Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Although there is an emphasis on performing carotid artery stent (CAS) placement within 2 weeks after index event of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke in patients with significant extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis, the risks and characteristics of recurrent cerebral ischemic event while waiting for CAS placement are not well defined. ⋯ We estimated the risk of new ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events in patients with ICA stenosis ≥50% in severity while waiting for CAS placement to guide appropriate timing of procedure.
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Since its development, spinal cord functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has utilized various methodologies and stimulation protocols to develop a deeper understanding of a healthy human spinal cord that lays a foundation for its use in clinical research and practice. In this review, we conducted a comprehensive literature search on spinal cord fMRI studies and summarized the recent advancements and resulting scientific achievements of spinal cord fMRI in the following three aspects: the current state of spinal cord fMRI methodologies and stimulation protocols, knowledge about the healthy spinal cord's functions obtained via spinal cord fMRI, and fMRI's exemplary usage in spinal cord diseases and injuries. ⋯ Recent clinical investigations into spinal cord pathologies, for example, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and cervical spondylotic myelopathy, have already provided deep insights into spinal cord impairments and the time course of impairment-caused changes. We expect that future spinal cord fMRI advancement and research development will further enhance our understanding of various spinal cord diseases and provide the foundation for evaluating existing and developing new treatment plans.
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In multiple sclerosis (MS), brain atrophy measurements have emerged as an important biomarker reflecting neurodegeneration and disability progression. However, due to several potential confounders, investigation of brain atrophy in clinical routine and even in controlled clinical studies can be challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term dynamics of brain atrophy development after initiation of disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in a "real-world setting." ⋯ We found PBVCs that are comparable to the results of previous studies, suggesting that brain atrophy, assessed on 3D MRI data sets acquired on the same 3T MRI, provides a robust MS biomarker.
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Given the prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in pediatric concussion, there is a need to better understand pathophysiological disruptions within vestibular and associated cognitive, affective, and sensory-integrative networks. Although current research leverages established intrinsic connectivity networks, these are nonspecific for vestibular function, suggesting that a pathologically guided approach is warranted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the generalizability of the previously identified "vestibular neuromatrix" in adults with and without postconcussive vestibular dysfunction to young athletes aged 14-17. ⋯ Our results suggest that connections between central vestibular, visuospatial, and known intrinsic connectivity networks are conserved across adult and pediatric participants with and without concussion, evincing the significance of this expanded, vestibular-associated network. Our findings thus support this network as a workable model for investigation in future studies of dysfunction in young athlete populations.
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This study was dedicated to investigating the agreement of the calculated results of two CT perfusion (CTP) postprocessing software packages, including parameter maps and ischemic volume, focusing on the infarct core volume (ICV) and penumbra volume (PV). ⋯ The image analysis results of AccuCTP are in excellent agreement with RAPID CTP and can be used as an alternative analysis tool to RAPID CTP software in stroke clinical practice.