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This study investigates the multihormonal character of pituitary adenomas at the ultrastructural level. The growth hormone (GH)- and prolactin (PRL)-secreting adenomas under study consisted of many moderately or densely granulated cells and a few sparsely or slightly granulated cells. The GH-secreting adenomas showed well-developed cytoplasmic organelles and many large (250 nm or more) or medium-sized (200 nm) secretory granules, as well as a few small (70–150 nm) secretory granules. The PRL-secreting hormones exhibited poorly or slightly developed cyto-plasmic organelles and several small secretory granules. Morphologically and antigenically, these sparsely or slightly granulated cells were similar to those of clinically non-functioning (CN-F) adenomas, which appeared identical to cells expressing little or slight immunoreaction to pituitary hormones at the light microscopic level. As well as those of CN-F adenomas, the small secretory granules of both densely and sparsely granulated cells expressed little or only slight antigenicity of various hormones. Con-comitantly showing slight or moderate antigenicity of hormones biochemically unrelated to GH or PRL, the medium-sized or large secretory granules larger than 140 or 160 nm significantly exhibited intense PRL or GH antigenicity, respectively (Fisher’s exact test; P < 0.05 or 0.01). Their GH or PRL antigenicity increased as they grew larger. Showing intermediate cells between sparsely and densely granulated cells, two CN-F adenomas, however, appeared to develop into growth hormone-secreting adenomas. This study led us to conclude that pituitary adenomas may originate from sparsely granulated cells with slight biochemically unrelated hormones, and that their hormonality may be selectively activated singly or multiply in the course of their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intravascular lymphoma (IVL) is difficult to diagnose because its clinical presentation and laboratory and imaging findings are nonspecific. Herein, we report a case of IVL presenting as a lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum. A 52-year-old man attended the emergency department with a 2-week history of progressively worsening abnormal behavior and gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging on admission revealed an oval lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum. The follow-up magnetic resonance imaging performed 2 months after disease onset revealed multiple high-signal areas in the bilateral cerebral white matter on T2-weighted images and diffusion-weighted images. The blood test results showed an elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase and serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor. These findings were compatible with the diagnosis of IVL. IVL is often difficult to diagnose due to a wide variety of clinical presentations and imaging findings., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.)

We report two cases of patients who underwent stent-assisted percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for intracranial vertebral artery (VA) and basilar artery (BA) stenosis. They presented with sudden onset of vertigo and right hemiparesis. Vertebral angiographies revealed severe proximal BA stenosis (case 1) and intracranial VA stenosis (case 2). They underwent angioplasty and stenting, with excellent angiographic results. The availability of new flexible intravascular stents, allowing access to tortuous proximal intracranial vessels, provides a new therapeutic approach for patients with vertebral and basilar artery stenosis.

The relationship between spastic hemiplegia in diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and neuroradiological findings was studied in 100 cases. These cases were prospectively collected from the files of Automobile Insurance Rating Organization in Japan between 1993 from to 1996. Requirements for entry to this study were as follows: presence of initial unconsciousness after head injury without any lucid interval. Existence of CT scan or MRI film obtained within 12 hours of injury showing no significant mass effects, as well as follow-up CT scan or MRI film obtained more than 3 months after the injury. Psychosocial outcome was described both by the medical professional and the caregiver. The hemiplegia was rated severe, mild, or none. The outcome and diffuse ventriculomegaly were classified as reported by the authors previously. Spastic hemiplegia or quadriplegia was documented in the chronic stage in 63 cases, including 53 severe cases with difficulty in walking and 10 mild cases with only pyramidal signs detected. Chi-square analysis showed significant correlation between hemiplegia and the DAI outcome level or ventriculomegaly rating. Focal brain contusion was noticed in 33 cases, but did not correlate with the hemiplegia at all. Radiological findings included 25 cases of parasagittal white matter injury (gliding contusion), 20 cases of callosal injury, 19 cases of basal ganglionic region injury, 5 cases of brain-stem injury, and 3 cases of cerebellar injury. Chi-square analyses of hemiplegia and contralateral presence of these injuries were significant in the former three types of injury. Presence of at least one of these 3 lesions was defined as GCB injury. There were altogether 46 GCB injury cases which were significantly correlated with contralateral hemiplegia by chi-square analysis and by Spearman rank analysis. Partial correlation analysis with hemiplegia as the target variable indicated highly significant correlation only with GCB injury and outcome level. In conclusion, spastic hemiplegia in DAI is a manifestation of primary shear injury. Neuroradiological findings of GCB injury were statistically able to be significantly correlated with the presence of hemiplegia, and suggested pyramidal tract injury either at the corona radiata or the internal capsule level.

Clinical significance of ventriculomegaly after severe head trauma has not been fully explored yet. We analyzed hospital records of 53 cases of diffuse axonal injury and 7 cases of brain concussion together. The follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 8 years (average 25 months). Four patients underwent CSF shunting without noticeable effect. We classified their outcome according to our modification of the Glasgow outcome scale: vegetated, severe, moderate, mild, fair, and good. We reviewed initial (within 12 hours after injury) CT scans and late (3 to 6 months after injury) CT scans or MRI's. We measured the ratio of the third ventricular width to the inner diameter of the skull on the axial view. We computed the lateral ventricular volume by our newly-devised method which took the partial volume phenomenon into account. Temporary extracerebral fluid accumulation was noted mostly within 3 months after injury in 25 of 39 cases in the mild level or above, and 2 of the 9 fair or good level cases. Ventriculomegaly occurred early and stabilized around the 3 month period. We found the differences between the late and the initial values of the third ventricular width (%) and the lateral ventricular volume (cc) highly correlated with our outcome scale (Spearman's correlation coefficient rs = 0.531, 0.676, respectively with p < 0.001 unanimously). We found the late values themselves of the third ventricular width and the lateral ventricular volume highly correlated with our outcome scale (rs = 0.575, 0.650, respectively with p < 0.001 unanimously). These 4 parameters were also highly correlated with the duration of the initial unconsciousness (LOC). Thus, posttraumatic diffuse ventriculomegaly affecting the third ventricle as well should outline the late outcome of diffuse axonal injury. Both the ventriculomegaly and the late outcome should be roughly predicted by the duration of the initial unconsciousness.

This study was designed to investigate whether or not the pelvic peritoneum exhibits a metaplastic process into müllerian-type epithelium using a marker for epithelial differentiation (Ber-EP4 antigen) and markers that indicate müllerian differentiation (estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors). The peritoneum and/or ovarian surface epithelium adjacent to endometriotic lesions were obtained from 24 patients with endometriosis at operation, and peritoneum and ovarian surface epithelium without any lesions were also obtained from control patients without endometriosis. The specimens were immunohistochemically analyzed using antibodies for epithelial antigen Ber-EP4, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) on frozen sections. Normal peritoneal mesothelium showed negative staining for Ber-EP4, ER, and PR. The mesothelium of the peritoneum adjacent to the endometriotic lesions showed focal positivity for Ber-EP4, ER, and PR. Several cases of ovarian surface epithelium from normal control ovaries and ovaries adjacent to endometriotic lesions also showed focal positivity for Ber-EP4, ER, and PR. Stromal cells accompanying these foci were sporadically positive for ER and/or PR but negative for Ber-EP4. Focal expression of Ber-EP4, ER, and PR in the mesothelium of the peritoneum and the ovarian surface epithelium adjacent to endometriotic lesions suggests that mesothelium possibly acquires characteristics of epithelial as well as müllerian-type nature. These results support an existence of a metaplastic process of the peritoneal mesothelium in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The more frequent Ber-EP4 positivity in normal ovarian surface epithelium compared to normal peritoneal mesothelium also suggests a fundamental difference in these tissues that may be related to the greater prevalence of epithelial neoplasms arising in ovarian tissue.

Severe head injury or diffuse axonal injury is frequently associated with spastic hemiplegia/paraplegia. However, the causative lesion has not been well elucidated. Especially, the relationship between the gliding contusion and spastic hemiplegia has not been inferred yet. We have analyzed 6 brain concussion cases and 19 cases of diffuse axonal injury. None of the concussion cases experienced hemiplegia in their courses. Among the 19 cases, 10 were left with persistent and disabling hemiplegia/quadriplegia, whereas 5 showed persistent but mild hemiplegia. Among the 10 cases, one was incapacitated by a brainstem hemorrhage. The remaining 9 cases exhibited, in the parasagittal white matter, small hemorrhagic spots in the acute phase CT, low-density areas in the chronic phase CT, and/or T2 high and T1 low signal lesions in the MRI. In 8 cases, the lesion was in accord with the hemiplegic side, but in one case the low density area was on the ipsilateral side. Two of the 3 cases showing quadriplegia exhibited bilateral parasagittal lesions. None of the 5 mild hemiplegia cases and 10 nonhemiplegia cases showed such abnormality. Superficial brain contusions were found in 17 cases altogether, but they were not at all correlated with the occurrence of hemiplegia. Thus, it was concluded that parasagittal white matter shearing injury or so called gliding contusion could be the manifestation of injury to the corticospinal tract in the corona radiata.

Brain injury sequelae were observed in 24 patients who had sustained diffuse brain injury. According to their ability to lead social life, the severity was classified into 6 levels; vegetative, severe, moderate, mild, fair, and good. The severity levels statistically correlated with the length of the initial unconsciousness (Spearman's correlation coefficient r = 0.929, n = 24, p < 0.01), with posttraumatic amnesia (r = 0.827, n = 8, p < 0.05), with ventricular enlargement (r = 0.808, n = 24, p < 0.01) and with the presence of hemiplegia (r = 0.740, n = 24, p < 0.01). Children and young adults showed a tendency to improve to milder levels. Mild head injury patients who sustained concussion of less than 6 hours in duration also showed minimal sequelae such as mild ventricular dilatation and difficulty in recent memory. This memory impairment had often been ascribed to the so-called postconcussional syndrome. The threshold for occurrence of diffuse brain injury sequelae was estimated as concussion lasting 15-30 minutes or post-traumatic amnesia of a few days in duration in adults and about a week in children. Superficially localized brain contusion was frequently observed and was not correlated with the severity level, hemiplegia or post-concussional syndrome.

The terminal phase of pontine glioma is reportedly characterized by disturbance of consciousness. The authors retrospectively reviewed 8 children who died of pontine gliomas in their hospitals. The hospital records were analyzed specifically in regard to neurological status and terminal case. All children became mute and quadriplegic with cranial nerve palsies. The oldest child, 17 years in age, unquestionably showed the classical locked-in syndrome for the last 4 months. Six of the remaining 7 (average 5 years of age), while labeled as semicomatose, responded to calling by blinking and/or vertical eyeball movement. The authors consider that they were indeed awake in the locked-in state until very near death. This would raise a serious ethical problem of whether or not they should be intubated and kept ventilator-dependent at the time of respiratory failure, which often occurs.

Immunohistochemical expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was studied in the endometrium and in endometriotic lesions during the menstrual cycle and in post-menopausal patients. During the menstrual cycle, in the basal layer of the endometrium, an increase in the number of positive indices (PI) of PCNA was observed in epithelial cells from the menstrual phase. It reached a maximum in the proliferative phase and decreased in the secretory phase. However, no change was observed in the stromal cells of the basal layer. In the functional layer of the endometrium, the PI of the epithelial cells showed a high peak in the late proliferative phase, decreased sharply in the secretory phase and remained unchanged thereafter. The PI of the stromal cells in the functional layer showed two peaks, one in the late proliferative and the other in the mid and late secretory phase. In the endometriotic lesions, except for the proliferative phase, the number of PI was significantly higher than that of the corresponding endometrium and no significant changes were observed during the menstrual cycle. In post-menopausal endometriotic lesions, the number of PI was also higher than that of the corresponding endometrium. Thus the numbers of PI differed between the endometrium and endometriotic lesions in the same patients. These results imply that the endometriotic lesions are constantly more proliferative than the endometrium irrespective of the hormonal milieu during both the menstrual cycle and in a post-menopausal environment.

Intraoperative ultrasound diagnosis through a burr-hole was performed in 59 cases using electronic sector-scanning transducers. The burr-hole was conically enlarged and the gap between the transducer tip and the dura mater was filled either with saline or sterile echojelly. The pathology was successfully imaged in 33 cases (56%), or 20 out of 28 cases (71%) using a 5 MHz transducer. Compared to transdural ultrasonography, the quality of image through a burr-hole was found less satisfactory. Six cases of biopsy and/or aspiration were successfully performed under ultrasonic guidance through a burr-hole. Two burr-holes were necessary in these stereotactic operations. A needle-guide apparatus and the guideline superimposed on the monitor CRT screen were advantageously utilized. In biopsy, both the tumor and the biopsy needle were visible on the same monitor CRT screen, and accurate biopsy was possible. In aspiration, the tip of the needle could always be kept inside the cyst or abscess cavity. Bleeding during these manipulations was easily detected on the real-time monitoring CRT screen, and if necessary, it could be immediately controlled. Our results suggest that the intraoperative ultrasonography through a burr-hole will make these operations safer and more accurate.

The authors present the cases of three infants with bilateral chronic subdural hematomas (SDH's) (effusions). Communication between the hematoma cavities was confirmed by an injection of air or metrizamide into one of the cavities. In all three cases, both SDH's (effusions) were successfully treated by placement of a unilateral subdural-peritoneal shunt without any untoward consequences. It is stressed that the cavities of bilateral chronic SDH's (effusions) may communicate, and that in such cases unilateral subdural-peritoneal shunting is sufficient to eradicate the SDH's on both sides. In addition, subdural fluid, even with a high protein concentration, may be successfully eliminated by an internal shunt using a shunt tube with a large internal caliber and a low-pressure valve.

It is important to have information about physical property of the brain in order to elucidate both the physical changes of the morbid brain and the physical mechanism of the traumatic brain injury. Under the hypothesis that reaction of the active brain to the dynamic load can be compared to the Maxwell-Voigt three dimensional model, elastic property of the brain was obtained as the Young's modulus (E: 10(-2) Kgf/cm2) of which error was less than 10%, and viscous property of the brain as the Viscous modulus (eta: 10(-2) Kgf.sec/cm2). And it was confirmed that the reactive pressure of the brain to dynamic load came from the surface to about 15 mm depth of the brain. In this report, experiments were done on the alive normal brains, the edematous ones nd necrotic ones which were produced by the cold injury (dry ice-aceton) in dogs (9.0--16.0 Kg). In the normal brain, E = 3.24 +/- 0.25, eta = 1.10 +/- 0.37 and these moduli were also stable when the physical conditions of the brain were stable. Under the dehydration by 20% mannitol, E increased in its value (p less than 0.01). But under the hydration by 5% glucose, E did not change at all. In the edematous brain, E = 3.28 +/- 0.44, eta = 1.74 +/- 0.06 and E of the edematous brain was almost same as that of normal ones, but under the dehydration, E of the edematous brain decreased (p less than 0.10), on the other hand it increased in its value under the hydration (p less than 0.05). In the necrotic brain, E = 1.60 +/- 0.14, eta = 0.82 +/- 0.28. Both moduli were of lower values and moreover they did not change its values at all under dehydration and hydration. As Young's modulus is the elastic index of the brain, the converse (1/E) should be compliance of the brain, that is to say, buffer effect of the brain. As for the compliance, the necrotic brain has maximum buffer effect and the over-hydrated edematous brain and the dehydrated normal ones have minimum buffer effect. From analysing the changes of the viscous moduli, it became clear that the viscous moduli took quite different functions in alive brains and in fatal ones, and it was suspected that the alive brain might not be so simple in its viscoelastic property.

Radiographic quality as well as adverse effects of intrathecal metrizamide instillation was prospectively investigated in thirty-three clinical cases admitted to the department of neurosurgery, University of Tokyo Hospital, and Kantoh Teishin Hospital. Metrizamide CT cisternography was performed in fifteen cases using in most cases 10 ml of 170 mg I/ml solution through lumbar route. Eleven cases exhibited "normal" pattern CSF circulation and the remaining four, "delayed" pattern. Eight cases (53%) experienced headache, nausea, and/or vomiting several hours after the instillation. All of these belong to the "normal" pattern group. Four cases of "normal" pattern received electroencephalographic examinations before and after metrizamide instillation. Three revealed appearance of negative spike and slow wave burst or sharp waves one to twenty-four hours after the instillation, along with penetration of metrizamide into brain parenchyma. Diagnostic quality was interpreted as "good" in eleven cases. Small acoustic neurinoma, pituitary adenoma, arachnoid cyst, and subdural hygroma were diagnosed among others. Metrizamide ventriculography was done in four cases. No untoward effect of significance was attributed to metrizamide per se. Cervical myelograpy and/or CT myelography was done in fourteen cases using, in most cases, 10 ml of metrizamide 170 mgI/ml. Polytome tomography with metrizamide instillation through lateral cervical puncture was highly diagnostic, whereas, ordinary X-ray with lumbar instillation yielded less satisfactory results. CT myelography in cases of subarachnoid block required good consideration on instillation site and positioning of the patient. Six cases (50%) among twelve cases where metrizamide had run into the cranial cavity experienced headache, nausea, and/or vomiting to a lesser degree than those of cisterno graphy. Metrizamide is the first contrast agent ever made which can be safely introduced into human subarachnoid space, if administered judiciously, nervous. However, metrizamide is weakly toxic to central system and provokes minor untoward effects as well as electroencephalographic abnormalities and, sometimes, clinical convulsive seizure. It would be wiser to restrict the dosage of metrizamide in cisternographic study, expecially in cases of "normal" pattern CSF circulation, to 1.2 gI or 7 ml of 170 mg I/ml solution. Routine use of X-ray cisternography should thus be discouraged because it needs higher concentration of metrizamide in the intracranial cisterns.

A new clinical grading of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to ruptured aneurysm, classified by the presence or absence of vomiting, and by the duration of initial unconciousness at the time of bleeding, is proposed. Grade I: headache without vomiting, Grade II: headache, vomiting, and/or loss of consciousness lasting less than one hour, Grade III: loss of consciouness for over one hour. Grade IV: permanent unconsciousness or cerebral herniation signs. Based on the clinical records, 142 cases of ruptured cerebral aneurysms directly operated on in phases varying from peracute phase (within 72 hours) to delayed phase (22 days or over) were retrospectively analyzed. They included 99 cases which were operated on under microscope. The Hunt & Hess grading was applied just before surgery. Outcome at the 6 month to 1 year follow-up was rated as good, fair, poor and dead. Correlations between the severity and the outcome were calculated using the chi-square test and the levels of significance were compared with those between the recent Hunt and Hess grading and the outcome. In the total of 142 cases, correlation between the clinical severity and the outcome was significant (P less than 0.0005), whereas correlation between the Hunt & Hess grading and the outcome was not significant. In the analysis of cases classified by the operative timing, the clinical severity showed good correlation in the peracute (within 72 hours after SAH) (P less than 0.05) alone, while Hunt & Hess grading showed correlation in delayed phase alone. Neither of the gradings was significant in the acute phase or subacute phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)