Serum S100β as a prognostic marker in patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Background: The serum concentration of S100β protein reportedly predicts outcomes after brain injury. We examined the prognostic accuracy of S100β in patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage treated in the intensive care unit at our university hospital.

Long-term hormonal follow-up after human Puumala hantavirus infection.

Objective: Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Puumala hantavirus (PUUV). Pituitary haemorrhage and hypopituitarism may complicate recovery from acute NE.

Design: Forty-seven of our recent cohort of 58 NE patients volunteered to be re-examined in order to estimate the burden of hormonal deficiency 4 to 8 years after the acute illness.

Survey of inappropriate use of magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: There are concerns that not all costly advanced imaging is appropriate. However, studies about the appropriateness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are sparse. The aim of this study was to review various MRI examinations done at a university hospital to determine whether there is inappropriate use.

Expression of VEGF and collagen XVIII in meningiomas: correlations with histopathological and MRI characteristics.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the possibility of predicting histological characteristics of meningiomas on the basis of preoperative MRI and the correlation of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and collagen XVIII with histological parameters already established as predictive of the course of these tumors.

Methods: Expression of VEGF and collagen XVIII as well as other histological characteristics was examined in meningioma tissues from 20 patients. Preoperative MRI, including dynamic imaging of contrast enhancement, was analyzed.

Neurogenic pulmonary edema in patients with nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage: predictors and association with outcome.

Background: Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) is a well-recognized phenomenon after intracranial insult. In this study, we evaluated the predictors for NPE and its association with outcome in patients with intensive care unit-treated nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational clinical study in a university-level intensive care unit.

Repolarization abnormalities in patients with subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage: predisposing factors and association with outcome.

Background: Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are frequent in patients with intracranial insult. In this study, we evaluated the factors predisposing to the repolarization abnormalities, i.e.

Signs of general inflammation and kidney function are associated with the ocular features of acute Puumala hantavirus infection.

Background: Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica (NE), a type of viral haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). This febrile infection may affect the kidneys, central nervous system (CNS), and the eye. Acute illness is associated with increased tissue permeability and tissue oedema, and many patients experience reduced vision.

Mild traumatic brain injury diagnosis frequently remains unrecorded in subjects with craniofacial fractures.

Background: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in subjects with craniofacial fractures are usually diagnosed by emergency room physicians. We investigated how often TBI remains unrecorded in these subjects, and whether diagnostic accuracy has improved after the implementation of new TBI guidelines.

Methods: All subjects with craniofacial fractures admitted to Oulu University Hospital in 1999 and in 2007 were retrospectively identified.

Young male patients are at elevated risk of developing serious central nervous system complications during acute Puumala hantavirus infection.

Background: Our aim was to characterize clinical properties and laboratory parameters in patients with or without cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings suggestive of central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and especially those who developed serious CNS complications during acute nephropathia epidemica (NE) caused by Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) infection.

Methods: A prospective cohort of 40 patients with acute NE and no signs of major CNS complications was analyzed. In addition, 8 patients with major CNS complications associated with NE were characterized.

Early rebleeding after coiling of ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Background: Early rebleeding after coiling of a ruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA) may cause disability or death. The incidence and predictors of early rebleeding have previously been sparsely investigated.

Purpose: To assess the incidence and risk factors of early rebleeding after coiling of a ruptured IA and to analyze the outcome of the patients suffering early rehemorrhage.

Central nervous system-related symptoms and findings are common in acute Puumala hantavirus infection.

Background: Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes a hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) also called nephropathia epidemica (NE). Recent case reports and retrospective studies suggest that NE may damage the pituitary gland. Based on these observations, our goal was to explore the nature of this complication prospectively.

Unjustified CT examinations in young patients.

The doses of radiation from computed tomography (CT) are relatively high, yet CT is being increasingly utilized. Furthermore, the radiation-induced lifetime risk of cancer mortality is higher at younger age. The purpose of this study was to find out whether previous CT examinations done on patients aged under 35 years were justified, and if not, whether there would have been other, more justifiable imaging modalities available.

Pulse repetition time and contrast enhancement: simulation study of Gd-BOPTA and conventional contrast agent at different field strengths.

Objectives: To investigate theoretically enhancement and optimal pulse repetition times for Gd-BOPTA and Gd-DTPA enhanced brain imaging at 0.23, 1.5, and 3.

Enhancement of brain tumors in 0.23-T low-field MRI: comparison of edema attenuated inversion recovery (EDAIR) sequences with T1-weighted sequence.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore whether edema attenuated inversion recovery (EDAIR) sequences could be used to improve tumor contrast in contrast-enhanced low-field 0.23-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using 0.1 mmol/kg of gadolinium-based contrast agent.

Persistence of indentation with bioabsorbable poly-L/D-lactide versus silicone sponge scleral buckling implants.

Purpose: To measure the amount and duration of indentation depth achieved with biodegradable poly-L/D-lactide 96/4 (PLA96) and silicone sponge implants.

Methods: Thirty rabbits underwent a scleral buckling procedure. A PLA96 buckling implant was used in 15 rabbits and a silicone sponge buckling implant was in 15 rabbits.

Computer-assisted diagnosis by temporal subtraction in postoperative brain tumor patients: a feasibility study.

Rationale And Objectives: To introduce and evaluate a novel, image fusion-based technique that can be used to compare the findings of primary and control brain magnetic resonance imaging scans, with special attention to the differences found in this comparison.

Materials And Methods: A new technique named "colored difference mapping" was applied to the brain examinations of five patients. The possible changes in the magnetic resonance imaging findings were analyzed by the colored difference mapping technique and by using conventional film reading and the results were compared.

Dynamic MR imaging of brain tumors in low field using undersampled projection reconstruction.

A new application of the projection reconstruction method was developed, enabling dynamic T(1)-weighted contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance image (MRI) of brain tumors in a low-field imager. Two undersampled projection reconstruction spin echo sequences were implemented in an open low-field (0.23-T) MR imager, one with 64 and another with 42 projections in [0,pi], repetition time 150 ms, echotime 15 ms, and six slices were used in both sequences.

Muscle computed tomography patterns in patients with the mitochondrial DNA mutation 3243A>G.

Computed tomography provides a sensitive method for investigating skeletal muscle changes in neuromuscular diseases, but this method has not been applied to mitochondrial myopathies. We characterized the pattern of muscle involvement in patients with the 3243A>G mutation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the common MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) mutation. Twenty-four patients, age 19-73 years, with 3243A>G were examined.

A portable diagnostic workstation based on a Webpad: implementation and evaluation.

A wireless hand-held Webpad device was used to review a sample set of cranial computerized tomography (CT) studies to assess its diagnostic capabilities and its feasibility as a portable diagnostic workstation for radiology. The data-set consisted of 30 head CT studies of emergency cases. Two neuroradiologists and a senior radiologist participated in the evaluation of the portable workstation.