BACKGROUND Advanced imaging is one of the main modalities utilized in the diagnostic investigation of a first-time epileptic ictus, as well as in the evaluation of a patient suspected of having an ischemic stroke. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 7-year-old boy who was admitted to our hospital because of a depressed skull fracture. Soon after its initial evaluation, he had an episode of generalized tonic-clonic seizures; therefore, a detailed diagnostic work up was scheduled, which raised the diagnostic dilemma of ischemic stroke versus imaging alterations related to status epilepticus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBACKGROUND Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are considered to be abnormalities of congenital origin, presumably arising due to a disorder in the process of embryogenesis, in the phase of differentiation of premature vascular domes into mature arteries, capillaries, and veins. The end result of that process is the formation of direct arteriovenous communications, without intervening capillary beds. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 6-year-old female who suffered an abrupt deterioration of her level of consciousness due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage located in the basal cisterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Spinal lipomas are generally thought to occur as a result of failed primary neurulation. Failed primary neurulation allows invasion of mesenchymal tissue of mesodermic origin into the neural structure, leading to the formation of a spinal lipoma. Despite most spinal lipomas being regarded as the result of failed primary neurulation, some confusion in terms of the embryogenesis of spinal lipomas remains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDescending transtentorial herniation (DTH) is a complication of raised pressure in the supratentorial compartment, usually resulting from mass lesion of several etiologies. The authors report an exceptional case of DTH complicating the implant of a CSF shunting device in the trapped fourth ventricle of a 17-year-old boy in whom a second CSF shunting device had been implanted for neonatal posthemorrhagic and postinfectious hydrocephalus. The insidious clinical and radiological presentation of DTH, mimicking a malfunction of the supratentorial shunt, is documented.
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