Table of Contents
Perspectives
Review Articles
General Contents
- Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging for Assessing Acute Inflammation and Lesion Evolution in MS
Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) assesses microstructural features of neurites contributing to diffusion imaging signals. Twenty-one subjects with MS underwent serial enhanced MRIs including NODDI, the key metrics of which are the neurite density and orientation dispersion index. Twenty-one age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent unenhanced MR imaging with the same protocol. NODDI is a promising tool with the potential to detect acute MS inflammation. The observed heterogeneity among lesions may correspond to gradients in severity and clinical recovery after the acute phase.
- Recent Administration of Iodinated Contrast Renders Core Infarct Estimation Inaccurate Using RAPID Software
Patients who received IV iodinated contrast in proximity (<8 hours) to CTA/CTP as part of a separate imaging study had a much higher likelihood of core infarct underestimation with RAPID software compared with contrast-naive patients. Over-reliance on RAPID postprocessing for treatment disposition of patients with extended window emergent large-vessel occlusion should be avoided, particularly in cases with recent IV contrast administration.
- Clinical and Radiologic Findings of Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy in Young Adults
The authors describe 10 patients (16 years of age or older) with acute necrotizing encephalopathy. In their study, bilateral thalamic involvement with the trilaminar pattern of diffusion restriction on MR imaging was the predominant finding seen in all of the patients reviewed. Ancillary findings of cerebral white matter, brain stem, and cerebellum involvement with sparing of the basal ganglia were also seen.
Commentary
- Characteristics of Large-Vessel Occlusion Associated with COVID-19 and Ischemic Stroke
Consecutive ischemic stroke and TIA admissions (COVID and non-COVID) to the authors' hospital during a 10-week period from March 1 to May 10, 2020 were collected and compared with data from the same time period in 2019. Among 20 patients with COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke, 15 (75%) had large-vessel occlusion. These patients were young (mean age, 46.5 years), male (93%), without major burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and had a severe stroke presentation. Large vessel occlusions were observed in multiple vessels (40%), uncommonly affected vessels, and atypical locations with a large thrombus burden.
Commentary
- Treatment of Ruptured Blister-Like Aneurysms with the FRED Flow Diverter: A Multicenter Experience
In a retrospective multicenter study, all patients treated with the FRED for a ruptured intracranial blister-like aneurysm between January 2013 and May 2019 were analyzed. In total, 30 patients with 30 ruptured blister-like aneurysms were treated. Immediate complete aneurysm obliteration with the FRED was achieved in 10 patients (33%). Of the 26 patients with follow-up, complete obliteration was achieved in 21 patients (80%) after 6 months and in 24 patients (92%) in the final follow-up (median, 22 months). The authors conclude that treatment of ruptured blister-like aneurysms with the FRED is safe and effective.
- Endovascular Cerebral Venous Sinus Imaging with Optical Coherence Tomography
Endovascular optical coherence tomography imaging was feasible in this preclinical animal study. Adoption of this imaging technique in the human cerebral venous sinus could aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of the pathophysiology of various diseases of the sinus.
