A compartment-based approach for the imaging evaluation of tinnitus.

Tinnitus affects 10% of the US general population and is a common indication for imaging studies. We describe a sequential compartment-based diagnostic approach, which simplifies the interpretation of imaging studies in patients with tinnitus. The choice of the initial imaging technique depends on the type of tinnitus, associated symptoms, and examination findings. Familiarity with the pathophysiologic mechanisms of tinnitus and the imaging findings is a prerequisite for a tailored diagnostic approach by the radiologist.

CT imaging of head and neck lupus panniculitis.

Lupus panniculitis (LP) or lupus erythematosus profundus (LEP) is a lupus-associated dermatologic condition predominantly affecting young to middle-aged women in which the deep dermis and subcutaneous fat are mainly involved. The lesions are usually located on the forehead, cheeks, proximal aspect of the limbs, and buttocks, though cases have occasionally been reported with orbital, breast, and salivary gland involvement. Descriptions of imaging findings of LP are very scarce in the literature. We describe the CT scan imaging features of the case of a patient with head and neck LP.

Spontaneous resolution of cavum veli interpositi. A case report and review of the literature.

Cavum veli interpositi is an open CSF space in the roof of the third ventricle that surrounds the internal cerebral veins, and is a forward extension of the quadrigeminal plate cistern. To the best of our knowledge, spontaneous resolution of a cavum veli interpositi has not been reported in the literature to date. Interestingly, case reports of spontaneous resolution of cystic cavum septum pellucidum in three patients and eighteen arachnoid cyst cases has been described in the literature. We describe the spontaneous resolution of a cavum veli interpositi or cyst in cavum veli interpositi in a 35-year-old man and review the literature of spontaneous resolution of cavum septum pellucidum and arachnoid cysts.

Brain MRI features of merosin-negative congenital muscular dystrophy.

The purpose of this article is to report brain MRI findings of merosin-negative congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) in two cases and to discuss its differentiation from other CMD subtypes. The cases were investigated by 1.5 Tesla MRI equipment using T1-weighted, T2-weighted, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), 3D fast spoiled gradient recalled (SPGR) and post-contrast gadolinium enhanced sequences and the diagnosis was confirmed by muscle biopsy with immunohistochemical staining for merosin. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral subcortical U-fibre white matter changes with periventricular sparing in the first case. Though this imaging finding is non-specific and could be seen in other white matter diseases like Canavan disease, the absence of other distinguishing MRI and clinical features of those conditions allowed a proper diagnosis. The second case showed diffuse subcortical and deep white matter involvement and cerebellar cysts. There was no brainstem involvement, polymicrogyria or cobblestone lissencephaly in both of our cases which allowed differentiation of merosin-negative CMD from other CMDs. Muscle biopsy in both these patients showed dystrophic changes with absent staining for merosin confirming the diagnosis. Merosin-negative CMD should be considered in the imaging differential diagnosis of white matter diseases. In a patient presenting with features of CMD, MRI can be of help in further differentiation of the various CMD subtypes.

Perirolandic sparing and pituitary apoplexy in adult brain with global hypoxia. A case report.

Global hypoxia in adult brain usually manifests as ischemic lesions in watershed territories. Acute profound hypoxia involves the cortex especially the perirolandic area, white matter and deep grey matter. Perirolandic sparing in adult global hypoxia is not described in literature. Few cases of perirolandic sparing are described in conditions like anoxia in term infants in the post-neonatal period and hepatic encephalopathy. We report a case of global hypoxia in adult brain with perirolandic sparing and unique association with pituitary apoplexy. It is well known that the "diving reflex" redistribution of cerebral blood flow to the high metabolically active regions occurs when the hypoxic insult is prolonged and partial. The perirolandic sparing in our case could be explained by this phenomenon, wherein the patient acutely developed hypoxia, which was profound and prolonged but not prolonged enough for deep grey matter sparing.

Absence of the left common carotid artery with cervical origin of the right subclavian artery.

We report the case of a 1 1/2-year-old female child, who developed symptomatic hemorrhage from major aorto-pulmonary collaterals after surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot. During the course of embolization of the aorto-pulmonary collaterals, we discovered the presence of direct origin of the left internal and external carotid arteries from the aortic arch. Further, there was cervical origin of right subclavian artery. We discuss the clinical significance and potential embryological mechanism in development of this anomaly.

Hyperperfusion syndrome after supraaortic vessel interventions and bypass surgery.

Cerebral hyperperfusion and hemorrhage is a recognized complication of endarterectomy, aortocarotid bypass surgery or angioplasty and stenting of the carotid or vertebral artery. We performed 87 balloon angioplasty, stenting and bypass surgery of arteries supplying the brain over the last 15 years. We have found 6 cases of hyperperfusion syndrome in a total of 87 procedures. So the incidence of hyperperfusion was noted as 6.89%. Two cases occurred after two combined procedures in a single sitting. Hyperperfusion syndrome is a well-known complication of craniocervical revascularisation procedures. But with proper care, including strict post procedural control of blood pressure and staged procedure in case of multiples vessel stenosis, these complications can be largely avoided.