[Management of vasospasm from subarachnoid hemorrhage. Attitude of French centers. French Society of Neuroradiology].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to O Levrier.
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Human brains present a clear asymmetry of the postero-lateral cortical area, so called "planum temporale" (Geschwind and Levitsky). This asymmetry is on favour of the left brain. A similar asymmetry is observed on the parietal operculum. MRI studies of 37 healthy volunteers have shown a clear difference between individuals. Mixing the index of temporal and parietal asymmetry, the authors consider four types: the most frequent pattern concerns 90% of right handed. For the others, 10% there are left handed as right handed. On conclusion, planum as many asymmetry and opercular asymmetry can be divergent, and both canan to determines handedness.
An accurate knowledge of cerebral anatomy is important in order to evaluate the precise location of a cerebral lesion. Cortical structures are identified by knowledge of the adjacent gyri and sulci; however, white matter tracts are difficult to differentiate from one another due to the lack of clear anatomic landmarks. Therefore, even if MRI shows obvious white matter abnormalities, in some cases it is difficult accurately to localize the lesion. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the location of the main white matter tracts by using three-dimensional MR imaging. MRI study was performed by 1.5 Tesla (Signa: General Electric). Computer assisted analysis with Voxtool software (General Electric) was used to generate both surface brain and tomographic images. The exact anatomic basis of white matter signal abnormalities is important when analyzing patients with disconnective syndromes or neuropsychological deficits such as conduction aphasia, visuospatial deficit etc. This preliminary attempt at constructing a three-dimensional MRI white matter atlas of the brain may be helpful for evaluating the anatomico-clinical correlations in these patients, and also as teaching materials for the clinical (neurologic, neurosurgical), anatomic and radiographic disciplines.
Between July 1992 and August 1995, 11 patients with pineal region tumors (PRTs) were treated at our center. Ages ranged from 8 to 72 years (median 21). Diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination in 7 patients. The remaining cases had strong neuroradiological and marker evidence of the diagnosis, so that a stereotactic biopsy could be avoided. The pathological diagnoses were pinealocytoma (n = 1), tectal astrocytoma (n = 1), germinoma (n = 2), pinealoblastoma (n = 2), and meningioma (n = 3). The marginal dose of these tumors ranged from 12 to 18-20 Gy. Conventional external radiotherapy was never used in this series. With a median follow-up of 12.3 months (range 2-34), all tumors responded to treatment and disappeared or ceased growing. We observed no mortality or major morbidity. One patient (tectal astrocytoma) had a mild radiation-induced reaction, with headache and transient worsening of an abducent nerve palsy, which were controlled with steroids. In germinomas and pinealoblastomas, recovery of normal cerebrospinal fluid circulation was observed in less than 7 days, in parallel with major tumor shrinkage. In this study we confirm that radiosurgery can be an effective and safe alternative for the treatment of pinealocytomas and low-grade tectal gliomas. Moreover, we consider that the characteristics of the radiosurgery technique suggest the method should be evaluated for the treatment of malignant PRTs.
Reflex seizures induced by higher mental activity is rare. We report the case of a young man with myoclonic jerks and generalized tonico-clonic convulsion precipitated by calculation, playing chess and scrabble. Routine EEG, including hyperventilation and photic stimulation, showed no abnormality. Tests stimulation procedures, including spatial tasks, induced focal and generalized EEG spike-wave complex and myoclonic jerks. Valproate was effective in reducing epileptic seizures during a follow-up period of three years. Comparison of our case with previously reported reflex epilepsy with seizures induced by higher mental activity is discussed.
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All the well-documented radiosurgery of epilepsy cases are secondary epilepsies with space-occupying lesions. These results have prompted the idea of testing radiosurgery as a new way of treating epilepsy without space-occupying lesions. We have treated 4 patients with 'mesial temporal lobe epilepsy'. The preoperative evaluation programme was one we usually perform for patients selected for microsurgery of epilepsy. We report the baselines of this treatment, the radiosurgical protocol details, and preliminary results for the first patient treated (follow-up 16 months). Since treatment, the patient has been seizure free, but it is too soon to draw long-term conclusions about the efficiency of the radiosurgery of epilepsy. Morphological (MRI) and functional (PET scan) changes are discussed in relation to our technical choices. Our amygdaloentorhinohippocampal target has been selectively injured.
Functional activations of the human brain cortex were observed with a standard 1.5-tesla MR imaging system using a long time echo fast low-angle shot sequence. Neural activation increases regional cerebral blood flow resulting in increased capillaries and venous blood oxygenation. Processing requires adapted algorithms because the time course of intensity signal showed fluctuations of the baseline. The use of a 'follow-up' method to generate activation maps is proposed. Brain activation was detected in striate cortex during photic stimulation and in sensorimotor areas while subjects were moving their hands. In mental imagery tasks, we observed a primary and secondary visual cortex activation during memory recall of the flashing light. Motor ideation showed an activation of the rolandic areas.
PURPOSE: To determine the location of hand function in the sensorimotor cortex using MR and positron emission tomography imaging studies. METHODS: Anatomic and physiological methods were used for this study. Anatomic study was based on the MR analysis of 22 subjects. The length of the sensorimotor cortex was measured in the axial and sagittal planes. Physiologic study was based on the positron emission tomography studies of 4 subjects. Each of the studies was correlated with MR. RESULTS: We found that the superior genu of the central sulcus corresponds to hand function in the sensorimotor cortex. This level may prove useful for any clinical correlations or for surgery. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, the hand function area in the sensorimotor cortex is easily understood with its characteristic shape in axial MR scan. The comparison of MR and positron emission tomography data clearly show anatomic correlations. This may be applied to the functional mapping of the pathologic studies in the sensorimotor cortex regions.
The detection or suspicion of a tumoral expansive process in the third ventricule is usually performed by MRI. The contribution of MRI to the diagnosis is unquestionable in view of its accuracy in the topographical characterization of these lesions and in the detection of small formations. The great histological variety of tumours in that region may result in different treatments which can be associated. MRI, therefore, plays an important role in pretherapeutic morphological evaluation. Fifteen patients with tumour of the third ventricle were examined by MRI before treatment. The results of these examinations were compared with the pathological data and the therapeutic procedures: ventricular shunting, stereotactic needle biopsy, radio- or chemotherapy and surgery. MRI cannot provide a formal histological characterization, but it can individualise some categories of tumours, give details on the walls of the third ventricle (notably in the case of bifocal pineal and suprassellar lesions), visualize the paths of CSF flow and predict the need for cisternoventriculostomy, and detect venous structures in the vicinity of the great cerebral vein which might result in post-biopsy and post-surgery complications.