MRI parameters of Alzheimer's disease in an Arab population of Wadi Ara, Israel.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are reported from 15 individuals in an Arab-Israeli community who were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The quantitative parameters that were used for MRI analyses included gradings (0-3) and linear measurements of different brain structures. Generalized tissue loss was assessed by combined measurements of the ventricles (ventricular score, VS) and sulcal grading and width (SG, SW, respectively).

Hippocampal memory function as reflected by the intracarotid sodium methohexital Wada test.

The intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) determines lateralization of memory function for predicting the risk of amnesia after epilepsy surgery. Shortages of amobarbital led to its substitution with sodium methohexital in the intracarotid methohexital procedure (IMP). We compared IAP scores (32 patients) with IMP scores (20 patients).

Postoperative treatment of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas with dopamine agonists decreases tumour remnant growth.

Objective: There is no consensus as to the optimal postoperative treatment of patients with clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) in whom total tumour removal has not been achieved. In this study we assessed whether dopamine agonist (DA) treatment can prevent postoperative remnant enlargement in NFPA.

Design And Methods: Thirty-three patients (25 men/8 women; mean age, 61.

Clinical characteristics of elderly patients with a cautious gait of unknown origin.

Objective: To evaluate and systematically characterize a group of older adults with disturbed gait of unknown origin.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Outpatient clinic in a movement disorders unit.

Early CT changes and outcome of ischemic stroke.

Although recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was rapidly implemented as part of the emergency care of acute stroke, its use in daily clinical practice still remains controversial in many countries. The most important question is criteria for careful selection of subgroup of patients for this treatment. It has been hypothesized that early computed tomography (CT) changes of ischemia are risk factors for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and poor outcome.

Postoperative surveillance of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas: markers of tumour quiescence and regrowth.

Background: Postoperative management of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) presents difficult challenges. There are no good serum markers for presence or growth of the tumour, medical treatment is not effective and radiotherapy carries the risk of significant side-effects.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the natural history and biological behaviour of surgically treated NFPA, with a special effort to identify characteristics indicative of a more aggressive course that could assist in the clinical decision-making process.

High b value q-space-analyzed diffusion MRI in vascular dementia: a preliminary study.

High b value diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (high-b DWI) was used to characterize white matter changes in the brain of patients with vascular dementia (VaD). Hyperintense white matter areas detected by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) represent lesions, also termed leukoaraiosis that are very common in VaD as well as in other types of dementia. Therefore, the role of white matter changes in the cognitive and memory decline that occurs in VaD patients is still under debate.

Quantitative imaging in late TBI. Part II: cognition and work after closed and penetrating head injury: a report of the Vietnam head injury study.

Context: Functional outcome in relation to CT findings in traumatic brain injured (TBI) patients is not well established in relation to cognitive and vocational outcome.

Objective: To investigate the possible correlation between relatively simple quantitative radiological measurements and cognitive and vocational outcome.

Design: Retrospective analysis of quantitative assessment of CT studies in relation to post-injury cognitive changes and vocational outcome.

Quantitive imaging in late traumatic brain injury. Part I: late imaging parameters in closed and penetrating head injuries.

Objective: To ascertain the value of relatively simple quantitative radiologic measurements after head injury. Despite major advances in neuroradiology, analysis and reporting of imaging studies is based primarily on individual subjective and local experience, rather than on reproducible, standardized parameters; reliance on newer technologies can improve care, but also raises diagnostic costs.

Design: Blinded, retrospective, quantitative assessment of computerized tomography studies done some 14 years post-injury.

Gray-white matter discrimination--a possible marker for brain damage in heat stroke?

Introduction/objective: Heat stroke (HS) is a common medical emergency which carries high morbidity and morality. This study was designed to describe the pattern of central nervous system (CNS) changes as detected by brain CT scan in a case series of six patients suffering from classical and exertional HS.

Methods And Patients: All the patients were admitted in critical condition during the heat wave in the summer of 1999 in Israel.

Ophthalmic artery calcification in a patient with renal failure.

We report calcification in cranial arteries, including the ophthalmic arteries, visible on CT in a patient with diabetes mellitus and renal failure.

Morphometric study of the midsagittal MR imaging plane in cases of hydrocephalus and atrophy and in normal brains.

Background And Purpose: Midsagittal morphologic changes often aid in the diagnosis of hydrocephalus. Stretching and upward displacement of the corpus callosum, widening of third ventricular recesses, and decreased mammillopontine distance have been described as indicating the possibility of hydrocephalus. Quantitative studies are scarce.

Clock drawing test: correlation with linear measurements of CT studies in demented patients.

Objectives: To investigate a presumed correlation between clock drawing ratings and linear measurements of computerized tomography (CT) studies in demented patients.

Design: Blinded evaluations of clock drawing tests and CT studies of elderly dementia patients were conducted by a geriatric psychiatrist and a neuroradiologist.

Subjects: Fifty-one community-dwelling elderly subjects meeting the criteria for DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia (Alzheimer's type dementia: N=31; vascular dementia: N=15; "mixed" type dementia: N=5).

[Presurgical neuropsychological assessment in epilepsy: the Wada test].

37 candidates for epilepsy surgery underwent the intracarotid amytal procedure (IAP; also known as the Wada test) to determine hemispheric speech dominance and memory capacity. 31 demonstrated left hemisphere speech dominance, 2 showed evidence for bilateral language and 4 demonstrated right hemispheric language dominance. Our study supports a correlational relationship between handedness, lesion laterality and age of onset of seizures, as reported in earlier studies.

"The disappearing lens": failure of CT to image the lens in traumatic intumescent cataract.

The CT scans of three patients whose eyes were lacerated by trauma failed to demonstrate the lens. A slit-lamp examination of those eyes clearly indicated that the lenses were present behind the iris but that they were swollen and opaque (intumescent cataract). Apparently, a shift of water into the injured lens had reduced the expected hyperdense CT image of the lens to a level that it was no longer discernible.

The use of beta-subunits of gonadotrophin hormones in the follow-up of clinically non-functioning pituitary tumours.

Objective: Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFA) are mostly of gonadotroph origin. However, increased levels of circulating hormones or subunits in patients with NFA usually do not cause clinical symptoms, nor are they used as biological tumour markers. In this study we assessed the value of measuring beta subunits of gonadotrophin hormones in the post-operative follow-up of patients bearing these tumours.

Neuroimaging of children with partial seizures.

The predictive value of abnormal neurological findings on neuroimaging (NI) of children with partial seizures (PS) was studied. The sample comprised 143 children and adolescents with PS from 1979 to 1996. Fifty patients had the following abnormal NI findings: diffuse atrophy and porencephalic cyst (5.

Primary intramedullary spinal melanoma: diagnostic and treatment problems.

A 76-year old female patient with 9 year history of right mastectomy for an infiltrating ductal breast cancer and no evidence of recurrent nor metastatic disease, was admitted due to pain in the lower thoracic area radiating bilaterally to the posterior aspect of the chest wall at the same level, difficulties in micturition, urinary hesitancy, and progressive weakness of the lower limbs. Primary intramedullary spinal tumor was demonstrated by a MRI study of the spine, partially resected, and found to be a malignant melanoma on pathological study. Postoperative irradiation and administration of dexamethasone did not improve the neurologic status.

CT findings in persistent vegetative state following blunt traumatic brain injury.

The use of linear measurements in the analysis of CT scans of TBI patients was found to contribute to the understanding of brain damage and were correlated with outcome in severe traumatic close brain injured patients. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the data obtained by the linear measurements on CT studies of TBI patients who remained in persistent vegetative state following blunt head trauma. All 27 patients included in the study were reported to be neurologically normal prior to injury.

Do silent brain infarctions predict the development of dementia after first ischemic stroke?

Background And Purpose: Silent brain infarctions (SBI) are common findings in advanced age, but their relationship to dementia is still uncertain. The present study was designed to evaluate whether SBI predict the development of dementia after first clinical ischemic stroke.

Methods: We blindly studied admission CT scans of 175 consecutive nondemented patients presenting with ischemic stroke that clinically was their first stroke episode.

Computed tomography features of cerebral spread of malignant melanoma.

The CT features of cerebral involvement by metastatic malignant melanoma are described in 28 patients. The most common locations of the primary lesion were the trunk and lower limbs. There was a high incidence of extracerebral metastasis at the time of diagnosis of cerebral involvement.

CT appearance of a traumatic cataract.

We describe a case of a traumatic cataract that presented on CT as a hypodense lens with a hyderdense rim. The finding reflects the pathogenesis of this entity: a capsular tear and consequent entry of fluid into the lens.