PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

R A Hyman

Publications and source records attributed to R A Hyman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Far lateral lumbar disc herniations and associated structural abnormalities. An evaluation in 60 patients of the comparative value of CT, MRI, and myelo-CT in diagnosis and management.

The management of 60 patients with far lateral lumbar disc herniations operated on over a 5-year period are presented. These lesions were located superiorly within the neural foramens beneath or distal to the facet joints. The type of surgery performed in 43 of 60 (72%) of these patients was significantly altered by the presence of diffuse and lateral recess stenosis. This was better appreciated on the myelogram and myelo-CT (M-CT) studies than with the noncontrast CT and MRI examinations alone. Myelo-CT findings were particularly valuable in assessing patients who had previous surgical procedures.

Female

Intraocular radiation blocking.

Iodine-based liquid radiographic contrast agents were placed in normal and tumor-bearing (Greene strain) rabbit eyes to evaluate their ability to block iodine-125 radiation. This experiment required the procedures of tumor implantation, vitrectomy, air-fluid exchange, and 125I plaque and thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) chip implantation. The authors quantified the amount of radiation attenuation provided by intraocularly placed contrast agents with in vivo dosimetry. After intraocular insertion of a blocking agent or sham blocker (saline) insertion, episcleral 125I plaques were placed across the eye from episcleral TLD dosimeters. This showed that radiation attenuation occurred after blocker insertion compared with the saline controls. Then computed tomographic imaging techniques were used to describe the relatively rapid transit time of the aqueous-based iohexol compared with the slow transit time of the oil-like iophendylate. Lastly, seven nontumor-bearing eyes were primarily examined for blocking agent-related ocular toxicity. Although it was noted that iophendylate induced intraocular inflammation and retinal degeneration, all iohexol-treated eyes were similar to the control eyes at 7 and 31 days of follow-up. Although our study suggests that intraocular radiopaque materials can be used to shield normal ocular structures during 125I plaque irradiation, a mechanism to keep these materials from exiting the eye must be devised before clinical application.

Animals

Computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. A collaborative interinstitutional study.

A retrospective study (1983-1984) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) examinations in 471 patients with known pathology in the brain and craniocervical junction was conducted in order to determine the relative efficacy of MRI versus CT. All MRI examinations involved slice thickness greater than 10 mm, and only single-slice single-echo or multislice single-echo imaging techniques were available. These studies were evaluated independently by two neuroradiologists from a panel of six for anatomic abnormalities, lesion contrast, and radiologist's impression. Results, which excluded microadenomas of the pituitary and approximately 9% of studies in which consensus was not achieved by the readers, were as follows: (1) 14% of the studies were positive on MRI but normal on CT; (2) in 55% of the studies, MRI was better than CT; (3) MRI was equal or better than CT in 95% of the studies; and (4) CT was better than MRI in 5% (21/421) of the examinations. There were no patients in this series where CT was positive but MRI missed the abnormality.

Adult

Aneurysms and vascular malformations.

Intracranial aneurysms and vascular malformations are frequently detected following intracranial hemorrhages. A CT scan is the most sensitive method of detecting acute subarachnoid, parenchymal, and intraventricular hemorrhages. Small aneurysms are inconsistently visualized on MR scans. Angiography remains the standard for complete and accurate depiction of patent aneurysms, as well as of arteriovenous and venous malformations that have not thrombosed. Giant and thrombosed aneurysms present as mass lesions and are frequently detected when MR is used as a screening examination. Often MRI characterizes these lesions better than CT or angiography. Patients with vascular malformations who have focal neurologic symptoms without hemorrhage are best evaluated with MRI. Patent vascular malformations demonstrating flow void and other flow-related phenomena are readily demonstrated. Occult vascular malformations, including thrombosed arteriovenous, venous, and cavernous malformations and telangiectasia, are also best detected by MRI and are not visible on angiography.

Cerebral Angiography

Computed tomography: regression of periventricular enhancing lesions in multiple sclerosis.

A patient with two periventricular enhancing lesions on computed tomography subsequently demonstrated clearing of these abnormalities without treatment and a clinical course compatible with multiple sclerosis. CT scans obtained in disease processes associated with acute demyelination and alteration of the blood-brain barrier can show enhancing lesions. These lesions can initially be confused with primary or secondary neoplasms, enhancing infarcts or arteriovenous malformation. The differential diagnosis of enhancing lesions without significant mass effect should initially include the acute phase of multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating processes.

Adult

The big rib sign: localization of basal pulmonary pathology in lateral projection utilizing differential magnification of the two hemithoraces.

Basal pulmonary pathology which silhouettes the hemidiaphragm in lateral view may not be detectable in routine postero-anterior projection. In such cases, correct lateralization of pathology to the left or right hemithorax depends on accurate identification of the silhouetted left and right hemidiaphragm in lateral view. A prospective analysis of the sensitivity and accuracy of five techniques for identifying the left and right hemidiaphragms in more than 100 patients revealed that the most accurate method for lateralizing juxtadiaphragmatic pathology was the "big rib" sign, a technique based upon the relative difference in magnification between the left and right ribs. Techniques based upon the visceral gas bubble or upon obscuration of the anterior portion of the left hemidiaphragm by the heart proved less useful. Techniques based upon the position and configuration of the major fissures or upon higher and lower position of the two hemidiaphragms were ineffective.

Adult

Cervical myelopathy caused by developmental stenosis of the spinal canal.

The authors present six patients with myelopathy caused by developmental stenosis of the cervical spine. Hyperextension injuries precipitated the onset of symptoms in two patients, aged 19 and 20 years. In four, 41 to 69 years of age, symptoms were gradual in onset, progressing to severe disability. X-ray films revealed narrowing of the dorsoventral diameter of the spinal canal to as little as 1.0 cm. The myelograms showed widening of the cord in the transverse plane strongly suggestive of an intramedullary tumor. A unique finding was maldevelopment with flattening of the neural arch often hidden by the posterior portions of the articular facets when seen in the lateral views. These patients showed no significant evidence of spondylosis, arthrosis, or any of the structural stigmata usually observed in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. When indicated, decompressive laminectomy is the treatment of choice.

Adult

Computed tomographic evaluation of therapeutically induced changes in primary and secondary brain tumors.

A prospective study was initiated to evaluate computed tomography as a method for monitoring therapeutically induced changes in brain tumors. Early postoperative scans may be misleading in the evaluation of residual tumor because of trauma to the blood-brain barrier during operation. The size of the dominant mass (17/25), enhancement (11/25), edema (11/25), and ventricular distortion (14/25) were decreased in many patients after radiation therapy. Occasional tumors increased in size during radiation therapy (3/25). Enlargement of the lateral ventricles developed in 9 of 25 patients. Computed tomography offers definite advantages over nuclide brain scans, angiography and other diagnostic studies for evaluating therapeutically induced changes in brain tumors.

Brain Neoplasms

The origin of the left gastric artery.

Five hundred celiac angiograms were reviewed to evaluate the frequency of clinically significant variations in the origin of the left gastric artery. In 13 of 500 cases, the left gastric artery arose anomalously most often as a direct branch of the aorta; in 14 of 500 cases, the left gastric artery primarily supplied the liver with only minor contributions to the stomach. An aberrant origin of the left gastric artery necessarily influences the angiographic diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Angiography

Endocystography in cystic neurilemmoma.

During myelographic evaluation for a suspected herniated disc, a cystic neurilemmoma in the lower lumbar region was inadvertently punctured and a contrast study of the interior of the lesion resulted. The possibility of puncture of a cystic mass should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a complete block is encountered above and below the site of needle puncutre, and particularly when the contrast column demonstrates a relatively smooth biconcave appearance.

Cysts

The widened interspinous distance: a useful sign of anterior cervical dislocation in the supine frontal projection.

Anterior dislocation of the cervical spine may be detected reliably in the supine frontal projection by evaluating the cervical spinous processes. A widened interspinous distance (ISD) which measures more than one and one-half times the ISD above and more than one and one-half times the ISD below indicates the presence of an anterior cervical dislocation at the level of abnormal widening. Measurements of the interspinous distances from the C3-C4 interval through the C7-T1 interval in 500 patients with normal cervical spines and in 14 patients with documented anterior cervical dislocations revealed neither false positive nor false negative diagnoses by these criteria.

Adolescent

Angiographic patterns of posttraumatic renal scarring.

Evaluation of 19 patients with a history of renal trauma revealed three angiographic features helper in the diagnosis of posttraumatic renal scarring: (1) a cup-shaped renal contour defect characterized by smooth margins, infolding of the renal cortex, and extension of the calyces to the edge of the defect; (2) occlusion of an extra- or intrarenal artery associated with a distal avascular zone of infarction; and (3) a grossly heterogeneous nephrogram characterized by scattered islands of renal tissue separated by broad or narrow avascular scars. Limited pathologic correlation suggests that the cup-shaped contour defect reflects subcapsular hemorrhage and that the mottled, heterogeneous nephrogram reflects a shattered kidney.

Adult

Benign pneumoperitoneum after fiberoptic colonoscopy. A prospective study of 100 patients.

A prospective study of 100 consecutive unselected patients undergoing both diagnostic and therapeutic firoptic colonoscopy was undertaken. Our incidence of colonic perforation is 1%, which is similar to the incidence reported in the literature. This study suggests that even when immediate postcolonoscopic supine and erect abdominal radiographs as well as pre- and postcolonoscopic total blood counts and enzyme levels to supplement clinical impressions are obtained, the incidence of perforation of the colon after fiberoptic colonoscopy is low and not any higher than that reported in the literature. Pneumoperitoneum may occur after fiberoptic colonoscopy with minimal or no clinical evidence suggesting perforation. Perforation in some patients may be treated conservatively without the need of emergency laparotomy.

Adult

Parasitic lumbar arterial blood supply in renal angiomyolipoma.

A young woman with azotemia was found to have an angiomyolipoma which had parasitic blood supply from a lumbar artery. Parasitic lumbar arterial blood supply from a lumbar artery. Parasitic lumbar arterial blood supply has previously been considered a strong indication of malignancy. Since this benign lesion had not invaded the adjacent retroperitoneal structures, the phenomenon tends to confirm the postulate that parasitic blood supply to a lesion may occur through hypertrophy of small anastomotic channels normally present between adjacent vessels but not normally seen in angiography.

Adult

Bulbous splenic vein as a cause of renal pseudotumor.

A number renal and suprarenal pseudotumors have been described during the past two decades, paralleling the development of selective visceral angiography. An apparent left upper pole renal mass in a 71-year-old hypertensive man was found to ba a bulbous portion of the splenic vein during angiography. The anatomical basis of this renal pseudotumor is discussed.

Aged