Diagnostic role of target lesion on diffusion-weighted imaging: a case of cerebral aspergillosis and review of the literature.

Background/purpose: Target lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging are uncommon and their significance not well appreciated. To assess the diagnostic value of this neuroimaging finding, a case of cerebral aspergillosis is presented and the literature reviewed.

Methods: The diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging features of target lesions in a case of cerebral aspergillosis with neuropathologic correlate is presented and 8 other cases manifesting this neuroimaging finding are reviewed for etiology, patient immune status, lesion number, enhancement, and location.

Myelodysplastic syndrome and sagittal sinus thrombosis.

After a 5-day illness beginning with severe headache, a 46-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome died of complications from cerebral venous thrombosis. Considering the underlying hematologic abnormality, multiple therapies, and potential for leukemic transformation, we suggest that patients with myelodysplastic syndrome may be at increased risk for developing cerebral venous thrombosis.

Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities with septic encephalopathy.

A 48 year old woman, status post renal transplantation six years earlier, died after a two week illness characterised by fever, recurrent seizures, and coma. Widespread abnormalities were seen on neuroimaging. A diagnosis of septic encephalopathy was established on postmortem.

Idiopathic granulomatous angiitis of the CNS manifesting as diffuse white matter disease.

A 48-year-old man presented with progressive spastic paraparesis and diffuse white matter involvement on neuroimaging that suggested a primary demyelinating disease. Brain biopsy 3 years after onset of symptoms demonstrated idiopathic granulomatous angiitis. In patients with MRI features of diffuse white matter disease of uncertain etiology, open brain biopsy of leptomeninges and parenchyma should be considered to exclude idiopathic granulomatous angiitis of the CNS.

New syndrome of hydrocephalus, endocardial fibroelastosis, and cataracts (HEC syndrome).

We report on two unrelated male infants with similar findings of communicating hydrocephalus, endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) and congenital cataracts, who died at 4 months of age. Both mothers reported an upper respiratory infection during the first trimester of pregnancy which was further complicated by polyhydramnios in the third trimester. The infants were diagnosed with bilateral congenital nuclear cataracts at birth.

Applications of lipid-coated microbubble ultrasonic contrast to tumor therapy.

Lipid-coated microbubbles (LCM) make an excellent diagnostic ultrasonic contrast agent in experimental tumor systems. LCM have been shown to aggregate in brain tumors and subcutaneous tumors after intravenous administration, and to provide persistent image enhancement for many minutes. In this work, experimental subcutaneous Walker Carcinosarcoma is insonated after the bubbles are given intravenously.

Adrenoneuropathy: characteristic gross findings and association with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and accelerated atherosclerosis.

New understanding in the pathogenesis of adrenoneuropathy (ANP), formerly called adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and adrenomyeloneuropathy (AML), has led to greater awareness of the disease with resultant increase in the number of new cases being diagnosed. We report adrenoneuropathy in two siblings, one of whom had associated affective symptoms and died undiagnosed in prison. The other sibling died at the age of eight with severe cerebral demyelination.

Case reports Rhizopus brain abscess: report of a case and review of the literature.

The case of a 34-year-old intravenous drug abuser who survived brain abscess due to Rhizopus arrhizus is presented. The diagnosis was made by brain biopsy. Fungal brain abscess is a rare complication of IV drug abuse.

Meningioma: the role of a foreign body and irradiation in tumor formation.

A case of meningioma is reported. At the age of 18 years, the patient had undergone insertion of a Torkildsen shunt through a posteroparietal burr hole for obstructive hydrocephalus secondary to a tumor of the pineal region, of which no biopsy had been made. After the hydrocephalus was relieved, he underwent irradiation of the tumor.

Aqueductal (pencil) glioma presenting as neurogenic pulmonary edema: a case report.

A case of neurogenic pulmonary edema due to hydrocephalus, without initial neurological deficit, is described. Computed tomography demonstrated a ring enhancing lesion in the tectum of the mesencephalon obstructing the aqueduct of Sylvius. The lesion, on autopsy, was a rare mesencephalic glioma described in the literature as a "pencil glioma" of the aqueduct.

Magnetic resonance imaging of symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst: report of a case.

A case of symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst is described. In spite of the intrasellar component and radiological and clinical evidence of involvement of the pituitary gland, the sella turcica was minimally involved. MRI afforded optimal visualization and localization of the intra- and suprasellar components vis-à-vis the pituitary gland, optic chiasm, infundibular stalk, and carotid arteries.

Directional effects of acute total-body x-irradiation: exposure rate versus homogeneity of exposure.

Survival patterns of NBL/Up mice exposed to 675-800 R of total-body x-radiation depended on direction and rate of exposure. Homogeneous dual exposures administered at 126 R/minute were more effective than those administered at 63 R/minute. Dorsal and dual exposures at 63 R/minute were equally effective, while absorption reduced the effectiveness of ventral exposures.

Patterns of epithelial metaplasia in malignant gliomas. II. Squamous differentiation of epithelial-like formations in gliosarcomas and glioblastomas.

Six cases are reported (four gliosarcomas and two glioblastomas) in which the epithelial-like areas of glial anaplasia showed focal squamous cell differentiation, characterized by the development of epithelial whorls, keratin pearls and immunopositivity for cytokeratin. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and the development of squamous metaplasia usually were mutually exclusive. Autopsy findings in two patients and clinical work-up in five failed to disclose a primary extraneural malignancy.

Foster-Kennedy syndrome caused by solitary intracranial plasmacytoma.

The first case of typical Foster-Kennedy syndrome, including decreased olfaction of the side of the optic atrophy due to a primary solitary intracranial extraskeletal plasmacytoma, is reported. Its appearance on a computed tomography scan was compatible with a meningioma or subdural hematoma. The patient demonstrated a chronic, corticosteroid-sensitive, relapsing optic neuropathy associated with an elevated sedimentation rate and a monoclonal gammopathy.

The association of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and sarcoidosis.

A 59-year-old woman had a right homonymous hemianopsia, memory impairment for five months, a nonenhancing area in the left parieto-occipital region on CT scan, and bilateral reticulonodular infiltrates on chest x-ray film. Lung biopsy findings were consistent with sarcoidosis, a clinical diagnosis of CNS sarcoidosis made, and prednisone therapy begun. She deteriorated neurologically and died.

Hybrid-versus-parental strain reaction. III. Comparative mortality in parental strain mice of the H-2k genotype.

Lethally irradiated parental strain male and female mice were inoculated with marrow from reciprocal hybrid donors of the same sex. Hybrid cells homozygous for the H-2k genotype could recognize the quantitatively greater antigenicity of the parental strain CBA male recipients only. The more severe reaction occurred when the maternal strain of the hybrid donor was allogeneic to the recipient, which indicates the maternal effect on the antigen recognition system.

Hybrid-versus-parental strain reaction. II. Comparative mortality in parental strain mice of different H-2 genotypes.

Lethally irradiated perental strain mice were inoculated with marrow from reciprocal hybrid donors. Hybrid cells could recognize the quantitatively greater antigenicity of parental strain recipients. The severity of the hybrid-versus-parental strain and parental strain-versus-hybrid reactions was compared.

Hybrid-versus-parental strain reaction. I. Comparative mortality in allogenetic and parental strain male and female mice.

Lethally irradiated male and female hybrids, parental strains, and the third party strain A mice were inoculated with reciprocal hybrid marrow from donors of the same sex. A graft-versus-host reaction was produced against H-Y antigens of reciprocal hybrids. Although the late mortality in inbred strain males was generally greater than that of females, without further tests this difference was not automatically attributable to an X or a Y chromosome disparity.