AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Aug 2003
Comparative StudyPolygonal deformation of the dural sac in lumbar epidural lipomatosis: anatomic explanation by the presence of meningovertebral ligaments.
In patients with epidural lipomatosis, axial lumbar spine CT and MR images occasionally reveal a geometric, polygonal or stellar, shape of the dural sac. The purpose of this study was to define the anatomic structures responsible for this radiologic appearance. We hypothesized that meningovertebral ligaments could anchor the dura mater to the osteofibrous walls of the spinal canal and account for the geometric deformation of the dural sac. ⋯ The morphologic and topographic features of the meningovertebral ligaments explain the polygonal, stellar, or Y-shaped deformation of the dural sac observed on axial CT and MR images in patients with lumbar epidural lipomatosis.
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Restricted water diffusion has been used to distinguish pyogenic abscess from other rim-enhancing brain masses; however diffusion-weighted imaging of cerebral infection before capsule formation has rarely been described. We report a case of fungal cerebritis in which water diffusion was more restricted than that of normal contralateral brain and the measured diffusion coefficient was in the range of that reported for pyogenic brain abscess. In the proper clinical setting, cerebritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an ill-defined focal brain mass associated with markedly restricted water diffusion.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2003
Comparative StudyRadiation dose to the operator during vertebroplasty: prospective comparison of the use of 1-cc syringes versus an injection device.
Percutaneous vertebroplasty procedures require relatively long durations of fluoroscopic guidance, which might lead to substantial radiation dose to operators. Specialized injection devices have been proposed to limit operator exposure. Our purpose was to compare the radiation dose to the operator's hands during vertebroplasty when using 1-cc syringes versus that when using an injection device. ⋯ The use of an injection device significantly decreased the radiation dose to the operator's extremity per unit time of injection. However, total dose per injection was equivalent between groups because of significantly longer injection duration for the injection device cohort.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2003
Symptomatic cavernous sinus aneurysms: management and outcome after carotid occlusion and selective cerebral revascularization.
Therapeutic internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion for symptomatic intracavernous artery aneurysms can result in ischemic infarction despite normal clinical balloon test occlusion (BTO). We evaluated outcomes in patients with symptomatic cavernous sinus aneurysms in whom clinical BTO was normal, who underwent carotid occlusion with selective bypass surgery guided by physiologic BTO using quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) analysis by means of stable xenon-enhanced CT. ⋯ In this series, BTO combined with quantitative CBF analysis was a safe and reliable technique for identification of patients at risk for ischemic infarction after carotid occlusion, despite a normal clinical BTO.