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Biomedical subjects

C Plets

Publications and source records attributed to C Plets.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Iatrogenic spinal epidermoid tumour associated with tuberous sclerosis. A diagnostic pitfall.

We present a case of spinal epidermoid tumour that was probably caused by lumbar punctures. The tumour was detected on MRI in a child with tuberous sclerosis complaining of atypical low back pain. Preoperatively the tumour was considered to be a cystic astrocytoma of ependymoma of the conus terminalis. The association of tuberous sclerosis with a spinal tumour is rare but has been recorded in the literature. The diagnosis was an epidermoid tumour (E.T.). The MRI appearances were unusual for a spinal ET: the signal intensity changes were different from those reported in the literature and the presence of calcification and cavitation has not yet been reported. This case represents a diagnostic pitfall, since both entities were unrelated.

Child

Simultaneous occurrence of developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical and radiologic findings in 15 patients presenting with both developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas and to determine which lesions caused the acute clinical symptoms. METHODS: Lesions were infratentorial in 7 patients and supratentorial in 7 other patients. In one patient the developmental venous anomaly was infratentorial and the cavernous angioma supratentorial. In all 15 patients clinical examination and CT were performed. In 10 patients MR was performed at the time of the initial CT scan. In 5 patients only late MR is available. RESULTS: Acute clinical signs were present in 9 patients (epilepsy, hemiplegia, meningeal signs, cranial nerve deficit). On CT the cavernous angioma was missed in 9 patients, in 6 patients because of acute hemorrhage. On MR the cavernous angioma was missed in 1 of 2 cases with acute hemorrhage but seen in all other patients. On repeat MR all cavernous angiomas were correctly identified. On CT, 11 developmental venous anomalies were seen. On MR all developmental venous anomalies were seen. CONCLUSIONS: The frequent association of developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas is confirmed. MR is superior to CT in the detection of both cavernous angiomas and developmental venous anomalies. Furthermore our data support the hypothesis that cavernous angiomas and not the developmental venous anomalies cause the acute clinical symptoms because of hemorrhage.

Adult

Posterior fossa dermoid cyst associated with dermal fistula: report of 2 cases and review of the literature.

Two cases of dermoid cysts of the posterior fossa in association with a dermal fistula and with different clinical presentations are reported. The patient in case 1 is a 14-month-old girl with a history of recurrent bacterial meningitis. Case 2, a 7-year-old girl, presented with a skin "granuloma" at the inion. Both cases, and a review of the literature, demonstrate the need for a thorough exploration of the cranial and spinal midline skin areas in every newborn and argue for widespread use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging whenever a suspected midline lesion is found.

Brain Neoplasms

Controversies in the management of spontaneous cerebellar haemorrhage. A consecutive series of 49 cases and review of the literature.

We have reviewed our experience with a series of 49 consecutive patients with spontaneous cerebellar haematoma, treated according to a standardized management protocol. Seventeen patients were managed conservatively, 30 underwent ventricular drainage, and in six patients the haematoma was evacuated. The indications for the different modes of treatment are discussed. The most significant prognostic factors determining the outcome at one month were the grade of quadrigeminal cistern obliteration on the initial CT scan and the Glasgow Coma Scale on admission. Patients with normal cisterns had a good outcome, and only needed (temporary) ventricular drainage in case of hydrocephalus. Patients with totally obliterated cisterns had a bad outcome irrespective of treatment. In the patients with compressed cisterns, it is suggested that evacuation of the haematoma might improve outcome; treatment of hydrocephalus alone is insufficient in many cases in this group.

Adolescent

Nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: prevalence of perimesencephalic hemorrhage in a consecutive series.

The perimesencephalic type of nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a recently described clinical and radiological entity, with a good outcome. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 294 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, of whom 62 had a negative four-vessel angiography. We identified 20 cases with the typical computed tomographic (CT) pattern of perimesencephalic hemorrhage, in whom the prognosis was invariably good. However, five cases of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage had a more or less similar CT appearance: the diagnosis cannot be made on the CT image only and angiography remains mandatory. The use of bed rest, antifibrinolytics, and calcium antagonists is discussed.

Female

Cerebellar hemorrhage complicating supratentorial craniotomy: report of two cases.

One of the rare complications of supratentorial craniotomy is the occurrence of a hematoma in the cerebellum. Only seven previous cases have been published, and these have been ascribed to disturbed blood coagulation or decreased intracranial pressure. We present two similar patients, in whom, however, the pathogenetic role of these factors seems improbable.

Cerebellar Diseases

Variable effects of explosive or gradual increase of intracranial pressure on myocardial structure and function.

BACKGROUND: Studies done in potential donors for heart transplantation and in experimental animals have suggested that brain death can have major histopathological and functional effects on the myocardium. METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed experimental models of brain death using dogs to study the hemodynamic and catecholamine changes, the extent of myocardial structural damage, and the recovery potential of donor hearts obtained from brain-dead donors. Brain death was caused by increasing the intracranial pressure (ICP) suddenly or gradually by injecting saline in an epidural Foley catheter. In a first series of experiments, dogs given a sudden rise in ICP (n = 5) showed a hyperdynamic response and a 1,000-fold increase in the level of epinephrine after brain death. Histology revealed 93 +/- 2% of the myocardium to be severely ischemic. Dogs given a gradual rise in ICP (n = 6) showed a lesser hyperdynamic response, almost 200-fold increase in the level of epinephrine after brain death, and mild ischemic damage to the myocardium (23 +/- 1%). In a second series, hearts obtained from brain-dead and non-brain-dead donors were transplanted in recipients, and the weaning and recovery potential were studied. All four recipients with hearts from non-brain-dead donors were weaned with good functional recovery. Also, all four recipients with hearts from brain-dead dogs given a gradual rise in ICP were weaned with only moderate functional recovery. However, only two of four recipients with hearts from donors given a sudden rise in ICP were weaned and showed poor functional recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a sudden rise in ICP can cause irreversible myocardial damage.

Animals

Catecholamine response to a gradual increase of intracranial pressure.

To determine the catecholamine response to progressive intracranial hypertension, intracranial pressure (ICP) was raised gradually by continuous expansion of an epidural balloon in seven dogs. Hemodynamic parameters, ICP, and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were monitored continuously and serum catecholamine levels began to rise when CPP was in the low-positive range (20 to 30 mm Hg), reaching a peak just after brain death (CPP < or = o mm Hg). There was no correlation between ICP and the catecholamine peak. Compared to control values, the mean increase was 286-fold for epinephrine and 78-fold for norepinephrine. Temporally, the catecholamine peak corresponded well with the observed hemodynamic changes. These results suggest that ischemia in certain parts of the brain stem is responsible for the hemodynamic changes observed in intracranial hypertension (such as the Cushing response), and they show that catecholamines play an important role in these hemodynamic changes.

Animals

Embolization of arteriovenous malformations of the brain: preliminary experience.

Transcatheter embolization was performed in 8 young patients (mean age 24.5 years) with intracerebral arteriovenous malformations. In total 12 arteries were embolized in 10 sessions. Clinical complaints of the patients included epilepsy in 4, sudden coma in 3 and severe sudden neurological deficit in 1. Intracerebral hemorrhage was documented in 4 patients and subarachnoid hemorrhage in 1. In all patients, prior to embolization a superselective Wada-test was performed under wake-up anesthesia. Embolization was performed with a mixture of acrylic glue and lipiodol. In one patient a detachable balloon was added. In 6 patients embolization of all the feeding arteries was possible, with total obliteration of the arteriovenous malformations in 4 and subtotal embolization (> 90%) in 2. In 2 patients reduction of the size of the arteriovenous malformation by one third was followed by total surgical removal of the lesion. In 1 patient reflux of the embolization material in the anterior choroidal artery caused severe neurological deficit with good clinical recuperation.

Adolescent

Intracerebral primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor (PNET).

A case of intracerebral primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor (PNET) is presented. PNETs are rare, undifferentiated neoplasms occurring primarily in children and young adults. These tumors exhibit a highly malignant behaviour with a tendency to disseminate along the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult, owing to the non-specific CT and MR appearances and to the rarity of this tumor. Our patient was 33 years old, which is uncommon. CT findings initially suggested an intracerebral hematoma. Later on, CT and MR findings were specific for a brain tumor and showed a solid, non-calcified invasive mass, with poor perilesional edema.

Adult

Isodense subdural haematomas on CT:MRI findings.

MRI findings are described in two patients with subdural haematomas isodense on CT. In one patient, admitted 6 weeks after trauma, a chronic subdural haematoma showed extreme hypointensity on T2-weighted images, suggesting acute trauma, and therefore acute rebleeding. In the second patient with severe anaemia, an acute subdural haematoma was hyperintense on T2-weighted images, suggesting chronic trauma; this may be explained by the low haematocrit and a possible mixture of blood with cerebrospinal fluid. The MRI features of subdural haematomas and hygromas have to be kept in mind, in order not to misjudge the age of the haematoma.

Female

Intraspinal juxta-facet cysts: a case of bilateral ganglion cysts.

Juxta-facet cysts are relatively uncommon intraspinal lesions, causing radiculopathy, neurogenic claudication or myelopathy. To the best of our knowledge, only 4 cases of bilateral synovial or ganglioncysts were described. We report the 5th case of bilateral ganglioncysts of the lumbar spine. Generally, juxta-facet cysts should be differentiated from other intraspinal lesions, such as herniated discs, meningiomas and neurinomas. Correct preoperative diagnosis is necessary for adequate treatment, namely the (microscopic) resection of the cyst. After adequate treatment, complete recovery may be expected.

Aged

The radiological differentiation of acoustic neurinoma and meningioma occurring together in the cerebellopontine angle.

A patient with right hearing loss, in whom computed tomographic scanning demonstrated a mass in the right cerebellopontine angle with widening of and extension into the internal auditory canal, but with important posterior extension and broad implantation on the surface of the petrous bone, is reported. On both T2-weighted and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance images, there were clearly two separate tumoral lesions: an acoustic neurinoma extending into the internal auditory canal and a meningioma with broad implantation on the petrous apex. These findings were confirmed at surgery.

Cerebellar Neoplasms

MR features of intracranial hemangioblastomas.

The contribution of MR in 10 patients with surgically proven intracranial hemangioblastomas was retrospectively evaluated and correlated with the computed tomographic findings. Angiography was obtained in eight cases. Multiple lesions were shown in only two patients, but none proved to have von Hippel-Lindau disease. In six patients the tumor typically appeared as a cystic lesion with an intensely enhancing mural nodule at the pial surface of the cyst; three patients presented with a solid lesion with a central cyst and one with a solid lesion only. Thirteen tumors were located in the posterior fossa, with one in the brain stem extending towards the spinal cord. A supratentorial localization was found in two patients. Abnormal serpiginous vessels supplying or draining the mural nodule or solid lesion were not visualized on contrast-enhanced computed tomography, but were easily identified as flow voids on MR in five patients. Calcification or hemorrhage were not seen in the entire series. Because of the multiplanar imaging capability and the lack of streak artifacts from the petrous bone, MR provides better localization than CT. MR is more accurate in predicting the number, extension and vascularity of hemangioblastomas, and provides a sound basis for further diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Adult

Synovial cyst at the C1-C2 junction.

Intraspinal synovial or ganglion cysts of the cervical spine are rare. We present the third reported case of a degenerative articular cyst of the upper cervical spine, involving the quadrate ligament of the odontoid process. Magnetic resonance examination reveals typical images. A new, more general terminology is proposed.

Aged

Extradural epidermoid tumor of the frontal bone.

The radiologic findings in a case of an extradural diploic epidermoid tumor (ET) of the frontal bone, examined with plain X rays, CT and MRI, are reported. A head injury with traumatic inclusion of epidermis could have been the origin of the tumor. This report stresses the importance of the plain skull X ray in the diagnosis of extradural ET.

Adult