Muammer Akyol

Orbito-Frontal Cortex Volumes in Panic Disorder

Objective Given the association between the pathophysiology of panic disorder and prefrontal cortex function, we aimed to perform a volumetric MRI study in patients with panic disorder and healthy controls focusing on the in vivo neuroanatomy of the OFC. Methods Twenty right-handed patients with panic disorder and 20 right-handed healthy control subjects were studied. The volumes of whole brain, total white and gray matters, and OFC were measured by using T1-weighted coronal MRI images, with 1.5-mm-thick slices, at 1.5T. In addition, for psychological valuation, Hamilton Depression Rating (HDRS) and Panic Agoraphobia Scales (PAS) were administered. Results Unadjusted mean volumes of the whole brain volume, total white and gray matter were not different between the patients and healthy controls while the patient group had significantly smaller left (t=-6.70, p<0.0001) and right (t=-5.86, p<0.0001) OFC volumes compared with healthy controls. Conclusion Our findings indicate an alteration of OFC morphology in the panic disorder and suggest that OFC abnormalities may be involved in the pathophysiology of panic disorder.

Hippocampal Neurochemical Pathology in Patients with Panic Disorder

Objective In the present study, we measured hippocampal N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA), choline (CHO) and creatine (CRE) values in patients with panic disorder and healthy control subjects using in vivo 1H MRS. Methods We scanned 20 patients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for panic disorder and 20 matched healthy controls with a 1.5 Tesla GE Signa Imaging System and measured of NAA, CHO, and CRE in hippocampal regions. Results When NAA, CHO and CRE values were compared between groups, statistically significant lower levels for all ones were detected for both sides. Conclusion Consequently, in the present study we found that NAA, CHO and CRE values of the patients with panic disorder were lower than those healthy controls. Future studies involving a large number of panic patients may shed further light on the generalizability of the current findings to persons with panic disorder.

Inferior thyroid artery thrombosis: a potential mimicker of thyroid nodule / Inferior tiroid arter trombozu: tiroid nodulunu taklit edebilen bir durum

The use of high-frequency ultrasound imaging in assessment of the neck abnormalities has led to the detection of various conditions in the general population. Inferior thyroid artery thrombosis is a very uncommon clinical condition, which might be misdiagnosed as a thyroid nodule. In this article, we present a case of a female patient who suffered from a sore throat presumably as a result of inferior thyroid artery thrombosis, which was imitating thyroid nodule. The diagnosis was made by gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound. We aim to draw attention of physicians to this exceptionally uncommon diagnosis in onder to prevent probable biopsy. Our literature search via PubMed showed only one reported case about inferior thyroid artery thrombosis imitating a thyroid nodule.

Thyroid Hemiagenesis: Report of Two Cases

Thyroid hemiagenesis (TH) is a very rare congenital anomaly of the thyroid gland with absence of a lobe. It is usually diagnosed incidentally, because does not cause clinical symptoms. The etiology of TH is not clear. The accurate prevalence of TH is not known because the patiens are usually asymptomatic. Several studies showed that the prevalence of the TH in normal population is 0.05-0.2%. The diagnosis of TH can be easily made by ultrasound (US) in most patients. In this report we present two patients who diagnosed by US with left thyroid lobe agenesis.

OBEZ ÇOCUKLARDA BEYNİN DİFÜZYON AĞIRLIKLI MANYETİK REZONANS GÖRÜNTÜLEME BULGULARI

Aim: To evaluate Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DW MRI) findings in hunger and satiety related centers of the Brain in Obese Children. Material and Methods: 91 participants were enrolled in the study and 41 of them diagnosed as obese, 19 of them as overweight and 31 of them as non-obese volunteers and ages were ranged between 4-16. Diffusion weighted echo-plantar images of these cases taken in b100, b600, b1000 and b2000 gradient values and for each case b values determined for 14 regions of brain which are related with hunger and satiety. These regions are hypothalamus, hippocampal gyrus, middle temporal cortex, insula, corpus striatum, cingulate gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, midbrain, amygdala, occipital cortex, dorsomedial frontal cortex, dorsolateral frontal cortex and cerebellum. Measurements made with b600, b1000 and b2000values on 14 regions determined on Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) map for each group. Results: In ours study we have found a statistically significant difference between control and obese group,control and overweighed group and overweighed and obese group in ADC values in comparison of b600, b1000 and b2000 (p<0,05). Additionally we have found a positive correlation between body mass index and ADC values. Conclusion: We believe that, beside clinical and laboratory findings of obesity as a functional imaging modality use of DA-MRG which gives no radiation to body, obtaining fastly and require no contrast agent will provide usefull information about etiopathogenesis of obesity. To illuminate changes in brain tissue in obesity can provide more clear infotmation about ethology of obesity