[Hypophysis metastasis of a hypernephroma tumor revealed by a chiasma syndrome]. / Métastase hypophysaire d'un hypernéphrome révélée par un syndrome chiasmatique.

In a 45-year-old man with a hypernephroma tumor of the right kidney, a metastasis in the pituitary gland of this neoplasm was diagnosed 9 years after removal of this kidney. He complained of bitemporal hemianopsia and slight impairment of vision. A hypernephroma metastasis in the pituitary gland is very rare and few have been reported to date. In general, these metastases occur in cases with multiple metastasis to many organs, which suggests that the appearance of pituitary metastasis represents extensive disease. Many of these patients present diabetes insipidus. Visual defects are frequently associated. The Goldmann perimeter is important to detect visual field anomalies. MRI is the key radiological exam to localize the tumor. Surgery is the preferred treatment and should be undertaken quickly if visual function is affected. The histological exam should be made to confirm the diagnosis.

[Spinal cord histoplasmoma. A case report]. / Histoplasmome médullaire. A propos d'un cas.

Over a period of 2 months, a 60-year-old man, a chicken breeder, experienced low back pain, lower limb weakness predominant on the right side, and urinary difficulties, leading progressively to a flaccid paraplegia with sphincter impairment. Concomitant poor cognitive performances were noted. MRI showed enlargement of the conus terminalis, with a low-intensity signal on T1-weighted images, high-intensity signal on T2-weighted images, and areas of intramedullar contrast enhancement. A biopsy of the lesion showed macrophages containing yeast cells, with PAS and Grocott staining aspects compatible with the presence of Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc). A brain MRI showed multiple localizations in the brain stem and in both hemispheres with associated edema. Disseminated histoplasmosis was confirmed by a biopsy of a sub-maxillary ganglion demonstrating a necrotic tuberculoid lymphadenitis containing yeast cells resembling Hc. Immune tests disclosed the presence of HTLV1 anti-bodies without immunodeficiency nor HIV co-infection. An anti-micotic treatment was started 2 weeks after surgery, with intra-venous amphotericin B, for 21 days, followed by itraconazole, orally for 90 days. Cognitive functions improved significantly in 5 weeks while paraplegia and sphincter impairment remained unchanged. Seven months later, cerebral MR aspects dramatically improved while the conus medullaris lesion diminished, and the edematous component disappeared in all areas. Even though histoplasmosis is endemic in our region, CNS localization is rare, generally in disseminated forms associated with immunodeficiency. Brain granulomas are well-known, but spinal cord histoplasmomas are exceptional: only four cases have been evaluated by MRI. Unlike our case, spinal cord forms generally improve, due to surgery associated with antifungus medication, or sometimes due to specific medical treatment alone but with sufficient dosage.

[Vermian epidermal cyst developing in the fourth ventricle. A case report]. / Kyste épidermoïde vermien développé dans le ive ventricule. Une observation.

A 34-year-old man presented with recent severe headache. Neurological examination found gait disturbance and a static cerebellar syndrome. The CT scan showed a tumor located in the fourth ventricle and which presented with a density close to that of the cerebellar parenchyma, without contrast enhancement, associated with an enlargement of the third and the lateral ventricles. MRI showed that the tumor had an heterogeneous hyposignal on T1-weighted images and an hypersignal on T2-weighted images, without associated edema; the roof of the fourth ventricle was displaced upward and the brain stem forward. At operation, an encapsulated epidermal cyst, developed from the cerebellar vermis, without attachment to the floor of the fourth ventricle, was totally removed. Epidermal cysts of the fourth ventricle are unusual lesions; their capsule often adhere to the floor and cannot be totally removed. Those developed from the cerebellar vermis seem to be rarer. With the use of MRI, their true origin could be suspected. In these cases, the cysts can be totally removed, reducing the risk of recurrence

[Ossification of ligamentum flavum unmasked by acute paraplegia]. / Ossification des ligaments jaunes révélée par une paraplégie brutale.

A 30-year-old black man presented sudden-onset paraplegia during a foot-ball match, after a movement of hyperextension of the trunk. Moreover, the patient exhibited an hypoesthesia below the T11 level, with sphincter disturbances. The MRI and the CT-scan showed a stenosis of the spinal canal related to an ossification of hypertrophied ligamenta flava from T10 to T12. Intramedullary abnormal signals on MRI images were compatible with a spinal cord hemorrhage. A laminectomy with removal of abnormal ligamenta flava was carried out, and their endochondral ossification was confirmed by pathological examination. Two months later, the patient was able to walk alone and exhibited a mild spasticity associated to sensory disturbances of lower limbs. Ossification of ligamenta flava is usually observed in Japanese patients, sometimes in Caucasians, more rarely in black people. Its mechanism is unclear except when associated with metabolic or endocrine diseases. The patients usually present with clinical features of chronic spinal cord compression. Our case seems to be the first one disclosed by an acute spinal cord injury on ossified ligamenta flava. In this patient, because of remaining adjacent ossified ligamenta flava and the development on postoperative MRI of an intramedullary cavity, a long-term clinical and radiological follow-up is particularly necessary.

Cavernous hemangioma of the intracranial optic pathways: CT and MRI.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to describe the CT and MR findings in three patients with cavernous hemangioma (CH) of the intracranial optic pathways. METHOD: CT and MR studies of three patients with CH of the optic chiasm were reviewed. All patients underwent MRI of the chiasmal area, with coronal T2- and T1-weighted studies as well as gadolinium-enhanced coronal and sagittal T1-weighted studies. RESULTS: The patients (mean age, 40 years) presented with chiasmal apoplexy (two cases) and progressive decrease of visual acuity (one case). In all cases, MRI showed regular enlargement of the optic chiasm, with extension to the optic nerve in one case and to the left optic tract in one case. The chiasmatic dimension was 2.5-3 cm in two cases and 1-1.5 cm in the other case. In all cases, MRI revealed an acute (isointense signal on T1-weighted and hypointense signal on T2-weighted sequences) or subacute (hyperintense signal on T1 - and T2-weighted sequences) hemorrhage with, adjacent to it, an area with signals of blood of different ages, highly suggestive of CH. CT showed, in chiasmatic CHs, a suprasellar mass spontaneously denser than adjacent brain parenchyma. In two cases, microcalcifications were associated. In two cases, CT and MRI revealed slight heterogeneous enhancement after contrast agent administration. In one case, no enhancement was observed. Two patients underwent surgery by frontopterional craniotomy. The optic chiasms were swollen with an intrinsic bluish mass. The cerebrospinal fluid was not xanthochromic. Microscope examination confirmed the diagnosis of CH. After 12 months, the operated patients had improved visual acuity and visual field but did not completely recover. The nonoperated patient (because of spontaneous rapid recovery of visual acuity) was followed clinically and on MRI over 18 months. CONCLUSION: CH in the optic chiasm must be suspected in the presence of an acute chiasmatic syndrome. MRI is the best imaging modality, showing either an acute or a subacute chiasmatic hemorrhage or the typical pattern of CH with heterogeneous alternation of foci of blood of different ages, with a central focus of methemoglobin, a peripheral rim of hemosiderin, adjacent foci of acute or subacute hemorrhage, and slight or no enhancement after gadolinium administration.

[Cervical spine infection with Streptococcus anginosus. Case report]. / Infection du rachis cervical A streptococcus anginosus.

A case of cervical spine infection due to Streptococcus anginosus is reported. Streptococcus milleri is encountered in the mouth, gastro-intestinal tract, vagina and nasopharynx. It is an uncommon pathogen responsible of suppurative infections such as brain liver or spleen abscesses, intra-abdominal or soft tissue abscesses and pleural empyema. In rare cases it can cause spondylodiscitis and osteomyelitis. Based on the review of eight cases of spondylodiscitis or osteomyelitis, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.