Conjoined lumbosacral nerve roots: observations on three cases and review of the literature.

Lumbosacral nerve root anomalies are a rare group of congenital anatomical anomalies. Various types of anomalies of the lumbosacral nerve roots have been documented in the available international literature. Generally speaking, these anomalies may consist of a bifid, conjoined structure, of a transverse course or of a characteristic anastomized appearance.

Radiological evidence of anatomical variation of the inferior vena cava: report of two cases.

The inferior vena cava (IVC) is a retroperitoneal key structure whose location and integrity must be checked in every scan. A number of studies are reported in the literature concerning congenital variations of the inferior vena cava. Anatomical variations of this main venous trunk are relatively infrequent clinical findings during surgery or diagnostic procedures in patients without symptoms such as an aberrant venous drainage or abdominal pain.

Sphenoidal metastasis from prostate carcinoma. Case report and review of the literature.

A case of an uncommon sphenoidal metastasis from prostate carcinoma with cranial nerve involvement is described. Current concepts of metastatic spread of this tumor to the skull base, clinical signs and therapeutic approaches are reviewed in the light of the available literature.

Solitary metastases to the cranial vault. Report of ten cases.

Background: Metastatic spread of tumors to the skull is quite unusual and often represents a relevant diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Skull involvement can be observed in various neoplasms of epithelial origin (rarely in other tumors) and most often responsible are lung, breast, thyroid, kidney and prostate cancers. Less frequent than multiple involvement, single cranial vault lesions are often amenable to surgical resection instead of radiotherapy alone; scope of this paper is to highlight the key points of the management of such entities, including a brief review of the pathological and radiological features of these entities.

Advances in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of intracerebral tuberculomas in the last 50 years. Report of 21 cases.

Intracranial tuberculosis accounts for less than 0.2% of intracranial space-occupying lesions diagnosed and treated in western countries, while it still represents a major neurosurgical finding in underdeveloped countries. The introduction of chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of tubercular infection, as well as the general improvement in the socio-economic status of the population as a whole, have both played an important role in the dramatic reduction of intracranial tuberculomas in industrialized countries.