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A pilot study of normobaric oxygen therapy in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Therapies that transiently prevent ischemic neuronal death can potentially extend therapeutic time windows for stroke thrombolysis. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the effects of high-flow oxygen in acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We randomized patients with acute stroke (<12 hours) and perfusion-diffusion "mismatch" on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to high-flow oxygen therapy via facemask for 8 hours (n=9) or room air (controls, n=7). Stroke scale scores and MRI scans were obtained at baseline, 4 hours, 24 hours, 1 week, and 3 months. Clinical deficits and MR abnormalities were compared between groups. RESULTS: Stroke scale scores were similar at baseline, tended to improve at 4 hours (during therapy) and 1 week, and significantly improved at 24 hours in hyperoxia-treated patients. There was no significant difference at 3 months. Mean (+/-SD) relative diffusion MRI lesion volumes were significantly reduced in hyperoxia-treated patients at 4 hours (87.8+/-22% versus 149.1+/-41%; P=0.004) but not subsequent time points. The percentage of MRI voxels improving from baseline "ischemic" to 4-hour "non-ischemic" values tended to be higher in hyperoxia-treated patients. Cerebral blood volume and blood flow within ischemic regions improved with hyperoxia. These "during-therapy" benefits occurred without arterial recanalization. By 24 hours, MRI showed reperfusion and asymptomatic petechial hemorrhages in 50% of hyperoxia-treated patients versus 17% of controls (P=0.6). CONCLUSIONS: High-flow oxygen therapy is associated with a transient improvement of clinical deficits and MRI abnormalities in select patients with acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are warranted to investigate the safety and efficacy of hyperoxia as a stroke therapy.

Adult↗

Quantitative diffusion coefficient maps using fast spin-echo MRI.

In this work, we have evaluated the performance of a diffusion-sensitive fast spin-echo (FSE) pulse sequence. The proposed pulse sequence utilises velocity-compensating diffusion-encoding gradients and includes the collection of navigator echoes. Spoiler gradients were inserted in the slice-selecting direction to minimise effects from stimulated echoes. Calculations of the b values showed that cross-terms between imaging gradients and diffusion gradients only led to a marginal increase of b values. Pixel-wise calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps was performed numerically, considering cross-terms between diffusion-encoding and imaging gradients. The sequences investigated used echo train lengths of 16, 8 and 4 echoes and were encoded in either the slice-, frequency- or phase-encoding direction. In order to allow for higher b values a pulse-sequence version using non-motion compensating diffusion-encoding gradients was written. Phantom measurements were performed and the diffusion coefficients of water and acetone were reasonable. Seven healthy volunteers (age 28-50 years) were examined and apparent diffusion coefficient values agreed well with expected values. Diffusion-weighted images, apparent diffusion coefficient maps and images corresponding to the trace of the diffusion tensor of good quality were retrieved in vivo.

Adult↗

Anatomy of brain-stem white-matter tracts shown by diffusion-weighted imaging.

We acquired high-resolution MRI and anisotropically diffusion-weighted images (DWI) with direction-selective gradients of the brain stem in 20 healthy volunteers, to identify brain-stem structures such as white-matter tracts and nuclei which show diffusion anisotropy. After averaging and superposition of individual cuts, the images were projected onto appropriate plates of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren anatomical atlas. We identified 20 structures--white-matter tracts and some nuclei--with high contrast. The direction of fibres could be determined as areas of increased (parallel to) or decreased diffusion (perpendicular to the gradient). This study may contribute to understanding of the functional anatomy of the brain stem.

Adult↗

Fast magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging of acute human stroke.

Rapid MRI of the molecular diffusion of water demonstrated cerebral infarcts in 32 patients. We studied these patients at various times following the onset of ischemic symptoms and found that diffusion-weighted imaging revealed the infarcts sooner than conventional T2-weighted spin-echo imaging did; four hyperacute infarcts were shown only by diffusion-weighted imaging. Acute infarcts had lower apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) than noninfarcted regions did. This relative difference in ADC reached a nadir in the first 24 hours and rose progressively thereafter. Chronic infarcts showed a relative increase in diffusion and were readily distinguishable from acute infarcts. The technique takes less than 2 minutes to apply using a standard 1.5-tesla scanner in the clinical setting. Diffusion-weighted imaging has the potential to play a role in improving the early anatomic diagnosis of stroke and therefore in the development and implementation of early stroke interventions.

Adult↗

Investigation of water mobility and diffusivity in hydrating micronized low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix tablets by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The water mobility and diffusivity in the gel-layer of hydrating low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose (LH41) tablets with or without a drug were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared with those properties in the gel-layer of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) tablets. For this purpose, a localized image-analysis method was newly developed, and the spin-spin relaxation time (T(2)) and apparent self-diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in the gel-layer were visualized in one-dimensional maps. Those maps showed that the extent of gel-layer growth in the tablets was in the order of HPC>HPMC>>LH41, and there was a water mobility gradient across the gel-layers of all three tablet formulations. The T(2) and ADC in the outer parts of the gel-layers were close to those of free water. In contrast, these values in the inner parts of the gel-layer decreased progressively; suggesting that the water mobility and diffusivity around the core interface were highly restricted. Furthermore, the correlation between the T(2) of (1)H proton in the gel-layer of the tablets and the drug release rate from the tablets was observed.

Cellulose↗

[Spontaneous intracranial hypotension syndrome. Clinical, neuroradiological and cerebrospinal fluid findings].

We report 11 patients with orthostatic headache due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Nausea (3 patients) and abducens palsy (2 patients) were the main additional symptoms. Ten patients had CSF pleocytosis (6 to 43 white cells/microliter) and/or increased protein (581 to 1668 mg/l). CT and/or MRI documented bifrontal accentuated subdural hygromas and hematomas in 5 patients. MRI also documented diffuse meningeal gadolinium enhancement in all 4 patients examined, and descent of the brain in one. Cisternography was done in 9 patients and revealed a decreased or absent activity over the convexities and early detection of the tracer in the bladder in all, and a CSF leak at the cervicothoracal junction in 2 patients. Most patients improved with bed rest, increased fluid intake (oral or intravenous), steroids, and/or epidural blood patch. Subdural hematomas increased in 2 patients and have to be drained. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is due to a CSF leak followed by decreased CSF volume and hydrostatic CSF pressure changes. The locations of the leaks are mainly cervical or at the cervicothoracal junction. MRI always documents diffuse meningeal gadolinium enhancement. Treatment of choice is an epidural blood patch. Surgical treatment may be needed in patients with subdural hematomas or meningeal diverticula. Prognosis is typically good, but subdural hematomas may occasionally lead to an increased intracranial pressure.

Adult↗

Role of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in cervical lymphadenopathy.

The role of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differentiation between various causes of cervical lymphadenopathy was evaluated. In a prospective study, 31 untreated patients (22 males and nine females, aged 5-70 years) with 87 cervical lymph nodes underwent diffusion-weighted MRI before performance of neck dissection (n=14), surgical biopsy (n=9) or core biopsy (n=8). Diffusion-weighted MR images were acquired with a b factor of 0 and 1,000 s/mm2 using single-shot echo-planar sequence. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were reconstructed for all patients. The signal intensity of the lymph nodes was assessed on images obtained at b=0 or 1,000 s/mm2 and from the ADC maps. The ADC value of lymph nodes was also calculated. On the ADC map, malignant nodes showed either low (n=52) or mixed (n=20) signal intensity and benign nodes revealed high (n=13) or low (n=2) signal intensity. The mean ADC value of metastatic (1.09+/-0.11x10(-3) mm2/s) and lymphomatous (0.97+/-0.27x10(-3) mm2/s) lymph nodes was significantly lower than that of benign (1.64+/-0.16x10(-3) mm2/s) cervical lymph nodes (P<0.04). When an ADC value of 1.38x10(-3) mm2/s was used as a threshold value for differentiating malignant from benign lymph nodes, the best results were obtained with an accuracy of 96%, sensitivity of 98%, specificity of 88%, positive predictive value of 98.5% and negative predictive value of 83.7%. The smallest detected lymph node was 0.9 cm. In conclusion, diffusion-weighted MRI with ADC mapping is a new promising technique that can differentiate malignant from benign lymph nodes and delineate the solid viable part of the lymph node for biopsy. This technique provides additional useful physiological and functional information regarding characterization of cervical lymph nodes.

Adolescent↗

[Surgery of intracranial epidermoid cysts. Report of 44 patients and review of the literature].

Forty-four patients (22 males and 22 females) were admitted to our institution for an intracranial epidermoid cyst between 1980 and 2000. Their mean age was 39.9 years. The duration of the disease at admission varied between a few days and 30 years. CT-scan was performed in all cases, MRI in 33 cases with a diffusion sequence in 3. Most of the 26 patients with posterior fossa lesions were treated surgically in the sitting position, with resection of the tonsils in four cases in order to minimize cerebellar retraction. The other supratentorial tumors were operated using a fronto-temporo-pterional approach in 13 cases (with temporo-polar lobectomy in 6 cases), or a parietal transparenchymal approach in the parieto-occipital lesions (2 cases). The resection was total or subtotal (residual capsule) in 79.5% of cases. Post-operative morbidity was 13.6% and mortality 8.9%. The median follow-up was 8 years, with a recurrence rate of 4.5%. Epidermoid cysts are benign, slowly but ineluctably growing tumors which require surgical treatment. Their diagnosis has become easier, especially with the development of MRI diffusion sequences. Morbidity and mortality (morbi-mortality) reported in the literature as well as found in our series seems to be unrelated to classical aseptic meningitis (22.7% in our series) or hydrocephalus (2 cases in our series). For many authors, it may be the consequence of systematic resection of the tumor capsule. This does not seem to be the case in our series in which only 25% of the patients underwent a complete resection. Prolonged cerebral retraction could be one of the responsible factors. One of the technical proposals could be to perform a transparenchymal approach in selected patients.

Adult↗

[Role of magnetic resonance in the radiologic diagnosis of parotid pathology].

MRI findings in 13 patients with monolateral parotid tumor were compared with US, sialographic and CT findings. MRI did not allow an accurate diagnosis in 2 patients with diffuse chronic parotitis. MRI was superior to CT in 1 case in defining the intraglandular site of the lesion, and in 2 patients in showing the extraglandular involvement. MRI proved to be superior to CT thanks to its contrast resolution and to multiplanar imaging. MRI high contrast resolution made it possible to demonstrate neoplastic lesions of 4 mm in diameter. The lesion has low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted. Parotid tumors cannot be characterized by signal intensity alone: only morphology allows to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions. To conclude, US is a screening method, while MRI is helpful in detecting multifocal lesions and in evaluating the tumor extent.

Adenoma↗

Comparison of CT and CT angiography source images with diffusion-weighted imaging in patients with acute stroke within 6 hours after onset.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although stroke MRI has advantages over other diagnostic imaging modalities in acute stroke patients, most of these individuals are admitted to emergency units without MRI facilities. There is a need for an accurate diagnostic tool that rapidly and reliably detects hemorrhage, extent of ischemia, and vessel status and potentially estimates tissue at risk. We sought to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the combination of non-contrast-enhanced CT, CT angiography (CTA), and CTA source images (CTA-SI, showing early parenchymal contrast enhancement) in comparison with a multiparametric stroke MRI protocol in patients with acute stroke within 6 hours after onset. METHODS: Non-contrast-enhanced CT, CTA, stroke MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and MR angiography (MRA) were performed in patients with symptoms of acute stroke within 6 hours after onset. We analyzed infarct volumes on days 1 and 5 as shown on CTA-SI, DWI, and T2-weighted images (Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Spearman tests), estimated the collateral status, and assessed clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Scandinavian Stroke Scale). RESULTS: We analyzed the data of 20 stroke patients who underwent CT and MRI scanning within 6 hours (mean, 2.83 and 3.38 hours, respectively). Vessel occlusion was present in 16 of 20 patients. CTA-SI volumes did not differ from DWI volumes (P=0.601). Furthermore, the CTA-SI lesion volumes significantly correlated with the initial DWI lesion volumes (P<0.0001, r=0.922) and with outcome lesion volumes (P=0.013 r=0.736). Patients with poor collaterals experienced infarct growth (P=0.0058) and had a significantly worse clinical outcome (all P<0.012); patients with good collaterals did not (P=0.176). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of non-contrast-enhanced CT (exclusion of intracranial hemorrhage), CTA (vessel status), and early contrast-enhanced CTA-SI (demarcation of irreversible infarct) allows diagnostic assessment of acute stroke with a quality comparable to that of stroke MRI. Furthermore, it is possible to distinguish patients at risk of infarct growth from those who are not according to the collateral status, in analogy with the stroke MRI mismatch concept.

Acute Disease↗

MRI of influenza encephalopathy in children: value of diffusion-weighted imaging.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe the MR findings of influenza encephalopathy and assess the value of diffusion-weighted imaging for its diagnosis. METHOD: We examined a total of five patients diagnosed as having influenza encephalopathy or encephalitis by MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging. We analyzed the conventional images and compared them with diffusion-weighted images. RESULTS: Abnormally hyperintense lesions of varying extent and location were noted on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images in the cortex and adjacent white matter in every case. They showed no contrast enhancement. Diffusion-weighted imaging demonstrated the lesions as areas of restricted proton diffusion more clearly than conventional imaging. CONCLUSION: Influenza encephalopathy is depicted as areas of T2 elongation having a rather nonspecific distribution. Diffusion-weighted imaging can demonstrate the lesions sensitively and serve as a valuable adjunct to conventional MRI.

Acute Disease↗

Serial diffusion-weighted imaging in MELAS.

Clinical features of mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) resemble those of cerebral infarcts, but the pathogenesis of infarct-like lesions is not fully understood. To characterise these infarct-like lesions, we studied two patients with MELAS using diffusion-weighted (DWI) MRI before and after stroke-like episodes and measured the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the new infarct-like lesions. These gave high signal on DWI and had much higher ADC than normal-appearing regions. The ADC remained high even 30 days after a stroke-like episode then decreased in lesions, with or without abnormality as shown by conventional MRI. We speculate that early elevation of ADC in the acute or subacute phase reflects vasogenic rather than cytotoxic edema. The ADC of the lesions, which disappeared almost completely with clinical improvement, returned to normal levels, which may reflect tissue recovery without severe damage. To our knowledge, this is the first study of DWI in MELAS.

Adult↗

Diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum: evaluation and MRI.

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used preoperatively to stage the extent of a diffuse rectal hemangioma in a 37-year-old man with recurrent rectal bleeding. On T2-weighted MR scans, the lesion demonstrated a heterogenous signal intensity with large portions displaying the hyperintensity characteristic of hemangiomas of solid organs. MRI did not depict calcified phleboliths evident on CT and barium enema.

Adult↗

Cognitive correlates of cerebral white matter lesions and water diffusion tensor parameters in community-dwelling older people.

BACKGROUND: The biological basis of cognitive ageing is unknown. One underlying process might be disruption of white matter tracts connecting cortical regions. White matter lesions (WML) seen on structural MRI may disrupt cortical connections, but diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) parameters - mean diffusivity ( ) and fractional anisotropy (FA) - may reflect more subtle changes in white matter integrity. Here the relationships between WML load, DT-MRI parameters and cognition in a large cohort of elderly subjects with a very narrow age range were investigated. METHODS: 105 community-dwelling volunteers underwent MRI and neuropsychological assessment. Seventy-two (68.6%) were female, and their mean age was 78.4 (SD 1.5) years. Scans were rated for WML load. and FA were measured from regions of interest in normal-appearing frontal and occipital white matter, and centrum semiovale. RESULTS: and FA differed significantly among the three brain regions studied (p << 0.01). increased with age (r = 0.22 to 0.35, p < 0.03), and was negatively correlated with FA (r = -0.20 to -0.51, p < 0.05) in all three regions. There was a trend towards increased WML load correlating with poorer cognitive function, and this was statistically significant for the Mini-Mental State Examination (rho = -0.23, p = 0.02). was generally negatively correlated with cognitive test score, and FA was positively correlated. This pattern was more consistent for than for FA, and particularly for verbal fluency ( : r = -0.22 to -0.27, p < 0.03), which measures executive function. CONCLUSIONS: DT-MRI parameters, in particular , are sensitive to early ultrastructural changes underlying cognitive ageing. Executive function may be the cognitive domain most sensitive to age-related decline in white matter tract integrity.

Aged↗

Use of capillaries in the construction of an MRI phantom for the assessment of diffusion tensor imaging: demonstration of performance.

Although diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) shows great potential for the diagnosis of a variety of pathologies, no consensus for an appropriate assessment standard of DTI exists. This study examined the feasibility of using water-filled arrays of glass capillaries to construct a DTI phantom suitable for making repeated and reproducible measurements required in a quality assessment program. Three phantoms were constructed using arrays of capillaries with three inner diameters (23, 48, and 82 microm). Data were acquired using DTI protocols; the fractional anisotropy (FA), mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and principal eigenvectors of the diffusion tensors were calculated. This study demonstrated four results: (1) echo-planar images show that susceptibility within the capillary arrays does not lead to substantial differences in precessional frequency in regions containing the arrays and neither do the regions show noticeable image distortion; (2) principal eigenvectors of the diffusion tensors agree to within<10.3 degrees of the array orientations; (3) mean FA values (0.18-0.50) and ADC values (1.40-1.93x10-(3) mm2/s) within specified regions of interest are in general agreement with simulations after a simple noise correction; and (4) these array performance characteristics are observable using a typical clinical DTI protocol.

Anisotropy↗

Spinal leptomeningeal hemangioblastomatosis in von Hippel-Lindau disease: magnetic resonance and pathological findings.

A 55-year-old man with von Hippel-Lindau disease presented with quadriparesis. Multiple enhancing cervical and thoracic spinal masses were seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A rim of diffuse, nodular enhancement linking all of the discrete masses was apparent on the surface of the cervical and thoracic regions of the cord. Surgical exploration revealed multiple extramedullary-intradural and intramedullary masses, extending to and infiltrating the cord; the leptomeninges contained numerous small tumor seeds at several levels. The excised spinal masses were diagnosed as capillary hemangioblastomas, which infiltrated the pia mater. Diffuse, intense, spinal leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI associated with multiple hemangioblastomas has not been previously reported and may be referred to as spinal "leptomeningeal hemangioblastomatosis."

Arachnoid↗

[An elder case of neurosarcoidosis associated with brain infarction].

A 75-year-old woman with sarcoidosis developed sudden weakness of the left upper and lower limbs. Neurological examination revealed left-sided hemiplegia, hyperreflexia with pathological reflexes and hypesthesia. She was disoriented and euphoric. Diffusion-weighted brain MRI showed high intensity lesions in the right parietooccipital lobes. Electroencephalogram showed diffuse slowing of the background activity. Serum lysozyme increased to 18.4 mg/ml, CSF protein to 51 mg/dl. After admission, she presented psychotic manifestation followed by a progressive disturbance of consciousness. Epithelioid granulomas without caseous necrosis were present in the biopsied lymph node and specimens from the occipital cortex, indicating neurosarcoidosis. Necrosis was also present in the sampled brain tissue. The psychotic symptoms and consciousness disturbance rapidly ameliorated after the treatment with oral prednisolone, 40 mg/day. Neurosarcoidosis should be considered even in an elder case of sarcoidosis complicated with a stroke.

Aged↗