Isolated lympho-histiocytic inflammation of the Gasserian ganglion mimicking trigeminal schwannoma.

Unlabelled: We present an unusual case of a patient with trigeminal pain and hypesthesia suggesting trigeminal schwannoma, where histology demonstrated an inflammatory lesion of the Gasserian ganglion.

Clinical Presentation: Patient history and imaging were typical for a trigeminal schwannoma with a dumbbell growth in the middle and posterior fossa. Surgery was performed and resection of a firm mass intermingled with fascicles originating from the ganglion and the mandibular branch was carried out via a subtemporal approach.

Imaging of human brain tumor tissue by near-infrared laser coherence tomography.

Introduction: Intraoperative detection of residual tumor remains an important challenge in surgery to treat gliomas. New developments in optical techniques offer non-invasive high-resolution imaging that may integrate well into the workflow of neurosurgical operations. Using an intracranial glioma model, we have recently shown that time domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows discrimination of normal brain, diffusely invaded brain tissue, and solid tumor.

Multi-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy of brain-tumour tissue and analysis of cell density.

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the complete resection of a brain tumour but the task often remains a challenge for the neurosurgeon. New technologies which add objective information beyond visualisation provided by the traditional operating microscope are required. In this study, we have analysed the cellular density of the tumour/brain interface using three dimensional multi-photon microscopy intensity-images of experimental gliomas and human brain-tumour biopsy samples.

A non-midline spheno-orbital encephalocele in a newborn.

Basal encephaloceles in western countries occur in 1 of every 35 000-40 000 live births; with an incidence of less than 10% they are the least common of all encephaloceles. Certain subtypes such as transsphenoidal variants may be as rare as 1 in 700 000 live births. These rare encephaloceles are classified into five anatomic types: spheno-ethmodial, transsphenoidal, spheno-orbital, transethmoidal, and spheno-maxillary.