Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is one of the most important etiologies in young stroke patients. VAD causes ischemic stroke by embolism and transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring can detect microemboli originating from the dissection point as high intensity transient signals (HITS). We developed a simple but novel method of TCD monitoring at the vertebrobasilar junction in VAD patients. ⋯ We successfully detected HITS at the vertebrobasilar junction in VAD patients, which may lead not only to an appropriate choice of antithrombotic drugs but also to individual evaluation of early risk of ischemic recurrence.
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In patients with critical carotid stenosis and ischemic stroke, it is crucial to determine whether distal hypoperfusion or artery-to-artery embolism is the predominant mechanism. The role of transcranial doppler (TCD) in this setting is vital. We report a patient with fibromuscular dysplasia and recurrent orthostatic transient ischemic attacks where fall in cerebral perfusion was clearly demonstrated by TCD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Validation of FDG uptake in the arterial wall as an imaging biomarker of atherosclerotic plaques with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT).
From the literature, the prevalence of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in large artery atherosclerotic plaques shows great heterogeneity. We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive patients who underwent FDG-positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging of their whole body, to evaluate FDG uptake in the arterial wall. ⋯ The prevalence of PET uptake in arterial walls in a consecutive population of asymptomatic patients is low and usually confined to one type of artery, and its clinical relevance in terms of vulnerability to ischemic events remains to be determined.
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To compare myocardial sympathetic imaging using (123)I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and striatal dopaminergic imaging using (123)I-Ioflupane (FP-CIT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with suspected Lewy body diseases (LBD). ⋯ LBD usually present both myocardial sympathetic and striatal dopaminergic impairments. (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT presents high sensitivity in the diagnosis of LBD; (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy may have a complementary role in differential diagnosis between PD and other parkinsonism. These scintigraphic methods showed similar diagnostic accuracy in differential diagnosis between DLB and other dementia.
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Several lines of evidence suggest that the normal integration of cerebral communication may be compromised in schizophrenia, with white matter (WM) abnormalities being integral to these functional deficits. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a neuroimaging technique which has increasingly been used to study WM through quantitative indices of its structural and orientational characteristics. Identifying the WM differences early in the course of schizophrenia may assist in prevention, early diagnosis and identification of treatment targets. ⋯ In summary, DTI studies in early schizophrenia suggest that structural dysconnectivity may be already present in recent-onset and drug-naïve patients, as well as in individuals clinically at high risk for developing schizophrenia. Although the pattern of WM differences is not totally consistent frontal, fronto-temporal and fronto-limbic connections, with tracts including the superior longitudinal fasciculus, cingulum bundle, uncinate fasciculus and corpus callosum seem to be affected. These differences may depend on the developmental stage of the subjects, the duration of illness and exposure to antipsychotic medication.