Intracranial meningioma recognition following general anesthesia: a surprisingly acute form of presentation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
J Benito León
Publications and source records attributed to J Benito León.
[Differentiation between cerebral abscesses and necrotic or cystic tumours by means of diffusion sequences].
INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of a cerebral abscess is a real challenge since the clinical and radiological findings are often non-specific and undistinguishable from those seen with cystic or necrotic tumours. Recently it has been suggested that diffusion sequences may be useful in the differential diagnosis of a necrotic or cystic mass. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nine patients with cystic or necrotic intracranial masses were studied. The diagnoses were: three pyogenic abscesses, three metastases and three high grade gliomas. The diffusion images were evaluated visually and by means of maps based on the apparent diffusion coefficient (CDA). RESULTS: All lesions showed fine iso-intense or slightly hyperintense walls in T1 potentiated sequences, and isointense or slightly hypointense walls in T2 potentiated sequences. In all cases the wall took up gadolinium intensity, with a well-defined smooth edge (ring uptake). In the diffusion sequences the abscesses showed a very strong central signal, as compared with the low signal of other lesions. The CDA were significantly lower in the abscesses than in the tumours. CONCLUSIONS: Since cerebral abscesses are potentially curable, early diagnosis should be made. A cerebral abscess should be suspected in all cases of cystic or necrotic masses with hypersignals in diffusion sequences and low CDA.
Aged↗
Actinomycotic brain abscess.
Actinomycosis is a chronic, suppurative and granulomatous bacterial infection, which tends to form abscesses. Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is rare. We describe the clinical and neuroradiological findings of four patients (3 men and one female) diagnosed of actinomycotic brain abscesses. Risk factors were dental pathology, intrauterine device use, alcohol abuse and Rendu-Osler-Weber disease. Clinical manifestations were those of a space-occupying lesion. CT scan findings were varied and little specific: hemispheric or periventricular location, pyocephalus, rim-enhancing and edema. MRI was superior in disclosing pyocephalus. Diagnosis was performed by microbiological and pathological findings. Despite surgery and antibiotics, two of the patients died. In conclusion, the infection of the CNS by Actinomyces is potentially fatal and should be considered in those patients with cerebral abscess.
Abscess↗