H. Roels

Cytophotometric DNA determination in human astroglial tumours

The DNA content is determined by the cytophotometric method in 16 astroglial tumours, classified according to the degree of clinical malignancy. The values are compared to those found in non‐tumoural astrocytes. This method appears to be more reliable in assessment of the degree of malignancy of the tumour in biopsy material than histological criteria and the mitotic index. It is also shown to be of great value in cases where the biopsy is taken at the margin of the tumour and in which malignant histological features are missing.

Electron Microscopical Study of Neuroaxonal Dystrophy

A case of a 5½-year-old patient with psycho-motor retardation is presented. It is studied by a cortico-subcortical biopsy of the right frontal lobe, by light and electron microscopy

Dumb-Bell Sarcoma of the Foramen Jugulare with Syringomyelia. A Radio-Induced Tumour?

SummaryThe clinicopathological findings of a 58-year-old man, who developed cervicothoracic syringomyelia at the age of 25 are presented. He was given radiation therapy at the age of 33. At the age of 57 he developed a foramen jugulare syndrome on the left, caused by a low grade leiomyosarcoma. Etiologically, the most attractive hypothesis appears to be that the tumour was induced by radiation therapy administered 24 years previously.ZusammenfassungEs werden die klinischen sowie pathologisch-anatomischen Befunde bei einem 58jährigen Patienten beschrieben, der im Alter von 25 Jahren die ersten Symptome einer zervikothorakalen Syringomyelie entwickelte und im Alter von 33 Jahren röntgenbestrahlt wurde. Mit 57 Jahren trat ein Foramen-jugulare-Syndrome links in Erscheinung, welches auf ein sanduhrförmiges Leiomyosarkom zurückzuführen war. Es scheint am wahrscheinlichsten, daß dieser Tumor durch die 24 Jahre früher durchgeführte Bestrahlung der Nackenregion induziert wurde.

Relation Between Syringomyelia and von Hippel–Lindau’s Disease

A clinico-pathological description of a case of von Hippel–Lindau’s disease associated with syringomyelia is presented. The similarities in histology between the syringomyelia and the cerebellar cyst,

Cytophotometric DNA determination in human oligodendroglial tumours

Cytophotometric DNA determination was performed on 11 surgically resected oligodendroglial tumours and on oligodendroglial cells in two normal brains. The results are compared with the histological findings, the mitotic index and the degree of clinical malignancy. In this type of glioma there is no correlation between the DNA pattern and the histological appearances and the mitotic index. It is concluded that an aneuploid DNA distribution curve corresponds to a bad prognosis, whilst a diploid DNA curve does not allow prediction of the degree of clinical malignancy.

Complications of the chronic subdural hematoma

Eighty three chronic subdural hematomas, obtained by surgery or by necropsy, were examinated. The patient age distribution curve of the non-complicated operative cases showed the highest incidence in the first year of life and also a moderate increase in the elderly group. Recurrent hemorrhage in the walls and in the cavity, was observed in twenty of the seventy three non-complicated cases of chronic subdural hematoma. In five cases the membranes and the subdural sac were invaded by leucemic cells and in the five remaining ones the hematoma was transformed in a subdural empyema. All these complicated subdural hematomas showed evidence of recurrent bleeding, suggesting that the leucemic cells or the infectious agent had spread to the subdural space by this way.

Early structural changes in a case of late infantile amaurotic idiocy (early form of Batten-Spielmeyer-Vogt disease)

SummaryThe light microscopic, histochemical and electron microscopic findings in a brain biopsy of an early case of Late Infantile Amaurotic Idioty (early form of Batten-Spielmeyer-Vogt disease) are reported. Membrane bound cytoplasmic inclusion bodies are present in a small number of neurons. The morphological findings are discussed in relation to the etiology of the disease.ZusammenfassungEs werden die lichtmikroskopischen, histochemischen und elektronenmikroskopischen Befunde in der Gehirnbiopsie eines Frühfalles von später infantiler Form der amaurotischen Idiotie (oder einer frühen Form der Batten-Spielmeyer-Vogt-Krankheit) beschrieben. An die Membranen gebundene cytoplasmatische Einschlußkörperchen sind in einigen wenigen Neuronen vorhanden. Die morphologischen Befunde werden mit Bezug auf die Ätiologie der Erkrankung diskutiert.

Vertebrobasilar insufficiency due to tumoural emboli

A case, which is clinically characterized by a subacute vertebrobasilar syndrome, is presented. The necropsy reveals multiple infarcts in brainstem, cerebellum and left cerebral hemisphere, due to tumoural emboli of a non-detected primary tumour. It is postulated that the latter has to originate in the lungs in order to produce this unique type of cerebral arterial embolism.