Assessment of damage to cerebral white matter fiber in the subacute phase after carbon monoxide poisoning using fractional anisotropy in diffusion tensor imaging.

Introduction: Chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are caused by demyelination of cerebral white matter fibers. We examined whether diffusion tensor imaging can sensitively represent damage to fibers of the centrum semiovale in the subacute phase after CO intoxication.

Methods: Subjects comprised 13 adult patients with CO poisoning, classified into three groups according to clinical behaviors: group A, patients with transit acute symptoms only; group P, patients with persistent neurological symptoms; and group D, patients with "delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae" occurring after a lucid interval.

A phase II study of radiotherapy after hyperbaric oxygenation combined with interferon-beta and nimustine hydrochloride to treat supratentorial malignant gliomas.

Hypoxic cells play a key role in the radioresistance of malignant glioma. Interferon-beta, ACNU as nimustine hydrochloride and radiotherapy (IAR) is a common therapy for malignant glioma in Japan. Since hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) increases oxygen pressure in glioma tissue, we applied a modified IAR therapy, radiotherapy after HBO combined with interferon-beta and ACNU (HBO/IAR therapy), for supratentorial malignant gliomas.

Change of oxygen pressure in glioblastoma tissue under various conditions.

Measurement of oxygen pressure (pO2) in tumor tissue is important, because pO2 is a major factor for radiosensitivity in malignant glioma treatment. We attempted to elucidate the changes in pO2 level in glioblastoma tissue of patients under various conditions. Eighteen patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma were recruited to this study.