Trattamento endovascolare degli aneurismi giganti intracranici a colletto stretto mediante stent autoespandibili. Nostra esperienza

Malignant teratoma in Klippel-Feil syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction: Klippel-Feil syndrome is characterized by a congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae. Intracranial teratomas are nongerminomatous germ cell tumors and they account for 0.3 to 0.9% of all intracranial tumors. Teratomas with malignant transformation refer to lesions which give rise to malignant cancer of somatic type. The association between tumors of dermoid origin and Klippel-Feil malformation is extremely rare. Only 23 other cases have so far been reported, and only one case of dermoid tumor with areas of dedifferentiation on squamous cell carcinoma has been described. Case presentation: We report the case of a 72-year-old white man with a 2-year history of gait and balance di…

Ossified spinal meningiomas: Clinical and surgical features

Abstract Object Meningiomas constitute 25% of primary spinal tumors and predominantly involve the thoracic spinal cord. Although calcifications are commonly seen in intracranial meningiomas, gross calcifications are observed in only 1–5% of all spinal meningiomas. We report the clinical findings, surgical strategy and histological features of 9 patients with ossified spinal meningiomas (OSMs). Patients and methods Clinical and surgical features of 9 patients with ossified spinal meningiomas were retrospectively reviewed. Results There were 8 women and 1 man with a mean age of 59 years. In 7 patients, the lesions were localized in the thoracic segment of the spine while in 2 patients in the …

Presurgical evaluation of hemifacial spasm and spasmodic torticollis caused by a neurovascular conflict from AICA with 3T MRI integrated by 3D drive and 3D TOF image fusion: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Hemifacial spasm (HS) and spasmodic torticollis (ST) are well-known disorders that are caused by a neurovascular conflict. HS is characterized by irregular, involuntary muscle contractions on one side of the face due to spasms of orbicularis oris and orbicularis oculi muscles, and is usually caused by vascular compression of the VII cranial nerve. ST is an extremely painful chronic movement disorder causing the neck to involuntary turn to the side, upward and/or downward. HS is usually idiopathic but it is rarely caused by a neurovascular conflict with the XI cranial nerve. Case Description: We present a case of a 36-year-old woman with a 2-year history of left hemifacial spasm …

Spontaneous Meckel's cave hematoma: A rare cause of trigeminal neuralgia

Background: The most common etiology of classic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is vascular compression. However, other causes must be considered. Among these, spontaneous hematoma of the Meckel′s cave (MC) causing symptomatic TN is very rare. Case Description: We present the case of a 60-year-old woman with a 2-month history of left TN and diplopia. Neuroradiological examinations revealed a well-defined hematoma in the left MC. The patient underwent surgical decompression with a progressive neurological improvement. Conclusion: Despite the number of lesions potentially affecting the MC, spontaneous hemorrhage is rare but should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis.

Hirayama disease – Early MRI diagnosis of subacute medullary ischemia: A case report

Background: Hirayama disease (HD) is a rare, benign, and self-limiting motor neuron disorder that results in selective motor impairment of the C7-T1 myotomes. It is characterized by progressive, unilateral, or bilateral asymmetric muscle atrophy of the distal upper extremities and myelopathy. Case Description: A 23-year-old male presented with bilateral atrophy of the thenar/hypothenar eminences/ interosseous muscles, plus left-hand weakness. The cervical MRI documented subacute ischemic damage of the distal cervical cord. To rule out a tumor and reduce questionable cord compression, the patient underwent a C5–C6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) immediately followed by a lami…

Dolichoectasia of the vertebrobasilar complex causing neural compression

Dear Editor, We have read with great interest the paper of Yuh et al.[4] reporting a case of symptomatic hydrocephalus due to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) compressing the brainstem. Ectatic or pathologically enlarged vertebrobasilar arteries have been reported with increasing frequency and associated with several clinical syndromes. These include an assortment of cranial nerve syndromes, transient or permanent motor deficit, cerebellar dysfunction, central sleep apnea, ischemic stroke, hypertension, and hydrocephalus as reported in the paper by Yuh et al.[4] Others and we have also described pyramidal tract signs and cranial nerve nucleus dysfunction caused by vascular compression o…

Presurgical role of MRI tractography in a case of extensive cervicothoracic spinal ependymoma

Background: Intramedullary spinal ependymoma is a tumor, hardly characterizable with conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging only. MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with three dimensional fiber tracking reconstructions allows the evaluation of the relationship between neoplasm and white matter fiber tracts, being a powerful tool in presurgical planning. We present DTI findings in a case of a young female with an extensive cervicothoracic spinal ependymoma. Case Description: The patient complained of a 2 month history of acute urinary retention, weakness and numbness on the lower limbs and the upper left limb. She underwent MR imaging that showed an extensive cervicothoracic spinal mass…

Posttraumatic chronic cranial osteomyelitis due to a superficial wound - A clinical and neuroradiological case report

Background: Osteomyelitis is a progressive infection of bone and bone marrow by microorganisms, resulting in inflammatory destruction of bone, bone necrosis, and new bone formation. Skull involvement is a rare occurrence which mainly affects children with chronic inflammatory diseases of paranasal sinusitis, or malignant otitis. In adults, cranial vault osteomyelitis can occur after cranial surgery or head trauma. Case Description: We describe an unusual case of chronic cranial osteomyelitis occurred 3 months following a mild traumatic brain injury. The causative mechanisms along with the diagnostic modalities are discussed. Conclusion: Focal cranial vault osteomyelitis, in the absence of …

Imaging features of perineural and perivascular spread in rapidly progressive rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: A case report and brief review of the literature

Background: Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is an opportunistic fungal infection originating from the paranasal sinuses with extension to the brain. A delayed diagnosis can rapidly result in a poor prognosis. ROCM commonly affects patients with diabetes or immunocompromised states with a variable progression. Case Description: We report the case of a 59-year old patient with an untreated diabetes who developed a ROCM with rapidly progressive neurological symptoms. From the onset of sinus pain, nasal congestion, he rapidly developed facial swelling and masticatory dysfunction. The patient underwent sinus surgery which allowed Rhizopus oryzae to be isolated. Accordingly, a systemic therapy…

Role of Hemodynamic Forces in Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: An Overview of a Complex Scenario.

Background An understanding of the natural history of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (IAs) has always played a critical role in presurgical or endovascular planning, to avoid possibly fatal events. Size, shape, morphology, and location are known risk factors for rupture of an aneurysm, but morphologic parameters alone may not be sufficient to perform proper rupture risk stratification. Methods We performed a systematic PubMed search and focused on hemodynamics forces that may influence aneurysmal initiation, growth, and rupture. Results We included 223 studies describing several hemodynamic parameters related to aneurysm natural history. In these studies, different modalities of aneurysm…

3T Double Inversion Recovery Magnetic Resonance Imaging: diagnostic advantages in the evaluation of cortical development anomalies

Abstract Purpose The aim of this work was to investigate the diagnostic value of the DIR sequence at 3T MR imaging operating in the evaluation of cortical development anomalies. Methods We studied 40 patients, with a previous diagnosis of cortical dysplasia, by FLAIR-3D, DIR, FSE T2 and MPR-GE T1 sequences at 3T MRI. Two independent observers evaluated, for each sequence and lesion, some semiological aspects (cortical thickness, cortical signal intensity, white-gray matter blurring, subcortical white matter intensity). We made also a quantitative evaluation of the cortical signal intensity in lesion site, drawing a ROI on each MRI sequences and comparing them to the correspondent normal con…

An unusual internal carotid artery compression as a possible cause of Eagle syndrome – A novel hypothesis and an innovative surgical technique

Background: Eagle syndrome (ES) is a rare symptomatic condition generally caused by an elongated styloid process (SP) or calcification of the stylohyoid complex. On the diagnosis is made, its treatment remains subjective since the indications for surgical intervention are still not standardized. Although styloidectomy is the surgical treatment of choice, no consensus exists regarding the transcervical or/and transoral route. Here, we report our experience in a patient with bilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection caused by ES, who underwent innovative surgical technique. Case Description: A 53-year-old man, with the right-sided middle cerebral artery acute stroke, underwent compu…

Intracranial venous sinus thrombosis as unusual presentation of Bing-Neel syndrome: case illustration.

A 42-year-old woman presented with progressive blurred vision, vertigo, and headache. MRI showed bilateral intraocular protrusion of the optic nerve head and right transverse sinus thrombosis . Low-molecular-weight heparin was administered without symptom relief. Additional MRI showed left frontoparietal arachnoid space obliteration by pathological tissue, and infiltration of the sagittal and right transverse sinuses. After Gd administration, we observed diffuse enhancement of the dura in the left cerebral hemisphere and subdural and epicranial soft-tissue infiltration . A biopsy of the extra-axial tissue was performed. Histological examination showed a neoplasm composed of large cells with…

Perfusion computed tomography of intracranial meningiomas: In vivo correlation of cerebral blood volume and vascular permeability

Background A noninvasive method to predict the grade of a meningioma would be desirable since it would anticipate information about tumour nature, recurrence and improve tumour management and outcomes. The aim of the present study was to assess the ability of perfusion computed tomography (PCT) technique in predicting the meningioma grade before surgery. Data from PCT, such as cerebral blood volume (CBV) and permeability surface (PS), were correlated with immunohistolopathological information. Methods Twenty-three patients with a diagnosis of intracranial meningioma underwent PCT for pre-surgical evaluation of CBV and PS. During surgery, samples from the centre and periphery of the tumour w…

Thoracic spinal cord cavernous angioma: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction: Cavernous angiomas of the spinal cord are rare vascular malformations, which account for approximately 5 to 12 percent of spinal cord vascular lesions. They usually originate in the vertebrae, with occasional extension into the extradural space, and intramedullary cavernomas, even if reported in the literature, are very rare. Case presentation: We report the case of a 34-year-old Caucasian woman affected by a thoracic intramedullary cavernous angioma. Our patient complained of 10-day history of acute dorsal pain, progressive weakness of both lower extremities, worse on the right side, a ‘pins and needles’ sensation in the abdominal region and bladder dysfunction. Magnetic reso…

Giant olfactory groove meningiomas: extent of frontal lobes damage and long-term outcome after the pterional approach.

The treatment of giant olfactory groove meningiomas (OGMs; maximum diameter ≥ 6 cm) poses special problems and represents a surgical challenge. We discuss the long-term results in a series of 18 patients with giant OGMs and report our experience on a global strategy encompassing the pterional approach to manage the lesion and an extended transbasal approach to treat recurrences.Between February 1991 and December 2007, 18 patients with giant OGMs were surgically managed via a pterional craniotomy. Postoperative follow-up imaging was obtained at one, six, and 12 months and then yearly. In preoperative images, data from tumor volume were assessed. The volume of the residual right frontal poren…

Cavernous malformation of the optic chiasm: An uncommon location

Background: Cavernous malformations (CMs) of the optic chiasm are rare lesions often presenting with acute chiasmal syndrome or a progressive visual loss. The case of a 48-year-old female with an intrachiasmatic CM is presented. Case Description: The patient presented with an insidious history of progressive visual loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a CM in the suprasellar region. The patient was operated via a right pterional approach with a complete lesion removal. The postoperative course was uneventful. Early postoperative ophthalmological examination revealed minimal improvement of the vision in the left eye. Conclusion: The clinical, neuroradiological, and intraoperative fi…

Agenesis of the Internal Carotid Artery Associated with Generalized Epilepsy

MRI patient selection for endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke: correlation between pretreatment diffusion weighted imaging and outcome scores

Introduction: Eligibility for endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) depends, amongst other factors, on CT- or MR-based scores. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score based on diffusion weighted imaging (MR-ASPECT) in the assessment of brain damage pre-EVT, patient selection for EVT and outcome. Materials and methods: We included in this study patients with National Institute of Health stroke score (NIHSS) at admission ≥ 8, MR-ASPECT ≥ 5 and anterior AIS, who were treated with EVT in our hospital. All patients were clinically evaluated at admission, post-EVT, discharge and at 3-month follow-up. We used MR…

A rare case of solitary brain Langerhans cell histiocytosis with intratumoral hemorrhage in a patient affected by Turner syndrome

Background: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease involving clonal proliferation of cells with characteristics similar to bone marrow-derived Langerhans cells. The case of a young woman, affected by Turner syndrome and a solitary intraparenchymal LCH associated with an osteolytic lesion of the overlying skull, is presented. Case Description: The patient, with an insidious history of headache and a growing soft mass in the left frontal region, presented with a sudden generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizure. Neuroradiological investigations showed an osteolytic lesion of the left frontal bone and an underlying brain lesion associated with recent signs of bleeding. The patie…