Thoracic spinal canal stenosis: a case report.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Ilkko.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Eighteen patients with non-surgically treated lumbar disc herniation underwent follow-up CT examination at an average of 5.2 years (range 4.3-6.1 years) after their initial examination. In 12 of the patients disc herniation had resolved, although only five of these patients had complete relief of symptoms. Although disc herniation has a tendency to heal spontaneously, there is poor correlation between the morphological changes and the relief of pain.
The CT findings of 29 patients with recurrent lumbar disc herniation, confirmed at reoperation, were analyzed. The shape of the recurrent herniation varied from a shallow bulge to round or triangular mass. Every lesion presented density numbers compatible with disc material. An enhancement study was made in six cases, and the lesions remained non-enhanced. Density measurement on CT proved reliable in the differential diagnosis between recurrent disc herniation and postoperative scar.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The radiation doses of the vertebral bodies and ovaries in lumbar CT and myelography were compared using a phantom. The CT examinations were performed with two different scanners using four different programs. At CT the radiation maximum doses of the vertebral bodies were higher than at myelography but the ovarian doses were lower. The radiation exposure does not prevent the use of CT instead of myelography, but the area of examination and the number of pictures should be limited to the minimum based on the clinical enquiry.
In 67 patients the diagnostic efficacy of thoracic spine CT was assessed. Diagnoses suspected clinically or by other examination methods could be confirmed by CT in 81% and excluded in 18% of cases. In one per cent (one case) the diagnosis, myelopathia vascularis, could not be seen by CT nor by myelography. In 49 cases the results of thoracic spine CT and myelography were compared with each other. CT gave additional information to myelography in 27% (13/49), but not in 73% (36/49). In 27% (18/67) of the whole material CT was able to replace myelography. It seems that CT is useless if myelography is normal, but CT may be useful in tumors, infections and medullary diseases. In traumas CT may replace myelography.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The language development of 17 very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm children was compared with that of matched controls at the ages of 2 and 4 years. At the age of 2 years, the VLBW preterm children achieved significantly lower scores in the language comprehension test than their matched controls. In addition, they used shorter and more immature sentences. At the age of 4 years, difficulties in the VLBW preterm children manifested as deficiencies in language comprehension, naming and auditory discrimination. The language test results at the age of 2 years significantly correlated with those at the age of 4 years, but mainly in the preterm group. The highest and most frequent correlations were found between the language test scores at 2 years and the auditory discrimination test scores at 4 years. The only significant correlation to be found in the control group was between the vocabulary test score at 2 years and the consonant discrimination test score at 4 years. Therefore, language development of the VLBW preterm children should be measured and monitored from toddler age onwards. Special attention should be paid to measurements of auditory processing. While the results of the present study, however, represent mainly the outcome in a group of VLBW preterm children with changes in the neonatal MRI, the results should not be generalized to all VLBW preterm children.
Computed tomography (CT) findings following lumbar disc surgery were analyzed in a series of 53 patients one week after surgery and in another series of 43 patients 6 months to 20 years (average 4.3 years) after surgery. In addition to changes caused by the surgical exposition (laminotomy or laminectomy, gas bubbles) a mass lesion was found on the posterior aspect of the disc in all cases. Hypodensity of the disc interspace as well as vacuolization were found in several cases. These changes were less in the patients examined late after surgery but the CT findings were never completely normal. Findings characteristic of recurrent prolapse included disc-like attenuation values within the mass and non-enhancement with contrast medium. Hypodensity of the disc interspace is associated with discitis but as a non-specific finding it is insufficient in itself for diagnosis of discitis.