AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Oct 2012
High-resolution diffusion-weighted imaging increases lesion detectability in patients with transient global amnesia.
DWI can detect small punctate hyperintense lesions of the hippocampus in patients with TGA. We investigated whether small TGA lesions can be detected more often by increasing the resolution of DWI. ⋯ Higher DWI resolution increased lesion detectability in patients with TGA. Considering the small size of TGA lesions, the resolution of DWI is an important parameter influencing lesion detectability.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Oct 2012
Tract-based spatial statistical analysis of diffusion tensor imaging in pediatric patients with mitochondrial disease: widespread reduction in fractional anisotropy of white matter tracts.
Often diagnosed at birth or in early childhood, mitochondrial disease presents with a variety of clinical symptoms, particularly in organs and tissues that require high energetic demand such as brain, heart, liver, and skeletal muscles. In a group of pediatric patients identified as having complex I or I/III deficits on muscle biopsy but with white matter tissue appearing qualitatively normal for age, we hypothesized that quantitative DTI analyses might unmask disturbance in microstructural integrity. ⋯ Despite qualitatively normal-appearing white matter tissues, patients with complex I or I/III deficiency have widespread microstructural changes measurable with quantitative DTI.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Oct 2012
Subarachnoid hemorrhage incidence in the United States does not vary with season or temperature.
Previous studies have suggested seasonal variations in rates of spontaneous rupture of intracranial aneurysms, leading to potentially devastating SAH. In an effort to identify a seasonal effect, variation in SAH incidence and in-hospital mortality rates were examined as they relate to admission month, temperature, and climate using HCUP's Nationwide Inpatient Sample. ⋯ We identified no significant monthly or temperature-related effect in the incidence of SAH. Our data suggest that certain climate zones within the United States may be associated with significantly different SAH incidence, but the origins of these differences remain unclear and are probably unrelated to meteorologic variables.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Sep 2012
Coiling for paraclinoid aneurysms: time to make way for flow diverters?
Paraclinoid aneurysms represent challenging lesions for which endovascular techniques have gained widespread application in their treatment. A new endovascular strategy, flow diversion, is gaining importance in the treatment of these aneurysms. Before embracing flow diversion in larger numbers of patients with paraclinoid aneurysms, it is important to know the safety and efficacy of "traditional" endovascular methods for these aneurysms. We review complications and outcomes of patients with unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms treated with coils, with or without balloon and stent assistance, over the past 12 years at our institution. ⋯ Modern endovascular coil treatment of unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms appears safe, with satisfactory, although not ideal, rates of complete occlusion. The introduction of flow diverters will probably increase the rate of complete angiographic occlusion, but this must be achieved with low complication rates.