Computed tomographic changes of the brain and clinical outcome of patients with seizures and epilepsy after an ischaemic hemispheric stroke.

It is not well established whether seizures and epilepsy after an ischaemic stroke increase the disability of patients. Seventy-two patients with delayed seizures after a hemispheric infarct (37 with a single seizure and 35 with epilepsy) were included in the study. The modified Rankin scale was used to compare disability of the patients at 1 month after stroke and at 2 weeks after single or the last seizure, in case of epilepsy. The size of the X-ray hypoattenuation zone was compared on computed tomographic (CT) scans, performed in the weeks after the stroke and 1 week after single or repeated seizures. Lesion size was determined by superimposing the CT slices on digital cerebral vascular maps, on which the contours of the infarct area were delineated. The extent of the infarcts was expressed as the percentage fraction of the total surface area of the cerebral hemisphere. Groups with a single seizure and with epilepsy were mutually compared. Infarcts predominated in the parieto-temporal cortical regions. In the overall group the median Rankin score worsened significantly after seizures. The average size of the X-ray hypoattenuation zone was also significantly increased on the CT scans after the seizures, compared with those after stroke, without clear evidence of recent infarction. Mutual comparison of patients with a single seizure episode and of those with epilepsy showed only a trend of more severe disability and of increase in lesion size in the post-stroke epilepsy group. Delayed seizures and epilepsy after ischaemic stroke are accompanied by an increase in lesion size on CT and by worsening of the disability of the patients. This study does not allow to determine whether this is due to stroke recurrence or due to additional damage as a result of the seizures themselves.     

计算机自动定量诊断脑萎缩的初步研究

目的研究正常人群脑容积随年龄及性别的变化规律,提出计算机定量诊断脑萎缩的客观标准。方法利用最新提出的脑容积计算机自动定量算法,测量了脑萎缩组487例(男,310例,女,177例)和正常组1901例(男,993例,女,908例)的颅腔容积、脑容积和脑实质分数(BPF),并通过多项式曲线拟合技术,研究正常人BPF随年龄变化的函数关系。结果正常组颅腔容积为(1271322±128699)mm3,脑容积为(1211725±122077)mm3,BPF为(95.3471±2.3453)%;脑萎缩组颅腔容积为(1276900±125180)mm3,脑容积为(1203400±117760)mm3,BPF为(91.8115±2.3035)%。两组之间的颅腔容积和脑容积差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),而BPF差异具有统计学意义(P<0.001);BPF定量与年龄之间的二次多项式函数关系P(x)=-0.0008x2+0.0193x+96.9999能够较为准确表达正常人BPF随年龄变化的函数关系,其95%可信区间下限为y=-0.0008x2+0.0184x+95.1090。结论BPF与年龄之间函数关系的95%可信区间下限,可作为计算机自动定量诊断脑萎缩的客观标准。     

Imaging of thoracic aortic dissection

Acute thoracic aortic dissection has a high mortality if untreated, so the diagnosis must be rapidly made if mortality is to be lowered significantly. Multiple imaging techniques are often used. This retrospective study from 1988 to 1993 assesses the usefulness in diagnosis of chest X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scanning, aortography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), trans-thoracic (TTE) and trans-oesophageal (TOE) echocardiography. Forty-two patients with a final clinical diagnosis of dissection were studied. The diagnosis was confirmed in 16 (13 at surgery and three at autopsy). Three died with dissection given as the only cause for death. Chest X-ray abnormalities were seen in all 19 patients with surgery or death from dissection, with a widened mediastinum and/or dilated aorta being present in 17. In the group of 16 patients with surgery or autopsy proof, CT scans found dissections in 9 of 12 patients studied and correctly classified the type in only five. Aortography was performed in five, with accurate depiction of dissection and type in all. TTE found dissections in three of eight patients imaged by this method. MRI and TOE were performed each on two patients, with accurate depiction of dissection and type in each. Because of the relatively low sensitivity of CT scanning in defining aortic dissections Westmead Hospital is currently assessing the use of TOE as the prime imaging modality prior to surgical intervention.     

Discrepancy of xenon concentrations between end-tidal and blood collection methods in xenon-enhanced computed tomographic measurement of cerebral blood flow

Summary Using xenon-enhanced computed tomography for the study of cerebral blood flow, simultaneous measurements of end-tidal and arterial blood xenon concentrations using the blood collection method were performed to investigate the validity of substituting the end-tidal for the arterial blood xenon concentration. Simultaneous measurement by both methods was performed 68 times in 27 patients. There was no statistical correlation between the arterial blood accumulation rate constant obtained by arterial blood and end-tidal samples, nor between the arterial blood saturation value obtained by the two methods, even when correction was made for age. In brain tissue, all parameters calculated using the end-tidal concentration were lower than those using arterial blood. We therefore suggest that cerebral blood flow values calculated using end-tidal xenon concentration are useful only for qualitative cerebral blood flow mapping, and not applicable to absolute values of cerebral blood flow.     

足月新生儿颅内出血的CT诊断

经CT扫描诊断的足月新生儿颅内出血8例,就其病因、CT表现特点及CT与超声检查的比较进行讨论。提出新生儿颅内出血与孕期、胎次、分娩方式均有一定的关系,同时还应注意新生儿因脑发育不成熟在CT扫描图像上有其特殊表现。     

Bipolar affective disorder. II. EEG, neuropsychological, and clinical correlates of CT abnormality

Since the clinical significance of CT abnormalities found in bipolar patients remains obscure, we studied 26 DSM-III bipolar patients who had specific CT abnormalities (third ventricle enlargement, and hyperdensity of the caudate, thalamus, anterior frontal white matter, and right temporal lobe) on numerous parameters such as EEG, the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, premorbid personality adjustment, family history of affective disorder, positive and negative symptoms, employment history, and response to lithium carbonate treatment. None of these measures could differentiate between the CT abnormal and CT normal subgroups. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

子痫颅脑CT表现及与临床关系

目的分析子痫颅脑CT表现及与临床相关性。方法18例子痫患者均行颅脑CT平扫,其中3例行增强扫描,8例进行CT复查。结果14例患者显示脑白质内广泛低密度水肿区,枕叶脑白质累及为主,并多伴有额叶、顶叶受侵。4例表现为脑内局限性低密度区,2例合并脑出血,呈散在小斑片状分布。结论CT是子痫脑内病灶较好的影像检查手段,既可发现早期病灶,又可评价预后。     

CT多平面重组显示镫骨的方法及应用价值

目的探讨利用螺旋CT多平面重组(mu ltip lanar reform ation,MPR)技术显示镫骨整体结构的方法和临床价值。方法对50例无耳症状、体征的志愿者行平行枕眶线扫描,应用轴位图像行多方位的MPR。比较轴位MPR、冠状位MPR、矢状位MPR和镫骨斜位MPR显示镫骨整体结构的差异。测量镫骨斜位图像显示层面在轴位定位图像上与矢状面的夹角,在冠状位定位图像上与矢状面的夹角。先天性镫骨异常31例,全部病例经电测听检查均表现有不同程度的传音性耳聋,均行听骨链重建术。结果正常组轴位、冠状位、矢状位均未能显示镫骨弓的整体形态,镫骨斜位MPR图像均直观显示了镫骨弓的整体形态和结构。在轴位定位图像上,镫骨斜位MPR图像显示层面与矢状面的夹角为36°±8°,在冠状位定位图像上与矢状面的夹角为57°±6°。异常组31例,其中一侧小腿缺如3例;镫骨弓不发育3例;镫骨底板增厚与周围骨融合16例;镫骨底板上结构(小头、颈、小腿)完全缺如9例,斜位MPR图像均直观显示其病理改变,轴位、冠状位以及矢状位图像均不能准确显示镫骨发育不良的病理改变。结论镫骨斜位MPR图像,能显示正常镫骨整体结构和镫骨异常改变,对听骨链重建术的术前评价具有重要意义。     

门静脉高压经肾静脉自发性分流的多层CT诊断

目的：探讨肝硬化门静脉高压时经肾静脉自发分流的CT表现与诊断。方法：220例临床确诊为肝硬化门静脉高压的患者行多层螺旋CT检查，扫描参数：准直／有效层厚／重建间隔为5mm／6．5mm／2．0mm(180例)或2．5mm／3．2mm／1．6mm(40例)。双期增强扫描：动脉期延迟26～28s，门脉期延迟55～60s。对图像进行电影显示，对有异常血管的病例分别完成薄层块最大强度投影(TS-MIP)和容积显示(VR)三维血管成像。结果：经肾静脉分流26例(11．8％)，其中脾左肾静脉分流20例，胃左肾静脉分流16例(同时有此2种分流12例)，门脉右肾静脉分流2例。肾门周围静脉增多、增粗7例。结论：自发性门脉-肾静脉分流并不少见，多层螺旋CT增强扫描及血管造影可有效显示分流血管，有助于指导临床诊断和治疗。     

Outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage: clinical and CT findings in 326 patients

Clinical symptoms and findings in cranial computed tomography (CT) were evaluated in 326 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Localizations of ICH were the lobes (n = 254), the basal ganglia (n = 46), the pons and brain stem (n = 13) and the cerebellum (n = 8). Multiple hematomas were present in nine patients. An initial coma (n = 225) was most frequent in ICH of the pons (n = 7), cerebellum (n = 6), and the frontal (n = 71) and temporal (n = 66) lobes. Epileptic seizures (n = 70) were most common in hematomas of the frontal (n = 24), temporal (n = 19) and parietal (n = 12) lobes and the basal ganglia (n = 6). A history of hypertension was given in 140 patients; 119 of these had an ICH with a size of ≥3 cm. Mortality (n = 162) was high with ICH in the pons and brain stem (10 out of 13), in the frontal (54 out of 98) and parietal (32 out of 58) lobes and the basal ganglia (n = 23). A size of the ICH of 3 cm or more in cranial CT and an associated ventricular hemorrhage were associated with a bad outcome. An initial disturbance of consciousness was the only reliable clinical predictor of outcome (chi-square, p < 0.001). Katamnestic evaluation of 66 of the 164 survivors after 5.2 years revealed seizures in 20 patients and mild neurological deficits in 41. Another 14 patients were partially, and nine totally dependent Nineteen patients had died in between; there was only one death attributable to another ICH.