Radiologic anatomy of the spinal dorsal horn at the cervical level (anatomic-MRI correlations).

The spinal dorsal horn is known for its important functional role in the field of transmission and modulation of sensory afferents. Because of this, the dorsal horn represents a target for numerous analgesic and antispastic procedures. Thus, it would be interesting to develop imaging dedicated to this spinal structure.

[Diagnosis of a post-thrombophlebitic dural fistula using MR angiography].

We report a case in which MRA made it possible to diagnose a dural arteriovenous fistula and thrombophlebitis in a 23-year old woman. 2D TOF MRA is the usual technique in the diagnosis of thrombophlebitis. Our experience shows the limits of 2D TOF since the increased signal intensity in the sinus could simulate a normal flow, and we describe the advantages of MR subtraction angiography.

Clinical and radiological aspects of Villaret's syndrome.

A 68-year-old man with a history of large cell lung carcinoma presented 1 year after surgical management of the initial lesion, with a complete unilateral IX-XII cranial nerve palsy with Horner's sign. This rare multiple cranial nerve palsy is called Villaret's syndrome. It suggests an extracranial lesion located in the retroparotid space.

Inhaled oxygen: a brain MR contrast agent?

Oxygen inhalation led to subtle but readily detectable changes on T2*-weighted images with a conventional MR imager at 1.5 T. We attribute the increase in local signal intensity to changes in blood oxygenation, in particular to a net conversion of deoxyhemoglobin to oxyhemoglobin.

CT-guided needle biopsy of intracranial tumours: results in 118 consecutive patients.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CT-guided needle biopsies and to determine the optimal indications for this technique. The case histories of 118 patients who underwent a CT-guided biopsy for brain lesions during a six-year period, from November 1986 to September 1992, were reviewed. During a preliminary CT-scan, the entry site was determined and localized using a radio opaque marker and the safest route to the lesion was chosen.