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Biomedical subjects

J-P Pruvo

Publications and source records attributed to J-P Pruvo.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

[Neuroimaging characteristics of cerebral infarcts].

Over the last years, technical advances in neuroimaging have allowed drastic improvements in the assessment of acute ischemic cerebral events. Beyond conventional morphological analysis, diffusion-weighted and perfusion-weighted MRI now enable routine functional assessment of brain tissue; spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging still remains in the domain of clinical research. During acute ischemia events, diffusion-weighted MRI can detect the movements of water molecules and cytotoxic edema related to cell injury enabling rapid diagnosis and early assessment of cerebral ischemia. In conjunction with perfusion imaging, which detects hypoperfusion areas, diffusion-weighted MRI provides a means to identify areas of penumbra ischemia. More recent multislice computed tomographic (CT) scans with multimodal analysis are also very competitive for assessment of cerebral ischemia (non-enhanced CT, CT angiography and perfusion CT). The purpose of this paper is to describe the CT and MRI patterns during the different stages of cerebral infarcts.

Acute Disease↗

[MRI of hippocampal malformations in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy].

OBJECTIVE: In some patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, recent MRI studies have revealed several morphological features indicative of discrete hippocampal malformation (HM). Its prevalence is unknown and the relationship between the HM and the origin of seizures has never been investigated. Our purpose is to define the MRI findings of this new entity and to determine its incidence in a group of patients and in a control group in order to evaluate its clinical significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging findings in 97 patients suffering from medically intraceable temporal epilepsy were prospectively evaluated during the preoperative evaluation of surgical candidates. The MR-imaging protocol included oblique coronal slices perpendicular to the temporal lobes using high resolution T2 weighted (HR TSE T2), Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and inversion-images. This protocol has been completed by axial FLAIR images and axial and sagittal IR images of the whole brain. Coronal HR TSE T2 images were performed in 50 healthy control subjects. Cerebral lesion and hippocampal morphology were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (14%) showed hippocampal morphological modification. The most frequent and specific findings were lack of visualization of the internal hippocampal (lack of linear T2 hypointensity within the hippocampus) and the abnormal shape (pyramidal, vertically oriented or globular-shaped). Other signs were: abnormal position of the hippocampus (medically located hippocampus) and vertical collateral sulcus. Cases without visualization of the internal structure of the hippocampus were considered as a complete form of HM and were correlated with temporal epilepsy. A vertical collateral sulcus was observed in some control group subjects. CONCLUSION: Complete forms of HM could be considered as epileptogenic lesions. Nevertheless, interpretation of the incomplete form is delicate: the abnormal angle of the collateral sulcus can be encountered in healthy subjects and could therefore be considered a normal variant.

Adolescent↗

[Neuromeningeal tuberculosis: the contribution of genetic amplification to diagnosis].

Neurological manifestations of tuberculosis are rare, especially in immunocompetent subjects. The heterogeneity of clinical and radiological features induces frequently a delay for diagnosis. The aim of the study was to describe clinical and radiological presentation of 11 cases of neuro-tuberculosis and to evaluate clinical outcome. We performed clinical, CSF, MRI and outcome evaluation in all patients. We also performed a mycobacterium analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Patients were 6 men and 5 women with a mean age of 45.4 years. Clinical presentations were meningeal symptoms in 9 cases and focal manifestations in 4 cases. CSF was abnormal in 82 p.cent of cases (protein increase in 73 p.cent, pleiocytosis in 73 p.cent, hypoglycorrhachia in 45 p.cent and hypochlorrhachia in 36 p.cent). The best diagnostic test was PCR (positive in 45 p.cent of cases). CSF cultures were positive in only 2 cases (18 p.cent). Only 2 patients had chest involvement. MRI was abnormal in 64 p.cent of cases showing pseudo-tumor, arachnoiditis, vascular lesions or medullar involvement. Outcome was good in all cases but two (one patient died and one patient had paraplegia possibly related to late diagnosis). Neurological manifestations of tuberculosis are extremely various in terms of clinical and radiological presentation. The best diagnostic test seems to be tuberculosis PCR. Outcome is frequently favorable if late diagnosis is avoided.

Adult↗

[Neurologic emergencies].

Neurological symptoms are a very frequent cause of consultation in emergency units and require consultation with neurologists and neuroradiologists. The most frequent diagnoses are stroke syndrome, seizure, headache, confusion, meningitis and meningo-encephalitis, and facial palsy. The morbidity and mortality of neurological emergencies are strongly related to prompt medical management of the patients which often requires neuroimaging studies. The most common neurological emergencies will be reviewed.

Coma↗

[Headaches in the emergency context].

Headaches constitute one of the most frequent reason of consultation. Their causes are extremely varied. The first step consists in the analysis of the characteristics of the pain and the associated signs in order to distinguish primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches, including migraines and tension-type headaches are the most frequent types and do not require imaging evaluation. Secondary headaches are related to an organic cause and require specific investigations. In case of suspected symptomatic or secondary headaches, brain imaging plays an important role in the etiologic work-up. The main purpose of imaging in an emergency setting is to diagnose a life-threatening disease.

Acute Disease↗

[Cerebellar cortical dysplasia: MRI aspects and significance].

Because it is now possible to obtain high-resolution multiplanar MR imaging of the cerebellum and because of the developing interest on the role of the cerebellum on higher brain functions, we have decided to study the process of cerebellar fissuration. All brain MRI examinations performed in children for varied neurological and neurosurgical indications, especially children with non-specific mental retardation and patients with cerebral malformation detected at initial imaging work-up, were reviewed. Fissuration and lobulation anomalies (abnormal orientation of fissures, pseudopolymicrogyria, cortical thickening, subcortical cysts and heterotopia) were identified that we called cerebellar cortical dysplasia (CCD). In order to better understand the origin of this malformation, current data on cerebellar embryogenesis and histogenesis will be reviewed, and the pathological and radiological features will be illustrated. Milder forms of CCD represent a distinct group of anomalies that should be distinguished from other types of cerebellar dysplasia (agenesis, hypoplasia or complex dysplasia with involvement of the cerebellar vermis (rhombencephalosynapsis)) or combined cerebellar and cerebral dysplasia (muscular dystrophies and lissencephaly). Recognition of cerebellar cortical dysplasia could be a first step towards a broader understanding of its pathogenesis and significance.

Adolescent↗

Devic's neuromyelitis optica: clinical, laboratory, MRI and outcome profile.

Devic's neuromyelitis optica (NMO) associates optic neuritis and myelitis without any other neurological signs. Many patients with NMO may be diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis and myelitis being the inaugural symptom in 20% and 5% of MS cases, respectively. The aim of our study was to compare a new NMO cohort with recent studies and to try to determine the place of NMO in the spectrum of MS. We retrospectively studied 13 patients with a complete diagnostic workup for NMO. We compared our data with the most recent studies on NMO and with the criteria proposed by Wingerchuck et al. [Neurology 53 (1999) 1107]. We also determined whether these patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for MS. Thirteen patients (10 women and three men, with a mean age of 37.4 years) were included in the study. We found similar results to previously published data, except for an association with vasculitis in 38% of our cases. All but three of the patients fulfilled the clinical criteria for MS and two patients fulfilled both clinical and MRI criteria for MS. However, if we applied more restrictive criteria concerning spinal cord and brain MRI and CSF, none of our NMO patients fulfilled the MS diagnostic criteria. NMO might therefore be differentiated from MS by the application of more stringent criteria. Furthermore, all NMO patients should be investigated for vasculitis, even those with no history of systemic disease.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗