No abstract available.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Hemosiderin*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness and limitation of FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) MR sequence in various intracranial pathologic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In prospective fashion, we used a 1.0T MR unit to obtain FLAIR sequence MR images, together with T1-weighted (TIWI), proton-density weighted (PDWI), and T2-weighted spin echo images (T2WI) in 24 patients with various intracranial diseases. Forty-two lesions in 24 patients were classified into three categories: nonhemorrhagic noncavitary lesions (n=20), hemorrhagic lesions (n=10), and cavitary lesions (n=12). Hemorrhagic lesion was divided into two types; type 1 showed high signal intensity on both T1WI and T2WI and type 2 showed marked low signal intensity on T2WI such as hemosiderin. Cavitary lesion was defined as one with signal intensity which paralleled CSF on all pulse sequences. Visually, we compared the lesion conspicuity on FLAIR with that on T2WI. Quantitatively, we also compared lesion/white matter (WM) contrast, lesion/WM contrast to noise ratio (CNR), lesion/CSF contrast, and lesion/CSF CNR on FLAIR with those on T2WI. RESULTS: For visual conspicuity of nonhemorrhagic noncavitary lesions and type 1 hemorrhagic lesions, FLAIR was superior to PDWI and T2WI, but for type 2 hemorrhangic lesions, PDWI and T2WI were superior to FLAIR. For cavitary lesions, there was no significant difference between T2WI and FLAIR. In the quantitative assessment of nonhemorrhagic noncavitary lesions, FLAIR was superior to PDWI for lesion/CSF contrast, and CNR, and lesion/WM contrast, but for lesion/WM CNR FLAIR was inferior to PDWI. For lesion/CSF contrast in cavitary lesions, FLAIR was superior to PDWI. There was no significant difference between PDWI and FLAIR for hemorrhagic lesions types 1 and 2. In assessing nonhemorrhagic noncavitary lesions, FLAIR was superior to T2WI for lesion/CSF contrast, but for lesion/WM CNR, FLAIR was inferior to T2WI. In cavitary lesions, T2WI was superior to FLAIR for lesion/WM contrast and CNR. In type 2 hemorrhagic lesions, there was no significant difference between T2WI. CONCLUSION: The FLAIR sequence is more useful than T2WI for the detection of nonhemorrhagic noncavitary lesions, but in the evaluation of cavitary and hemorrhagic lesions, it has limitations. The results suggest that the FLAIR sequence can be used as a complementary imaging sequence, but should not replace the routine T2WI.
Diagnosis* ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Noise ; Prospective Studies

Granulomatous pigmented purpuric dermatosis was first described by Saito and Matsuoka in 1996. Clinically, the lesions manifest purpuric and petechial brown pigmented macules as a result of hemosiderin deposits. Histopathologically, it is characterized by lymphocytic perivascular infiltrate limited to the papillary dermis with extravasated red blood cells and hemosiderin deposition, accompanied by granulomatous infiltration. We report our experience of a case which presented a clinical picture of pigmented purpuric dermatosis and histologically granulomatous inflammation.
Dermis ; Erythrocytes ; Hemosiderin ; Inflammation ; Skin Diseases*

We report a case of factitial panniculitis in a 50-year-old female patient who had multiple variable sized subcutaneous nodules on area accessible to the hands and disappeared by only prohibition of habitual skin massage. Histologic findings showed mostly lobular panniculitis with hemosiderin deposits, many foamy histiocytes and pseudomicrocysts.
Female ; Hand ; Hemosiderin ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Massage ; Middle Aged ; Panniculitis* ; Skin

Endometriosis is the aberrant presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. We report a case of cutaneous endometriosis which developed on the scar of a uterine myomectomy in a 35-year-old female. The patient presented with a bean-sized, oval-shaped, erythematous nodule, which was located where a drain tube had been inserted. During her first visit to our clinic, she felt slight pain upon light touch to the lesion. She was not menstruating at this time. The lesion had been getting bigger and she reported that the pain was aggravated during menstruation. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic examination, which showed multiple endometrial glands with decidualized stroma, and hemosiderin pigment. Many dermatologists are not familiar with cutaneous endometriosis. Therefore, we present this case as a good example which shows pathognomonic symptoms and characteristic histopathologic findings of cutaneous endometriosis.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Uterine Myomectomy

Acoustic neurinoma are the most frequent tumors in the region of the cerebellopontine angle. They usually present with a gradual onset of symptoms and slow progression. Development of spontaneous hemorrhage with sudden aggravation of symptoms is rare. The authors present a case of acoustic neurinoma associated with a spontaneous intratumoral hemorrhage. Sudden aggravation of symptoms was noticed. The cranial computed tomography revealed multiple blood-fluid levels within the cysts of the tumor which was located in the region of the right cerebellopontine angle. Operation was performed, which confirmed recent hemorrhage within the tumor. Pathological study revealed a typical neurilemmoma associated with hemorrhage, vascular proliferation and macrophages which phagocytosed hemosiderin pigments. The rare sudden aggravation of symptoms in cases of acoustic neurinoma may suggest hemorrhage.
Acoustics* ; Cerebellopontine Angle ; Hemorrhage* ; Hemosiderin ; Macrophages ; Neurilemmoma ; Neuroma, Acoustic*

Cavernous angiomas (CAs) presenting with seizures have been regarded as a rather benign condition, because anti-epileptic drugs can be used as primary measures. Because CAs are frequently associated with diffusion of hemosiderin pigment into the surrounding brain tissue, there needs to be a special consideration in the management of CAs with seizures. The development of epilepsy surgery and neuro-imaging techniques, as well as the realization about the side effects of drugs are changing the concept of treatment of CAs. If the lesion is associated with intractable seizures, surgical treatment should be considered. Simple lesionectomy would relieve seizures significantly, but not always completely. The concept of epilepsy surgery needs to be recruited in such intractable cases, especially the lesion is located in the seizure-prone temporal lobe. Lesions located at or close to the eloquent areas can nowadays be removed safely by invasive and non-invasive functional mapping. Even though the seizures are not intractable, surgical resection can cure the rare seizures if the lesions are accessible. Careful assessment using comprehensive investigations on seizure itself, location of the lesion, and functional evaluation can cure the large proportion of patients suffering from seizures with CAs.
Brain ; Diffusion ; Epilepsy* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of GRASE images of the brain, which combinegradient echo-EPI and turbo spin echo, and to compare the results with those of the turbo spin echo (TSE)technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed and compared brain MR images obtained in 25 patients betweenOctober, 1996 and January, 1997, both TSE and GRASE techniques. Diagnosis was normal (n=5), infarct orischemia(n=10), intracerebral hemorrhage(n=6), and neoplasm(n=4). TSE and GRASE MR images were obtained using a1.5T Gyroscan ACS-NT(Philips, Netherlands). For qualitative assessment, overall image quality, discriminationbetween cortical gray-white matter and basal ganglia-white matter, lesion conspicuity, and MR artifact wereevaluated using a subjective grading system ranging from 1 to 5(1=TSE better than GRASE, 5=GRASE better than TSE).For quantitative assessment, signal-to nosise ratios (SNRs) were calculated for cortical gray matter, whitematter, basal ganglia, and lesions, and contrast-to nosise ratios (CNRs) were calculated for cortical gray-whitematter, basal ganglia-white matter and lesions-white matter, We measured image acquisition time and RF specificabsorption rate (SAR) on TSE and GRASE. RESULTS: Qualitative assessment showed that overall image quality,discrimination between cortical gray-white matter and basal ganglia-white matter, and lesion conspicuity were notsignificantly different between the two imaging techniques. MR artifact was more frequently seen on GRASE than onTSE. Quantitative assessment showed that the SNR of each brain tissue and lesion was significantly greater on TSEimages than on GRASE. Cortical gray-white matter and basal ganglia-white matter CNRs were significantly greater onGRASE images than on TSE, but lesion-white matter CNR was not significantly different between the two techniques.Image acquisition time was 3 minute 31 second in TSE and 1 minute 12 second in GRASE. SAR was lower in GRASE thanin TSE. CONCLUSION: With regard to MR artifact, GRASE is more sensitive than TSE, but as regards image qualityand lesion distinction, the two modalities show no distinct difference. Since GRASE is superior to TSE for thedetection of hemosiderin, and image acquisition time is three times shorter using GRASE, GRASE might usefully beapplied during the evaluation by MR imaging of certain brain conditions.
Artifacts ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Progressive pigmented purpura(Schamberg type) is of uncertain etiology. The lesion is characterized by a symmetrical rash of petechial and brown pigmented macules limited to the legs. Unilateral occurrence is considered a rarity. We report a 37-year-old woman presented with a 20-year history of unilateral distribution of purpuric and pigmented lesions scattered on the right shin and calf. Histopathologic feature showed band-like infilterate of superficial perivascular lymphohistiocytes with extravasation of erythrocytes and hemosiderin deposition in the upper dermis.
Adult ; Dermis ; Erythrocytes ; Exanthema ; Female ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Leg ; Purpura*

OBJECTIVES: To observe the changes of the formation time of venous thrombus in rats, and to provide new ideas and methods for the estimation on thrombus formation time of the forensic cases died from thrombosis. METHODS: Totally 80 rats were randomly divided into 10 groups （0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks after operation）. A vein thrombosis model was established by the "narrow" method. The processes of thrombosis, organization, recanalization and the features of change on hemosiderin and calcium salt were observed by HE stain, Perls stain and Von Kossa stain. The expression changes of CD61, α-SMA and CD34 were observed by immunohistochemical staining technique. RESULTS: Platelets adhered to the exposed blood vessel intima 3 h after operation, and platelet trabeculae were formed by the repeated accumulation of platelets 1 d after operation. The thrombus organization formed through the fibroblasts from vessel wall that grew into the interior of the thrombus 3 d after operation. Endothelial cells covered the surface of thrombus and then the new blood vessels were reformed, and the vessels were reconstructed. The expression of CD61 upregulated at the stages of the thrombus formation （3 h） and thrombus reformation （4 weeks）, and reached the peak 1 d after thrombus formation. The release of hemosiderin and the initial expression of α-SMA were detected 3 d later. Calcium deposit and expression of CD34 were observed 1 week later. CONCLUSIONS The hemosiderin, calcium salt, CD61, α-SMA and CD34 show time-dependent changing characteristics, which is expected to provide a reference for the estimation on thrombus formation time of the forensic cases died from thrombosis.
Animals ; Antigens, CD34/analysis* ; Hemosiderin/metabolism* ; Rats ; Venous Thrombosis/pathology*