Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2007
Case ReportsPrimary atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of the clival region. Case report.
An atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare, aggressive neoplasm found in infants and children that has similar characteristics to CNS primitive neuroectodermal tumors/medulloblastomas. The authors present the case of a patient with an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor and discuss the imaging, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and cytogenetic findings. Tumor cells displayed positive reactions for vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen, and cytokeratin, and they displayed no reaction for glial fibrillary acidic protein, desmin, and actin. ⋯ The phenotype of an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor appears heterogeneous when examined by histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic analysis. The authors describe the case of a 4-year-old boy who harbored an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor in the clivus, which appeared as a chordoma on neuroimages. To their knowledge, this location of an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor has not been described in the literature.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2007
Endovascular placement of a ventriculoatrial shunt. Technical note.
Atrial shunt revision surgeries are sometimes difficult due to venous occlusion and neck scarring. A direct approach guided by venography facilitates exposure and guarantees accurate placement of the distal catheter. Five patients with complicated histories of shunt malfunction were treated using an endoscope-assisted technique. ⋯ No complications developed in any patient. This endoscope-assisted technique offers three advantages: it demonstrates the patency of the jugular vein through venography, facilitates identification of the internal jugular vein in the neck, and provides a quick way to confirm that the distal end of the atrial catheter has been placed correctly. This technique should be considered for use in patients with a history of failed atrial shunts.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEvaluation of intraaxial enhancing brain tumors on magnetic resonance imaging: intraindividual crossover comparison of gadobenate dimeglumine and gadopentetate dimeglumine for visualization and assessment, and implications for surgical intervention.
The goal in this article was to compare 0.1 mmol/kg doses of gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) and gadopentetate dimeglumine, also known as gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA), for enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of intraaxial brain tumors. ⋯ Lesion visualization, delineation, definition, and contrast enhancement are significantly better after administration of 0.1 mmol/kg Gd-BOPTA, potentially allowing better surgical planning and follow up and improved disease management.