Cavernous malformation of the optic chiasm: An uncommon location.

Background: Cavernous malformations (CMs) of the optic chiasm are rare lesions often presenting with acute chiasmal syndrome or a progressive visual loss. The case of a 48-year-old female with an intrachiasmatic CM is presented.

Case Description: The patient presented with an insidious history of progressive visual loss.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia caused by a complex neurovascular conflict: Case report and review of the literature.

Background: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN) is a rare condition characterized by severe, paroxysmal episodes of pain mainly localized to the external ear canal, pharynx, and tongue, usually caused by a neurovascular conflict between postero-inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) and IX cranial nerve. Sometimes there is also a compression of X c.n.

Thoracic spinal cord cavernous angioma: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Cavernous angiomas of the spinal cord are rare vascular malformations, which account for approximately 5 to 12 percent of spinal cord vascular lesions. They usually originate in the vertebrae, with occasional extension into the extradural space, and intramedullary cavernomas, even if reported in the literature, are very rare.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 34-year-old Caucasian woman affected by a thoracic intramedullary cavernous angioma.

Presurgical evaluation of hemifacial spasm and spasmodic torticollis caused by a neurovascular conflict from AICA with 3T MRI integrated by 3D drive and 3D TOF image fusion: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Hemifacial spasm (HS) and spasmodic torticollis (ST) are well-known disorders that are caused by a neurovascular conflict. HS is characterized by irregular, involuntary muscle contractions on one side of the face due to spasms of orbicularis oris and orbicularis oculi muscles, and is usually caused by vascular compression of the VII cranial nerve. ST is an extremely painful chronic movement disorder causing the neck to involuntary turn to the side, upward and/or downward.

Advanced virtual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in neurovascular conflict: bidimensional image fusion and virtual cisternography.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the advantages and limits of virtual magnetic resonance techniques in planning surgery for microvascular decompression in patients with neurovascular conflict.

Materials And Methods: Between December 2010 and December 2011, we prospectively observed 32 patients (30 with trigeminal neuralgia and two with hemifacial spasm), with a suspected clinical diagnosis of neurovascular conflict. To assess the contact between nerve and vessel, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by three-dimensional (3D) constructive interference in steady state (CISS) and high-resolution MR angiography (MRA) were performed in all cases.

Innovative therapeutic strategies in the treatment of brain metastases.

Brain metastases (BM) are the most common intracranial tumors and their incidence is increasing. Untreated brain metastases are associated with a poor prognosis and a poor performance status. Metastasis development involves the migration of a cancer cell from the bulk tumor into the surrounding tissue, extravasation from the blood into tissue elsewhere in the body, and formation of a secondary tumor.

Large trigeminal schwannoma of the infratemporal fossa: evaluation of neoangiogenesis in this rare neoplasm.

Background: Trigeminal schwannomas are uncommon intracranial tumors. Extracranial trigeminal schwannomas in the infratemporal fossa are rare.

Methods: We present a case with a clinical history of facial pain.