promoter mutation associated with multifocal phenotype and poor prognosis in patients with wild-type glioblastoma.

Background: Although mutations in the promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (p) gene are the most common alterations in glioblastoma (GBM), their clinical significance remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of p status on patient outcome and clinicopathological features in patients with GBM over a long period of follow-up.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 153 cases of GBM.

[Natural History of Patients with Asymptomatic FLAIR High-signal Lesions Suspected of Lower-grade Gliomas].

The distribution of MRI scans has increased the chance of diagnosing asymptomatic FLAIR high-signal lesions. Herein, we retrospectively analyzed 14 asymptomatic FLAIR high-signal lesions to evaluate their natural course. Fifteen symptomatic(epilepsy)patients with FLAIR high-signal lesions were also analyzed as controls.

Practical use of a simple technique, insertion of wet cotton pledgets into the tumor resection cavity in transsphenoidal surgery of pituitary tumors, for a better comparison between pre- and intraoperative high-field magnetic resonance images.

Background: Intraoperative high-field magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) is a useful modality for immediate intraoperative quality control. With iMRI, a surgeon can confirm whether tumor remnants exist during surgery; which makes it possible to add further resection, obtain a higher resection rate, and improve the cure rate. It is sometimes difficult to evaluate the existence of tumor remnants when the tumor resection cavity is collapsed.

[Long-term outcomes of surgical treatment for epidermoid].

Objective: Surgical strategies for epidermoids in our department is that the tumor capsule and surrounding arachnoid membrane should be sharply dissected and resected as much as possible. However, if total resection is not possible, because of the danger of surgical morbidity, partial resection should be carried out. The present study reports on long-term outcomes of surgical treatment for intracranial epidermoid in our department.

Technical notes on endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach for clival chondrosarcoma.

Although there are various operative approaches for clival tumors, a transsphenoidal approach is one of choices when the main tumor extention is in an anterior-posterior direction with a slight lateral extension. However, this approach sometimes provides only narrow and deep operative field. Recently, endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach is quite an effective approach for clival tumors because of the improvement of surgical instruments, image guidance systems, and techniques and materials of wound closure.

[Detection of acute subdural hemorrhage using intraoperative MR imaging during glioma surgery: a case report].

Intraoperative MRI (iMR) and neuronavigation have substantially changed the principles of surgery for brain tumors. iMR provides updated information on anatomical data and unanticipated brain events, thereby allowing safer and more accurate surgery. We herein report a case of unanticipated intracranial hemorrhage in an iMR imaging suite.

[Case report: spontaneous rupture of an asymptomatic intracranial dermoid].

We report a rare case of spontaneous rupture of an asymptomatic, intracranial dermoid cyst. A 64-year-old man complained of transient dizziness. MRI incidentally disclosed a 20-mm-diameter cystic lesion in the left cerebellopontine angle.