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Background: The indications and timing of treatment, as well as the best treatment method for traumatic central cord syndrome (CCS), remain controversial. The aims of this study are to determine the prognostic factors of traumatic CCS and to determine appropriate surgical indications., Methods: We reviewed the clinical and radiological data of 47 patients with this syndrome. The data collected included age, neurological status as measured on a scale defined by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA), anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the spinal canal on computed tomography, signal intensity change of the spinal cord on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), associated spinal diseases, and the type of treatment received. The correspondence between the clinical and radiological findings and the neurological outcome was investigated., Results: The patient's age, JOA score on admission, signal intensity change of the spinal cord on MRI, and associated spinal diseases were not significant in predicting the patient's recovery. On the other hand, the AP diameter of the spinal canal (P = .0402) and the interval between injury and surgery (P < .0001) were factors predictive of excellent recovery. In the surgical treatment group, timely surgery was found to improve the outcome, while conservative treatment did not improve the outcome of patients with a low JOA score, a relatively small AP diameter of the spinal canal, or a positive signal intensity change of the spinal cord on T2-weighted MRI., Conclusion: The AP canal diameter of the spinal canal and the interval between injury and surgery may be reliable predictors of excellent recovery in patients with CCS. We recommend timely surgery, preferably within 2 weeks of injury, to achieve a better functional outcome in selected patients.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a hereditary disorder characterized by bilateral multiple renal cysts and early onset chronic renal failure. PKD patients tend to suffer their subarachnoid hemorrhage at a younger age. Unruptured aneurysms in PKD patients are not always innocuous, and proactive treatment has been indicated for these lesions. However, the management of PKD patients undergoing unruptured cerebral aneurysm surgery has been documented on only a few occasions. The purpose of this study was to better define the management of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in patients with PKD., Methods: We present a retrospective review of the management of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in 16 patients with PKD. Eight patients were maintained through chronic hemodialysis whereas the remaining 8 patients did not require hemodialysis, at the time of treatment of their cerebral aneurysms. The mean follow-up period was 24 months., Results: In the nonhemodialysis patients prophylactic hemodialysis was routinely performed after cerebral angiography to prevent deterioration of the pre-existing renal dysfunction. Microsurgical clipping of the aneurysm was performed in 15 patients (7 nonhemodialysis and 8 hemodialysis patients) and intravascular coil embolization was performed in 1 nonhemodialysis patient. One nonhemodialysis patient who underwent microsurgical clipping required a temporary hemodialysis after surgery, but the patient was not shifted to chronic hemodialysis. No patients developed postprocedural complications, and each showed an excellent recovery., Conclusion: PKD patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms can be safely treated with an appropriate treatment strategy including the use of prophylactic hemodialysis.

Background: Primary or metastatic cerebral angiosarcoma is extremely rare, and only limited cases have been reported. The authors here describe a case of angiosarcoma, which was initially identified and diagnosed by the cerebral metastatic lesion; later examinations suggested that the primary site was the abdominal aorta., Case Description: A 53-year-old man, who had suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm 2 months earlier, experienced a sudden onset of left-sided hemifacial convulsion and dysarthric speech. Computed tomography (CT) showed a hemorrhagic mass lesion with perifocal edema in the right frontal lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a regionally marked hypointensity in the mass lesion on both T1- and T2-weighted images, which might suggest hemosiderin deposition. The tumor was removed in its entirety. Pathologic examination revealed an old hematoma with a hemosiderin deposit containing markedly atypical tumor cells, and angiosarcoma was diagnosed. Resection of the abdominal aortic aneurysm and iliac bone biopsy were performed and angiosarcoma was recognized in each surgical specimen. Based on clinical and pathologic findings, the primary site was considered to be the abdominal aorta., Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of this rare histologic type of tumor. Unique MRI findings such as those obtained in our case might be useful for differentiating this condition from other intracranial neoplasms.

Background: Cervical myelopathy resulting from intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is uncommon. Knowledge of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of such lesions is important because many patients with myelopathy are initially examined by MRI, and an incorrect diagnosis could result in delayed or improper treatment. We describe a rare case of myelopathy due to an intracranial dural AVF showing diffuse enhancement of the cervical spinal cord., Case Description: A 64-year-old male presented with progressive myelopathy and respiratory insufficiency. Cerebral angiography disclosed an AVF at the craniocervical junction draining intrathecally into the spinal medullary veins. MRI revealed dilated perimedullary vessels around the craniocervical junction, as well as spinal cord swelling with high signal intensity changes. Diffuse intense enhancement of the cervical spinal cord was also seen on postcontrast images. Embolization via the afferent artery was successfully performed, and the fistula was then microsurgically obliterated via a lateral suboccipital approach. This procedure arrested a rapidly progressive myelopathy., Conclusion: Intracranial dural AVF showing diffuse enhancement of the spinal cord is extremely rare, and this enhancement effect may indicate pathologic changes of the spinal cord. MRI only is not useful for diagnosis, but also for demonstrating pathologic changes and predicting the outcomes of patients with intracranial dural AVF.

Background: Hematomyelia usually has an acute onset and rapid progression, which results in a poor prognosis. However, there have been a few cases in which the clinical symptoms have progressed chronically, with a good prognosis. These two different clinical courses should be analyzed separately. The differential diagnosis of spinal tumor and other chronic progressive diseases due to the similarity of the clinical courses is also important., Case Description: Two cases of hematomyelia with slowly progressive symptoms are reported. Unlike the acute onset and rapid progression or recurrent episodic deterioration usually seen in hematomyelia, the symptoms of chronic hematomyelia progressed over months and resulted in a better clinical prognosis than the acute course. The cases of "chronic progressive hematomyelia" from the literature are briefly summarized., Conclusions: Chronic progressive hematomyelia should be considered as a different clinical entity from the acute version because of its slowly progressive clinical course and good outcome. Magnetic resonance imaging is the procedure of choice to exclude spinal tumors or other slowly progressive intraspinal diseases.

We present a rare case showing symptomatic vasospasm after intraventricular hemorrhage from a ruptured arteriovenous malformation. No significant subarachnoid hemorrhage in the basal cisterns was observed on computed tomography in the entire course of illness. Although most cases showing vasospasm are associated with the deposition of blood in the basal cisterns, this case suggests the possibility of some other important factor in causing the subsequent development of vasospasm.

This is a report of an extremely rare case of cavernous hemangioma over the anterior fontanelle in a 5-year-old boy. Cavernous hemangioma is most common in or beneath the skin of the face, neck, and extremities and sometimes occurs in the scalp. Although cavernous hemangioma is often quoted in the literature as a differential diagnosis of a mass located at the anterior fontanelle, we could not find an illustrative case in published articles. We discuss the characteristics and differential diagnosis of cavernous hemangioma over the anterior fontanelle.

A rare case of juxtasellar mycotic abscess with suprasellar extension is reported. The patient had double vision, only a mild abducens palsy, and no sign of inflammation, history of nasal sinusitis, or diabetes mellitus. Although a histologic examination showed massive fungal mycelia with thin capsules and no tumor cells, the neuroradiologic findings were like those in a clival chordoma or epidermoid tumor.