Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Previous studies have found gray matter alterations in the cerebellum and in the visual system in both adults and adolescents with schizophrenia. The present study was conducted to investigate whether white matter tracts associated with these regions are also affected in the early stages of the disorder. ⋯ Our findings of altered fiber integrity in the optic radiations in adolescents with schizophrenia are in line with gray matter alterations in the visual cortices previously reported in the same sample and are in accordance with other studies that found decreased fractional anisotropy in these regions. These findings support the view that the visual system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and may enhance our understanding of associations between the visual cortex and symptoms of the disorder.
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The "ears of the lynx" sign was previously reported as a neuroimaging finding observed in patients with autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia in association with a thin corpus callosum (ARHSP-TCC). We report a patient with a chronic form of Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) that presented with this imaging feature. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber-tracking data support that this finding is a consequence of the structural derangement, which enlarges a preexisting border zone of the bundles of fibers from the corpus callosum (CC) genu to the forceps minor and anterior corona radiata. Therefore, we assume that despite their pathological differences, damage to the anterior portion of the CC is responsible for the imaging similarities between MBD and ARHSP-TCC.
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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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Case Reports
Neuroblastoma with a solitary intraventricular brain metastasis visualized on I-123 MIBG scan.
Although metastatic skull lesions of neuroblastoma are not uncommon, brain involvement is infrequent and prompt diagnosis is of utmost importance in such cases. Previous studies have shown that Meta-Iodo-Benzyl-Guanidine (MIBG) scans were not always reliable in detecting central nervous system metastases, however most published reports referred to the Iodine-131 ((131)I)-MIBG scans. Herein, we report an intraventricular metastasis of neuroblastoma diagnosed using an Iodine-123 ((123)I)-MIBG scan, which is increasingly being used in clinical practice and reported as a more accurate method for detecting metastatic lesions. ⋯ Our case shows that (123) I-MIBG scintigraphy can be useful in detecting intraventricular brain metastases of neuroblastoma. Although the (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy has been reported to have a significantly superior sensitivity in monitoring asymptomatic patients with neuroblastoma compared with (131)I-MIBG scans, bone marrow histology, bone scan, CT, and urinary catecholamine levels, further studies may be necessary to evaluate its sensitivity in detecting brain lesions.