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Biomedical subjects

U Salvolini

Publications and source records attributed to U Salvolini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

MRI and pathological examination of post-mortem brains: the problem of white matter high signal areas.

We examined 21 brains from individuals more than 65 years of age by MRI and neuropathological methods to study the frequency and morphology of white matter changes. There were 16 brains from neurologically normal subjects (Group 1) while the remaining 5 (Group 2) had neurological disturbances. In Group 1 MRI showed high signal areas in the periventricular white matter in 12 brains and in the deep white matter in 9. All had focal areas, with confluent zones in 4; 3 cystic infarcts were also detected. Neuropathology in this Group showed periventricular changes of variable extent in all cases, vacuolated myelin around the perivascular spaces in 14 and degenerate myelin in 4. Macroscopic inspection showed 3 cystic lacunar infarcts, while areas of recent infarction were present on histology in 2. Four of the Group 2 brains had periventricular MRI changes; high signal areas in deep white matter were focal in 2 and confluent in 1. Cystic infarcts were detected in 3 cases. Neuropathology showed periventricular changes in all the brains; in 4 myelin around the perivascular spaces was vacuolated while degenerate myelin was demonstrated in 1. There were also old (1) and recent (2) lacunar infarcts. High signal areas in the white matter thus have different histological backgrounds but only in a minority of cases do they seem to be of pathological significance and, as a rule, they are not related to the presence of neurological disturbances. Correlative MRI-neuropathological studies are helpful for characterising abnormalities detected by techniques, like MRI, which are sensitive but not very specific.

Aged

MRI study of the corpus callosum using the Talairach grid.

The authors show how the Talairach grid may be applied to MRI for the study of the topography of the corpus callosum. Thirty-eight patients with malformative syndromes and 53 controls were studied to demonstrate the reliability of this method.

Adolescent

Stroke in a young woman due to spontaneous bilateral internal carotid dissection. A case report.

The present paper reports the case of a young woman who experienced an ischemic stroke due to the spontaneous dissection and occlusion of both internal carotid arteries, with recanalisation one year after the event. It is underlined that this form is not clinically different from the unilateral form, and that it is often associated with a favourable prognosis. In addition to the characteristic angiographic findings, the paper also highlights the importance of the combined use of MR, MR angiography and echo-Doppler imaging during diagnosis and follow up.

Adult

Brain involvement in myotonic dystrophy: MRI features and their relationship to clinical and cognitive conditions.

A prospective, case-control study was carried out on 25 patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD) and 25 healthy subjects using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The frequency and severity of white matter hyperintense lesions (WMHL) and brain atrophy in MyD patients were compared with their clinical features and cognitive impairment using an extensive neuropsychological battery. Eighty-four per cent of MyD patients showed WMHL, compared with 16% of controls (p < 0.0001). These lesions involved all cerebral lobes, without hemispheric prevalence. Twenty-eight per cent of MyD patients also showed particular WMHL at their temporal poles. Myotonic patients had significantly more cortical atrophy than controls. No relationship between atrophy and WMHL was found on the MRI scans. The extent of brain abnormalities (WMHL or atrophy) was not correlated to age, disease duration, physical disability or severity of neuropsychological impairment. Central nervous system abnormalities revealed by MRI appear to be an almost constant feature of MyD, but they are not found to be related to clinical or cognitive parameters. Their nature is still unclear: some of them, located at the temporal poles, seem to be characteristic of the disease, while others small, diffuse WMHLs, similar to the age related alterations revealed by MRI occurring during young and adult age in MyD patients.

Adolescent

[Magnetic resonance in the pathologic evaluation of the isolated human brain].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interest of MRI of excised human brains before traditional pathological examination. MRI was performed on 40 formalin fixed brain specimen; the brains were placed on tap water in a plastic box, and submitted to standard MRI, 3D FT volume acquisition and multislice SE T1, PD and T2 weighted. The results of 3D FT volume acquisition were used for multiplanar reconstruction of planes according to the direction of anatomical structures. Our experience demonstrate that preliminary MRI of excised brains is possible because it does not alternate the results of following standard pathological examinations; the dissection may be focused on the MRI demonstrated pathology. MRI allows to correlate the results of the pathological examination of a slice with the state of the whole brain. An interesting option is the use of this method for medico-legal purpose.

Brain

Electrophysiological and cognitive effects of lumbar myelography with iopamidol: comparison with diagnostic lumbar puncture.

To assess the influence of contrast medium on cortical function, we studied 20 patients undergoing lumbar myelography with iopamidol and 10 patients undergoing diagnostic lumbar puncture (controls). The examinations performed before and 6 and 24 h after myelography (or lumbar puncture) included a neuropsychological battery and an electrophysiological evaluation. In the patients cranial CT was performed thrice to assess passage of contrast medium from the cerebrospinal fluid into the brain. Neither patients nor controls had significantly different scores on neuropsychological testing after the diagnostic examinations. A transient slowing of basal EEG activity could be detected in 2 patients and 3 controls 6 h after the lumbar puncture. In 3 patients CT showed a transient increase in density of the brain. None of the parameters studied was significantly affected by myelography with iopamidol. CT findings support the hypothesis of early clearance of iopamidol from brain tissue, explaining its low neurotoxicity.

Adult

Morphological studies of the corpus callosum by MRI in children with malformative syndromes.

A morphological analysis of the corpus callosum has been carried out in an MRI study of 34 children with malformative syndromes and 35 normal children. We used a new morphometric method based on measurement of five specific angles. Values outside the range of normality have been found in patients with malformations of the skull, including turricephaly, acrocephaly and frontonasal dysplasia. The results have confirmed the reliability of this method for study of the conformation of the corpus callosum and of its topographical relations with the other cerebral structures.

Abnormalities, Multiple

[Three-dimensional computerized modelling of anatomical structures by computerized tomography imaging].

The authors built an automatic CT-driven device by which 3D models of biologic structures can be obtained. Original bidimensional densitometric data are recorded on tape and transferred to a mechanical computer-driven arm capable of cutting polystyrene slices reproducing the original biologic structures by means of an original software. The aim of our research was to assess the feasibility of such a device from a practical point of view and to analyze and solve related problems, in order to use the experience thus gained to develop more complex systems. We deliberately set up a device both technologically advanced and simple to be used even by non-specifically trained operators. The system capabilities open new perspectives in many application fields, such as surgery (stereotactic procedures, the making of personalized prostheses, plastic surgery, procedures planning and simulation), treatment (stereotactic radiotherapy), diagnostics (stereotactic biopsy) and educational use.

Humans

Acute monophasic focal demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system: longitudinal clinico-neuroradiological study of two patients.

We report the clinical features and laboratory-instrumental findings in two patients with acute monophasic demyelinating disease with focal clinical expression: one case of incomplete cervical transverse myelitis and one of focal supratentorial encephalitis. We describe the clinical course and evolution of the neuroradiological findings (CT and MRI) and discuss their pathological meaning and diagnostic value.

Central Nervous System

Spinal neurenteric cyst in association with syringomyelia: case report.

A case of spinal neurenteric cyst in association with Klippel-Feil deformity, spinal lipoma, and syringomyelia is presented. Neuroradiological evaluation was performed by means of magnetic resonance imaging of the spine and a computed tomography myelograph. The diagnosis of neurenteric cyst was established by histological and immunohistochemical studies. The pathogenesis of syringomyelia associated with an extramedullary mass lesion is discussed.

Adult

Haemodynamic changes following carotid occlusion: MRI angiography and transcranial Doppler patterns.

To see the signal changes in MR angiography (MRA) when occlusions or severe stenoses of carotid arteries occur and to relate these data with the velocity values provided by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD), 20 patients showing symptomatic or asymptomatic unilateral carotid obstructions underwent both MRA and TCD after digital angiography investigation. No MRA signal was recorded immediately downstream from the carotid occlusion. Low flow velocity values in the carotid siphon and middle cerebral artery (MCA) ipsilateral to the carotid obstruction were associated with altered MRA signals corresponding to the same vessels. Turbulence phenomena induced by reversed flow in the anterior cerebral artery induced MRA signal impairments. In carotid occlusions, there may be a relationship between the MRA patterns and the flow velocity variations detected by TCD, but the two approaches have to be applied together since they provide complementary information.

Blood Flow Velocity

[Diagnostic yield in rhino-sinusal inflammatory pathology: comparison of projective radiology, CT and MR].

In everyday practice, the radiologist is concerned with the diagnosis of inflammatory conditions of the nose and paranasal sinuses. This paper was aimed at evaluating and comparing the diagnostic efficacy of the main diagnostic imaging procedures currently available. Fifty-six patients were studied: 25 with computed radiography (CR) and CT, 21 with CR and MRI (0.22 T resistive magnet), and 10 with CR, CT, and MRI. From the diagnostic point of view, the conventional-like CR image was assumed as analog to the conventional radiographic (RX) one on the basis of previous personal experience. The following elements were separately considered for RX, CR, CT, and MRI: anatomical structure identificability, spatial resolution, dosimetry, time consumption, diagnostic results, and economics. A global performance index was calculated (RX less than 1; CR = 1; MRI ranging 1.2-2.2; CT = 7.3). CR was superior to RX, from both a diagnostic and a dosimetric point of view, but buying the equipment is nowadays expensive. CT and MRI were superior to both RX and CR in the diagnosis of inflammatory conditions of the nose and paranasal sinuses. When an inflammatory condition is unquestionable, MRI is more accurate than CT, but the latter (thanks to its optimal documentation of both bony walls and soft tissues) is superior to MRI in the differential diagnosis of a generic disease of the nose and paranasal sinuses--that is, when the inflammatory nature is questionable. MRI limitations were poor visualization of bone walls, high cost, and poor access. Thus, CT emerged as the technique of choice, thanks to its diagnostic results, easy access and low cost, with a negligible radiation dose to patients.

Adult

Magnetic resonance imaging in the malformative syndromes with mental retardation.

We reported on thirteen children affected with malformative syndromes associated with mental retardation. MRI examination showed in all of them different types of anomalies; agenesis of corpus callosum, ventricular dilatation and cerebral matter alterations were the most frequent findings. The authors give a brief description of the clinical reports and of the anomalies observed with MRI; they conclude that MRI seems to be a valuable tool especially for the study of the alterations of the cerebral matter and their correlation with mental retardation.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Neuroradiological examinations in optic neuropathies.

The advantages and limits of both CT and NMR imaging of optic nerve lesions are outlined and some examples are produced. Advantages of CT scanning are high resolution, multiplane reconstruction, quickness of examination, reliability, whereas the limits are the presence of artifacts from contiguous bone structures, the use of enhancement media and radiation damage. NMR is superior to CT scanning for detection of soft tissue lesions and possibility of multiplane scanning, but duration and high costs of the examination and some artifacts caused by ocular movements are limits to be taken into account. Both the techniques provide useful complementary information for the diagnosis of orbital lesions involving the optic nerve.

Humans

Multiplanar reconstructions in the study of ethmoid anatomy.

Multiplanar and surface reconstructions are useful tools in anatomical studies. Details of ethmoid architecture which are hard to image in axial and coronal scans are well displayed by means of oblique sections. This paper addresses reformatted images of a) the nasal lateral wall; b) the middle meatus lateral wall; c) the lamina basilaris of the middle turbinate and d) the frontonasal duct.

Ethmoid Bone