Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 2 (PCH2): report of two siblings.

We describe two sisters affected by pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 2 associated with microcephaly, hypertonia, severe choreiform movements, an almost complete lack of psychomotor development, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Clinical and neuroradiological findings ruled out other conditions associated with pontocerebellar hypoplasia, i.e.

Post-traumatic cerebral air embolism. Case report.

A case of post-traumatic cerebral air embolism is presented. In the chest-X-radiography fractures of many ribs and hemo-pneumothorax were visible on the right side associated with intra-alveolar, interstitial hemorrhages and mediastinal emphysema. At the end of a CT scan of the head appeared features of arterial air embolism.

Herniated disk in adolescents.

Twenty-one patients (9 female and 12 male) aged from 13 to 22 years were observed for lumbago and lumbo-sciatica caused by a discopathy which was subsequently confirmed by radiology and surgery. None of these patients had a history of trauma. It must be underlined that the painful symptoms exhibited and the young age of the patients suggest such pathologies as infections, tumours or malformations, but the possibility of discopathy must always be considered.

Cerebral cavernous angioma. Diagnostic considerations.

Eighteen cases of cerebral cavernous angiomas are reported, and their histopathological, clinical and radiological features are reviewed. MR complements TC in characterizing cavernomas and in distinguishing them from similar-appearing lesions. However, when such lesions are seen with atypical features, discrimination from hemorrhagic tumors remains problematic.

Cavernous angioma does not exist?

12 cases of cerebral "venous angioma" are reported; pathological, clinical and radiological features of the lesion are reviewed. "Venous angioma" should be regarded as a developmental anatomic variation of the venous drainage system of the white matter. Its clinical significance is controversial, although it has been reported to cause hemorrhage, seizures, progressive neurological deficits, headaches.

Cavernous sinus meningiomas.

Analysing 12 cases of cavernous sinus meningiomas the authors conclude that: the clinical history is characteristic; CT scan has proved to be more sensitive than carotid angiography in detecting small lesions. However in large lesions the vascular supply pattern is the only feature that exactly identifies the site of the lesion. Both angiography and CT scan allow a near definitive diagnosis of meningioma; because of their location it is almost always impossible to remove these tumours completely.

Arteriovenous shunts between dural branches of the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus.

Three cases with dural arteriovenous shunts of the cavernous sinus are reported. The clinical signs usually were mild and included frontal headache, dilated conjunctival veins, exophthalmos, bruit, and oculomotor nerve palsy. Arterial contributions to the fistulae arose from meningeal branches of the internal and external carotid arteries.

Computed tomography for diagnosis of empty sella associated with enhancing pituitary microadenoma.

Ten cases of primary empty sella with clinical findings of a secreting pituitary adenoma were studied using computed tomography (CT). Scans performed before contrast medium infusion confirmed the diagnosis of empty sella. After infusion, eight cases were found to have a nodular area of increased density within the sella turcica.