Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D K Hallam.
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Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can help to diagnose acute ischemic stroke. Other nonischemic disorders may show abnormal signals with DWI. The authors report two cases of Wernicke encephalopathy with DWI signal changes in characteristic midline locations, one with reduction in apparent diffusion constant and one without. DWI abnormalities may suggest early thiamine deficiency and are useful in diagnosing Wernicke encephalopathy.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurologic and developmental outcomes of asphyxiated, term neonates are difficult to predict applying clinical or laboratory criteria. In this study, we investigated the association of MR spectroscopy (MRS) results with neurodevelopmental status at age 12 months. METHOD: Thirty-one term neonates, who were enrolled in a prospective study of the utility of MR imaging for the determination of neurologic and developmental status, underwent single-voxel proton MRS of the basal nuclei and intervascular boundary zones. Ratios of lactate, choline, creatine, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) peaks were calculated and tested for association with neuromotor scores and Mental Development Index of the Bayley Scores of Infant Development obtained at age 12 months. RESULTS: Elevated lactate and diminished NAA were the most common findings in infants with neurologic and developmental abnormalities at age 12 months. Although many ratios had statistically significant associations with outcome (P<.05), the highest significance was obtained with lactate/choline ratios in the basal nuclei. A false-positive finding was seen in a patient who was born after a 36-week gestation period (high lactate/choline but normal neurodevelopmental status at 12 months) and in three patients with apparent watershed injury (high watershed lactate/choline but normal neurodevelopmental status at 12 months). A false-negative MRS finding (normal lactate/choline but abnormal outcome) was seen in a patient who had an apparent prenatal injury. CONCLUSION: Proton MRS appears to be a useful tool for assessing brain injury in neonates who have suffered hypoxia or ischemia. Correlation with gestational age and imaging findings are essential for proper interpretation of the spectra. Patients with apparent watershed injuries may have normal neurodevelopmental status at age 12 months.
We report a case of an unusually prominent persistent notochordal canal involving the T12-L5 vertebrae. This rare anatomic variation was discovered as an incidental finding in a patient with lymphoma undergoing MR imaging for evaluation of back pain. MR images showed a vertically oriented canal contiguous with the intervertebral disks traversing the anterior aspect of each affected vertebral body. Plain films showed a sclerotic rimmed central channel that flared at each vertebral endplate to merge with the disk spaces.
The angiographically occult vascular malformations represent an important cause of cerebral pathology. The propensity for significant yet often limited symptomatology provides for frequent challenge in clinical management. Understanding in diagnostic evaluation of occult vascular lesions is often limited by varying application of pathologic diagnosis and classification. This article attempts to clarify issues of classification while also discussing imaging evaluation and its role in clinical management.