Lily Pal

Spectroscopic increase in choline signal is a nonspecific marker for differentiation of infective/inflammatory from neoplastic lesions of the brain

We report in vivo proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic findings in three benign infective/inflammatory lesions (one case each of tuberculoma, fungal granuloma, and xanthogranuloma), which showed high choline along with the presence of lipid/lactate, a feature characteristically described in neoplastic lesions. Histopathology of the lesions showed inflammatory cellular infiltrates with areas of necrosis/caseation. The spectroscopic‐visible increased choline resonance in these lesions is probably the result of cellularity. We conclude that increased choline, along with the presence of lipid/lactate is a nonspecific finding and may not be of much value in the differentiation of neoplastic from nonneoplastic infective/inflammatory intracranial mass lesions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;14:8–15.

Differentiation of calcification from chronic hemorrhage with corrected gradient echo phase imaging

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to prospectively evaluate the role of corrected gradient echo phase imaging in differentiation of calcified granuloma from chronic hemorrhage. Method Eighty-five patients with single/multiple calcifications and hemorrhages irrespective of their location were studied with corrected gradient echo phase imaging. In all the cases, CT was used as the gold standard for the presence/absence of calcification. Results All calcified lesions showed positive phase, whereas chronic hemorrhages showed negative phase in all cases. Five calcified lesions showed no phase shift at TE =15 ms and positive shift at TE = 35 ms. Heterogeneous phase shift was observed in three calcified lesions at TE = 35 ms; all three lesions showed positive phase shift at TE = 15 ms. There was no site-specific problem in differentiation of calcification from chronic hemorrhage including in the basal ganglia. Conclusion We conclude that calcified granuloma can be easily differentiated from chronic hemorrhage with corrected gradient echo phase imaging, which may obviate the need for CT for its confirmation.

Human and porcine Taenia solium infection in rural north India

72 members of a pig farming community and 50 slaughtered pigs in Uttar Pradesh, India, were examined between November 2000 and June 2001 for Taenia solium infection. 27 of the human subjects (38%) had intestinal taeniasis and 7 (9.7%) had reported seizures. All 3 of the latter who were examined had neurocysticercosis. 13 of the pigs (26%) had cysticercosis. Such high prevalences indicate the need for detailed assessment of the disease burden in this community.

Primary Spinal Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor: Case Series and Review of the Literature

Primary spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PSPNET) is extremely rare and only 25 cases have been reported in the world literature so far. Three patients of 8, 9 and 18 years of age, who presented with variable grades of neurological deficit were diagnosed as having a dorsal intramedullary lesion, a holocord lesion and cervical extradural tumor with extraspinal extension, respectively, and were operated at our institute. The histopathology of all 3 children revealed PNET. The clinical course, image characteristics and outcome of the 3 children are described, and the relevant literature is reviewed. The following conclusions were drawn from the present study and review of the literature. PNET may manifest itself as a primary lesion of the spine unlike the more common drop metastases from an intracranial lesion. PSPNET may be intramedullary, intradural and extradural with variable extraspinal extension. PSPNET may present as holocord intramedullary lesion, an entity which has not been described earlier. These lesions have a short history, significant neurological deficits and rapid course of illness. PSPNET, though an established entity, did not find a place in the WHO 2000 classification of CNS tumors. Hence its status has to be defined.

Correlative MR imaging and histopathology in porcine neurocysticercosis

To examine whether all the histopathologically seen features of cysticercus cysts excised from brain of swine naturally infected with neurocysticercosis during its evolution are actually visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Fetal Heart Attenuate Myocardial Injury after Infarction: An In Vivo Serial Pinhole Gated SPECT-CT Study in Rats

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have emerged as a potential stem cell type for cardiac regeneration after myocardial infarction (MI). Recently, we isolated and characterized mesenchymal stem cells derived from rat fetal heart (fC-MSC), which exhibited potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of intravenously injected fC-MSC in a rat model of MI using multi-pinhole gated SPECT-CT system. fC-MSC were isolated from the hearts of Sprague Dawley (SD) rat fetuses at gestation day 16 and expanded ex vivo. One week after induction of MI, 2×106 fC-MSC labeled with PKH26 dye (n = 6) or saline alone (n = 6) were injected through the tail vein of the rats. Initial in vivo tracking of 99mTc-labeled fC-MSC revealed a focal uptake of cells in the anterior mid-ventricular region of the heart. At 4 weeks of fC-MSC administration, the cells labeled with PKH26 were located in abundance in infarct/peri-infarct region and the fC-MSC treated hearts showed a significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction and a significant decrease in the end diastolic volume, end systolic volume and left ventricular myo-mass in comparison to the saline treated group. In addition, fC-MSC treated hearts had a significantly better myocardial perfusion and attenuation in the infarct size, in comparison to the saline treated hearts. The engrafted PKH26-fC-MSC expressed cardiac troponin T, endothelial CD31 and smooth muscle sm-MHC, suggesting their differentiation into all major cells of cardiovascular lineage. The fC-MSC treated hearts demonstrated an up-regulation of cardio-protective growth factors, anti-fibrotic and anti-apoptotic molecules, highlighting that the observed left ventricular functional recovery may be due to secretion of paracrine factors by fC-MSC. Taken together, our results suggest that fC-MSC therapy may be a new therapeutic strategy for MI and multi-pinhole gated SPECT-CT system may be a useful tool to evaluate cardiac perfusion, function and cell tracking after stem cell therapy in acute myocardial injury setting.

Gliomatosis Cerebri – An Uncommon Neuroepithelial Tumor in Children with Oligodendroglial Phenotype

Gliomatosis cerebri(GC) is a highly aggressive, rare form of neuroepithelial tumor. Due to the diffuse nature of the tumor, its pathological grade is not conclusively established unless a biopsy is carried out from multiple sites. The tumor typically infiltrates the cortex in the subpial plane and also insinuates in the perineuronal space and around the Virchow-Robin spaces with relative preservation of the underlying brain parenchyma. Most of the previously reported cases of GC are astrocytic in nature. In this study, we report 2 pediatric patients of GC with oligodendroglial morphology on histopathological examination. In view of the rarity of the oligodendroglial phenotype of gliomatosis cerebri as well as the rare occurrence in children, we report these 2 cases.

Lipomatous meningioma: A study of five cases with brief review of literature

Lipomatous meningiomas are an uncommon subtype of meningiomas. In the present report, the clinical characteristics, neuroimaing and pathological features of 5 patients (4 males, 1 female; age range, 17-45 years; mean age, 35.2 years) with lipomatous meningioma were analyzed. The neuro-pathological reevaluation of lipomatous meningioma involved assessment of histological features proposed by the current WHO classification. The presence or absence of high whorls, fascicles, solid growth, glial invasion, necrosis and nuclear pleomorphism was assessed. The most common presenting symptom was seizures. Location of tumor was frontal (3 cases), parietal (1 case) and fronto-temporal (1 case). All cases showed radiological features of conventional meningioma. Complete excision of tumor along with involved dura was performed in all the patients. Three tumors were meningothelial and 2 were transitional. Tumoral lipid content was variable from 10% to 30%. In addition, there were microcystic features (2 cases) and psammoma bodies (1 case). No recurrence was noted in any of our cases till the last follow-up. Lipomatous meningioma represents a rare distinctive type of meningioma, with a good prognosis with complete removal.

Hyperostotic paraganglioma of occipitotemporal bone

A 25-year-old male presented with off-and-on vertigo of 10-year duration. He had left-sided cerebellar signs, left vocal cord paresis, and minimal left-sided hearing impairment. Computed tomography of the head revealed significant hyperostosis of squamous occipital, mastoid, and petrous temporal bone with no adjacent soft tissue mass. On excision, it turned out to be paraganglioma. Paraganglioma as a pure bony mass is not reported in the literature. The site of origin of such a tumor could not be ascertained, even on generous screening. The tumor remained nonsecretory on clinical and biochemical investigations.

Extraosseous primary intracranial ewing sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor: Series of seven cases and review of literature

Background: The Ewing sarcoma peripheral PNET (ES-pPNET) is very rare small round cell tumour that involves the CNS as either a primary dural neoplasm or by direct extension from contiguous bone or soft tissue. Materials and Methods: Biopsy proven cases of intracranial ES/pPNET with orbital involvement operated during Jan 2010-Jan 2014 were retrospectively included and their clinical data, operative and histological findings were reviewed from institutional oncology register. Results: seven patients (4 males; 3 female) were studied with mean age at presentation of 13 years. Six patients had orbital involvement in one or other form. Surgical excision was gross total in five, near total in one, and subtotal in one patient. All patients received adjuvant therapy, only chemotherapy in 2, only Radiotherapy in four, both in one. MRI characteristics were studied in six patients. Four patients died with average survival of 33.2 months and three patients are having Progression free survival of average 23.3 months. Conclusions: The EWS-pPNET is very rare tumour and very poorly described in literature. These tumours are showing special predilection for the frontotemporal dura and erode through the flat bone of cranium like orbital roof and lateral wall of the orbit. These tumours are aggressive, multi compartmental, vascular and very rapidly growing, so missing or overlooking the primary symptoms of dural stretching/bony involvement leads to delay in management and poor outcome.