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Biomedical subjects

N Saeki

Publications and source records attributed to N Saeki.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Comparative performance of magnetic resonance angiography and conventional angiography in moyamoya disease.

Patients with moyamoya disease verified by conventional cerebral angiography (CCA) were evaluated by means of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), in order to clarify its advantages and limitations in comparison with CCA. This retrospective study was carried out in 13 hemispheres of seven patients with moyamoya disease (including one atypical patient). In MRA, magnetisation transfer contrast (MTC) and maximal intensity projection (MIP) techniques were used. A good correspondence between MRA and CCA was noted in 11 hemispheres (86.4%) on evaluating stenotic lesions and overestimation in the remaining 2. Underestimation of moyamoya vessels in MRA was noted in 3 hemispheres, since well developed moyamoya vessels were detectable, while poorly developed ones were not. No difference between MRA and CCA findings was found in 10 hemispheres (76.9%). MRA tends to overestimate the stenosis and underestimate moyamoya vessels. These characteristics may lead to wrong classification in the angiographic grade of patients with early and advanced stages and should be taken into consideration in interpreting MRA images of moyamoya disease (compatible rate of grade between MRA and CCA; 84.6%). In conclusion MRA with MTC and MIP techniques offers an acceptable quality of assessment of stenotic lesions and moyamoya vessels. MRA is a useful follow up method at present and in the near future it may replace CCA as the initial diagnostic tool.

Adult↗

Growth hormone secreting adenoma with unusual extension: coexisting pituitary cyst and its clinical significance.

A 58 year old man showed acromegalic features. The serum growth hormone (GH) level was 7.3 ng/ml and SMC (somatomedin-C) 637 U/ml. Triple stimulation test showed abnormal response compatible with a GH secreting tumour. The conventional enhanced MRI revealed a less enhanced hemisphere-shaped lesion at the right corner of the sella turcica. In addition, dynamic MRI demonstrated an elongated lesion extending to the left beyond the midline. The patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery. Besides the soft and suckable tumour at the right corner, we entered into a small cavity loosely filled with the tumour, which was subsequently also removed. The operative finding corresponded to the lesion shown in dynamic MRI. Postoperative GH and SMC levels became 2.3 ng/ml and 326 U/ml respectively. Incidental pituitary cystic lesions in autopsied cases have been reported to be 6-33%. This case had a GH secreting adenoma with coexisting pituitary cyst. The coexisting pituitary cyst supposedly influenced the unusual shape and extension of the pituitary adenoma. Coexistence of such lesion should be kept in mind for microadenoma on neuroradiological evaluation and on intraoperative inspection surrounding the tumour.

Adenoma↗

Ocular signs due to an oculomotor intranuclear lesion: palsy of adduction and contralateral eye elevation.

Reports on ocular signs of discrete oculomotor nuclear lesions have been rare. This is a case report of a patient with the sudden onset of limited adduction on the left side and bilateral elevation palsy, more pronounced on the right side. The symptoms lasted for 3 days. Neuroimaging study did not reveal a responsible lesion. The patient was diagnosed as having a lacunar infarct. It is neuroanatomically established that the oculomotor subnucleus to the superior rectus muscle primarily cross-innervates the muscle. The palsy of adduction and contralateral supraduction is most plausibly explained by a partial oculomotor nuclear lesion. This patient demonstrated the intranuclear close arrangement of the nerves for the superior and medial rectus muscles. This case reminds us of the clinical importance of basic anatomy based neurological examinations in this computer orientated, high tech era.

Adult↗

Fascicular arrangement within the oculomotor nerve MRI analysis of a midbrain infarct.

The fascicular arrangement of the oculomotor nerve within the midbrain is not adequately elucidated in humans. We treated a patient with a partial oculomotor palsy who had impaired adduction and supraduction on the left side, which were attributed to an ipsilateral lacunar infarct. CT and MRI revealed a discrete lesion in the centre of the midbrain tegmentum in the rostrocaudal plane. This case suggests that the oculomotor fibres for extraocular movement are located in the middle of the the midbrain, and supports the fascicular proximity of the superior and medial rectus muscles. The fascicular arrangement of the midbrain oculomotor nerve is speculated to be pupillary component, extraocular movement and eyelid elevation in that rostrocaudal order, based on the previous reports of neuro-ophthalmological impairment and MRI findings, which are analogous to the nuclear arrangement proposed by Warwick.

Cerebral Infarction↗

Rathke's cleft cyst with large frontal extension: unusual shape and pathomechanism of its formation.

The patient was a 62 year old woman who presented with a visual field defect. Magnetic resonance images showed an intra-and supra-sellar low intensity mass on T1 weighted images. The preoperative diagnosis was craniopharyngioma, Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC) or arachnoid cyst. The patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery & the pathological diagnosis was RCC. We conclude that although RCC has a round, ovoid or dumb-bell shaped configuration, it may present a unusual shape in cases with preconditions, as were seen in our patient.

Central Nervous System Cysts↗

Evaluation of outcome and QOL in patients with craniofacial resection for malignant tumors involving the anterior skull base.

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of anterior craniofacial resection in the treatment of nasal and paranasal malignant tumors involving anterior skull base. Between 1992 and 1998, 13 patients with nasal or paranasal malignant tumors underwent this surgical procedure. The site and time of metastasis or recurrence, and survival outcome were retrospectively surveyed. Current status of long-surviving patients and their subjective assessment of the surgical treatment were also evaluated through questionnaires. Median follow-up period was 52 months. Nine patients (69%) were alive with no evidence of disease. Of these patients, eight had survived for more than three years. Recurrence or metastasis occurred in four patients (31%). The mean time interval between surgery and recurrence or metastasis was 11 months. According to the results of questionnaires to long-surviving patients, 89% patients had some complaints. In particular, complaints of unsightly appearance were manifested by all these patients. When the patients themselves evaluated their current conditions resulting from this surgical treatment, 63% were dissatisfied. These results suggest that this surgical treatment is valid for selected patients in regard to survival outcome. When the effectiveness of this treatment is evaluated, however, psychological and functional issues should not be taken lightly.

Adolescent↗

Bilateral ptosis with pupil sparing because of a discrete midbrain lesion: magnetic resonance imaging evidence of topographic arrangement within the oculomotor nerve.

The topographic arrangement within the midbrain oculomotor nerve is not adequately elucidated in humans. Two patients with a partial oculomotor palsy because of a localized infarction or hematoma were treated. Both patients had bilateral ptosis, impaired adduction, and supraduction. One patient had impaired infraduction and pupillary involvement on one side. Results of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed discrete lesions at the dorsal midbrain tegmentum that spared the rostral midbrain. The authors' cases elucidate that pupillary components take the most rostral course. This report provides indirect magnetic resonance imaging evidence to prove the course of pupillary fibers. Based on the different neuro-ophthalmologic findings in the authors' cases (sparing or affecting pupillary component and infraduction), the nerves of the inferior rectus and inferior oblique for infraduction pass more rostrally than those of medial rectus, superior rectus, and levator palpebrae. The nuclear and fascicular arrangement within the midbrain oculomotor nerve is speculated to be pupillary, extraocular, and eyelid elevation in the rostro-caudal order, based on the neuro-ophthalmologic impairment and magnetic resonance imaging findings in the authors' patients and in previous animal experiments. Knowing the fascicular and nuclear arrangement within the midbrain in detail will offer diagnostic clues for differentiation of causes for partial oculomotor palsy.

Aged↗

Effects of octreotide infusion, surgery and estrogen on suppression of height increase and 20K growth hormone ratio in a girl with gigantism due to a growth hormone-secreting macroadenoma.

We treated an extremely tall 13-year-old girl with a growth hormone (GH)-secreting macroadenoma and GH levels of 120-495 ng/ml with a combination of preoperative octreotide infusion, surgery and postoperative octreotide infusion plus estrogen, which resulted in reduced tumor size prior to surgery, reduced GH levels and completely suppressed growth after surgery. 20K GH is produced by alternative splicing of 22K GH mRNA and the ratio of 20K GH to 22K GH is within a small range in the normal population and high in a GH-secreting tumor. The 20K/22K GH ratio in this patient was persistently elevated during each phase of the treatment and may serve as a sensitive index of tumor-derived GH secretion.

Adenoma↗

Recurrence of sellar and suprasellar tumors in children treated with hGH--relation to immunohistochemical study on GH receptor.

PURPOSE: GH replacement therapy is required in the majority of children with GH deficiency after treatment of sellar and suprasellar tumors. Owing to the high cell proliferative ability of human GH (hGH), its influence on tumor recurrence has been debated. We retrospectively studied the immunohistochemical expression of the GH receptor in various tumor tissues, in order to investigate the relation between tumor recurrence and hGH replacement. METHODS: GH replacement therapy was performed in 25 patients (8 boys and 17 girls) after the treatment. Tumor recurrence was noted in 4 patients (craniopharyngioma: 2 patients, pilocytic astrocytoma and germinoma: 1 each). Immunohistochemical study of GH receptor in tumor tissue was carried out in those recurrent and recurrence-free cases, by using MAb 263 as a primary antibody. RESULTS: Two patients with recurrent craniopharyngioma were positive for MAb 263, but 1 recurrence-free patient was negative. Patients with pilocytic astrocytoma (recurrent and recurrence-free: 1 each) were all positive. Five patients with germinoma (1 with recurrence and 4 without recurrence) were all negative. CONCLUSION: In the patients with craniopharyngioma treated with GH, a positive immunohistochemical expression of GH receptor in tumor tissue may indicate a high probability of recurrence. In our cases, GH receptor was positive in astrocytomas and negative in germinomas, with or without recurrence. It is therefore speculated that each brain tumor may have its specificity in GH receptor expression.

Adolescent↗

Incidence of malignant tumors in patients with acromegaly.

Neoplasms may be one of the systemic complications to which we attribute high mortality in acromegaly. The present study was designed to investigate the incidence of malignant tumors in patients with acromegaly in the Japanese population. In this report, 44 patients (25 men and 19 women) with biochemically proven acromegaly were studied retrospectively and had a total 670 patient years of the duration of acromegaly. We investigated the incidence of malignant tumors. There were 5 patients with malignant tumors (5 in men) in this study (11%). Male patients with acromegaly had nearly a 3.5 times higher ratio of malignancy than expected and this increased cancer incidence was considered significant (P=0.01). There was no significant increase in cancer incidence of either the total patient population or female patients. The malignant tumors were two thyroid cancers and one colon, one gastric and one bladder cancer. It is of note that the colon cancer of one patient was diagnosed 2 years after transsphenoidal surgery even though the levels of serum GH and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) were reduced to normal after operation. This preliminary study has suggested that male patients with acromegaly might have a high risk of malignancy and that careful screening for tumors is needed both before and after surgical and medical treatment, even in patients with normalized serum GH and IGF-1 levels.

Acromegaly↗

Pre-and post-operative respiratory assessment of acromegalics with sleep apnea--bedside oximetric study for transsphenoidal approach.

PURPOSE: Although routine mechanical nasal packing after transsphenoidal surgery (TS) is thought to increase respiratory disorders during sleep, there has been little in the literature about the pre- and post-operative airway assessment of acromegalics with sleep apnea (SA). We describe 4 acromegalic patients with SA, who underwent transsphenoidal surgery. METHODS AND CASES: The patients were all men, aged from 47 to 59 years. The pre- and post-operative sleep study consisted with a computer calculated oximetry parameter of oxygen desaturation index (ODI), which was defined as the number/hour of oxygen desaturation episodes exceeding 4% from the base line (normal range < 15). The postoperative (postop.) sleep study was carried out from the 1st postop. day to the 8th day, for 1 to 8 days, varying for each patient. RESULTS: Only the worst postop. result is shown. Patient 1 had 2 operations, 2 years apart. ODI was 39.6 before the 1st operation and 45.9 postop.. In the second operation ODI was 21.8 preoperatively (preop.) and 57.9 postop.. Preop. and postop. ODI was 18.1 and 22.2 in patient 2, 21.6 and 22.5 in patient 3 and 45.5 and 18.9 in patient 4, respectively. ODI of patient 4 was 39.6, 3 weeks later. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that the postop. oxymetric study commonly showed worse results in acromegalics with nasal packing. The better result of patient 4 was probably due to a postop. sleepless state. REM sleep usually increases in the first several postop. days, when cardiopulmonary complications are more likely to occur. Since acromegalics with severe SA and postop. nasal packing may more readily suffer from cardiopulmonary complications, postoperative meticulous respiratory monitoring and care should be mandatory.

Acromegaly↗

Bone CT evaluation of nasal cavity of acromegalics--its morphological and surgical implication in comparison to non-acromegalics.

PURPOSE: In order to numerically compare the morphological differences of the nasal cavity and nasal sinus between acromegalics and non-acromegalics, bone window CT scans sliced parallel to the transsphenoidal surgical route were performed. MATERIAL AND CASES: Acromegalic patients had small or large macroadenomas and were 13 (7 men and 6 women) in number, aged 53.2 +/- 16.1 years. Non-acromegalic patients had pituitary tumors and were 44 (21 men and 23 women) in number, aged 52.1 +/- 12.5 years. RESULTS: The results of acromegalics are described in comparison to non-acromegalics in parentheses. a) The width of the surgical corridor: piriform aperture, 27.6 +/- 2.7 (25.9 +/- 2.6) mm; origin of inferior nasal concha, 29.4 +/- 9.4 (26.6 +/- 4.0) mm; and origin of middle nasal concha, 29.8 +/- 3.2 (26.2 +/- 4.2) mm. b) The depth of the surgical corridor: the upper lip thickness, 18.1 +/- 2.7 (13.3 +/- 1.4) mm; the distances between piriform aperture and sphenoid wall, 52.9 +/- 4.6 (49 +/- 4.2) mm; sphenoid wall and sellar floor, 17.3 +/- 4.1 (18.7 +/- 4.1) mm; and sellar floor to dorsum sellae, 17.6 +/- 3.4 (15.6 +/- 4.0) mm. c) Marked carotid prominence: 7/13=53.4% (8/44=18.25%). d) Sinusitis: 8/13=61.5% (12/44=27.3%). DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: The data presented above show that morphological differences in bony nasal cavity and soft tissue may be responsible for a deeper and narrower surgical field for acromegalics. Acromegalics had a marked carotid prominence more frequently, which needs special attention to avoid carotid injury, when enlarging the surgical field. Knowing these morphological differences will provide useful information for peri- and intra-operative care.

Acromegaly↗

Glucocorticoid-dependency on GH secretion and tumor growth in a GH-producing pituitary adenoma with Cushing's syndrome.

We report a rare case of a 40-year-old woman with Cushing's syndrome and Acromegaly. At the age of 28 she was diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome due to a left adrenal tumor concomitant with a GH-producing pituitary tumor. Before adrenal surgery her basal GH levels were extremely high and CT scanning revealed a high-density mass in the sella turcica. A 28 g left adrenocortical adenoma was removed by adrenalectomy. During the four months after the adrenalectomy, basal GH levels dramatically decreased and the high-density mass detected by CT scanning had disappeared but the basal GH levels and IGF-1 had not been normalized. She gradually became acromegalic in the twelve years after the adrenalectomy. At the age of 40 CT scanning showed reappearance of the pituitary tumor. In order to examine the glucocorticoid dependency on GH secretion, we compared the GH secretion in a series of endocrinological tests before and after oral 8 mg dexamethasone administration for 7 days. There was no difference between before and after dexamethasone administration in the GH secreting pattern, but basal GH levels were apparently increased after dexamethasone treatment. Transsphenoidal surgery was done and pathological examination showed a GH-producing pituitary adenoma. In vitro, dexamethasone increased GH secretion from the cultured GH-producing adenoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. In this case, both GH secretion and pituitary tumor growth seemed to be dependent on glucocorticoid.

Acromegaly↗

Octreotide improved ventricular arrhythmia in an acromegalic patient.

We saw a remarkable effect of octreotide, the long-acting somatostatin analogue, in reducing the number of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) in a 59-year-old woman with acromegaly. Her basal GH and IGF-1 levels were up to 22.9 ng/ml and 934.9 ng/ml respectively. MRI revealed a 14 x 12 x 10 mm mass lesion in the pituitary gland. She had hypertension and echocardiography showed an increase in left ventricular wall thickness. Electric cardiography showed the presence of frequent VPCs and 24-h Holter monitoring revealed 24,277 beats of multifocal VPCs/24 h. She was treated with 300 microg/day of octreotide for four weeks before transsphenoidal surgery. After octreotide treatment, GH and IGF-1 were suppressed to 1.8 ng/ml and 145.3 ng/ml respectively, and the tumor size was remarkably reduced. Furthermore, the number of VPCs was also dramatically reduced to 2062 VPCs/24-h (8.5% of pretreatment) with 24-h Holter monitoring. This case shows that VPCs of acromegalic patients can be controlled by suppressing GH and IGF-1 with octreotide, and this agent is useful for reducing both tumor size and frequency of VPCs prior to surgery.

Acromegaly↗

Cavernous sinus invasion and tumor proliferative potential of growth hormone-producing pituitary tumors.

PURPOSE: Surgical removal of growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas (GHomas) becomes difficult when they invade the cavernous sinus (CS). We investigated the relation among tumor proliferative potential, tumor volume and invasion of GHomas to CS. MATERIALS & METHODS: 15 patients with GHoma aged 20-59 years were enrolled. The volumes of the adenomas were calculated from MR images and the extension to CS was classified into 5 grades according to Knosp's grading system. The immuno-histochemical staining for anti-Ki-67 monoclonal antibody (MIB-1) was performed and the proliferative potential of GHomas was determined as the percentage of MIB-1 labeled nuclei (MIB-1 index). The volume, MIB-1 index and pre-operative growth hormone (GH) level were compared with CS invasion by single and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: With single regression analyses, CS invasion was significantly correlated with both the volume (r=0.69, p<0.01) and MIB-1 index (r=0.73, p<0.01), but not with the GH level (r=0.42, p=0.12). The volume and MIB-1 index showed a weak correlation but it was not significant (r=0.52, p=0.06). With multiple regression analysis, CS invasion was well explained by the volume and MIB-1 index of GHomas (r=0.82, p<0.01). About 66% of CS invasion was explained by these two factors. CONCLUSIONS: In view of these results, not only the volume but also the speed of growth are important for GHomas to invade CS. GHomas with a high MIB-1 index may, even if they are small, more readily invade CS and need closer post-operative hormonal and neuroimaging studies.

Adenoma↗

Toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome--four case reports.

Four patients, all males aged 40-64 years, presented with toxoplasmic encephalitis associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection manifesting as nonspecific neurological deficits such as epilepsy or hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed single or multiple lesions with ring enhancement, mimicking metastatic brain tumor or brain abscess. Marked eosinophilia was noted in three patients. Two patients who received anti-toxoplasma chemotherapy in the early stage had a good outcome. However, the other two patients suffered rapid neurological deterioration and needed decompressive surgery, resulting in a poor outcome. Toxoplasma diffusely infects the whole central nervous system from the early stage. The outcome for patients who needed emergency surgery was poor. Therefore, this rare but increasingly common infectious disease must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient with neuroimaging findings similar to those of metastatic tumor or brain abscess. Appropriate chemotherapy should be started immediately after HIV-positive reaction is identified in patients with single or multiple mass lesions with ring enhancement.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

Long-term natural history of hemorrhagic moyamoya disease in 42 patients.

OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to delineate the long-term natural history of hemorrhagic moyamoya disease (MMD). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted among 42 patients suffering from hemorrhagic MMD who had been treated conservatively without bypass surgery. The group included four patients who had undergone indirect bypass surgery after an episode of rebleeding. The follow-up period averaged 80.6 months. The clinical features of the first bleeding episode and repeated bleeding episodes were analyzed to determine the risk factors of rebleeding and poor outcome. Intraventricular hemorrhage with or without intracerebral hemorrhage was a dominant finding on computerized tomography scans during the first bleeding episode in 29 cases (69%). During the follow-up period, 14 patients experienced a second episode of bleeding, which occurred 10 years or longer after the original hemorrhage in five cases (35.7%). The annual rebleeding rate was 7.09%/person/year. The second bleeding episode was characterized by a change in which hemisphere bleeding occurred in three cases (21.4%) and by the type of bleeding in seven cases (50%). After rebleeding the rate of good recovery fell from 45.5% to 21.4% and the mortality rate rose from 6.8% to 28.6%. Rebleeding and patient age were statistically significant risk factors of poor outcome. All four patients in whom there was indirect revascularization after the second bleeding episode experienced a repeated bleeding episode within 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of rebleeding a long time after the first hemorrhagic episode was not uncommon. Furthermore, the change in which hemisphere and the type of bleeding that occurred after the first episode suggested the difficulty encountered in the prevention of repeated hemorrhage.

Adolescent↗