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 21,692 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Understanding the MR appearance of spinal CSF is important in interpreting clinical spine images because the diagnosis of spinal pathology requires an accurate delineation of spinal CSF from spinal cord and thecal sac. During conventional 2DFT MR imaging of the spine, CSF pulsation caused two interdependent flow phenomena, signal loss and phase-shift images. Signal loss was observed as decreased signal intensity arising from pulsatile spinal CSF. Phase-shift images were observed as signal intensity arising from and morphologically identical to the spinal subarachnoid space but symmetrically displaced from it along the phase-encoding axis of MR images, either added to or subtracted from stationary signal intensity. These phenomena were common, occurring in most cervical and thoracic long-TR images. Both phenomena were less apparent in the lumbar region in most cases. CSF pulsation flow phenomena decreased CSF-spinal cord and CSF-thecal sac conspicuity, thereby obscuring normal and pathologic anatomy and, at times, simulating pathology. The areas of signal loss showed variable but characteristic patterns in the cervical and thoracic spine corresponding to regions of greatest flow. Signal loss in the axial plane was more pronounced when thin slices were used. Phase-shift images degraded overall image quality secondary to spatial mismapping of spinal CSF signal intensity. With the use of CSF gating, both signal loss and phase-shift images were eliminated. Understanding these features will be important in the accurate interpretation of MR spine images because analysis of CSF pulsation flow phenomena provides physiologic and pathologic information, and awareness of their existence avoids diagnostic confusion.
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PMID:Dyke award. Imaging of spinal CSF pulsation by 2DFT MR: significance during clinical imaging. 349 27

The records of 16 consecutive patients with proven cryptococcosis, admitted to the two referral hospitals in Harare over a 15-year period, were reviewed. 15 were cases of meningitis, one with spinal cord granuloma, and the 16th was an orbital osteomyelitis. There were eight children and eight adults with a marked male preponderance. There was an absence of any predisposing conditions. The common clinical signs and symptoms were headache, neck stiffness, fever, confusion or drowsiness, cranial nerve lesions and long tract signs. The diagnosis was rarely suspected on admission but was discovered during life in 15 patients, in 12 by finding the organism in the (CSF) cerebrospinal fluid, and in three by biopsy of affected tissue. 50% of patients presented with a predominance of polymorphs in the CSF. The mortality rate was very high (57%) but most died before adequate treatment could be given.
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PMID:Cryptococcosis in Zimbabwe. 399 44

Two patients had clinical findings of encephalopathy that progressed in 4 to 5 months. One patient had headache, fatigue, lethargy, hemiparesis, and a seizure. The second patient had only forgetfulness, confusion, and lethargy without focal signs. Herpes simplex virus was grown from brain biopsy in the first patient and from CSF in the second patient. These cases suggest that herpes simplex virus caused the encephalitis and that it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic encephalopathy.
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PMID:Chronic encephalitis possibly due to herpes simplex virus: two cases. 403 28

A 72-year-old woman, previously in good health, suffered for 2 years from attacks of a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome lasting from 2 days to 4 weeks. These episodes, which were followed by intervals of nearly complete recovery, were usually marked by fever, headache, mental confusion, vomiting ataxia, anisocoria, epileptic seizures and stiffness of the neck. Neuroradiological investigation revealed only slight ventricular dilatation. In 13 CSF examinations, there was reduced glucose, increased protein, considerable rise of the IgG index and constant oligoclonal bands. There was also an increase of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, lymphocytes or epithelial-like cells. As all microbial, viral or mycotic tests were negative and the patient recovered, the case was considered to be benign recurrent meningitis of Mollaret. The nosological position of this rare disease, as well as its probable pathogenetic mechanisms, are discussed.
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PMID:A case of benign recurrent meningitis of Mollaret. 616 85

Continuing evaluations of antiviral agents for treatment of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) provided an opportunity to collect clinical data from 113 patients in whom the diagnosis was proved by viral isolation. Occurrence of HSE was in all ages and in both sexes and was nonseasonal. Characteristically, patients had behavioral changes, fever, confusion, speech disturbances, and, less frequently, seizures. The EEG was the most useful neurodiagnostic aid followed by technetium and computed axial tomographic scans. Employing a logistic regression model for variable selection, the diagnosis could be predicted by clinical findings and neurodiagnostic tests in 83% of the proved cases, but the evidence in 25% was falsely positive. There was evidence of localization by either clinical or neurodiagnostic assessment in all patients with proved disease. Among patients wtih negative findings for HSE, similar focal findings predominated in all but a few. The CSF and brain scans were normal in many patients with proved HSE. This extensive clinical experience in patients wtih diagnosis proved by viral isolation shows that diagnosis cna be confirmed only by brain biopsy.
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PMID:Herpes simplex encephalitis. Clinical Assessment. 627 34

We interviewed and neurologically reexamined 94 patients who had previous pneumococcal meningitis. The findings were allocated into groups with and without a causal relationship to the meningitis. The main sequelae after meningitis were dizziness (23%), tiredness (22%), mild memory deficits (21%), and gait ataxia (18%), whereas other focal neurologic signs were rare. By a rating (0 to 5) of the presence and severity of sequelae after meningitis, 54% of the patients were found to have sequelae. The clinical condition at the time of acute illness was studied in subgroups of patients who had different neurologic sequelae or high sequelae ratings. Gait ataxia was associated with a state of agitation and confusion when the patient was admitted for meningitis. High sequelae ratings on reexamination were associated with an affected consciousness at the acute stage of the disease and with high numbers of WBCs in the CSF at the time of hospitalization.
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PMID:Pneumococcal meningitis. Late neurologic sequelae and features of prognostic impact. 647 11

We observed 24 patients with symptomatic neurosyphilis. Of these 24 patients, nine had clinical manifestations of general paresis, seven tabetic neurosyphilis, five meningovascular neurosyphilis, one taboparetic, one tabomeningovascular, and one spinal neurosyphilis. Confusion, disorientation, lancinating pain, impaired memory, and bizarre behavior were the most prevalent symptoms. Sensitivity of the CSF FTA-ABS test was higher (96%) than that of the CSF VDRL test (79%). CSF cell count and total protein determination may be inadequate for assessing activity of neurosyphilis.
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PMID:Symptomatic neurosyphilis. 666 3

Twelve cases of benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) are reported, there being a higher proportion of women patients and a greater frequency of those in the 3rd decade of life. Symptoms were principally headache (11 patients) and/or transient or permanent visual disorders (10 patients). Bilateral papillary edema was often associated with diminished visual acuity (5 cases) and/or amputation of the visual field (5 cases). Cerebral venous occlusion was detected in 3 patients and an infective focus in 7 cases. Three patients were receiving some treatment but none of the women was taking oral contraceptives. Two were pregnant. The CSF was abnormal in 5 of the 7 patients (mixed cell reaction and red blood cells: 1 case; pleiocytosis: 3 cases; raised protein levels: 1 case), and CT scans were normal except for reduced ventricular system size in 9 patients. Follow-up for a mean of 1 year showed total disappearance of symptoms and signs in 4 cases. Papillary edema had not totally regressed at the last ophthalmological examinations performed on 5 patients, and visual sequelae (visual acuity and/or visual field anomalies) were present in 5 cases. Two patients relapsed. The conventional acceptance of the benign nature of BIH must be tempered by the possible onset of possible serious visual disorders. Two factors appear to be determinant: the presence of severe visual disorders initially and/or the existence of arterial hypertension. Various physiopathogenic hypotheses have been evoked to explain BIH. The essential mechanism appears to be an anomaly of absorption of CSF, either from increased pressure in the dural venous sinuses or lesions of the arachnoid villi, but the role of cerebral edema and/or increased cerebral blood volume cannot be excluded. Incomplete understanding of physiopathogenic mechanisms account for the numerous treatments proposed and for some confusion in their indications.
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PMID:[Benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri). 12 cases]. 669 22

The incidence of a fracture of the sella turcica is reported to be rare and the authors reported a case of a sellar fracture associated with several neurological and endocrinological complications. A 16-year-old boy was struck at the face and the forehead on the road in a motorcycle accident and was hospitalized in a confusional state. Neurological examinations showed dilatation of the both pupils, sluggish light reflex on both sides and bilateral oculomotor palsy but motor weakness or sensory disturbance was not present. On the tenth hospital day, he developed diabetes insipidus and endocrinological examinations disclosed the impairment of GH, LH and FSH reserves, too. Neuroradiological examinations disclosed fractures of bilateral frontal bones and fractures of the left optic canal and ethmoidal roof as well as a fracture of the sella turcica. On the 28th hospital day, he also developed CSF rhinorrhea and pneumocephalus. Surgical repair for the CSF rhinorrhea was performed. Fractures of the sella turcica were reviewed in 23 cases including our personal case and a special consideration regarding the mechanism of sellar fractures and their major complications was made. The authors stressed the early recognition of a fracture of the sella turcica in head injuries, which would suggest a severe hypothalamo-pituitary involvement or other neurological disorders.
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PMID:[Fracture of the sella turcica--a case report and review of the literature]. 681 84

A patient with severe liver disease and mildly obnormal but stable renal function was given cimetidine on two occasions for gastrointestinal hemorrhage. In each course, dosing was initiated at half the recommended dosage of 600 mg daily, and mental status deteriorated shortly after dosing began. A further dosage decrease to 300 mg daily allowed continuation of cimetidine therapy in absence of mental status alterations. In this patient, mental status changes occurred at lower serum concentrations than we have previously reported. This discrepancy was explained by analysis of cimetidine CSF concentrations, as this patient had abnormally high cimetidine blood to CSF permeability. Although the cause of increased CSF concentrations is unclear, cimetidine-associated mental confusion was dose related and completely reversible upon a decrease in dosage. Patients who develop cimetidine-associated mental status changes and who cannot have treatment stopped may be safely treated by individualizing the dosing rate.
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PMID:Dose and serum concentration relationships in cimetidine-associated mental confusion. 696 83


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