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Biomedical subjects

S Cronqvist

Publications and source records attributed to S Cronqvist.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Spread of blood in cerebrospinal fluid following craniotomy simulates spinal metastases.

Postoperative myelography with water-soluble contrast media was performed in 36 children with a diagnosis of posterior cranial fossa tumour. The myelograms were normal in 15. In 5 an intramedullary tumour was present and 3 of these had in addition subarachnoid changes as evidence of tumour spread. The remaining 16 patient had subarachnoid changes of a different character, mainly located in the posterior thoracic region and similar to those seen after subarachnoid haemorrhage. It is suggested that they represent adhesions caused by blood from the operation. The blood is assumed to be distributed by the large cerebrospinal fluid pulsations to the cervical and thoracic regions. It is important to recognise and differentiate subarachnoid changes due to tumour and to postoperative adhesions to avoid unnecessary radiotherapy to the spinal cord.

Blood Loss, Surgical↗

A randomized study of chemotherapy with procarbazine, vincristine, and lomustine with and without radiation therapy for astrocytoma grades 3 and/or 4.

The authors undertook a controlled, prospective, randomized study of 171 patients with supratentorial astrocytoma grades 3 and/or 4 (classified according to Kernohan). All patients were given chemotherapy consisting of procarbazine, vincristine, and lomustine (CCNU) (PVC). Half of the patients received whole-brain irradiation (RT) to a dose of 5800 cGy in the tumor-bearing hemisphere and 5000 cGy in the contralateral hemisphere. After diagnosis of progressive tumor growth, patients received individual treatment. The endpoint of the study was time to progression, but cases were followed until the patients died. Median time to progression (MTP) for the whole randomized population was 21 weeks. Median survival time (MST) was 53 weeks; 18% of patients survived for 2 years or longer. Survival analysis showed that patients less than 50 years of age treated with PVC plus RT had significantly longer MTP (81 weeks) and MST (124 weeks) than all other patients. For patients less than 50 years of age treated with PVC alone, MTP was 21 weeks and MST was 66 weeks. For patients more than 50 years of age treated with PVC plus RT, MTP was 23 weeks and MST was 51 weeks; in the PVC group, MTP was 17 weeks and MST was 39 weeks. Age, Karnofsky index, areas of Grade 2, and absence of extensive necrosis in the tumor were significant prognostic factors in the univariate analyses. Patients less than 50 years of age treated with PVC plus RT had significantly longer survival (P = 0.037) when correcting for these factors in a multi-variate analysis.

Adult↗

Lateral medullary infarction: prognosis in an unselected series.

We describe the acute and long-term prognosis in 43 patients with lateral medullary infarction (LMI) collected from a population-based stroke registry from 1982 to July 1988. Mean age was 63.9 years and median time of follow-up was 33 months. In the acute phase, 5 patients (11.6%) died from respiratory and cardiovascular complications and 2 new strokes occurred, both in the posterior circulation. During follow-up, recurrent vertebrobasilar territory strokes occurred in only 2 patients (a rate of 1.9% per year). The mechanisms of stroke were vertebral artery (VA) branch occlusion, causing a medial medullary syndrome, and basilar artery thrombosis propagating from a contralateral, distal VA stenosis. In the acute phase of LMI, respiratory and cardiovascular events, presumably caused by autonomic dysfunction related to the lateral medullary lesion, are the major hazards. Recurrent posterior circulation strokes were uncommon during follow-up.

Adult↗

Volumes of chronic traumatic frontal brain lesions measured by MR imaging and CBF tomography.

The volumes (ml) of chronic traumatic frontal brain lesions were compared measured "morphologically" with MR imaging (T1 and T2 weighted images) and "functionally" with a tomographic rCBF technique (SPECT with 133Xe i.v.). The T1 volumes varied between 11 and 220 ml. The correlation between T1 and T2 volumes was 0.95, the T2 volumes being 33% larger than T1 volumes (p less than 0.001). The functional SPECT volumes were considerably larger (range 16-324 ml) than the MR volumes. The mean volume difference was 81% between T1 and SPECT images (p less than 0.001), and 35% between T2 and SPECT images (p less than 0.001). Correlations between the MR and SPECT volumes were also higher for T2 than T1 volumes. The volume difference is most likely explained by a functional decrease in regions around the lesion in which no morphologic change visible on MR images had taken place. MR and SPECT volume measurements were positively related to persistent lack of energy and personality changes, but only moderately related to duration of impaired consciousness and neuropsychologic outcome.

Adult↗

A long-term prospective study of optic neuritis: evaluation of risk factors.

Eighty-six patients with monosymptomatic optic neuritis of unknown cause were followed prospectively for a median period of 12.9 years. At onset, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis was present in 46 patients (53%) but oligoclonal immunoglobulin in only 40 (47%) of the patients. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 was present in 45 (52%). Clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) was established in 33 patients. Actuarial analysis showed that the cumulative probability of developing MS within 15 years was 45%. Three risk factors were identified: low age and abnormal CSF at onset, and early recurrence of optic neuritis. Female gender, onset in the winter season, and the presence of HLA-DR2 antigen increased the risk for MS, but not significantly. Magnetic resonance imaging detected bilateral discrete white matter lesions, similar to those in MS, in 11 of 25 patients, 7 to 18 years after the isolated attack of optic neuritis. Nine were among the 13 with abnormal CSF and only 2 belonged to the group of 12 with normal CSF (p = 0.01). Normal CSF at the onset of optic neuritis conferred better prognosis but did not preclude the development of MS.

Adolescent↗

Intraventricular choroid plexus "arachnoid" cyst. MRI findings.

A young women presented with chronic headaches associated with a cyst of the right lateral ventricle. The diagnosis of intraventricular so-called "arachnoid" cyst was supported by CT scan, MRI and stereotactic puncture. MRI was of great value for demonstrating that the cyst was located within the lateral ventricule, that it was delineated by a thin wall adherent to the choroid plexus and that the cyst content was CSF-like.

Adult↗

Isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis with sciatica. MR imaging vs myelography.

Seventeen patients with sciatica and isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In 13, myelography was also performed: 5 had dural sac deformation and root sleeve shortening, 2 had deformation with unilateral root sleeve shortening, one had bilateral root sleeve shortening only, and one had sac deformation only. In 4, myelography was normal. On sagittal MR examinations the neural foramen had an altered shape bilaterally with the long axis horizontal in all cases. In addition to altered shape the following was found in the 33 foramina evaluated. I: normal nerve (n = 8); II: compressed nerve (n = 16); III: disappearance of fat, nerve not possible to identify (n = 9). In patients with unilateral sciatica, the degree of foraminal stenosis correlated well with the side of symptoms. Coronal views showed the course of the nerve and pedicular kinking. Eight patients underwent decompressive surgery which revealed nerve compression by hypertrophic fibrous tissue and pedicular kinking, which correlated well with the findings on MR. Since the site of nerve compression often was peripheral to the root sleeves, myelography did not give complete information.

Adult↗

Clinical and radiologic features of lacunar versus nonlacunar minor stroke.

We determined the angiographic presence of extracerebral and intracerebral arterial disease in 122 patients with minor stroke within the carotid territory; we excluded patients with a recognized cardiac source of emboli. Based on clinical features and computed tomographic findings, patients were classified as having lacunar infarcts (n = 61), nonlacunar infarcts (n = 53), and infarcts of indeterminate type (n = 8). Severe carotid bifurcation disease (greater than or equal to 50% stenosis or occlusion) was significantly more common in nonlacunar than in lacunar infarcts, on both the ipsilateral (p less than 0.001) and the contralateral (p less than 0.01) sides; 79% of the patients with nonlacunar infarcts had severe carotid bifurcation and/or middle cerebral artery disease on the ipsilateral side compared with 3.3% of the patients with lacunar infarcts. Our data underscore the need for classification of patients by the underlying mechanisms in future studies of treatment of ischemic stroke.

Cerebral Angiography↗

Repeated cranial computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scans in two cases of eclampsia.

In two cases of eclampsia with consumptive thrombocytopenia, the maximum increase in blood pressure and the lowest platelet count coincided with the maximum degree of neurologic and neuroradiologic abnormality. Computed tomograms showed decreased attenuation, and T2-weighted magnetic resonance images showed increased signal intensity focally in the cerebral cortex and the deep gray and white matter. Blood pressure, platelet count, clinical status, and roentgenograms normalized completely in both cases. Severe arterial hypertension and disseminated transitory microvascular occlusions presumably caused multiple small foci of brain edema that resolved without remaining detectable ischemic brain damage.

Adult↗

Arterial occlusion due to Listeria meningoencephalitis in an immunocompromised boy.

Sequential CAT scan studies of the brain were performed in a 7-year-old boy with Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1 meningoencephalitis. The infection occurred while he was receiving maintenance chemotherapy for T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A lesion in the right hemisphere during the infection resulted in an excessive enlargement of the right ventricle 10 months later, most probably caused by arterial occlusion.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

Postoperative CT findings in acoustic neurinomas operated upon by a translabyrinthine approach.

The findings at CT examinations, performed on 46 patients with acoustic neurinomas about 6 months after translabyrinthine surgery, were analyzed and compared with preoperative findings. Direct as well as indirect signs of expansion had disappeared postoperatively. Bulging of cerebellar tissue towards the operative defect in the petrous bone, a finding not connected with local adhesions, was notable. Hypodensity in the vicinity of the removed tumor occurred either due to local widening of the subarachnoid space or due to changes within the cerebellar parenchyma. Local and general widening of the fourth ventricle as a sign of atrophy was a frequent finding.

Adolescent↗

Non-invasive detection of carotid bifurcation disease by continuous-wave Doppler with spectral analysis.

The diagnostic accuracy of 5 MHz continuous-wave (C-W) Doppler with spectral analysis for detecting carotid bifurcation disease was evaluated. In a first phase of the study, normal confidence intervals for peak frequency data and spectrum width were established and Doppler spectrum abnormalities were separated into three types (spectral broadening with preserved window, spectral broadening without window, sequence of abnormalities including inverted Doppler spectrum). In a second phase the diagnostic accuracy of these variables was tested on 86 carotid arteries as independently compared with angiography. Whereas both peak frequency data and spectrum distribution findings were invariably abnormal in stenoses greater than or equal to 60%, spectrum distribution findings were more accurate in 30-59% stenosis. Using spectrum distribution criteria, sensitivity and specificity for stenosis greater than or equal to 30% were 94.6% and 90.7% respectively. All variables were insensitive for stenoses less than 30% lumen diameter reduction.

Adult↗

Computed tomography of malignant lymphoma of the brain.

Correct diagnosis of malignant lymphoma of the brain and differentiation from malignant glioma, metastases, meningeoma and infection is often difficult. With the aim of finding characteristics pointing to the correct diagnosis all CT examinations from 16 patients with primary or secondary lymphoma of the brain were analysed. In 3 of 10 patients with primary lymphoma and 4 of 6 with secondary lymphoma the tumors were multiple. No differences between the CT appearance of primary and secondary lymphoma were found except that secondary lymphomas were generally smaller and more often multiple. The lymphomas were most often well demarcated, had a density equal to or slightly higher than normal brain tissue, were surrounded by no or slight edema and showed a moderate to marked contrast enhancement. The tumors were situated in the basal ganglia, corpus callosum or cerebellum in high frequency and were always in contact with either the ependyma of the ventricles or the superficial subarachnoid space. A tumor with widespread infiltration of the surroundings of the ventricles seen in 6 patients in the material is highly characteristic of lymphoma.

Adult↗

Outcome in 60 consecutive patients treated with early aneurysm operation and intravenous nimodipine.

Sixty consecutive patients with a ruptured supratentorial aneurysm underwent operation during the acute stage, 56 of them within 72 hours after the first bleed, one on the 4th day, and three on the 5th day. Six patients were classified preoperatively in Hunt and Hess neurological Grade I, 39 in Grade II, 11 in Grade III, and four in Grade IV or V. Nine patients had severe intracerebral hematomas, and one patient had a subdural hematoma. After the aneurysm was clipped, nimodipine was applied to the exposed arterial segments in a 2.5 X 10(-5)M solution for 10 minutes. Subsequently, all patients received a continuous intravenous nimodipine infusion (2 mg/hr) for 7 to 12 days, followed by oral treatment (270 mg/day). Forty-six patients (77%) made a good neurological recovery; the morbidity rate was 22%, and mortality rate 1.5%. Of the 45 patients in good condition (Grades I to II) preoperatively, 38 (84%) made a good neurological recovery. Two patients (3% of the total series) developed a typical picture of cerebral ischemic dysfunction of delayed onset with subsequent fixed neurological deficits. The results favor the opinion that early operative intervention is beneficial in patients in good condition rather than delaying surgery, and indicate that nimodipine provides an additional anti-ischemic effect. The appearance and severity of late angiographic vasospasm did not seem to be affected by nimodipine.

Adult↗

Cerebral angiography with iohexol. A comparison with metrizamide in man.

The new non-ionic contrast medium iohexol was compared with Amipaque in selective cerebral angiography in a double blind study in 60 patients. There were no adverse reactions or reports of discomfort during the examinations or in the 24 h follow-up period. No differences were observed with regard to image quality or cerebral circulation time.

Adult↗

Contrast enhanced brain CT. Comparison between iohexol and metrizoate.

The commonly used contrast medium metrizoate (Isopaque Cerebral) or the new nonionic iohexol were injected intravenously for enhancement of cranial CT in a randomized double blind study. Each group consisted of 105 patients. No serious reactions occurred. Ten patients receiving metrizoate had minor reactions of mainly allergic type, whereas only one patient receiving iohexol reacted. No differences in enhancement efficiency could be observed.

Adolescent↗