J T Latack

Postoperative regression of opticochiasmatic astrocytoma : a case for expectant therapy

After incisional biopsy, an opticochiasmatic astrocytoma in a 2-year-old child with neurofibromatosis was seen to regress by computed tomographic scanning. This case illustrates the need for expectant therapy in this entity.

Symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst with pituitary adenoma: Case report

A rare case of a pituitary adenoma found in association with a symptomatic Rathkes cleft cyst in a 34-year-old women presenting with headaches, visual symptoms, and amenorrhea is described. The diagnostic evaluation and operative treatment of these coincident lesions are discussed.

Gas as a mass: A symptomatic spinal canalicular collection

A symptomatic collection of spinal canalicular gas of degenerative origin was observed by computed tomography. Relief of symptoms followed gas aspiration. The collection involved the lateral recess. Such gas collections do not appear to represent benign, transient entities in all patients.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the head and neck.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) has already gained wide acceptance in the evaluation of intracranial and spinal canal abnormalities. MR also provides excellent resolution of certain tumors of the head and neck and is particularly useful for the evaluation of neoplasms in the vicinity of the skull base. The absence of a bone signal prevents the streaking artifact so troublesome with computerized axial tomography (CT) and allows better definition of tumor. MR does not use ionizing radiation and appears to be an innocuous imaging mode—thus multiple examinations in young patients are not objectionable with MR. The ability to obtain images in multiple planes by control of the magnetic gradients allows for axial, sagittal, and coronal imaging, without changing the supine position of the patient. Multiple projections are helpful in providing better preoperative assessment of the extent and size of certain neoplasms Of the neck.

Iohexol versus metrizamide for lumbar myelography: Preliminary report of double-blind trial

Lumbar myelography was performed in 38 patients; 19 received iohexol (an investigational aqueous contrast agent) and 19 received metrizamide. Iohexol is stable in solution, which is not the case with metrizamide. There was no other significant difference in diagnostic utility or quality between the two media. However, there was considerable postmyelography morbidity in the metrizamide group, but no postmyelography morbidity in the iohexol group. Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that iohexol is significantly superior to metrizamide as a contrast agent for lumbar myelography.

Adult Arnold-Chiari malformation and intrinsic brain stem neoplasm: a difficult differential diagnosis.

The occurrence of a brain stem neoplasm in three adults previously treated for an adult Arnold-Chiari malformation is reported. The diagnosis of adult Arnold-Chiari malformation had been confirmed by angiography and computed tomographic scanning. All patients were treated with a combination of ventricular shunts and posterior fossa decompression. The diagnosis of brain stem neoplasm was not made until late in the clinical course, and all patients died within 2 years of the onset of symptoms.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of low attenuation lesions on computed tomography

Computed tomography has proven invaluable in the assessment of intracranial mass lesions. Low attenuation lesions can, however, present diagnostic difficulties. We report three cases where magnetic resonance imaging was beneficial in clarifying solid versus cystic intracranial lesions.