Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Abnormally increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the basal ganglia was noted by positron emission tomography (PET) in a 37-year-old bone marrow transplant patient who had severe intention tremors of his hands and a progressive psychiatric change with social withdrawal and flat affect. This is the first PET report on metabolic abnormalities in cyclosporine neurotoxicity. It emphasizes the need for more research to understand the pathophysiology of these changes.
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Cognitive decline has recently been found to be associated with microemboli in cerebral vessels in patients with artificial heart valves. The authors sought to determine the nature of such microemboli, that is, whether they are gaseous or solid, by comparing their characteristics to those of artificially generated air emboli in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO). ⋯ No difference in intensity, duration, or relative velocity of microemboli was found between groups. The authors conclude that microemboli generated from artificial heart valves are generally gaseous and not solid.
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Case Reports
Continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging findings in postpartum vasculopathy.
Postpartum vasculopathy (PPV) is a rare heterogeneous nonatherosclerotic vasculopathy that occurs in the puerperium. It occurs spontaneously but may be triggered by vasoconstrictor substances. The angiographic findings vary and include narrowing of the intracranial arteries and vasospasm. ⋯ In this series of patients with PPV, CBF was close to normal. Although angiography often reveals diffuse arterial narrowing, the CBF values encountered in this study do not support a state of generalized or focal oligoemia. Vasomotor tone may change intermittently in patients with PPV.
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The authors describe 2 cases of posterior fosa venous infarction. A 56-year-old woman with essential thrombocytemia presented with fluctuating complaints of headache, nausea, vomiting, left-sided numbness-weakness, and dizziness and became progressively stuporous. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral parasagittal fronto-parietal and left cerebellar contrast-enhancing hemorrhagic lesions. ⋯ Digital subtraction angiography showed right transverse and sigmoid sinus occlusion. The authors suggest that one should investigate the possibility of venous infarction in the presence of posterior fossa lesions that are often hemorrhagic and are not within any arterial territory distribution but respect a known venous drainage pattern. Recognition of the observed clinical and neuroimaging features can lead to earlier diagnosis and, potentially, more effective management.
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The purpose of this study is to investigate the longitudinal age-related changes in human brain volume using stereological methods. ⋯ The findings showed that there was age-related atrophy of cerebrum and cerebellum and age-related disproportional enlargement of lateral ventricles in normal older men and women.