Automatic segmentation of white matter hyperintensities from brain magnetic resonance images in the era of deep learning and big data - A systematic review.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), of presumed vascular origin, are visible and quantifiable neuroradiological markers of brain parenchymal change. These changes may range from damage secondary to inflammation and other neurological conditions, through to healthy ageing. Fully automatic WMH quantification methods are promising, but still, traditional semi-automatic methods seem to be preferred in clinical research.

Hyperdense artery sign, symptomatic infarct swelling and effect of alteplase in acute ischaemic stroke.

Background: Alteplase improves functional outcomes of patients with acute ischaemic stroke, but its effects on symptomatic infarct swelling, an adverse complication of stroke and the influence of CT hyperdense artery sign (HAS) are unclear. This substudy of the Third International Stroke Trial aimed to investigate the association between HAS and symptomatic infarct swelling and effect of intravenous alteplase on this association.

Methods: We included stroke patients whose prerandomisation scan was non-contrast CT.

Arterial Obstruction on Computed Tomographic or Magnetic Resonance Angiography and Response to Intravenous Thrombolytics in Ischemic Stroke.

Background And Purpose: Computed tomographic angiography and magnetic resonance angiography are used increasingly to assess arterial patency in patients with ischemic stroke. We determined which baseline angiography features predict response to intravenous thrombolytics in ischemic stroke using randomized controlled trial data.

Methods: We analyzed angiograms from the IST-3 (Third International Stroke Trial), an international, multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial of intravenous alteplase.

Switching patients with acromegaly from octreotide to pasireotide improves biochemical control: crossover extension to a randomized, double-blind, Phase III study.

Background: Many patients with acromegaly do not achieve biochemical control with first-generation somatostatin analogues. A large, multicenter, randomized, Phase III core study demonstrated that pasireotide LAR had significantly superior efficacy over octreotide LAR. This analysis explores the efficacy and safety of switching therapeutic arms in inadequately controlled patients during a 12-month crossover extension.

Effect of alteplase on the CT hyperdense artery sign and outcome after ischemic stroke.

Objective: To investigate whether the location and extent of the CT hyperdense artery sign (HAS) at presentation affects response to IV alteplase in the randomized controlled Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3).

Methods: All prerandomization and follow-up (24-48 hours) CT brain scans in IST-3 were assessed for HAS presence, location, and extent by masked raters. We assessed whether HAS grew, persisted, shrank, or disappeared at follow-up, the association with 6-month functional outcome, and effect of alteplase.

Consent for Brain Tissue Donation after Intracerebral Haemorrhage: A Community-Based Study.

Background: Spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage is a devastating form of stroke and its incidence increases with age. Obtaining brain tissue following intracerebral haemorrhage helps to understand its cause. Given declining autopsy rates worldwide, the feasibility of establishing an autopsy-based collection and its generalisability are uncertain.

Hemispheric association and dissociation of voice and speech information processing in stroke.

As we listen to someone speaking, we extract both linguistic and non-linguistic information. Knowing how these two sets of information are processed in the brain is fundamental for the general understanding of social communication, speech recognition and therapy of language impairments. We investigated the pattern of performances in phoneme versus gender categorization in left and right hemisphere stroke patients, and found an anatomo-functional dissociation in the right frontal cortex, establishing a new syndrome in voice discrimination abilities.

Influence of intracerebral hemorrhage location on incidence, characteristics, and outcome: population-based study.

Background And Purpose: The characteristics of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) may vary by ICH location because of differences in the distribution of underlying cerebral small vessel diseases. Therefore, we investigated the incidence, characteristics, and outcome of lobar and nonlobar ICH.

Methods: In a population-based, prospective inception cohort study of ICH, we used multiple overlapping sources of case ascertainment and follow-up to identify and validate ICH diagnoses in 2010 to 2011 in an adult population of 695 335.

Observer reliability of CT angiography in the assessment of acute ischaemic stroke: data from the Third International Stroke Trial.

Introduction: CT angiography (CTA) is often used for assessing patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Only limited observer reliability data exist. We tested inter- and intra-observer reliability for the assessment of CTA in acute ischaemic stroke.

CT and Clinical Predictors of Fatigue at One Month after Stroke.

Background: Fatigue is a common and distressing consequence of stroke, and the aetiology of post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is poorly understood. It is unclear whether chronic brain changes [cerebral atrophy and white matter lesions (WML)], stroke lesion location or certain clinical features are related to its development. The aim of this study was to identify, in patients with acute stroke, whether features in different brain regions on routine CT imaging or routinely collected clinical features predicted PSF at 1 month.

Long-term efficacy and safety of subcutaneous pasireotide in acromegaly: results from an open-ended, multicenter, Phase II extension study.

Pasireotide has a broader somatostatin receptor binding profile than other somatostatin analogues. A 16-week, Phase II trial showed that pasireotide may be an effective treatment for acromegaly. An extension to this trial assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of pasireotide.

A large web-based observer reliability study of early ischaemic signs on computed tomography. The Acute Cerebral CT Evaluation of Stroke Study (ACCESS).

Background: Early signs of ischaemic stroke on computerised tomography (CT) scanning are subtle but CT is the most widely available diagnostic test for stroke. Scoring methods that code for the extent of brain ischaemia may improve stroke diagnosis and quantification of the impact of ischaemia.

Methodology And Principal Findings: We showed CT scans from patients with acute ischaemic stroke (n = 32, with different patient characteristics and ischaemia signs) to doctors in stroke-related specialties world-wide over the web.

Use of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to measure subtle blood-brain barrier abnormalities.

There is growing interest in investigating the role of subtle changes in blood-brain barrier (BBB) function in common neurological disorders and the possible use of imaging techniques to assess these abnormalities. Some studies have used dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) and these have demonstrated much smaller signal changes than obtained from more traditional applications of the technique, such as in intracranial tumors and multiple sclerosis. In this work, preliminary results are presented from a DCE-MRI study of patients with mild stroke classified according to the extent of visible underlying white matter abnormalities.

Blood-brain barrier permeability in Alzheimer's disease: a case-control MRI study.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction may contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed repeatedly nine times before and up to 30 min following a 20 ml Gd-DTPA bolus injection in 15 AD participants and 15 healthy older people. For each participant, small circular regions of interest (size: 9 voxels) were placed to sample widely the deep gray matter (12 regions), cortical gray matter (72 regions), white matter (72 regions) and CSF (8 regions) as well as the basilar and internal carotid arteries (3 regions).

Octreotide LAR vs. surgery in newly diagnosed patients with acromegaly: a randomized, open-label, multicentre study.

Objective: This prospective randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of octreotide LAR vs. surgery in newly diagnosed acromegalic patients.

Methods: Totally 104 male and female patients were enrolled in a 50-week, exploratory, open-label and randomized study.

Associations between diffusion and perfusion parameters, N-acetyl aspartate, and lactate in acute ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: In acute ischemic stroke, the amount of neuronal damage in hyperintense areas on MR diffusion imaging (DWI) is unclear. We used spectroscopic imaging to measure N-acetyl aspartate (NAA, a marker of normal neurons) and lactate (a marker of ischemia) to compare with diffusion and perfusion values in the diffusion lesion in acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: We recruited patients with acute ischemic stroke prospectively and performed MR diffusion weighted (DWI), perfusion, and spectroscopic imaging.

Blood-brain barrier: ageing and microvascular disease--systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cerebral "microvascular" disease occurs in lacunar stroke, leukoaraiosis, vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It may arise from or contribute to insidious damage to the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We systematically reviewed the literature for evidence that BBB permeability is altered in patients with manifestations of cerebral microvascular disease.

A prospective, multicentre study to investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of octreotide LAR (long-acting repeatable octreotide) in the primary therapy of patients with acromegaly.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of octreotide LAR (long-acting repeatable octreotide) in the primary therapy of acromegaly.

Design And Patients: Ninety-eight previously untreated acromegalics were recruited into this prospective multicentre study. A total of 68 patients successfully completed 48 weeks of the study period, received 12 doses of octreotide LAR 10-30 mg every 4 weeks, and constituted the population used for this analysis.

Factors influencing the detection of early CT signs of cerebral ischemia: an internet-based, international multiobserver study.

Background And Purpose: Early CT signs of cerebral ischemia are subtle. Little is known of which factors influence the detection of infarct signs. We compared neuroradiologists' scan readings with those of other specialists involved in the care of stroke patients.