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Biomedical subjects

J Schnur

Publications and source records attributed to J Schnur.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Comparative sensitivity of CT scans, radiographs and radionuclide bone scans in detecting metastatic calvarial lesions.

CT scans of 100 patients with histologically diagnosed extracerebral neoplasms were reviewed and compared with either radionuclide bone images or skull radiographs. The results of this correlative study indicate that CT scans are more sensitive than skull radiographs in detecting corresponding calvarial lesions; conversely, radionuclide bone scans appear to be more sensitive than CT in detecting similar lesions.

Aged

Mannosidosis. New clinical presentation, enzyme studied, and carbohydrate analysis.

Mannosidosis is a rare inborn error of metabolism characterized by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-mannosidase and widespread storage of complex carbohydrate, which is enriched in mannose. Two affected unrelated males, aged 6 and 26 years, are reported. Both had a nonprogressive encephalopathy with moderately severe mental retardation. The older patient showed several unique features, including massive gingival hyperplasia associated with histiocytes containing large amounts of a material with the staining characteristics of glycoprotein. The best determinant of mannose storage proved to be the ratio of mannose to other carbohydrates in urinary polysaccharides. The enzyme deficiency in this disease is most convincingly demonstrated at pH values below 4.0. The ability of zinc to activate the mutant enzyme in vitro offers a possible mode of therapy for this disease. Retarded individuals with a Hurler-like appearance and gum hyperplasia of unknown cause should be screened for alpha-mannosidase deficiency.

Adult

Computed tomography of the brain in patients with headache or temporal lobe epilepsy: findings and cost-effectiveness.

Computed tomographic (CT) examinations of the brain were reviewed in 85 patients with a chief complaint of headache and in 22 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in an attempt to assess the yield and cost-effectiveness in these two clinical settings. Lower bounds for the costs of case finding were calculated using probabilistic estimates. In patients with headache and no objective neurologic findings, no abnormal CT examinations were found. On the other hand, 34% of patients with headache and associated objective neurologic findings had abnormal CT studies. No abnormal CT examinations occurred in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. The calculated lower bounds for the costs of case finding for these groups were $4,363, $500, and $1,846 per patient, respectively.

Adolescent

Computerized axial tomography: clinicopathologic correlation.

Between August 1973 and April 1974 more than 750 patients had computerized axial tomography (CT) scans at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Ten brains from previously CT-scanned patients in this group were sectioned in the plane of the scan. Nearly exact correlation was found between the anatomic location and extent of intracranial lesions demonstrated by CT scan and the findings on gross and microscopic pathologic examination in cases of primary intracranial tumors, obstructive hydrocephalus, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic and hemorrhagic infarctions, pineal tumor, and thermal-burn encephalopathy. Determination of absorption values (mu) of 47 pathologically verified processes showed that high-absorption intracerebral hemorrhage and calcium-containing tumors are readily separable from other processes on the basis of mu values alone. However, the abnormal mu values of primary brain tumor, edema, and infarction are difficult to distinguish from those of normal spinal fluid and white matter.

Autopsy