Ring Enhancement After Hemorrhagic Stroke

Tumor or not a tumor: Pitfalls and differential diagnosis in neuro-oncology

The majority of intracranial expansive lesions are tumors. However, a wide range of lesions can mimic neoplastic pathology. Differentiating pseudotumoral lesions from brain tumors is crucial to patient management. This article describes the most common intracranial pseudotumors, with a focus on the imaging features that serve as clues to detect pseudotumors.

Chronic encapsulated intraventricular hematoma in a pediatric patient: case report

Chronic encapsulated intraventricular hematoma (CEIVH) is a rare, intraventricular, nonneoplastic mass lesion that can become symptomatic from mass effect or obstructive hydrocephalus. Only 5 cases have been reported in the literature, and only one of these occurred in a pediatric patient and dates back to the pre-modern neuroimaging and pre-microsurgical era of neurosurgery. Imaging features can mimic those of many more common intraventricular lesions, such as choroid plexus tumors or cavernous malformations. In all reported symptomatic cases, resection was safely performed and led to a cure and symptom resolution. Here, the authors present a case of CEIVH in a pediatric patient, describe the operative techniques of resection, review the available literature, and discuss current understanding of the pathophysiology, making this the most comprehensive report on this disease entity to date. The case is a 14-year-old boy who presented with headaches and emesis. Computed tomography showed a hyperdense mass in the trigone of the right lateral ventricle. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a contrast-enhancing well-circumscribed mass. Right temporal craniotomy utilizing a posterior middle temporal gyrus transcortical approach was performed, and gross-total resection was achieved. Pathology revealed a CEIVH. The boy's postoperative course was uncomplicated, and he was discharged 2 days after surgery.

Ring-enhancing lesions in neonatal meningitis: an analysis of neuroradiology pitfalls through exemplificative cases and a review of the literature

Very often the clinical course of neonatal meningitis (NM) is characterized by sudden worsening, at times associated with cerebrovascular complications and strokes or the formation of cerebral abscesses. The immediate recognition of these pathological patterns is pivotal in providing clinicians with useful information to differentiate between those different pathological entities, which may both present as ring-enhancing lesions on neuroradiology investigations. Understanding their natural history and diagnostic features is of paramount importance to timely adopt the most appropriate medical and surgical management.

Clinical Features of Liver Cancer with Cerebral Hemorrhage

Background

Cerebral hemorrhage is common in patients with cancer, but the clinical features and pathogenesis of liver cancer patients with cerebral hemorrhage are not well known.

Material/Methods

Liver cancer patients who developed cerebral hemorrhage were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January 2003 and December 2014. We retrospectively analyzed clinical presentations, results of laboratory tests, and imaging examinations. The clinical features and pathogenesis were summarized.

Results

Among 11133 patients with liver cancer, 9 patients (0.08%), including 3 females and 6 males met the inclusion criteria. The age range was 48–73 years and the average age was 61.67±8.97 years. Five patients did not have traditional hemorrhage risk factors and 4s had the risk factors; however, all had developed hepatocellular carcinoma, and 3 had developed metastasis. All 9 patients showed elevated tumor markers: an increased AFP level was detected in 6 patients, coagulation dysfunctions in 8 patients, and abnormal liver functions in 6 patients. Five patients had developed cerebral hemorrhagic lesions in the lobes of their brains, while hemorrhagic lesions in the basal ganglia occurred in 3 patients and in the brainstem in only 1 patient. Four patients had clear consciousness, while 5 patients were in coma and showed poor prognosis.

Conclusions

Patients who have liver cancer complicated with cerebral hemorrhage usually lack traditional risk factors of cerebral hemorrhage. The site of cerebral hemorrhage is often detected in the lobes of the brain. Coagulation dysfunctions might be the main pathogenesis of liver cancer complicated with cerebral hemorrhage.

Progressing haemorrhagic stroke: categories, causes, mechanisms and managements

Haemorrhagic stroke is a severe stroke subtype with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Although this condition has been recognised for a long time, the progressing haemorrhagic stroke has not received adequate attention, and it accounts for an even worse clinical outcome than the nonprogressing types of haemorrhagic stroke. In this review article, we categorised the progressing haemorrhagic stroke into acute progressing haemorrhagic stroke, subacute haemorrhagic stroke, and chronic progressing haemorrhagic stroke. Haematoma expansion, intraventricular haemorrhage, perihaematomal oedema, and inflammation, can all cause an acute progression of haemorrhagic stroke. Specific 'second peak' of perihaematomal oedema after intracerebral haemorrhage and 'tension haematoma' are the primary causes of subacute progression. For the chronic progressing haemorrhagic stroke, the occult vascular malformations, trauma, or radiologic brain surgeries can all cause a slowly expanding encapsulated haematoma. The mechanisms to each type of progressing haemorrhagic stroke is different, and the management of these three subtypes differs according to their causes and mechanisms. Conservative treatments are primarily considered in the acute progressing haemorrhagic stroke, whereas surgery is considered in the remaining two types.

Incidence and etiology of cerebrovascular disease in patients with malignancy

Cerebrovascular disease is common in cancer patients and often arises from mechanisms unique to malignancy. Direct tumor effects include intratumoral hemorrhage, arterial and venous sinus invasion by tumor mass or leptomeningeal infiltrates, and tumor emboli. Complications of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantion for cancer can occur before, during, or years after treatment. Coagulopathic conditions involve disseminated intravascular coagulation, thrombocytopenia, nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, and cerebral intravascular coagulation. Finally, septic infarction from fungal or bacterial sepsis and infectious vasculitis manifest in cancer patients immunocompromised by malignancy or cancer therapy. In many cases a combination of mechanisms is causative, and both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke can occur simultaneously. Stroke type and mechanism, as well as the stage and pathology of the neoplasm, dictate proper management and help delineate prognosis.