Correlation of amino-acid uptake using methionine PET and histological classifications in various gliomas.

Objective: The uptake of L-methyl-11C-methionine (MET) by gliomas is greater than that by intact tissue, making methionine very useful for evaluation of tumor extent. If the degree of malignancy of brain tumors can be evaluated by MET-PET, the usefulness of MET-PET as a means of diagnosing brain tumors will increase.

Methods: We performed this study on 67 glioma patients between 3 and 69 years of age (36 males and 31 females).

Methionine positron emission tomography for differentiation of recurrent brain tumor and radiation necrosis after stereotactic radiosurgery--in malignant glioma.

Object: Following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), we examined how to differentiate radiation necrosis from recurrent malignant glioma using positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-methionine (Met).

Methods: Met-PET scans were obtained from 11 adult cases of recurrent malignant glioma or radiation injury, suspected on the basis of magnetic resonance images (MRI). Patients had previously been treated with SRS after primary treatment.

A discrepancy between Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT and Tc-99m ECD SPECT in Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.

We observed a discrepancy between the perfusion patterns seen in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images obtained using technetium-99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxime (HMPAO) and SPECT images obtained using technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) in an 84-year-old man with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD). HMPAO-SPECT demonstrated a reduction in perfusion in the parieto-temporal regions, especially the left temporal area. However, ECD-SPECT revealed a significant reduction in the bifrontal regions.

Discrepancy between [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and 11C-methionine positron emission tomography findings in Sturge-Weber syndrome--case report.

Cerebral blood flow and metabolism were evaluated in an adult with symptomatic intractable epilepsy and Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) manifesting as angiomas in the left cerebral hemisphere. 99mTc-ethylcysteinate dimer single photon emission computed tomography detected reduced blood flow in the entire left cerebral hemisphere, and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) showed decreased glucose metabolism in the left cerebral hemisphere. These findings indicated hypofunction of the left cerebral hemisphere, which caused the right hemiparesis.

Interictal patterns of cerebral glucose metabolism, perfusion, and magnetic field in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Purpose: To characterize the epileptogenic condition of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, the interictal patterns of glucose metabolism, perfusion, and magnetic field in the temporal lobe were evaluated by using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, [99mTc]-ethylcysteinate dimer-single photon emission computed tomography, and magnetoencephalography (MEG).

Methods: Twenty-one patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy related to hippocampal sclerosis were studied. The ictal-onset area was located by continuous video-EEG monitoring.

Methionine positron emission tomography of recurrent metastatic brain tumor and radiation necrosis after stereotactic radiosurgery: is a differential diagnosis possible?

Object: In this study the authors examined how to differentiate radiation necrosis from recurrent metastatic brain tumor following stereotactic radiosurgery by using positron emission tomography (PET) with L-[methyl-11C]methionine (MET).

Methods: In 21 adult patients with suspected recurrent metastatic brain tumor or radiation injury, MET-PET scans were obtained. These patients had previously undergone stereotactic radiosurgery and subsequent contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) examinations before nuclear medicine imaging.

Evaluation of treatment effects in brain abscess with positron emission tomography: comparison of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose and carbon-11-methionine.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is in common use preoperatively to clinically evaluate patients who present with central nervous system mass lesions. The usefulness of PET is also recognized as a method to detect intracranial tumorous lesions. A number of papers reportthat some inflammatory processes also showed the uptake of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and Carbon-11-Methionine (Met) tracers.

[Hydrocephalus after subarachnoid hemorrhage regressing spontaneously through the subgaleal layer: case report].

Spontaneous regression was recognized in a case of hydrocephalus after subarachnoid hemorrhage. The regression resulted after the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid through the subgaleal layer. The absorption of cerebrospinal fluid through this layer takes a long time but is one of nature's physiological pathways.

Magnetic resonance imaging and [11C]methyl-L-methionine positron emission tomography of fibrous dysplasia--two case reports.

Two cases of fibrous dysplasia in the skull base bone appeared hypointense on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, with accumulation of [11C]methyl-L-methionine ([11C]Met) on positron emission tomography (PET). Fibrous dysplasia is a benign bone disorder which is identified by its distinctive radiography, computed tomography, and bone scintigraphy findings. [11C]Met PET may indicate the presence of viable tumor-like cells in fibrous dysplasia.

18F-FDG and 11C-methionine PET in choroid plexus papilloma--report of three cases.

Choroid plexus papilloma (CCP) is an uncommon benign neoplasm of the neuroectoderm. We present the 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and 11C-methyl-L-methionine (methionine) positron emission tomography of CPP in comparison with that of low-grade glioma. Patients were two women and one man (20, 23, and 72 years old).

Immunohistochemical analyses of cell cycle-related proteins, apoptosis, and proliferation in pituitary adenomas.

To analyze the cell cycle regulatory mechanisms in the growth of pituitary adenomas, we investigated immunohistochemically the expression of the cell cycle-related proteins cyclin A and p27 in 48 pituitary adenomas. The frequency of apoptosis and the proliferative potential were also examined. The percentage of apoptotic cells was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis using the anti-single-strand DNA antibody.

[A case of familial cerebral cavernous angioma and review of Japanese cases].

We present one pedigree of familial cerebral cavernous angioma (FCCA). Case 1 was a 52-year-old male with right hemiplegia. When he was 37 years old, a left occipital lesion was excised and histologically diagnosed as cavernous angioma.

Evaluation of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma by use of positron emission tomography with.

We present a case of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) in a patient with temporal lobe seizures. Imaging sequences included MR, and results of positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and [11C]-methionine (Met) tracers revealed a hypermetabolic region equivalent or nearly equivalent to normal cerebral cortex, suggesting that the tumor might have malignant potential. Histopathologic findings indicated low-grade glioma.

Simultaneous bilateral thalamic hemorrhage: case report.

A 60-year-old man presented with an extremely rare case of simultaneous hypertensive bilateral thalamic hemorrhage manifesting as left hemiparesis with headache followed by deterioration in consciousness and tetraparesis. CT scan confirmed the bilateral thalamic hemorrhages 17 hours after onset. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the bilateral thalamic lesions had similar signal intensities, consistent with the simultaneous onset, and had no evidence of hemorrhagic reason.

Meningioma associated with acute subdural hematoma--case report.

A 48-year-old woman presented with sudden left hemiplegia with headache, which deteriorated two days later. CT scan showed repeated intratumoral and subdural hemorrhages. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a parasagittal tumor infiltrating into the superior sagittal sinus, with intratumoral hemorrhage and acute subdural hematoma in the interhemispheric fissure.

PET for diagnosis of malignant lymphoma of the scalp: comparison of [11C]methyl-L-methionine and [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose.

A 43-year-old woman was admitted with a tumor mass in her forehead. Two months previously, a lump in her breast had been diagnosed as mastopathy. Palpation revealed an elastically hard immobile tumor mass in her forehead.

Parkinsonism due to chronic subdural hematoma.

A 75-year-old male presented with bilateral parkinsonism due to chronic subdural hematoma. The hematoma was removed through a small craniotomy. The parkinsonism rapidly improved following operation, suggesting a strong relationship between the hematoma and parkinsonism.

Local multicystic encephalopathy: case report.

A case of local multicystic encephalopathy is presented. CT scan showed a low-density area with a string-like structure of iso-density in the left frontal lobe. Angiogram demonstrated no abnormality.

Spontaneous spinal subarachnoid hematoma--case report.

Background: Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage is unusual, and rarely results in spinal subarachnoid hematoma because the cerebrospinal fluid tends to dilute the blood and prevent the formation of clots. We describe a patient with spinal subarachnoid hematoma of unusual spontaneous origin.

Case: A 66-year-old female presented with sudden onset of intense back pain with paraplegia.

Migration of a subduroperitoneal shunt catheter into the subdural space--case report.

An 82-year-old male with intractable bilateral chronic subdural hematomas was treated by emplacement of bilateral subduroperitoneal shunts on the left in 1990 and on the right in 1991. Chronic subdural hematoma recurred in 1992 due to an unusual migration of a shunt catheter into the subdural space. This migration was probably due to inadequate fixation of the shunt.

Persistent primitive hypoglossal artery aneurysms--report of two cases.

The authors present two patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by ruptured intracranial saccular aneurysms of the persistent primitive hypoglossal artery. A standard unilateral suboccipital approach in one patient resulted in incomplete neck clipping since the operative field was restricted by a protruding jugular tubercle. Successful aneurysmal neck clipping was achieved in the second patient via a unilateral-transcondylar-suboccipital approach with resection of the jugular tubercle and rim of the foramen magnum.

Endarterectomy for persistent primitive hypoglossal artery--case report.

Persistent primitive hypoglossal artery, an anastomosis between the carotid artery and the vertebrobasilar system, is found in about 0.05% of cerebral angiograms. Though usually asymptomatic, it may occasionally cause ischemic disease.