More articles from BRAIN
- Intracranial Imaging of Uncommon Diseases Is More Frequently Reported in Clinical Publications Than in Radiology Publications
This report explores the idea that articles containing imaging descriptions of uncommon diseases more commonly appear in clinical than in imaging journals. Using PubMed, the authors searched for articles on 5 uncommon entities and found 202 such articles, of which 89% were published in non-radiology journals and only 11% in imaging journals. Because 74% were case reports and most imaging journals do not accept these, this may explain their findings. However, radiologists need to be aware of this and should review non-imaging journals.
- Long-Term White Matter Changes after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A 5-Year Prospective Cohort
The authors used DTI to study posttraumatic white matter changes over a 5-year period. Thirteen patients with severe injuries acutely showed significant fractional anisotropy decreases in the corpus callosum and corona radiata when compared with controls. These abnormalities progressed at 2 years and then remained stable until 5 years. The DTI abnormalities correlated with sequelae such as amnesia, aphasia, and dyspraxia.
- Stroke-Like Migraine Attacks after Radiation Therapy (SMART) Syndrome Is Not Always Completely Reversible: A Case Series
Clinical and imaging findings in 11 patients with SMART syndrome were reviewed. All patients became symptomatic on average 20 years postirradiation and all showed unilateral gyriform cerebral enhancement that resolved spontaneously in 2–5 weeks though 45% had residual neurologic deficits. Twenty-seven percent of patients developed laminar necrosis and brain biopsies of 4 patients showed nonspecific findings.
- T1 Gadolinium Enhancement of Intracranial Atherosclerotic Plaques Associated with Symptomatic Ischemic Presentations
The degree of contrast enhancement was assessed in 22 high-grade intracranial stenoses that were either symptomatic or asymptomatic. Seventy percent of symptomatic plaques showed contrast enhancement whereas this was seen in only 8% of those that were asymptomatic. This study suggests that intracranial stenoses can be evaluated with conventional MRI protocols and that there is a strong association between plaque contrast enhancement and ischemic symptoms.
- Higher Rates of Decline for Women and Apolipoprotein E ε4 Carriers
This study assesses the risk of being female in addition to the well-known factors of age and apolipoprotein E ε4 status in the development and progression of Alzheimer disease based on longitudinal brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and CSF markers. APOE ε4 accelerated rates of decline, especially in women. The gender effect was at least as important as APOE ε4 status and showed weaker relationships to CSF markers.