Ectopic orbital brain diagnosed 20 years after symptomatic presentation.

Ectopic brain in the orbit is a rare entity with only 14 other case reports in the literature. This case is unique in that symptomatic presentation occurred 20 years prior to diagnosis. Symptoms are generally due to mass effect.

Survival and invasiveness of astrocytomas promoted by erythropoietin.

Object: The hypoxia-inducible pleiotropic hormone, erythropoietin (EPO), has recently been found to promote the development and survival of neurons and astrocytes. Since hypoxia has been implicated in the malignant progression of some human cancers, the authors investigated whether EPO signaling influenced the malignant properties of human astrocytoma cells.

Methods: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemical studies were used to measure EPO and its receptor (EPOR).

Patterns of contrast enhancement in the brain and meninges.

Contrast material enhancement for cross-sectional imaging has been used since the mid 1970s for computed tomography and the mid 1980s for magnetic resonance imaging. Knowledge of the patterns and mechanisms of contrast enhancement facilitate radiologic differential diagnosis. Brain and spinal cord enhancement is related to both intravascular and extravascular contrast material.