Gray matter volume in left rostral middle frontal and left cerebellar cortices predicts frontal executive performance in alcoholic subjects.

Background: Alcoholic subjects manifest important deficits in frontal executive function, yet maintain cognitive mental status within normal range.

Methods: This study searched for volumetric measurements of segmented brain structures obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that would predict executive functions and cognitive mental status in alcoholic subjects. The frontal assessment battery (FAB) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were applied to alcoholic subjects who underwent MRI.

Indolent systemic mastocytosis: is there a reliable radiographic pattern?

A 14-year-old boy undergoing treatment for nephrotic syndrome with steroids and cyclosporine presented with small sclerotic bone lesions in a routine chest radiograph. Similar lesions were found in other bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton. Despite the paucity of clinical symptoms and absence of laboratory data suggesting systemic mastocytosis, the diagnosis of an indolent form of this disorder was made based on radiographic signs and confirmed by biopsy.