Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2011
Notch receptor and effector expression in von Hippel-Lindau disease-associated central nervous system hemangioblastomas.
Central nervous system hemangioblastomas are the most common manifestation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, an autosomal dominant tumor suppressor syndrome that results in loss of VHL protein function and continuous upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factors. These tumors are composed of neoplastic stromal cells and abundant vasculature. Stromal cells express markers consistent with multipotent embryonically arrested hemangioblasts, which are precursors for hematopoietic and vascular lineages. Notch receptors are transmembrane signaling molecules that regulate multiple developmental processes including hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis. To investigate the importance of notch signaling in the development of VHL disease-associated CNS hemangioblastomas, the authors examined the presence of the four notch receptors and downstream notch effectors in this setting. ⋯ The presence of all four notch receptors and downstream effector molecules suggests that the notch signaling pathway plays a critical role in the maintenance of the undifferentiated pluripotent phenotype of these tumors and in the associated vascular response. Moreover, the prominent expression of notch receptors in VHL-associated CNS hemangioblastomas reveals a new and possibly potent therapeutic target.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2011
Don't take the plunge: avoiding adverse events with cranial perforators.
The object of this study was to evaluate the causes of plunging events associated with automatic-releasing cranial perforators at the authors' institution. ⋯ While technology continues to improve cranial perforator performance, the use of such a device is still associated with a risk of complications causing dural lacerations and injury to the underlying cortex. Decreasing the drill speed may not decrease the incidence of plunging.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2011
Convexity meningiomas: study of recurrence factors with special emphasis on the cleavage plane in a series of 100 consecutive patients.
Convexity meningiomas are expected to have a low recurrence rate given their classically "easy resectability." Nonetheless, recurrence can occur. Factors playing a role in their recurrence are analyzed here, including the extent of resection and tumor histological type, among others, with a special emphasis on the cleavage plane. ⋯ Pial and vascular invasion affect the recurrence rate in convexity meningioma surgery. The recurrence rate of WHO Grade I tumors was higher among those with a subpial plane of dissection than among those with an extrapial one. Histological type did not determine the degree of pial invasion in WHO Grade I and II lesions.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2011
Effect of concentration on the accuracy of convective imaging distribution of a gadolinium-based surrogate tracer.
Accurate real-time imaging of coinfused surrogate tracers can be used to determine the convective distribution of therapeutic agents. To assess the effect that a concentration of a Gd-based surrogate tracer has on the accuracy of determining the convective distribution, the authors infused different concentrations of Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) in primates during MR imaging. ⋯ The concentration of infused Gd-DTPA plays a critical role in accurately assessing the distribution of molecules delivered by CED. A 5-mM concentration of Gd-DTPA most accurately estimated the Vd over a wide range of molecular sizes.