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Background: The diagnosis of intracerebral fungal abscesses may be difficult due to the paucity of laboratory tests and similar radiological appearance to other lesions., Case Presentation: We present an immunocompromised woman in her forties who was admitted with a diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. MRI examination showed findings suggestive of fungal abscesses, and a subsequent lumbar puncture showed PCR positive for non-fumigatus Aspergillus. The patient received antifungal treatment and had satisfactory clinical, biochemical and radiological response. Consecutive MRI examinations over the following weeks showed gradual decrease of abscesses, with almost complete resolution within 12 weeks., Interpretation: Adequate management of brain abscesses requires correct identification of the causative agent, so that proper treatment can be initiated as soon as possible. MRI plays an important role in distinguishing between pyogenic and fungal brain abscesses. Headaches or focal neurological deficits in immunocompromised patients should cause CNS fungal infection to be considered.

Object: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is increasingly used in the treatment of patients with malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. However, neurological deterioration may exist independent from intracranial hypertension. This study aimed to present the findings of continuous ICP monitoring in a cohort of patients with malignant MCA infarction and to correlate these findings with clinical and radiological features., Methods: The authors studied a prospective cohort of 25 patients with malignant MCA infarction consecutively admitted to the neurotrauma intensive care unit of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital between March 2002 and September 2006. The patients were treated using a combined protocol of initial moderate hypothermia and hemicraniectomy. The latter was performed when patients showed a midline shift (MLS) > or = 5 mm or ICP > 20 mm Hg. Six patients had an MLS > or = 5 mm on the first CT scan and underwent surgery without prior ICP monitoring. This study focuses on the subgroup of 19 patients who underwent intraparenchymatous ICP monitoring before surgery., Results: Intracranial pressure readings were evaluated and correlated with pupillary abnormalities, MLS, and ischemic tissue volume. In 12 of the 19 patients, ICP values were always < or = 20 mm Hg, despite a mean (+/- SD) MLS of 6.7 +/- 2 mm and a mean ischemic tissue volume of 241.3 +/- 83 cm(3). In 2 patients with anisocoria, ICP values were also normal., Conclusions: In patients with a malignant MCA infarction, pupillary abnormalities and severe brainstem compression may be present despite normal ICP values. Therefore, continuous ICP monitoring cannot substitute for close clinical and radiological follow-up in the management of these patients.

Malignant middle cerebral artery (MMCA) infarction is associated with a mortality rate of 80% under conservative treatment. Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DH) reduces mortality and improves the functional outcome of surviving patients. The purpose of this study was to examine quality of life (QoL) and neurobehavioral deficits in patients with space-occupying infarctions of the right- or left-sided hemisphere at 6 months after stroke. The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) was used to assess QoL in 19 out of 29 consecutive patients that underwent DH after a malignant MCA infarction (14 on the right and 5 on the left hemisphere). Behavioral changes were evaluated with the Frontal Behavioral Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Patients and relatives were also asked if, knowing the present outcome, they would agree again, in retrospect, to a DH. Barthel Index >60 was seen in 37% of our patients. Functional outcome was related to age. We found a higher reduction in the SIP's physical domain than in the psychosocial domain. Depressive symptoms were present in 50% of the patients. We didn't find significant differences in QoL or functional outcome between patients with right or left-sided infarctions. The most frequent neurobehavioral symptoms were decreased speech output, apathy, reduced spontaneity and irritability. Most patients and their relatives would again give consent to hemicraniectomy. The results show that younger patients had a significantly better outcome. QoL seems to be acceptable in both left- and right-sided infarctions, and retrospective agreement to hemicraniectomy is high in both patients and their relatives.

Malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI) refers to an infarction type normally accompanied by massive cerebral edema, and associated with a high mortality rate under conventional therapeutic measures. Both moderate hypothermia and decompressive hemicraniectomy have been shown to significantly improve survival rate, although controversy still persists regarding the criteria for the selection of patients that could benefit from this type of treatment, and whether application of these measures is justified given the residual sequelae. In our centre, both measures are being applied simultaneously for the first time in humans. The present work is a literature review on the results of moderate hypothermia application and decompressive surgical techniques in patients suffering from MMCAI. We also introduce our management scheme for handling these patients in our centre, and propose a final result evaluation protocol that is easily applied in a clinical setting. This protocol includes an evaluation of patients with ischemic lesions specific for the right or left hemisphere, and allows for the description of specific neuropsychological sequelae and their repercussions on patients' quality of life.

Alcohol abuse is common among the population and results in significant diseases that shorten life span. Ethanol may result in chronic brain changes such as atrophy but may also result in neurologic disease that may be acute or chronic and sometimes life threatening. Accompanying vitamin deficiencies may lead to Wernicke's encephalopathy and changes in serum osmosis may lead to several acute demyelinating disorders. In addition, pregnant women who consume alcohol place their babies at high risk for the fetal alcohol syndrome. In this article we review these disorders and emphasize their imaging features.