Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Transcranial Doppler (TCD) helps identify patients with carotid dissections at risk of ischemic events (IEs). There is paucity of data identifying independent predictors of IE in vertebral arterial dissection (VAD). We sought to investigate the clinical and ultrasound predictors of IE. ⋯ TCD in VAD predicts patients at high risk of IE.
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Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool for distraction analgesia. This study aims to compare brain perfusion patterns while patients were undergoing burn wound care in two conditions-VR distraction and control (NoVR). ⋯ Relative decrease in cerebellar perfusion based on stringent statistical threshold in the VR environment combined with improved subjective pain experience supports the hypotheses on the role of cerebellum in perception of noxious stimuli.
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Ultrasound (US) measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and optic nerve diameter (OND) is a method frequently used to screen for an increased intracranial pressure. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of US measurements of ONSD and OND, when compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements as the criterion standard. ⋯ In measuring ONSD and OND, US measurements showed a modest correlation between axial and coronal measurements, but no concordance was found between US and MRI in our setting.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Central Pain Responses in a Nonpharmacologic Treatment Trial of Osteoarthritis.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common source of pain in older adults. Although OA-induced pain can be relieved with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, the current opioid epidemic is fostering the exploration of nonpharmacologic strategies for pain mitigation. Amongs these, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) hold potential for pain-relief efficacy due to their neuromodulatory effects of the central nervous system, which is known to play a fundamental role in pain perception and processing. ⋯ In conclusion, fNIRS can be effectively used to investigate neural mechanisms of pain at the cortical level in association with nonpharmacological, self-administered treatments.
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Although transcranial Doppler detects microembolic signals (MES) in numerous settings, the practical significance of such findings remains unclear. ⋯ MES may help to risk stratify patients as their presence is associated with ischemic recurrence and worse outcomes.