No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Microscopic calcification within the basal ganglia was reported by Virchow and Bamberger in 1855. The description of symmetrical cerebral calcification, particularly of the basal ganglia and often of the dentate nuclei, associated with hypoparathyrodism as related by Eaton, Camp and Love(1939) was a significant development in the field of calcification. Calcification of the basal ganglia has been visualized by skull radiography and computed tomography(CT) scan, and in two-third of cases, it has been associated with metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. Computed tomography is more sensitive to detect the intracranial calcification than plain skull radiography. The purpose of our report was evaluate the significance of basal ganglia calcification as visualized by CT, discusses on pathogensis of calcification, clinical significance and management under the hypocalemia.
Basal Ganglia* ; Hypoparathyroidism* ; Radiography ; Skull

The authors report a case of a 24-year-old man with unilateral sphenoid dysplasia in the absence of NF-I. Preoperatively, the patient was presented with pulsating exophthalmos and headache. The patient underwent cranioorbital sphenoid wing reconstruction with split calvarial bone graft. Postoperatively, he showed relieved headache and significant reduction of exophthalmos by exophthalmometry. There were no evidence of osteomyelitis and neurologic complication.
Exophthalmos ; Headache ; Humans ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Osteomyelitis ; Transplants ; Young Adult

Metastatic adenocarcinoma to the brain usually appears low-to-moderate attenuation on non-enhanced computed tomography. However, metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma shows strikingly high attenuation, even simulating hemorrhage in some cases. We present a rare case of a mucin-containing metastatic adenocarcinoma of the rectum mimicking cerebral hemorrhage.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous* ; Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Hemorrhage ; Mucins* ; Rectum

Intracranial metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma have been rarely reported, even in the Orient and Africa where this carcinoma is one of the relatively common malignancies. Hepatocellular carcinomas usually spread to regional lymph nodes around the porta hepatis via lymphatics. But venous metastasis of this cacinoma can occur via intrahepatic vein. The lungs are the most common distant metastatic sites followed by stomach, bones, and adrenals. Recently, we experienced a case of intracranial metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with epidural hematoma. Although the epidural hematoma and the metastatic tumor mass were totally removed, the patient died of liver complications on the 9th day of postoperative care. The clinical and radiological details of this case are presented here with a brief review of the literature.
Africa ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Postoperative Care ; Stomach ; Veins

Patients with extra-axial mass lesions of the posterior fossa frequently demonstrate signs of brainstem dysfunction. These dysfunctions may be induced by the change of regional cerebral blood flow and electrophysiological status as well as mechanical compression and distortion of the brainstem. Frontal cortical regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), pontine rCBF, brainstem autidory evoked potentials(AEPs), infratentorial intracranial pressure(infratentorial ICP) and mean arterial blood pressure(MABP) were recorded before and after expansion of an infratentorial epidural ballon in anesthetized experimental cat models. After the elevation of MABP during the increased infratentorial ICP, frontal cortical and potine rCBF, AEPs were recorded every 30 minutes. The results suggest that the elevating the MABP to improve cerebral perfusion pressure before irreversible change occurs in the brain may preserve cerebral function. We conclude that if the volume of the space in the posterior fossa that is occupied by the mass can be estimated, brain damage from low rCBF and brain compression due to intracranial hypertension can be prevented by the elevation of MABP before irreversible damage of the brain occurs.
Animals ; Blood Pressure* ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cats ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory* ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Intracranial Pressure* ; Perfusion

PURPOSE: Although platelet-rich plasma (PRP) potentiate the wound healing activity of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), its effect cannot be sustained for a prolonged period of time due to short duration of action. This led us to design and produce platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), in an effort to develop a tool which lasts longer, and apply it on wound healing. METHODS: Two symmetrical skin defects were made on the back of seven nude mice. ADSCs were applied to each wound, combined with either PRP or PRF. The wound area was measured over 14 days. By day 16, the wound was harvested and histologic analysis was performed including counting of the blood vessel. RESULTS: The healing rate was more accelerated in PRP group in the first 5 days (p<0.05). However, PRF group surpassed PRP group after 6 days (p<0.05). The average number of blood vessels observed in the PRF group was 6.53 +/- 0.51, compared with 5.68 +/- 0.71 for the PRP group. CONCLUSION: PRF exerts a slow yet pervasive influence over the two-week course of the wound healing process. Thus, PRF is probably more beneficial for promoting the activity of ADSCs for a sustained period of time.
Acceleration ; Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Vessels ; Fibrin ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Skin ; Stem Cells ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to objectively assess the efficacy of superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass surgery using Technetium (Tc)-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients who underwent STA-MCA bypass surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain perfusion SPECT images obtained at baseline and after the administration of acetazolamide were reconstructed using statistical parametric mapping in 23 patients, both before and after STA-MCA bypass surgery. The clinical outcomes of the surgery were also recorded and compared with the hemodynamic changes. A voxel with an uncorrected p-value of less than 0.001 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: SPECT images of the territory supplied by the bypass graft showed an increase in both cerebrovascular flow and reserve at baseline, and the increase was significantly higher following the administration of acetazolamide. All patients showed improvement of clinical symptoms and increased blood flow to the left temporal, parietal, and frontal cortices as well as the thalamus. CONCLUSION: Brain SPECT effectively and objectively demonstrated the improved outcomes of STA-MCA bypass surgery, and thus may be used in postoperative analyses.
Acetazolamide/diagnostic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain/*radionuclide imaging ; Brain Mapping/methods ; Carotid Stenosis/surgery ; *Cerebral Revascularization ; *Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Cysteine/analogs & derivatives/diagnostic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Middle Cerebral Artery/*surgery ; Models, Statistical ; Organotechnetium Compounds/diagnostic use ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Temporal Arteries/*surgery ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/*methods ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Many researchers believe that the hypothermia shows neuroprotective effect on brain injury. To understand the molecular mechanism of the hypothermic treatment, this study investigated its effects on the expression of cell death or survival related proteins such as p53, Bcl-2 and Bax in the rat traumatic brain injury(TBI) model. METHODS: Twenty rats (Spraque Dawley, 200~250g) were subjected to the brain injury of moderate severity (2.4~2.6atm) using the fluid percussion injury device and five rats were received only same surgery as controls. During 30minutes after the brain injury, the hypothermia group was maintained the body temperature around 34 degrees C while the control group were maintained that of 36 degrees C. Five rats in each group were sacrificed 12h or 24h after brain injury and their brain sections was analyzed for physical damages by H-E stains and the extent of apoptosis by TUNEL assay and immunohistochemical stains. The tissue damage after TBI was mainly observed in the ipsilateral cortex and partly in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Apoptosis was observed by TUNEL assay and the Bax protein was detected in both sample which harvested 12h and 24h after TBI. In the hypothermia treatment group, tissue damage and apoptosis were reduced in HE stains and TUNEL assay. In hypothermia treatment group rat shows more expression of the Bcl-2 protein and shows less expression of the Bax protein, at both 12h and 24h after TBI. CONCLUSION: These results show that the hypothermia treatment is an effective treatment after TBI, by reducing the apoptotic process. Therefore, it could be suggested that hypothermia has a high therapeutic value for treating tissue damages after TBI.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Body Temperature ; Brain ; Brain Injuries* ; Cell Death ; Coloring Agents ; Hippocampus ; Hypothermia* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Neurons* ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Percussion ; Rats

We present 15 patients with progressive neurological deterioration while on medical treatment for massive cerebral or cerebellar edema due to large cerebral or cerebellar infarction. Clinical signs of uncal herniation were present in 10 of these patients. Remaining five patients showed progressive neurological deterioration accompanied with impending herniation. Brain CT confirmed mass effect from cerebral or cerebellar edema in all cases. All 15 patients were treated with decompressive craniectomy, duroplasty and/or ventriculostomy. Nine patients showed good results and six patients had poor results. As compared with poor result group, good result group had high score of Glass Gow Coma Scale(GCS) on admission(12.8 vs. 8.3 on average) and time from worsening to operation is shorter(8.8 vs. 21.3hrs on average). Infarction was all on right side and hearniation sign just before operation appeared infrequently in good result group. These results suggest that decompressive surgery can be effective life saving procedure for massive cerebral edema after large brain infarction, especially in cases with right side lesion, high GCS score on admission, and pertinent timing of operation(before occurrance of irreversible brain stem damage due to herniation).
Brain Edema ; Brain Infarction* ; Brain Stem ; Brain* ; Coma ; Decompression, Surgical* ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Edema ; Glass ; Humans ; Infarction ; Ventriculostomy