Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

R M Lehman

Publications and source records attributed to R M Lehman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Peri- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging localization of pallidotomy.

Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of basal ganglia functional lesions illustrates the accuracy of preoperative target localization. The technique of perioperative MRI and CT localization for pallidotomy will be discussed and correlated with the center of the lesion on postoperative standard MRI as well as three-dimensional (3-D) volume acquisition of image. Using a 1.5-tesla Signa system, a conventional acquisition of 128-slice, 256 x 256 matrix spoiled grass (SPGR) images were used for 3-D reformation. This allowed approximately 1 x 1 x 2 mm resolution over a 24-cm field of view in a T-1-weighted image. The display affords a volumetric analysis of the anatomic location and relation of the post-ventral pallidotomy to adjacent structures. Accuracy lesion placement based on perioperative MR coordinates and revealed on postoperative images is confirmed. The volume of the lesion as well as its location are factors that affect clinical outcome.

Basal Ganglia

Stereotactic radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

The author discusses radiosurgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors, as well as cerebral arteriovenous malformations by closed stereotactically focused radiation beams or open implantation of radionuclides. The place of radiosurgery with brachytherapy is being defined.

Brachytherapy

The Brody plan.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cost Control

Use of the callosal grid system for the preoperative identification of the central sulcus.

The callosal grid system based on modern imaging techniques facilitates the identification of the central sulcus by its relationship to the midcallosal plane. Imaging with or without the stereotactic frame allows precise localization of various anatomic sites, which can be compartmentalized within subdivisions of the grid system. The information gained permits accurate preoperative planning and intraoperative recognition of the central sulcus and adjacent neurovascular structures.

Brain

Mechanism of enlargement of major cerebral collateral arteries in rabbits.

Major cerebral collateral arteries enlarge following bilateral ligation of the common and internal carotid arteries. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relative contribution of cellular hypertrophy versus cellular hyperplasia to this vessel change in a morphometric analysis as well as the functional properties of remodeled vessels in an in vitro study. We assessed cell number and vessel dimensions by morphometric analysis of 16 perfusion-fixed rabbit basilar arteries. Results demonstrated significant increases in luminal diameter from 761 to 946 microns (p less than 0.01), medial cross-sectional area from 5.1 x 10(4) to 7.6 x 10(4) micron2 (p less than 0.005), smooth muscle cell volume from 9.19 x 10(5) to 1.44 x 10(6) micron3 (p less than 0.0005), and overall arterial length from 17.41 to 20.36 mm (p less than 0.005) in basilar arteries from the eight ligated rabbits compared with the eight sham-operated controls. Smooth muscle cell volume fraction and cell numerical density were unchanged whereas the number of cells per unit length of artery was increased significantly from 21.5 to 31.0 cells/micron (p less than 0.05). These data indicate that smooth muscle cell hyperplasia rather than hypertrophy contributes to increases in vessel mass. Functional properties of the basilar arteries from 10 ligated and 10 normal control rabbits were analyzed in vitro. Results showed increased contraction to potassium chloride (approximately 74%) (p less than 0.01) and increased sensitivity of smooth muscle to acetylcholine (p less than 0.05) while maximal relaxation was the same as control in the ligated animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylcholine

Etiology of the disruption in blood-arterial wall barrier following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with a sudden rise in intracranial pressure, acute arterial hypertension, and subarachnoid blood. The role that each of these factors may play in the development of the acute barrier disruption of the major cerebral arteries following subarachnoid hemorrhage was investigated in 42 rabbits. Horseradish peroxidase was given intravenously to assess the integrity of the barrier by transmission electron microscopy. Permeation of the tracer into the vessel was noted only in animals with increased intracranial pressure. A sudden rise in intracranial pressure is suggested to trigger acute barrier disruption following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Animals

Computer-assisted detection and intervention in adolescent high-risk health behaviors.

Because adolescents avoid bringing sensitive issues, such as substance abuse, suicide, and sexual activity, to pediatricians, and may fail to realize that they need health education or services, a computer program was designed to facilitate reporting of high-risk psychosocial and health behaviors and to provide specific health advice and referral for timely professional intervention. Computer printouts done anonymously by a random sample of 265 adolescents after a physical examination were compared with those of a matched group of 294 who were predirected to share the printout with the clinician at their examinations. The former elicited more positive responses to sensitive health problems, but both computer groups responded significantly more often about most high-risk issues than a matched written questionnaire group of 251. Almost all adolescents said that they reported true information to the computer and read all the information it printed. Experience with 3327 teenagers demonstrated that 89% preferred the computer over a questionnaire or personal interview, but nearly all were willing to share the printout with the pediatrician, which should facilitate clinical evaluation. The nonjudgmental computer can identify problem areas and deliver automated medical advice and referral. Automated health assessment and education may become a useful adjunct for addressing adolescent health issues.

Adolescent

Time course of the blood-arterial wall barrier disruption following experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage.

The time course of the blood-arterial wall barrier disruption following experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) was studied in 24 rabbits. Animals with SAH received two successive blood injections through the cisterna magna. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was given intravenously 30 minutes before sacrifice to assess the integrity of the barrier. In the basilar arteries taken from animals that were sacrificed 4 days after the first SAH, HRP-reaction products were diffusely observed in the subendothelial space. Three weeks following the first SAH, permeation of HRP was still observed in half of the animals. However, in animals sacrificed 7 weeks after the first SAH, no permeation of HRP into the subendothelial space was noted. Opening of the interendothelial space seemed to be the major mechanism for HRP permeation into the subendothelial space rather than transendothelial vesicular transport. Disruption of the blood-arterial wall barrier in the major cerebral arteries following SAH may play a role in the pathogenesis of vasospasm.

Animals

Blood-arterial wall barrier disruption to various sized tracers following subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Disruption of the blood-arterial wall barrier in the major cerebral arteries occurs following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and may be related to the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm. Using FITC dextrans of various sizes, the present study was undertaken to determine if the barrier disruption shortly after SAH occurs equally to various sized tracers. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups. Four groups were injected with FITC-dextrans of differing molecular weights (MW): FD4 (MW = 4,080), FD 40 (MW = 40,500), FD 70 (MW = 71,400), and FD 150 (MW = 156,900). One group was injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP: MW = 40,000). Each group was further divided into two subgroups: with or without SAH. SAH was induced by injecting arterial blood into the cisterna magna. To assess the integrity of the blood-arterial wall barrier by transmission electron microscope, the tracers were intravenously injected prior to sacrificing the animals. The groups without SAH showed no permeability of tracers into the subendothelial spaces of the basilar arteries. In contrast, with the exception of FD 150, FITC-dextrans (FD 4, FD 40, FD 70) were noticed in the subendothelial spaces. The distribution of FITC-dextrans in the elastic lamina was similar to that of HRP. These results suggest that barrier disruption occurs with a wide range of molecular sizes of FITC-dextrans, although there seems to be some limitation to the permeation of the larger molecules. The present study suggests that the mechanism of barrier disruption of the major cerebral arteries in the acute stage following SAH may be vesicular rather than by separation of tight junctions.

Animals

Effect of hypoxia on endothelium-dependent relaxation of canine and rabbit basilar arteries.

An important role of endothelium-dependent relaxation in the local regulation of vascular tone has been suggested. In the present study, the effect of hypoxia on endothelium-dependent relaxation was investigated in canine and rabbit basilar and in rabbit common carotid arteries in vitro, using an isometric tension recording method. Hypoxia was introduced by changing the gas mixture in the in vitro chamber from 95% O2-5% CO2 to 95% N2-5% CO2. Thrombin and acetylcholine were used to induce endothelium-dependent relaxation. Thrombin at 0.1 and 1.0 U/ml, respectively, caused dose-dependent relaxation of the canine basilar artery precontracted by 10(-6)M prostaglandin F2 alpha. Acetylcholine also evoked dose-dependent relaxation of rabbit basilar and common carotid arteries precontracted by serotonin. Under hypoxic conditions, the relaxing effect of thrombin or acetylcholine decreased both in canine and in rabbit arteries, although it was not significant in rabbit basilar arteries. It has been postulated that following subarachnoid haemorrhage, diffusion of oxygen to the walls of the major cerebral arteries might be impaired by the subarachnoid clot. This could cause hypoxia of the arteries and contribute to vasospasm by suppressing endothelium-dependent relaxation, as well as by enhancing the contractile responses of the cerebral arteries to the vasoconstrictor agents in the bloody cerebrospinal fluid.

Animals

Effect of intracisternal antithrombin III on subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced arterial narrowing.

The ability of antithrombin III, an endogenous plasma glycoprotein, to reverse the arterial narrowing in a rabbit model of cerebral vasospasm was evaluated. The vasodilator activity of antithrombin III on rabbit arteries was first assessed in vitro using a myograph-arterial ring preparation. Antithrombin III (10 IU/ml) induced a 55.4% +/- 2.66% (mean +/- standard error of the mean) relaxation in basilar artery precontracted with serotonin (5-HT) in five specimens as compared with a 9.8% +/- 1.6% relaxation of common carotid artery in six specimens. For in vivo analysis, 21 New Zealand White male rabbits were separated into three groups: Group 1 served as normal controls; Group 2 received a subarachnoid blood injection (SAH) and were sacrificed on Day 3 thereafter; and Group 3 animals were subjected to SAH, then received a 2-hour intracisternal infusion of antithrombin III (100 IU) in saline prior to sacrifice on Day 3. Basilar artery caliber was determined using a morphometric method to analyze perfusion-fixed arterial segments. Control basilar artery diameter in Group 1 was 0.64 +/- 0.02 mm. In Group 2 a 27% reduction in arterial caliber to 0.47 +/- 0.03 mm was observed by Day 3 post SAH (p less than 0.0001). Group 3 animals had a mean basilar artery diameter of 0.68 +/- 0.02 mm. This was significantly larger than the untreated SAH rabbits in Group 2 (p less than 0.0001), but not different from control artery diameters in Group 1. The findings demonstrate that antithrombin III in saline has a significant ability to reverse delayed narrowing of the rabbit basilar artery after SAH.

Animals

Computed-tomography-directed stereotaxis for movement disorder with postoperative magnetic resonance imaging confirmation.

Movement disorders may respond dramatically to properly placed lesions in thalamic and subthalamic areas. Proper location of lesions may be verified postoperatively by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Herein is reported a case of stereotactically placed bilateral lesions under computed tomography control using the Leksell apparatus, with successful clinical outcome, and the verification of lesion placement by subsequent MRI images.

Demyelinating Diseases

Comparison of intraluminal and extraluminal inhibitory effects of hemoglobin on endothelium-dependent relaxation of rabbit basilar artery.

To determine whether extraluminal or intraluminal hemoglobin inhibits endothelium-dependent relaxation, we measured the vascular responsiveness of rabbit basilar artery in an in vitro perfusion system and we performed immunohistochemical staining for hemoglobin. In the in vitro study, we applied agents from either the intraluminal or the extraluminal side of excised basilar arteries. KCl-induced contraction was the same with either application. Acetylcholine-induced maximal relaxations were 57.6 +/- 8.5% of the contraction induced by 10(-5) M 5-hydroxytryptamine for control, 3.3 +/- 0.3% for intraluminal, and 34.9 +/- 8.6% for extraluminal applications. Adenosine triphosphate-induced maximal relaxations were 64.2 +/- 4.1% of the contraction induced by 10(-5) M 5-hydroxytryptamine for control, 26.9 +/- 3.8% for intraluminal, and 42.2 +/- 6.0% for extraluminal applications. Hemoglobin's inhibition of acetylcholine- and adenosine triphosphate-induced relaxation was significantly greater with intraluminal than with extraluminal application (p less than 0.05). The immunohistochemical study revealed hemoglobin in the outer layer of the smooth muscle and in the adventitia when 10(-5) M hemoglobin was applied extraluminally for 5 minutes, whereas hemoglobin was observed on the surface of the endothelial cells after intraluminal application. Our findings suggest that hemoglobin inhibits acetylcholine- or adenosine triphosphate-induced relaxation by binding to endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and by inhibiting production of EDRF. Hemoglobin's inhibitory effect on endothelium-dependent relaxation may be important in the pathogenesis of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Acetylcholine

Metabolic alterations in rabbit cerebral arteries caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The effect of subarachnoid hemorrhage on metabolic rates in rabbit cerebral arteries was investigated by measuring adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and L-lactate release. The mean +/- SEM ATP content was 0.38 +/- 0.02 mumol/g wet wt in control rabbit basilar arteries (n = 6). The ATP content decreased significantly to 0.17 +/- 0.02 mumol/g wet wt 2 days after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 6), although only a slight decrease was detected in the basilar arteries 2 days after cisternal injection of the same amount of artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Hypoxia significantly decreased ATP content in the control basilar arteries to 0.26 +/- 0.04 mumol/g wet wt (n = 6). The same degree of hypoxia did not decrease ATP content in the basilar arteries after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Release of L-lactate was significantly higher from the arteries after subarachnoid hemorrhage than from the control arteries under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions. Our results indicate that subarachnoid hemorrhage induced an alteration of metabolic rates in rabbit cerebral arteries. The oxygen-requiring pathways to synthesize ATP may be important in control cerebral arteries; however, after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage, the main pathway in the cerebral arteries may shift from oxygen-requiring pathways to an anaerobic glycolytic pathway.

Adenosine Triphosphate