AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2009
Case ReportsCalcifying pseudoneoplasms of the neuraxis: CT, MR imaging, and histologic features.
Non-neoplastic, calcified, fibro-osseous lesions known as "calcifying pseudoneoplasms of the neuraxis" (CAPNON) are rare and can occur anywhere within the neuraxis. The radiologic and histopathologic characteristics of this unusual entity are not well understood. We present the largest series reviewing the MR imaging features of CAPNON. ⋯ CAPNON may mimic more common vascular malformations or neoplasms and are often not considered in the differential diagnosis of calcified lesions. CAPNON should be included in the differential diagnosis of a calcified mass with marked T1 and T2 hypointensity and limited to no enhancement. Careful CT and MR imaging evaluation can suggest this entity, and this preoperative recognition may help subsequent management decisions.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2009
White matter damage in carbon monoxide intoxication assessed in vivo using diffusion tensor MR imaging.
White matter (WM) injury in carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication is thought to be related to delayed cognitive sequelae. To determine if microstructural changes in WM are responsible for the delayed onset of cognitive symptoms, we performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with CO intoxication. ⋯ CO intoxication may cause FA decline in associated cortical areas. This observation indicates microstructural WM pathology in CO intoxication, which is related to delayed cognitive encephalopathy.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2009
Case ReportsRetained surgical sponges after craniotomies: imaging appearances and complications.
Imaging within 24 to 48 hours after most neurosurgical procedures is a routine practice. Nonresorbable surgical sponges have radiopaque filaments readily visible on CT scans and plain film radiographs. ⋯ Although preventive measures by our surgical colleagues to ensure accurate and correct sponge counts before and after wound closure is paramount, even the most fastidious efforts may rarely result in an inadvertently retained surgical sponge. The role of the radiologist is to recognize the imaging findings of this entity and its potential complications so that appropriate and prompt management can be initiated.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2009
Cerebellar atrophy in essential tremor using an automated segmentation method.
Essential tremor (ET) is a slowly progressive disorder characterized by postural and kinetic tremors most commonly affecting the forearms and hands. Several lines of evidence from physiologic and neuroimaging studies point toward a major role of the cerebellum in this disease. Recently, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has been proposed to quantify cerebellar atrophy in ET. However, VBM was not originally designed to study subcortical structures, and the complicated anatomy of the cerebellum may hamper the automatic processing of VBM. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and utility of using automated subcortical segmentation to identify atrophy of the cerebellum and other subcortical structures in patients with ET. ⋯ Volumetric data obtained with automated segmentation of subcortical and cerebellar structures approximate data from a previous study based on VBM. The current findings extend the literature by providing initial validation for using fully automated segmentation to derive cerebellar volumetric information from patients with ET.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2009
Detailed MR imaging anatomy of the cisternal segments of the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and spinal accessory nerves in the posterior fossa: the use of 3D balanced fast-field echo MR imaging.
The cisternal segments of the lower cranial nerves (CNs) adjacent to the jugular foramen (JF) are difficult to identify reliably by routine MR imaging. We performed a 3D balanced fast-field echo imaging technique (3D-bFFE) to obtain detailed anatomy of the cisternal segments of CNs IX, X, and XI. ⋯ The cisternal segments of CN IX, CN X, and CN XI are well identified by using 3D-bFFE, especially by determining the angles of the CSF recesses adjacent to the JF.