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Biomedical subjects

S Chanalet

Publications and source records attributed to S Chanalet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Recurrent aseptic meningitis associated with primary biliary cirrhosis].

INTRODUCTION: The etiological diagnosis of recurrent aseptic meningitis often requires difficult investigations. We report a case of recurrent aseptic meningitis associated with a primary biliary cirrhosis. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old woman presented four recurrences of isolated meningitic syndrome with fever. Intravenous steroid treatment was effective. Investigations revealed an old right tympano-labyrinthine fracture with, on MRI, an abnormal enhancement of the posterior wall of the internal auditory canal. Serum tests were also significantly positive for antimitochondria antibodies subtype M2. CONCLUSION: Definitive diagnosis was recurrent puriform aseptic meningitis secondary to an inflammatory non-septic ears-nose-throat focus in a latent autoimmune context of primary biliary cirrhosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in literature.

Adult↗

Long-term outcome of oligodendrogliomas.

BACKGROUND: Favorable prognostic factors for oligodendroglial tumors include age younger than 40 years, low tumor grade, and extent of resection. OBJECTIVE: To assess survival time and prognostic factors of 100 patients with oligodendrogliomas diagnosed between 1995 and 2002. METHODS: The tumors were rated histologically by the WHO classification as low grade (grade II) or anaplastic (grade III). One hundred patients were categorized into three groups: group A: grade II, group B: secondary grade III (low grade with anaplastic transformation during the follow-up), group C: de novo grade III. All patients were symptomatic at presentation and underwent neurosurgical procedure for histologic diagnosis. Follow-up was performed with clinical assessment, brain MRI, and MIBI scintigraphy. RESULTS: There were 66 men and 34 women (mean age at diagnosis 46.7 years). The most common first symptom was partial epileptic seizure (75%). Fifty-six patients had initial gadolinium enhancement (A: 15.6%; B: 36.8% as grade II, 95% as grade III; C: 90%), generally associated with MIBI hypermetabolism (p < 0.0001). Survival rates at 2, 5, and 10 years were A: 88%, 88%, 85%; B: 79%, 64%, 42%; C: 43%, 16%, 15%. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary anaplastic oligodendroglioma patients were younger than patients with de novo anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. Histologic confirmation is mandatory because some low grade oligodendrogliomas had gadolinium enhancement on MRI and some anaplastic did not. Survival time was longer for secondary than for de novo anaplastic oligodendrogliomas without difference in the duration of the malignant phase of the disease.

Adolescent↗

[Image processing and radiotherapy].

Medical images are of great importance in radiotherapy, which became a privileged application field for image processing techniques. Moreover, because of the progression of the computers' performances, these techniques are also in full expansion. Today, the recent developments of the radiotherapy (3DCR, IMRT) offer a huge place to them. Effectively, they can potentially answer to the precision requirements of the modern radiotherapy, and may then contribute to improve the delivered treatments. The purpose of this article is to present the different image processing techniques that are currently used in radiotherapy (including image matching and segmentation) as they are described in the literature.

Algorithms↗

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for symptomatic non operable grade II fibrillary astrocytoma in adults].

We collected 6 case-reports of symptomatric non removable low grade fibrillary astrocytoma of adults treated with a procarbazine-CCNU-vincristine chemotherapy regimen. All patients had drug-resistant epilepsy but brain imaging was stable. Total gross resection was rejected because of Volume or tumor location. After 4 to 7 cycles of chemotherapy, 2 patients had partial response and one minor response on brain MRI. All of them were seizure-free. Progression free survival was not reached at 5 Years. Up-front chemotherapy for low-grade astrocytomas may be useful and has to be prospectively evaluated.

Adult↗

[Treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis with monthly pulsed cyclophosphamide-methylprednisolone: predictive factors of treatment response].

INTRODUCTION: Cyclophospamide is used in the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis. We were looking for predictive indicators of treatment response. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-seven patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and seven others with primary progressive received monthly infusions of cyclophosphamide (750mg/m2) and methylprednisolone (500mg). During the year before cyclophosphamide the EDSS had worsened one point in all patients with or without surimposed relapses. Evaluation was based on EDSS change at 6, 12, 24 months and 5 years. RESULTS: Among secondary progressive patients, 91 per 100 (43/47) were stable or improved at 12 months, 65 per 100 (26/40) at 24 months and 22 per 100 (5/23) at 5 years. Annual relapse rate decreased from 0.81 before treatment to 0.48 during treatment and 0.12 after treatment (p<0.001). At 24 months, efficacy was correlated to a progressive phase lasting less than 5 years (p<0.01) and to a rapid increase of EDSS of at least 2 points the year before treatment (p<0.05). There were no influences of age, EDSS and surimposed relapses at the beginning of treatment, and other immunoactive drugs administrated before cyclophosphamide. There was no significant difference in quality of response to treatment between patients with primary progressive and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. CONCLUSION: Cyclophosphamide appears to be more efficient in early stage of progressive multiple sclerosis independently of age, relapses or neurological disability scale.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[The contribution of automatic anatomical matching of sequential brain MRI scans in the monitoring of multiple sclerosis lesions].

INTRODUCTION: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has transformed management of patients with multiple sclerosis. The exact contribution of brain MRI remains a subject of debate, but it is generally considered to provide a more specific and more sensitive outcome measure for monitoring purposes and for testing new therapies. The choice of MRI techniques, and measurement reproducibility for multiple sclerosis brain lesions are not defined with precision for routine practice. There are many sources of error when comparing successive images which can be overcome to some extent with repositioning and image processing techniques. METHODS: We evaluated the impact of image repositioning on treatment decision-making for twelve relapsing remitting patients. Brain MRIs were performed every three months for a one-year period. Two neurologists interpreted the non-repositioned and repositioned images giving their analysis of changes in the lesions visualized on the T2 sequences and their therapeutic decisions. RESULTS: For the first neurologist, analysis of the non-repositioned images yielded six patients whose lesions had worsened while for the repositioned images there were only three. For the second neurologist, four patients had more lesions with the non-repositioned images and only three with repositioning. The subjective interpretations were the same for the two neurologists when they used repositioned images. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison by two neurologists of non-repositioned and repositioned MRI, with no other image processing, affected the analysis and in certain cases propositions for treatment.

Adolescent↗

[Relapsing-remitting inflammatory disease of the central nervous system with normal MRI: multiple sclerosis or phenocopy in a series of 15 patients].

Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease of central nervous system. Although many sub-types and clinical forms are identified, diagnosis is clearly related to the detection of MS lesions on brain MRI. We report data of 15 patients admitted in Nice for suspicion of MS after clinical relapsing-remitting or progressive symptoms. Extensive screening tests (i.e blood sample, CSF, MRI, spectroscopy) were performed at onset and at each relapse. All patients had normal-appearing white matter on spinal cord and brain MRI. Nevertheless, 11 patients can be considered as MS according to McDonald criteria.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[Castleman's disease located in the central nervous system].

A 26-year-old woman complained of trijeminal nevralgy and ocular symptoms revealing a paracavernal tumor which had progressed for three months. Histopathological analysis after partial resection led to the diagnosis of Castleman's disease. Six months later, the patient was considered cured after focal adjuvant radiotherapy. Castleman's disease is a lymphoproliferative disorder. Solitary intracranial involvement is unusual. Unlike multifocal disease, localized Castleman's disease has an excellent prognosis.

Adult↗

[Intravenous immunoglobulins for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis after failure of treatment with other immuno-modulators].

Intravenous immunoglobulins are used in the treatment of different autoimmune diseases. Recent trials suggest their efficacy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. We report the results of an efficacy and safety trial using monthly intravenous injections of immunoglobulins for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Eighteen patients in clinical progression, who have been previously treated with immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive drugs, were given monthly intravenous immunoglobulin infusions (0.4 g/kg/d for 5 days). At the beginning, the mean EDSS score was 6.77. At the end of the study, an improvement of EDSS was noted in 61.1 p. cent of patients, with less than 1 and 0.75 for secondary and primary progressive diseases respectively. No worsening was reported. Surprisingly, some patients had partial improvement of neurological functions which were considered as sequelae. Indications for intravenous immunoglobulins in the treatment of the multiple sclerosis need to be evaluated.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Hypothalamic-pituitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis: a diagnostic challenge.

Four cases of hypothalamic-pituitary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) are reported, highlighting the expanding spectrum of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in adults. The diagnostic challenge of hypothalamic-pituitary LCH is emphasized in cases revealed as supra-sellar tumors with panhypopituitarism or as isolated central diabetes insipidus. Diagnosis is confirmed by histological examination showing infiltration with CD1a positive histiocytes. General guidelines for diagnosis procedure are drawn out, including the neurosurgical biopsy in particular cases.

Adult↗

Leukoencephalopathy in multiple myeloma: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: No case of leukoencephalopathy has been reported associated with multiple myeloma. PATIENTS: We report on two patients with a very rare association of leukoencephalopathy and multiple myeloma revealed by cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Chemotherapy has improved neurological and biological signs. Radiological abnormalities have been stabilized. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that leukoencephalopathy is probably a direct cerebral expression of malignant gammopathy.

Aged↗

Solitary meningeal plasmacytomas.

BACKGROUND: Solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (SEP) represents a rare separate clinical pathological entity; it is radiosensitive, curable, and unrelated to myeloma. Only 15 cases have been reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Authors report two well documented cases of dural plasmocytomas mimicking meningiomas. This paper points out differences between plasmacytomas, with very different initial presentation, and other meningeal tumors including extensive radiological investigations. Diagnostic options and outcomes are discussed. CONCLUSION: With solitary plasmacytomas, radiological diagnosis is difficult to assess. Serum is generally free of monoclonal protein. The importance of the most recent techniques in ruling out other pathological entities is stressed. Histopathological examination is required to document a monoclonal type of plasma cell tumor. Treatment includes surgery and radiotherapy. Differential radiological diagnosis will be discussed.

Adult↗

Nontraumatic spinal epidural hematoma: report of four cases and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is a rare entity. We report four cases of nontraumatic spinal epidural hematomas observed from 1990 to 1994. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: In two cases, the causes were determined to be an acquired coagulopathy and a vascular malformation; in the other two cases, no causes were detected. We reviewed 85 cases in the literature, with particular emphasis on the various causes detected (coagulopathy, vascular malformations, tumor) and the diagnostic methods used. INTERVENTION: All the patients were investigated by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: We considered the expression "nontraumatic epidural hematoma" to be less ambiguous than "spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma," which is the one that is usually used in the literature and corresponds to various definitions. In the absence of any signs suggestive of vascular malformation on magnetic resonance imaging, preoperative angiography is not essential and need not delay the surgical procedure, because the timing of the surgery, together with the preoperative clinical state, determines the quality of the clinical result.

Adult↗

Benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura: MR study and pathologic correlation.

Benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura is a rare tumor of mesodermal origin. We describe the MR findings in three pathologically proven cases. All three tumors were imaged by MR as well-circumscribed lesions with smooth margins in contact with the pleura, but without chest wall invasion. Their low signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted sequences reflect their fibrous nature. In one case a pedicle connecting the tumor to the chest wall was visualized on a sagittal MR scan. In two cases gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted gradient echo sequences revealed intense contrast uptake by the tumor correlated with the intratumoral hypervascularization noted by histologic examination. Although the number of cases presented is small, MR seems to be the most accurate imaging modality in the assessment of the diagnosis.

Aged↗

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome with subependymal periventricular heterotopias.

A 24-year-old woman with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome had complex partial and right sensory motor seizures. MRI showed periventricular subependymal heterotopias, agenesis of the posterior part of the corpus callosum, mega cisterna magna, and aneurysms of the sinuses of Valsalva. This may constitute a new subtype of type 1 Ehlers-Danlos syndrome characterized by X-linked periventricular subependymal heterotopias and epilepsy.

Adult↗