Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for detection of postoperative intracranial pyogenic abscesses in neurosurgery.

Background: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-DWI) is the modality of choice for detecting intracranial abscesses; however, it is unclear whether prior brain surgery has an influence on its diagnostic value. Thus, we assessed the robustness of MRI-DWI and determination of an ADC cutoff value for detecting intracranial abscesses in patients who underwent brain surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 19 patients prior to surgery for postoperative supratentorial parenchymal abscesses by means of MRI-DWI.

Successful mechanical thrombectomy in a three-year-old boy with cardioembolic occlusion of both the basilar artery and the left middle cerebral artery.

Background: Paediatric stroke is a potentially life-threatening emergency and requires immediate treatment to improve clinical outcome. In contrast to adult treatment recommendations, little is known about safety and efficacy of thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy in children.

Case Description And Conclusion: We report on a three-year-old boy with a cardioembolic intracranial two-vessel occlusion and successful therapy with thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy.

Immediate and 12 months follow up of function and lead integrity after cranial MRI in 356 patients with conventional cardiac pacemakers.

Background: Conventional cardiac pacemakers are still often regarded as a contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We conducted this study to support the hypothesis that it is safe to scan patients with cardiac pacemakers in a 1.5 Tesla MRI, if close supervision and monitoring as well as adequate pre- and postscan programming is provided.

Mechanical thrombectomy in basilar artery thrombosis: technical advances and safety in a 10-year experience.

Purpose: Multiple endovascular devices have been used for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in basilar artery occlusion (BAO) for >10 years. Based on a single-center experience during the course of one decade, we present data on safety and efficacy of previous MT devices compared with modern stent retriever and suction thrombectomy.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-one patients (29 women, 52 men, mean age 61.

Endovascular mechanical recanalisation after intravenous thrombolysis in acute anterior circulation stroke: the impact of a new temporary stent.

Purpose: Treatment of acute stroke by endovascular mechanical recanalisation (EMR) has shown promising results and continues to be further refined. We evaluated the impact of a temporary stent compared with our results using other mechanical devices.

Materials And Methods: We analysed clinical and radiological data of all patients who were treated by EMR after intravenous thrombolysis for acute carotid T- and middle-cerebral artery (M1) occlusions at our centre between 2007 and 2011.

Hyperdense basilar artery sign-a reliable sign of basilar artery occlusion.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate the value of the hyperdense basilar artery (HBA) sign and of basilar artery (BA) attenuation measurements as predictors of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) on nonenhanced cranial CT (NECT).

Methods: Forty-one consecutive patients with proven BAO in CT angiography, who had undergone NECT for initial evaluation (30 males, 11 females) were retrospectively included. Another 41 age-matched patients without BAO were included as a control group.

Detailed imaging of the normal anatomy and pathologic conditions of the cavernous region at 3 Tesla using a contrast-enhanced MR angiography.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of a high-resolution contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) at 3 Tesla for the delineation of the cavernous sinus (CS) anatomy both under normal and under pathological conditions.

Methods: Fifteen patients without pathologies in the CS and ten patients with pituitary adenomas were included. The CE-MRA was performed on a 3-Tesla scanner and analyzed collaboratively by two readers.

Endovascular mechanical recanalisation of acute carotid-T occlusions: a single-center retrospective analysis.

Purpose: Acute carotid-T occlusion generally responds poorly to thrombolysis. Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT) seems to be a promising alternative. However, there are few data on EMT in carotid-T occlusions.

Central retinal artery occlusion: local intra-arterial fibrinolysis versus conservative treatment, a multicenter randomized trial.

Purpose: The reported outcomes of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) with or without treatment vary considerably. Although local intra-arterial fibrinolysis (LIF) using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is a promising treatment, outcomes have not been compared in randomized trials.

Design: Prospective randomized multicenter clinical trial (the European Assessment Group for Lysis in the Eye Study) to compare treatment outcome after conservative standard treatment (CST) and LIF for acute nonarteritic CRAO.

Sensitivity and reliability of language laterality assessment with a free reversed association task--a fMRI study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity and reliability of assessing hemispheric language dominance with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a 'free reversed association task.'

Methods: Thirty-nine healthy subjects (13 dextrals, 13 sinistrals and 13 bimanuals) underwent two repeated fMRI sessions. In the active phases sets of words were presented via headphones, and an associated target item was named.

Cranial CT with 64-, 16-, 4- and single-slice CT systems-comparison of image quality and posterior fossa artifacts in routine brain imaging with standard protocols.

Posterior fossa artifacts constitute a characteristic limitation of cranial CT. To identify practical benefits and drawbacks of newer CT systems with reduced collimation in routine cranial imaging, we aimed to investigate image quality, posterior fossa artifacts and parenchymal delineation in non-enhanced CT (NECT) with 1-, 4-, 16- and 64-slice scanners using standard scan protocols. We prospectively enrolled 25 consecutive patients undergoing NECT on a 64-slice CT.

Cavernous malformations of the brainstem: three-dimensional-constructive interference in steady-state magnetic resonance imaging for improvement of surgical approach and clinical results.

Objective: The indications for resection of cavernous malformations (CMs) of the brainstem include neurological deficits, (recurrent) hemorrhage, and surgically accessible location. In particular, knowledge of the thickness of the parenchymal layer and of the CM's spatial relation to nuclei, tracts, cranial nerves, and vessels is critical for planning the surgical approach. We reviewed the operative treatment of 13 patients with 14 brainstem CMs, with special regard to refined three-dimensional (3D)-constructive interference in steady-state (CISS) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Stent-angioplasty of intracranial vertebral and basilar artery stenoses in symptomatic patients.

Background: To present our two-center treatment results with stent angioplasty of intracranial vertebrobasilar stenoses in symptomatic patients.

Material And Methods: Between 2001 and 2003, 21 patients with 22 stenoses, refractory to medical therapy, who underwent elective stenting of intracranial vertebrobasilar stenoses were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had ischemic events clinically referable to the stenoses.

Treatment of basilar artery embolism with a mechanical extraction device: necessity of flow reversal.

Background And Purpose: The success of local fibrinolysis in vertebrobasilar thromboembolism depends on the volume and composition of the clot. Since thrombolysis can also be time consuming and cause bleeding, we investigated the feasibility of a mechanical clot retraction device based on a nitinol basket advanced through a microcatheter.

Methods: Five patients with acute embolism of the basilar artery who presented with progressive stroke and impaired consciousness were included in a multicenter study (Neuronet Evaluation in Embolic Stroke Disease [NEED]).