OBJECTIVE: To suggest a new useful diagnostic technique, principles of the selective excitation technique-magnetic resonance images (Proset-MRI), and to know the precise radiologic findings that can prove symptomatic foraminal and extraforaminal stenosis at L5-S1. METHODS: Nineteen patients with symptomatic L5-S1 stenosis were checked by Proset-MRI. Four patients were performed decompressive surgery and 15 patients were performed selective nerve root block (SNRB) at L5. The pain scale of patients was checked by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at the pre- and post-treatment state. RESULTS: Proset-MRI findings of patients with symptomatic stenosis are root swelling (RS) and indentation. The comparisons with VAS scores had a meaningful statistical result at each RS (p<0.01) and indentation (p<0.01). However, the findings of RS combined with indentation lacked statistical significance (p=0.0249). In addition, according to a comparison with the treatment modalities, reducing of VAS scores had statistical meaningful significance in decompressive surgery cases (p<0.01), and also in SNRB cases (p<0.01) after a 3-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The three dimensional Proset-MRI is very useful and sensitive technique to diagnose the symptomatic foraminal and extraforaminal stenosis at L5-S1.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of lumbosacral radiculography using 3-dimentional (3D) magnetic resonance (MR) rendering for diagnostic information of symptomatic extraforaminal stenosis in lumbosacral transitional vertebra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 18 patients with symptomatic (n = 10) and asymptomatic extraforaminal stenosis (n = 8) in lumbosacral transitional vertebra. Each patient underwent 3D coronal fast-field echo sequences with selective water excitation using the principles of the selective excitation technique (Proset imaging). Morphologic changes of the L5 nerve roots at the symptomatic and asymptomatic extraforaminal stenosis were evaluated on 3D MR rendered images of the lumbosacral spine. RESULTS: Ten cases with symptomatic extraforaminal stenosis showed hyperplasia and degenerative osteophytes of the sacral ala and/or osteophytes at the lateral margin of the L5 body. On 3D MR lumbosacral radiculography, indentation of the L5 nerve roots was found in two cases, while swelling of the nerve roots was seen in eight cases at the exiting nerve root. Eight cases with asymptomatic extraforaminal stenosis showed hyperplasia and degenerative osteophytes of the sacral ala and/or osteophytes at the lateral margin of the L5 body. Based on 3D MR lumbosacral radiculography, indentation or swelling of the L5 nerve roots was not found in any cases with asymptomatic extraforaminal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Results from 3D MR lumbosacral radiculography Indicate the indentation or swelling of the L5 nerve root in symptomatic extraforaminal stenosis. Based on these findings, 3D MR radiculography may be helpful in the diagnosis of the symptomatic extraforaminal stenosis with lumbosacral transitional vertebra.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Lumbosacral Region/*pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Compression Syndromes/*diagnosis/pathology ; Osteophyte/pathology ; Spinal Stenosis/*diagnosis/pathology

Demyelination is characterized by the loss of myelin with the preservation of axons. Demyelinating diseases can be classified into several categories: demyelination due to inflammation, viral infection, osmotic derangements and hypoxic ischemia. In particular, osmotic myelinolysis is representative, and is associated with hyperosmolality, hypokalemia or rapid correction of hyponatremia. Osmotic myelinolysis was reported to be associated with underlying conditions, such as alcoholism, diuretics and malnutrition. A 67-year-old woman with hypertension was scheduled to undergo both total knee replacements (TKR). She was observed to be lethargic with dysphagia and quadriplegia after the second TKR. She had been taking diuretics for a long time, and did not have an adequate amount of food intake due to patient controlled analgesia and a gastric ulcer after the first TKR. A laboratory examination revealed hypokalemia but normonatremia. T2 weighted-MRI revealed abnormal high signal intensity in the basal ganglia and periventricular area. This case was diagnosed with osmotic myelinolysis associated with hypokalemia without an apparent sodium imbalance.
Aged ; Alcoholism ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Axons ; Basal Ganglia ; Cerebrum ; Deglutition Disorders ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Diuretics ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemia ; Hyponatremia ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Knee ; Malnutrition ; Myelin Sheath ; Quadriplegia ; Sodium ; Stomach Ulcer

A 78-year-old woman presented with weakness of the extremities, dysarthria, dizziness, and sensory impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging showed acute bilateral medial medullary infarction. Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated stenosis or occlusion of both intracranial vertebral arteries. We present a rare case of bilateral medullary infarction seen on diffusion-weighted imaging.
Aged ; Brain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dizziness ; Dysarthria ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Vertebral Artery

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the quantitative evaluation of the corticospinal tract (CST) at the multiple levels by using functional MRI (fMRI) co-registered to diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten normal subjects without any history of neurological disorder participated in this study. fMRI was performed at 1.5 T MR scanner using hand grasp-release movement paradigm. DTT was performed by using DtiStudio on the basis of fiber assignment continuous tracking algorithm (FACT). The seed region of interest (ROI) was drawn in the area of maximum fMRI activation during the motor task of hand grasp-release movement on a 2-D fractional anisotropy (FA) color map, and the target ROI was drawn in the cortiocospinal portion of anterior lower pons. We have drawn five ROIs for the measurement of FA and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) along the corona radiata (CR) down to the medulla. RESULTS: The contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) was mainly found to be activated in all subjects. DTT showed that tracts originated from SM1 and ran to the medulla along the known pathway of the CST. In all subjects, FA values of the CST were higher at the level of the midbrain and posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC) than the level of others. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that co-registered fMRI and DTT has elucidated the state of CST on 3-D and analyzed the quantitative values of FA and ADC at the multiple levels. We conclude that co-registered fMRI and DTT may be applied as a useful tool for clarifying and investigating the state of CST in the patients with brain injury.
Anisotropy ; Brain Injuries ; Diffusion ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Extremities ; Hand ; Humans ; Internal Capsule ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesencephalon ; Nervous System Diseases ; Pons ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Seeds ; Track and Field

The malignant transformation of an epidermoid cyst can be discovered at the same time as a pre-existing epidermoid cyst, or during a follow-up examination after an incomplete excision. We describe a rare case of malignant transformation of a cerebello-pontine angle epidermoid cyst which extended into the middle cerebellar peduncle.
Brain Neoplasms ; Epidermal Cyst ; Follow-Up Studies

PURPOSE: We investigated the causes and mechanisms driving acute border zone infarctions using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed DWI in 104 patients (male: 72 years, female: 32 years, age range: 44 to 84 years) with acute border zone infarction. The DWI patterns were classified as follows: pattern A- An acute border zone infarction combined with multiple small disseminated cortical infarctions, pattern B- An acute border zone infarction only. RESULTS: The most common cause of acute border zone infarctions was extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (45 cases, 43%). Other causes included middle cerebral artery stenosis (22 cases, 21%), intracranial ICA stenosis (14 cases, 13%), unknown, (12 cases 12%), iatrogenic (6 cases, 6%) and cardiogenic (5 cases, 5%), respectively. The most common pattern for DWI was pattern A (83 cases, 80%). We performed a transcranial Doppler in 7 of 75 cases (11%), and found at least 1 embolic pulse. CONCLUSION: The most common pattern of DWI for acute border zone infarctions was pattern A. We propose that the mechanisms driving acute border zone infarctions are emboli coupled with hypoperfusion.
Brain Infarction ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diffusion ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Infarction ; Middle Cerebral Artery

PURPOSE: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the MR findings of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MR images of 38 patients with SLE were evaluated based on the presence of the following abnormal lesions: the locations of the abnormal signal intensity lesions in the white matter, infarctions, a small vessel vasculopathy, leukoencephalopathy, hemorrhage, abscess, and other lesions. RESULTS: The MR images showed an abnormality in 22 of 38 (58%) episodes. Abnormal signal intensities were noted in the subcortical and periventricular white matter in six cases, acute territorial infarctions in five cases, multiple small acute embolic infarctions in four cases and a brain abscess in two cases. A reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy was found in one case. In addition, another patient had vasogenic edema with focal central cytotoxic edema at the pons. The entire cerebral and corpus callosum volumes were significantly smaller in four patients with SLE as compared to the volumes in healthy control subjects. CONCLUSION: SLE may induce variable MR imaging findings of the CNS. Recognition of the variable findings is helpful for easy diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Abscess ; Brain ; Brain Abscess ; Brain Diseases ; Central Nervous System ; Corpus Callosum ; Edema ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Leukoencephalopathies ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System ; Pons

We report 2 patients with a traumatic carotid- jugular fistula. The first patient suffered a deep neck penetrating injury. The external carotid-jugular fistula was demonstrated by 3-dimension CT angiography (3D CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The patient was treated with coil embolization. The second patient suffered a gun shot injury to the neck. 3D CTA and DSA revealed a common carotid-jugular fistula and a pseudoaneurysm. The common carotid-jugular fistula was treated with coil embolization in the fistula and the pseudoaneurysm was treated with stent assisted coil embolization.
Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Neck ; Stents

Laryngo-tracheal perforation caused by the use of a stylet during tracheal intubation is a rare complication. We present a case of subcutaneous emphysema and connective tissue inflammation after tracheal intubation. The patient was a 41-year-old male undergoing general anesthesia for an appendectomy. The intubation was difficult during laryngoscopy (Cormack-Lehane Grade III). An assistant provided an endotracheal tube with a stylet inside while the laryngoscope was in place. During intubation, a short, dull sound was heard with a sudden loss of resistance after the distal tip of the endotracheal tube passed the rima glottis. A sonogram and computerized tomography revealed subcutaneous emphysema from the neck to the upper mediastinum and fluid collection between the trachea and the thyroid. This lesion appeared to have been caused by the protruded, loose stylet. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the damage a loose stylet protruding beyond the tip of the endotracheal tube can cause.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Appendectomy ; Connective Tissue ; Glottis ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Intubation ; Laryngoscopes ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neck* ; Punctures* ; Subcutaneous Emphysema* ; Thyroid Gland ; Trachea