeling well, attending school regularly and had finished the first semester with excellent results. On control MRI scan no tumor was found.

[The prediction of the cranioplasty outcomes after gunshot wounds of the skull and brain]. / Prognozirovanie iskhodov kranioplastiki posle ognestrel'nykh ranenii cherepa i golovnogo mozga.

A number of application programs for IBM PC AT was worked out to meet the requirements of a new method applied for prognostication of cranioplasty results in patients with craniocerebral injuries. This method uses an old one based on Bayes formula. The authors analysed 155 craniocerebral injuries which were inflicted in Afghanistan in the period from September 1984 till November 1988. It was proved that such methods increase the accuracy of prognostication as far as the outcomes of reconstructive operations for gunshot craniocerebral injuries are concerned.

[The possibility of developing shock in craniocerebral trauma]. / O vozmozhnosti razvitiia shoka pri cherepno-mozgovoi travme.

It was established in acute experiments on dogs and rabbits that craniocerebral trauma does not lead to the development of torpid shock. In combination of craniocerebral trauma with severe mechanical injury to the thigh or acute massive extracranial blood loss a typical torpid shock develops with death of the animals in the immediate hours. Infusion therapy relieves shock but fails to prevent the development of brain edema. Intravenous injections of procaine hydrochloride have a positive effect in craniocerebral trauma and shock. It is concluded that craniocerebral trauma does not disturb the mechanisms of shock formation and the process takes a course independently of the process of brain edema development.

[Early diagnosis of cauda equina tumors]. / O rannei diagnostike opukholei konskogo khvosta.

The authors analyze possibilities of early diagnosis of cauda equina tumors based on examining 105 patients. Note the lack of pathognomonic symptoms. Distinguish, however, a considerable group of patients with a progressive disease course destined to a mandatory goal-oriented examination at specialized hospitals. Lay emphasis on the necessity of a mandatory analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and CSF samples over time. Validate the necessity of carrying out positive myelography primarily with water-soluble contrast substances and computer-aided tomography with a purpose of differential diagnosis between spinal lesions associated with the radicular syndrome.

[Relations between the phagocytic activity of monocytes and the lateralization of brain injuries]. / Zavisimost' fagotsitarnoi aktivnosti monotsitov ot lateralizatsii povrezhdenii golovnogo mozga.

According to the authors' opinion, the different character of alterations in phagocytic activity of monocytes in primary derangement of the dominant and subdominant hemispheres results from the different functional significance of the hemispheres. The most pronounced neurogenous immune dysfunction occurs because of an injury to the dominant hemisphere. The two mechanisms of alterations in phagocytic activity of monocytes are of importance during the posttraumatic period in severe brain contusions: the central one related to neurogenous immune dysfunction and secondary one related to infectious complications.

[The results of direct electrostimulation of the involved optic nerves in neurosurgical patients]. / Rezul'taty priamoi élektrostimuliatsii porazhennykh zritel'nykh nervov u neuirokhirurgicheskikh bol'nykh.

The article generalizes experience in the restoration of vision by direct stimulation of damaged optic nerves after operations for pathological conditions of the chiasmal-sellar region (tumors of the chiasmal-sellar region, optochiasmic arachnoiditis, damage of the optic nerve in the bone canal) in 111 patients. The therapeutic effect was favourable in two thirds of the patients. Indications are determined for the use of the method in various types, duration, and severity of the disease. The use of the method with due regard for the determined indications increases the reliability, degree, and rate of restoration of vision in patients who underwent operation.

[Immunohematologic changes in pituitary adenomas]. / Immunogematologicheskie izmeneniia pri adenomakh gipofiza.

The authors conducted studies of colony-producing capacity of precursor cells of bone marrow granulomonopoiesis and cytogenetic study of blood T lymphocytes in 13 patients with adenoma of the hypophysis. It was established that adenomas of the hypophysis are attended by the development of functional deficiency of T lymphocytes and the resultant disturbance of T cell regulation of granulomonopoiesis. The disorder of granulomonopoiesis occurs at the level of the precursor cells in the bone marrow.

[Diagnostic value of spinal fluid immunoglobulins in cerebral arachnoiditis]. / Diagnosticheskoe znachenie immunoglobulinov spinnomozgovoi zhidkosti pri tserebral'nykh arakhnoiditakh.

The authors believe that the deficiency of immunoglobulins A in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with arachnoiditis may be explained by an increase in their consumption due to antigenic aggression in relation to the meninges, which results in extremely low values of the circulating immunoglobulins A. The absence of immunoglobulins A in the CSF of patients with cerebral arachnoiditis is one of the components of its pathogenesis owing to impairment of permeability of the blood brain barrier and fixation of antigens in the tissues of the brain and meninges.