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AIM During daily practice of neurosurgery, especially in sub-specializations such as radiosurgery, tumor segmentation is essential and time consuming. Artificial intelligence methods are getting widely used for such purposes. In this study we propose a deep convolutional generative adversarial networks (DCGAN) model which learns normal brain MRI from normal subjects than finds distortions such as a glioma from a test subject while performing a segmentation at the same time. MATERIAL AND METHODS MRIs of 300 healthy subjects were employed as training set. Additionally, test data were consisting anonymized T2-weigted MRIs of 27 healthy subjects and 27 HGG patients. Consecutive axial T2-weigted MRI slices of every subject were extracted and resized to 364x448 pixel resolution. The generative model produced random normal synthetic images and used these images for calculating residual loss to measure visual similarity between input MRIs and generated MRIs. RESULTS The model correctly detected anomalies on 24 of 27 HGG patients' MRIs and marked them as abnormal. Besides, 25 of 27 healthy subjects' MRIs in the test dataset detected correctly as healthy MRI. The accuracy, precision, recall, and AUC were 0.907, 0.892, 0.923, and 0.907, respectively. CONCLUSION Our proposed model demonstrates acceptable results can be achieved only by training with normal subject MRIs via using DCGAN model. This model is unique because it learns only from normal MRIs and it is able to find any abnormality which is different than the normal pattern.

Objective: Graph theory applications are commonly used in connectomics research to better understand connectivity architecture and characterize its role in cognition, behavior and disease conditions. One of the numerous open questions in the field is how to represent inter-individual differences with graph theoretical methods to make inferences for the population. Here, we proposed and tested a simple intuitive method that is based on finding the correlation between the rank-ordering of nodes within each connectome with respect to a given metric to quantify the differences/similarities between different connectomes.Methods: We used the diffusion imaging data of the entire HCP-1065 dataset of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) (n = 1,065 subjects). A customized cortical subparcellation of HCP-MMP atlas (360 parcels) (yielding a total of 1,598 ROIs) was used to generate connectivity matrices. Six graph measures including degree, strength, coreness, betweenness, closeness, and an overall “hubness” measure combining all five were studied. Group-level ranking-based aggregation method (“measure-then-aggregate”) was used to investigate network properties on population level.Results: Measure-then-aggregate technique was shown to represent population better than commonly used aggregate-then-measure technique (overall rs: 0.7 vs 0.5). Hubness measure was shown to highly correlate with all five graph measures (rs: 0.88–0.99). Minimum sample size required for optimal representation of population was found to be 50 to 100 subjects. Network analysis revealed a widely distributed set of cortical hubs on both hemispheres. Although highly-connected hub clusters had similar distribution between two hemispheres, average ranking values of homologous parcels of two hemispheres were significantly different in 71% of all cortical parcels on group-level.Conclusion: In this study, we provided experimental evidence for the robustness, limits and applicability of a novel group-level ranking-based hubness analysis technique. Graph-based analysis of large HCP dataset using this new technique revealed striking hemispheric asymmetry and intraparcel heterogeneities in the structural connectivity of the human brain.

Background: The azygos lobe is a rare variation of the right upper lobe of the lung, and prevalence of it in the general population varies widely between 0.1% and 8%. It can be diagnosed easily by thoracic computed tomography. Objective: In this study, by thoracic computed tomography, azygos lobe frequency and associated variations were evaluated. Materials and Methods: In this study, 5854 thoracic computed tomography with and without contrast applied for patients in the Kars Harakani State Hospital Chest Diseases Polyclinic between January 2014 and January 2018 were screened retrospectively. Results: A total of 5854 thoracic computed tomography showed that frequency of azygos lobe was 1.09%. Out of 64 patients with azygos lobe, 36 (56.25%) were male and 28 (43.75%) were female. Bovine artery was found in 8 (12.5%) cases, right-left carotid artery common origin in 3 (4.68%) and aberrant right subclavian artery in 1 (1.56%). Conclusion: The detected azygos lobe frequency is similar to literature and the most common accompanying variation is bovine artery. J Enam Med Col 2019; 9(3): 177-180

Hereditary cancer syndromes account for approximately 3–20% of all cancers. Surveillance of patients and family members with these syndromes are of great importance for maintaining early diagnosis and treatment. Radiological imaging methods are essential for screening, diagnosis, and follow-up of individuals that are affected by these conditions. Early diagnosis would often lead to prophylactic surgery, which its importance in the management of patients with hereditary cancer syndromes is growing. Because the recognition of hereditary cancer syndromes allows patients to be provided a proper management, radiologists should be familiar with these syndromes. It is important for physicians to have knowledge of screening and surveillance guidelines in hereditary cancer syndromes. In this chapter, radiological imaging modalities for the diagnosis, screening, and follow-up for the tumors caused by most common hereditary cancer syndromes will be discussed.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the quantitative differences of dual-energy computed tomography perfusion imaging measurements in subsegmental pulmonary embolism (SSPE), between normal lung parenchyma (NLP) and hypoperfused segments (HPS) with and without thrombus on computed tomography angiography (CTA). METHODS Lung attenuation, iodine density, and normalized uptake values were measured from HPS and NLP on iodine maps of 43 patients with SSPE. Presence of pulmonary embolism (PE) on CTA was recorded. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis analyses with post hoc comparisons were conducted. RESULTS The numbers of HPS with and without SSPE on CTA were 45 (55.6%) and 36 (44.4%), respectively. Lung attenuation of NLP was significantly different from HPS (P < 0.001). Iodine density and normalized uptake values of HPS with PE were significantly lower than those of HPS without PE, which is significantly lower than NLP (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Subsegmental pulmonary embolism causes HPS on dual-energy computed tomography perfusion imaging, which demonstrates different iodine density and normalized uptake values depending on the presence of thrombus.

BACKGROUND: Approaching ambient cistern lesions is still a challenge because of deep location and related white matter tracts (WMTs) and neural structures. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the white matter anatomy in the course of 3 types of transtemporal-transchoroidal fissure approaches (TTcFA) to ambient cistern by using fiber dissection technique with translumination and magnetic resonance imaging fiber tractography. METHODS: Eight formalin-fixed cerebral hemispheres were dissected on surgical corridor from the temporal cortex to the ambient cistern by using Klingler's method. The trans-middle temporal gyrus, trans-inferior temporal sulcus (TITS), and trans-inferior temporal gyrus (TITG) approaches were evaluated. WMTs that were identified during dissection were then reconstructed on the Human Connectome Project 1021 individual template for validation. RESULTS: The trans-middle gyrus approach interrupted the U fibers, arcuate fasciculus (AF), the ventral segment of inferior frontoocipital fasciculus (IFOF), the temporal extensions of the anterior commissure (AC) posterior crura, the tapetum (Tp) fibers, and the anterior loop of the optic radiation (OR). The TITS approach interrupted U fibers, inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), IFOF, and OR. The TITG approach interrupted the U fibers, ILF, and OR. The middle longitudinal fasciculus, ILF, and uncinate fasciculus (UF) were not interrupted in the trans-middle gyrus approach and the AF, UF, AC, and Tp fibers were not interrupted in the TITS/gyrus approaches. CONCLUSION: Surgical planning of the ambient cistern lesions requires detailed knowledge about WMTs. Fiber dissection and tractography techniques improve the orientation during surgery and may help decrease surgical complications. Copyright © 2020 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Background The endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has been proposed as a potential alternative for ventral brainstem lesions. The surgical anatomy, feasibility, and limitations of the EEA for intrinsic brainstem lesions are still poorly understood. Objective To describe the surgical planning, anatomy, and technique of an intrinsic pontine glioma operated via EEA. Methods Six-human brainstems were prepared for white matter microdissection. Ten healthy subjects were studied with high-definition fiber tractography (HDFT). A 56-yr-old female with right-hemiparesis underwent EEA for an exophytic pontine glioma. Pre- and postoperative HDFTs were implemented. Results The corticospinal tracts (CSTs) are the most eloquent fibers in the ventral brainstem. At the pons, CSTs run between the pontine nuclei and the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP). At the lower medulla, the pyramidal decussation leaves no room for safe ventral access. In our illustrative case, preoperative HDFT showed left-CST displaced posteromedially and partially disrupted, right-CST posteriorly displaced, and MCP severely disrupted. A transclival exposure was performed achieving a complete resection of the exophytic component with residual intra-axial tumor. Immediately postop, patient developed new left-side abducens nerve palsy and worse right-hemiparesis. Ten days postop, her strength returned to baseline. HDFT showed preservation and trajectory restoration of the CSTs. Conclusion The EEA provides direct access to the ventral brainstem, overcoming the limitations of lateral approaches. For intrinsic pathology, HDFT helps choosing the most appropriate surgical route/boundaries for safer resection. Further experience is needed to determine the indications and limitations of this approach that should be performed by neurosurgeons with high-level expertise in EEA.

Aim To propose a convolutional neural network (CNN) for the automatic detection of high-grade gliomas (HGGs) on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Material and methods A total of 3580 images obtained from 179 individuals were used for training and validation. After random rotation and vertical flip, training data was augmented by factor of 10 in each iteration. In order to increase data processing time, every single image converted into a Jpeg image which has a resolution of 320x320. Accuracy, precision and recall rates were calculated after training of the algorithm. Results Following training, CNN achieved acceptable performance ratios of 0.854 to 0.944 for accuracy, 0.812 to 0.980 for precision and 0.738 to 0.907 for recall. Also, CNN was able to detect HGG cases even though there is no apparent mass lesion in the given image. Conclusion Our preliminary findings demonstrate; currently proposed CNN model achieves acceptable performance results for the automatic detection of HGGs on T2-weighted images.

WOS: 000464432600034 PubMed ID: 30559810 Objectives: The retrosternal goiter (RSG), which can be defined by different classification and its incidence between 2% and 26% of all thyroidectomized patients, is a thyroid gland disease. Our aim was to classify RSG cases with a couple of different ways, which we have detected in computed tomography (CT) imaging of the thorax. Methods: In this retrospective study conducted at Kars Harakani State Hospital Pulmonary Medicine Polyclinic between June 2014 and June 2017 in which 176 patients were included. The age, sex, diagnostic codes, retrosternal extension of the thyroid gland (aortic upper arch, aortic reaching arch and aortic inferior arch), extension type (prevascular, paratracheal retrovascular and retrotracheal), extension amount (mm) (50% and 50%50% below the thoracic entry. Left thyroid gland's (90.3%) retrosternal extension and aortic arch spread (91.2%) were more. When classified according to the trachea, the left lobe's paratracheal and retrovascular extension (50.9%) was more. Extension amounts were similar for both thyroid lobes. Conclusion: In patients who have retrosternal goiter, goiter spread can be defined with multiple classification with thorax CT.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbar spondylolysis and payload weight between different combat units of Turkish land forces (TLF).METHODThe authors reviewed clinical and radiological data of the military personnel with low-back pain (LBP) admitted to their clinic between July 2017 and July 2018. Age, BMI, average payload weight, and military service unit were recorded. CT scans were evaluated for pars interarticularis fractures and spondylolisthesis, whereas MRI studies were evaluated for spondylolisthesis, Modic-type endplate changes, or signal loss on T2-weighted images compatible with disc degeneration.RESULTFollowing exclusion, a total of 642 all-male military personnel were included. Of these personnel, 122 were commandos, 435 were infantry, and 85 were serving in the artillery units. Bilateral pars interarticularis fracture was noted in 42 commandos (34.42%) and 2 infantrymen (0.45%). There was no spondylolysis in the artillery units. There was no multiple-level spondylolysis and the most common level of spondylolysis was L5. Commandos had a significantly higher incidence of spondylolysis and more average payload weight (p < 0.001). Twelve patients (27.2%) with spondylolysis had accompanying MRI pathologies at the same level, whereas 32 patients (72.7%) had no accompanying MRI pathologies.CONCLUSIONSIncreased payload weight in military personnel is associated with spondylolysis, and commandos in the TLF have significantly heavier payloads, which causes an increased rate of spondylolysis compared to other units. Additionally, spondylolysis without adjacent-level changes on MRI could be undiagnosed. LBP in active military personnel who have a history of carrying heavy payloads should be evaluated extensively with both MRI and CT scans.

Purpose To demonstrate accuracy of duplex Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) for the evaluation of native-vein arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction in end-stage renal disease patients. Methods This retrospective study included 60 patients with dysfunctioning native-vein AVF evaluated with DUS and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) whose results were compared for detection, identification, and localization of AVF lesions. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of DUS and evaluated the agreement between DUS and DSA by the Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ). Results DUS identified correctly 123 of 130 lesions (sensitivity 94.6%, specificity 97.5%, PPV 98.4%, NPV 92%, accuracy of 95.7%). DUS localized correctly 123 of 130 lesions (sensitivity 94.6%, specificity 98.4%, PPV 98.4%, NPV 94.6%, accuracy 96.4%). The κ value was 0.9120 for detection of all lesions (almost perfect agreement). Conclusion DUS is a reliable method for the initial evaluation of dysfunctional AVFs, with high sensitivity for detecting and correctly localizing circuit problems.

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are slow growing brain tumors that often cause displacement and/or infiltration of the surrounding white matter pathways. Differentiation between infiltration and displacement of fiber tracts remains a challenge. Currently, there is no reliable noninvasive imaging method capable of revealing such white matter alteration patterns. We employed quantitative anisotropy (QA) derived from generalized q-sampling imaging (GQI) to identify patterns of fiber tract alterations by LGGs. Sixteen patients with a neuropathological diagnosis of LGG (WHO grade II) were enrolled. Peritumoral fiber tracts underwent qualitative and quantitative evaluation. Contralateral hemisphere counterparts were used for comparison. Tracts were qualitatively classified as unaffected, displaced, infiltrated or displaced, and infiltrated at once. The average QA of whole tract (W), peritumoral tract segment (S), and their ratio (S/W) were obtained and compared to the healthy side for quantitative evaluation. Qualitative analysis revealed 9 (13.8%) unaffected, 24 (36.9%) displaced, 13 (20%) infiltrated, and 19 (29.2%) tracts with a combination of displacement and infiltration. There were no disrupted tracts. There was a significant increase in S/W ratio among displaced tracts in the pre-operative scans in comparison with the contralateral side. QA values of peritumoral tract segments (S) were significantly lower in infiltrated tracts. WHO grade II LGGs might displace, infiltrate, or cause a combination of displacement and infiltration of WM tracts. QA derived from GQI provides valuable information that helps to differentiate infiltration from displacement. Anisotropy changes correlate with qualitative alterations, which may serve as a potential biomarker of fiber tract integrity.

The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) and uncinate fasciculus (UF) are major fronto-capsular white matter pathways. IFOF connects frontal areas of the brain to parieto-occipital areas. UF connects ventral frontal areas to anterior temporal areas. Both fascicles are thought to subserve higher language and emotion roles. Controversy pertaining to their connectivity and subdivision persists in the literature, however. High-definition fiber tractography (HDFT) is a non-tensor tractographic method using diffusion spectrum imaging data. Its major advantage over tensor-based tractography is its ability to trace crossing fiber pathways. We used HDFT to investigate subdivisions and cortical connectivity of IFOF and UF in 30 single subjects and in an atlas comprising averaged data from 842 individuals. A per-subject aligned, atlas-based approach was employed to seed fiber tracts and to study cortical terminations. For IFOF, we observed a tripartite arrangement corresponding to ventrolateral, ventromedial, and dorsomedial frontal origins. IFOF volume was not significantly lateralized to either hemisphere. UF fibers arose from ventromedial and ventrolateral frontal areas on the left and from ventromedial frontal areas on the right. UF volume was significantly lateralized to the left hemisphere. The data from the averaged atlas was largely in concordance with subject-specific findings. IFOF connected to parietal, occipital, but not temporal, areas. UF connected predominantly to temporal poles. Both IFOF and UF possess subdivided arrangements according to their frontal origin. Our connectivity results indicate the multifunctional involvement of IFOF and UF in language tasks. We discuss our findings in context of the tractographic literature.

The synovium is a specialized tissue lining the synovial joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths of the body. It is affected by various localized or systemic disorders. Synovial diseases can be classified as inflammatory, infectious, degenerative, traumatic, hemorrhagic, and neoplastic. Damage in other intraarticular structures, particularly cartilages, generally occurs as a part of pathologic processes involving the synovium, leading to irreversible joint destruction. Imaging has an essential role in the early detection of synovial diseases prior to irreversible joint damage. Obtaining and understanding characteristic imaging findings of synovial diseases enables a proper diagnosis for early treatment. This article focuses on the recent literature that is related with the role of imaging in synovial disease.

Rebleeding of cerebral aneurysms has been previously reported during diagnostic angiography. However, capturing the exact moment of active rebleeding of a cerebral aneurysm during angiography is extremely rare. Here, a case of a rebleeding middle cerebral artery aneurysm during diagnostic digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was illustrated, accompanied with a video demonstration of the incident which is the only one in the literature. During the acquisition of lateral projection DSA images, active extravasation of the contrast medium was witnessed, indicating rebleeding. Simultaneously, there was a sudden rise in arterial blood pressure and an episode of bradycardia. The procedure was terminated immediately and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit for extraventricular drainage and stabilization of vital signs. Unfortunately, the patient was lost.

Background Vertex epidural hematoma (VEH) is an uncommon presentation of extra-axial hematomas. It can represent a surgical dilemma regarding when and how to operate, particularly considering the potential implication of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). Objective Here, we illustrate the surgical technique for VEH as well as a review of the existing literature. Methods A 60-year-old man sustained a ground-level fall resulting in complete diastasis of the sagittal suture with underlying large VEH causing significant mass effect on the SSS and bihemispheric convexities. Twenty-four hours later, the patient deteriorated, with decreased level of alertness and worsening asymmetric paresis on his lower extremities. He subsequently underwent surgical evacuation of the hematoma, decompression of the SSS, and fracture repair. A modified bicoronal approach, with bilateral parasagittal craniotomies, was performed. A central island of bone was left intact to spare the diastatic fracture from the craniotomies. This was done to ensure a stable anchor point for tacking-up the underlying displaced dura and SSS. The central bone prevents extensive bleeding from the diastatic fracture and eliminates the risk of further blood reaccumulation and tearing of a possible injured sinus during bone flap elevation. Results The technique performed allowed us to evacuate completely the hematoma while preserving the SSS and repairing the sagittal suture to avoid further bleeding. Complete neurologic recovery of the patient occurred after VEH evacuation. Conclusions Because of its rare nature, VEH represents a surgical challenge. Because neurosurgeons encounter this condition relatively infrequently, literature regarding the medical and surgical management of this entity is warranted.

Background: Extracranial carotid artery pseudoaneurysms are rare cases resulting from trauma, mycotic infection, head and neck carcinomas or complications related to their treatment. Trauma is the most common cause of carotid artery pseudoaneurysms. They can also present after surgery, most commonly following endarterectomy, which is a rare cause with an estimated incidence of 0.3-0.6%. Case Report: A 26-year-old male patient was admitted with swelling in his left neck after left carotid endarterectomy. Angiography confirmed pseudoaneursym in the left carotid bulb and it was treated successfully with two heparin-bonded covered stent grafts. Conclusions: Endovascular treatment of carotid pseudoaneurysms with covered stent-grafts is a safe and efficient method providing definitive arterial reconstruction. But series with longer follow-up periods are needed to evaluate patient compatibility to lifelong antiplatelet theraphy.

A 64-year-old man was admitted with massive hemoptysis caused by oropharyngeal carcinoma. Angiography revealed active extravasation from the left carotid bulb. Covered stent-graft placement resolved the bleeding, but the patient presented with recurrent hemorrhage two hours later and was treated with another stent-graft.

Iatrogenic femoral artery pseudoaneurysm at the level of the hip joint in a 52-year-old patient was treated by ultrasound-guided percutaneous thrombin injection, while a balloon was inflated at the neck of the pseudoaneurysm under fluoroscopy, to prevent thrombin leakage to the arterial system.

To determine the frequency of popliteal artery branching variations in a wide study cohort and to investigate the relationship between these variations and infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A subclassification was proposed for the most encountered type I-A, utilizing tibio-fibular trunk (TFT) length. A total number of 1184 lower extremity digital subtraction angiography (DSA) studies of 669 patients were evaluated. Following exclusion, 863 lower extremity DSA studies (431 right, 432 left) of 545 patients were enrolled. Popliteal artery branching type, patency of anterior tibial artery (ATA), fibular artery (FA) and posterior tibial artery (PTA) in each extremity and TFT length for type I-A extremities were recorded. Percentages of branching patterns, mean length and cut-off value of TFT and incidence of PAD in different types of branching were calculated. Type I-A was the most common type of branching (81.3%). Frequency of branching pattern variation was 18.7%, the most common variation category was category III (12.2%) and the most common variation type was type III-A (5.6%). ATA and PTA had higher percentages of PAD in extremities with variant branching types. Cut-off value of 3 cm for TFT length was proposed in order to subclassify type I-A. Our study cohort presents a higher incidence of popliteal artery branching variations. Some branching variations might have effect on the involvement pattern of the infrapopliteal arteries by PAD. We propose a subclassification for type I-A; type I-A-S (TFT

OBJECTIVES Migraine is a headache disorder affecting approximately 12% of the population, predominantly female individuals. Migraine has been associated with vascular events such as stroke and cardiovascular disease. The close connection between these vascular disorders and atherosclerosis is well known. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CAIMT) is a marker for detection of subclinical atherosclerosis. The present study is an analysis of the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in migraine patients. METHODS CAIMT was evaluated in 25 female migraine patients and 27 female controls using innovative ultrasound (US) radiofrequency (RF) data technology. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare measurements in patient and control groups. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference between mean CAIMT of migraine patients and control group (p

Aim: The aim of our study was to analyze the value of prostate gland volume measurement by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in prediction of severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Material and methods: One hundred and one patients undergoing TRUS guided core needle prostate biopsy for the investigation of prostate cancer were prospectively evaluated. All patients had filled in the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) scala, has been tested for PSA and prostate volume measurement was done by TRUS prior to biopsy. According to their biopsy results, patients were divided into two groups: negative and positive for malignancy. Results: There was a significant but low correlation of 0.37 between IPSS and prostate volume measurement by TRUS (p=0.001). Serum free prostate specific antigen (fPSA), total PSA (tPSA), ratio of fPSA to tPSA and PSA density did not show a statistically significant correlation with IPSS (p>0.05). No statistically significant difference in IPSS between the benign and malignant groups (p=0.681) was found. In the benign group, mean IPSS was 14.59 ± 8.73, range: 0-35 while in the malignant group, mean IPSS was 15.33 ± 9.22, range: 3-28. Conclusions: Prostate volume measurement by TRUS is a poor predictor for the determination of the severity of LUTS therefore IPSS should be primarily considered for the determination of the severity of LUTS. Also, according to this study conducted with patients who were at their first set of prostate biopsy, IPSS cannot be used as a predictor of malignancy. PSA values were not related to IPSS.

Summary Background Pelvic vascular lesions such as pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas associated with the internal pudendal artery are uncommon. The most common cause is traumas including those of iatrogenic origin. Surgical treatment is complicated due to location of the lesions and endovascular approach is usually the first choice among the treatment options. Case Report A 79-year-old patient was admitted with massive hematuria following transurethral resection of prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Doppler US and angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula originating from the right internal pudendal artery. It was successfully treated with coil embolization. Conclusions Arteriovenous fistulas and pseudoaneurysms concerning internal pudendal artery may occur as complications of prostate operations. Minimally invasive endovascular methods provide safe and efficient treatment and today should be considered as the first line of choice.