A case of cystadenocarcinoma of the liver

A case of cystadenocarcinoma of the liver is reported. The patient was a 73-year-old woman in whom a tumor was detected in the lateral segment of the liver during a health examination. Ultrasonograms and computed tomograms showed a multilocular cystic mass. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a multilocular lowintensity mass, including a high-intensity portion and a portal branch compressed by the tumor. MRI with gadolinium showed an enhanced cyst wall. The cystic part of the tumor became smaller and the solid part became larger over a 1-month period, indicating that the tumor was malignant. Subsegmentectomy (S₃) was performed and cystadenocarcinoma with cystadenoma was diagnosed by histopathological examination. Identification of changes in the appearance of a tumor should be helpful for the differential diagnosis of cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma.     

Localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of a cerebellar tumor in a two-year-old child

Noninvasive localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used for differential diagnosis of a focal brain lesion in a 2.5-year-old girl. The clinical signs were a mild head tilt and neck pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a lesion in the right hemisphere of the cerebellum, but its nature remained obscure. In this lesion quantitative determinations of cerebral metabolites by fully relaxed, short-echo-time proton MRS revealed markedly lowered N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and pronounced elevations of choline-containing compounds (Cho) and myo-inositol (Ins), whereas metabolite concentrations in cortical gray matter and white matter were within normal ranges. The metabolite pattern of the lesion indicated loss of vital neuroaxonal tissue (low NAA) and enhanced glial proliferation (high Cho and Ins), which, together with the MRI morphology, suggested a brain tumor. The diagnosis was established by neurosurgical exploration and total extirpation of the tumor. Histology confirmed an astrocytoma (WHO II). After 2 weeks' recovery the child was discharged with no neurological signs.     

A comparison of conventional and fast spin-echo sequences for the measurement of lesion load in multiple sclerosis using a semi-automated contour technique

Changes on serial assessments of brain MRI lesion load are used for monitoring therapeutic efficacy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We assessed the accuracy and reliability of conventional spin-echo (CSE) and fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences for measurement of lesion volume using a semiautomated contour technique. Cranial CSE and FSE examinations of 18 patients with secondary progressive MS were studied. The mean lesion load was slightly higher with the CSE sequence (p = 0.002). Intraobserver variability was significantly higher for FSE than for CSE, according to both the coefficient of variation between two measurements (mean 2.48 % and 1.35 % respectively, p < 0.05) and back-transformed 95 % limits of agreement (1.005–1.060 for FSE; 0.988–1.019 for CSE). Although FSE sequences are quicker and the total lesion volume measurements are similar to those obtained with CSE, the poorer reproducibility raises doubts about the use of FSE to replace CSE in clinical trials. Received: 26 March 1996 Accepted: 4 April 1996     

Value of contrast-enhanced MRI of breast after silicone implant

Summary Early recognition of recurrence and work-up of clinically indeterminate lesions may be impaired after reconstruction with silicone implants due to superimposition of the implant or to scarring. This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of contrast-enhanced MRI in patients with silicone implant after breast cancer. Contrast-enhanded MRI was offered to 169 patients. Comparative two- to three-view mammography was also performed in 169 patients, as well as comparative sonography in 144 patients. Conventional imaging and clinical examination detected only 8/13 recurrences, whereas 12/13 were detected by MRI. One recurrence had been visible as a strongly enhancing 2-mm dot in a previous examination (2 years before), but was not called. It was therefore counted as false negative. In addition, multicentricity was detected by MRI alone in two of three cases. MRI correctly diagnosed scar tissue in all cases with indeterminate findings. However, due to false-positive calls caused by enhancing granulomas specificity could not be improved. Contrast-enhanded MRI allowed decisive additional information in our study group and improved the sensitivity significantly (concerning all diagnoses). Contrast-enhanded MRI is recommended in patients with diagnostic problems or high risk of recurrence after silicone implants.      

脑膜病变MRI异常强化类型与病因的相关性分析

目的 探讨各种脑膜病变脑膜MRI强化类型与病因的关系。方法 回顾性分析78例资料完整，MRI增强扫描脑膜异常强化的非脑膜瘤。结果 78例中，脑膜癌病16例（硬脑膜-蛛网膜型2例，软脑膜-蛛网膜下腔型11例，混合型3例）；感染性脑膜炎18例（硬脑膜-蛛网膜型3例，软脑膜-蛛网膜下腔型13例，混合型2例）；脑梗死22例（软脑膜-蛛网膜下腔型18例，混合型4例）；开颅术后15例（硬脑膜-蛛网膜型10例，混合型5例）；硬膜下积液（血肿）7例，均为硬脑膜-蛛网膜型。结论 MRI双倍剂量Gd-DTPA增强扫描对脑膜病变敏感性高，脑膜强化类型与各种病因侵犯脑膜三层结构的方式和程度有关。     

Cervical intramedullary cavernous angioma with MRI-proven haemorrhages

Summary Two contrasting cases of cervical intramedullary cavernous angioma in young female patients are reported. One patient had a 3-year course of step-wise progressive tetraparesis; at each of the five events intramedullary bleeding from a cryptic vascular malformation at C6–7 level was diagnosed by MRI. The other patient presented with one episode which led to MRI diagnosis of a vascular malformation at the C2 level. Both patients eventually underwent complete surgical excision of the angioma with subsequent steady improvement of the neurological deficit.     

Heterodetic bicyclic decapeptide cyclo (Glu1 -Leu2 -Pro3-Gly4-Ser5-Ile6-Pro7-Ala8) cyclo-(1γ-5β) Phe9-Gly10

Bycyclic peptides are useful model molecules that can mimic the constrained local folding of a great number of natural peptides and proteins, such as ionophoric peptides, enzyme active site, and ligand-receptor active site. The synthesis of the bicyclic title compound with the liquid phase method is described with experimental details. Of particular interest is the heterodetic closure of the second ring. The peptide showed a complexing activity with metal cations like Ba²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ . The free bicyclic peptide conformation in solution has been studied by means of NMR spectroscopy and a plausible structure model worked out with model building on NMR constraints is proposed.     

Nonlinear sensory cortex response to simultaneous tactile stimuli in writer's cramp.

Writer's cramp is a task-specific dystonia that leads to involuntary hand postures during writing. Abnormalities of sensory processing may play a pathophysiological role in this disorder. Electrophysiology studies in a monkey model of focal dystonia have revealed de-differentiation of sensory maps and the existence of single cells in hand regions of area 3b with enlarged receptive fields that extend to the surfaces of more than one digit. These changes may lead to abnormal processing of simultaneous sensory inputs. To study abnormal processing of simultaneous sensory information in adult humans with writer's cramp, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare the response in primary sensory cortex with simultaneous tactile stimulation of the index and middle finger, with the response to stimulation of each finger alone. We tested five patients with writer's cramp and seven unaffected (normal) subjects. In the normal subjects, a linear combination of the activation patterns for individual finger stimulation predicts the pattern of activity for combined stimulation with 12% error. In writer's cramp patients, the linear combination predicted the combined stimulation pattern with 30% error. Results indicate a nonlinear interaction between the sensory cortical response to individual finger stimulation in writer's cramp. This altered interaction may contribute to the motor abnormalities.     

旋磁场对胆结石病人胆汁中胆红素、钙、胆固醇和pH的影响

目的 探讨旋磁场与大面积静磁场对置对胆结石病人胆汁中总胆红素（BIT）、直接胆红素（BID）、间接胆红素（BII）、钙（Ca）、胆固醇（CH）和pH的影响。方法 旋磁组30例,测定旋磁处理前后65对胆汁样本。空白对照组15例,留取前后30对胆汁样本。将直径12mm圆形稀土永磁片110块,表面磁感应强度210mT,分别间隔10mm贴于210mm×220mm铁皮上形成一个大面积磁板与旋磁头表面静磁感应强度160mT,旋转平均表面磁感应强度100mT呈异名极对置,磁板置肝区背侧,旋磁头置剑突下处理40min。结果 旋磁组胆结石病人胆汁（n=65）:经旋磁场与磁板对置处理前减去处理后差值的x±s和t值分别为BIT41.81±93.52、3.59;BID 13.57±43.70、2.46;BII28.27±61.67、3.32;Ca 0.19±0.31、4.87;CH0.12±0.29、3.36;pH 0.01±0.27、0.30。除pH外,其余各项指标P值均<0.05。对照组胆汁（n=30）:间隔时间前后差值的x±s和t值分别为BIT4.42±22.05、1.14;BID2.40±12.37、1.06;BII2.52±46.27、0.30;Ca0.01±0.18、0.50;CH0.03±0.15、0.94;pH 0.009±0.06、0.84。P值均>0.05。结论 在本项磁场类型、强度和时间处理条件下,旋磁场与磁板对置能明显影响胆结石病人胆汁中的BIT、BID、BII、Ca和CH的浓度变化,且有显著降低的作用。     

New insights on COPD imaging via CT and MRI

Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) can be used to quantify morphological features and investigate structure/function relationship in COPD. This approach allows a phenotypical definition of COPD patients, and might improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and suggest new therapeutical options. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has also become potentially suitable for the assessment of ventilation, perfusion and respiratory mechanics. This review focuses on the established clinical applications of CT, and novel CT and MRI techniques, which may prove valuable in evaluating the structural and functional damage in COPD.