Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Case ReportsEvaluation of the response of metastatic brain tumors to stereotactic radiosurgery by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, 201TlCl single-photon emission computerized tomography, and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.
The goal of this study was to investigate the usefulness of proton (1H) magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy to evaluate the response of metastatic brain tumors to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in comparison with Gd-enhanced MR imaging and single-photon emission computerized tomography with administration of thallium-201 chloride (201TlCl-SPECT). ⋯ Based on histopathological findings obtained at autopsy or at surgery, we assume that a high Cho peak may be observed in viable tumor tissue and a Lip peak in areas of necrosis. The results indicate that 1H-MR spectroscopy is potentially a more sensitive tool in evaluating the response to SRS than 201TlCl-SPECT or Gd-enhanced MR imaging and that it can be used earlier for this purpose than those other imaging methods.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialA pilot trial comparing cerebral perfusion pressure-targeted therapy to intracranial pressure-targeted therapy in children with severe traumatic brain injury.
The authors sought to compare cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)- with intracranial pressure (ICP)-targeted therapy in children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ The CPP method appears to be safe, although this feasibility study does not establish that the CPP therapy is superior to ICP therapy.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Endoscopy-assisted wide-vertex craniectomy, barrel stave osteotomies, and postoperative helmet molding therapy in the management of sagittal suture craniosynostosis.
Endoscopic techniques were introduced 7 years ago for the surgical management of patients with sagittal synostosis. In this study of 139 patients with sagittal synostosis, the authors assessed the efficacy, safety, complications, and outcomes after performing endoscopy-assisted wide-vertex craniectomies with bitemporal and biparietal barrel stave osteotomies. ⋯ Analysis of the results indicates that use of the aforedescribed procedure in the early treatment of infants with sagittal synostosis provides excellent outcomes and that the morbidity rate is lower than that associated with traditional cranial vault reconstruction. Detailed anthropometric and radiographic analyses demonstrated that with adequate helmet therapy in our patients normocephaly was achieved and maintained without the need for secondary operations.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Case ReportsIncreased regional cerebral blood flow in the contralateral thalamus after successful motor cortex stimulation in a patient with poststroke pain.
The mechanisms underlying poststroke pain have not been clearly identified. Although motor cortex stimulation (MCS) sometimes reduces poststroke pain successfully, the exact mechanism is not yet known. For further investigation of the neural pathways involved in the processing of poststroke pain and in pain reduction by MCS, the authors used positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to determine significant changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). ⋯ On the other hand, there were significant decreases in rCBF in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA22, p < 0.01, corrected) and the left middle occipital gyrus (BA19, p < 0.05, corrected). The efficacy of MCS was mainly related to increased synaptic activity in the thalamus, whereas the activations in the rectus gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and superior frontal cortex as well as the inactivation of the superior temporal lobe may be related to emotional processes. This is the first report in which the contralateral thalamus was significantly activated and pain relief was achieved using MCS.
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Journal of neurosurgery · May 2004
Gamma knife surgery in the management of brain metastases from lung carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of survival, local tumor control, and freedom from new brain metastasis.
The objective of this retrospective study was to analyze the results of stereotactic radiosurgery performed using a gamma knife in the treatment of 44 consecutive patients with brain metastases from lung carcinoma. ⋯ Gamma knife surgery has significantly reduced the incidence of mortality from brain disease by effectively accomplishing local tumor control in patients with metastatic lung cancer. Local control and freedom from new brain metastases is not influenced by prior external-beam radiotherapy.