Brain abscess: a review

Objective: To carry out a current review of brain abscess data source: review of all the published literature on the brain abscess until august 2016 was carried out through internet, google, pubmed and medline searches.Data selection: Published data on brain abscess were included in the review.Data extraction: Abstracts of relevant articles identified were assessed, read and analyzed to determine their relevance to the brain abscess, the subject under review.Data synthesis: After establishing relevance from the abstract, the entire paper was read and the significant points included in the subject under review.Conclusion: Brain abscesses are rare with significant consequences of missed or delayed diagnosis, but remain one of the most common neurological emergencies especially in developing countries, being 8% of intra-cranial space occupying lesions compared to 1%-2% in the developed countries. In the pre-antibiotics, CT, and MRI eras, brain abscess was almost always 100% fatal. The reduction in morbidity and mortality over the past five decades is attributed to recent advances and increased availability of computer tomography with double contrast enhancement which provides early and reliable diagnosis, localisation, and characterisation of abscesses and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium enhancement has much greater sensitivity and specificity than CT making it the procedure of choice, while MRI together with diffusion weighted imaging with a sensitivity and specificity of 90% distinguishes brain abscesses from necrotic brain tumours. Advances in microbiological isolation techniques, efficient combination anti-microbial, anti-tuberculus and anti-fungal therapy, stereotactic aspiration and technology assisted neurosurgical techniques have resulted in significant reduction in morbidity and mortality globally

Psychiatric manifestations of brain tumours: a review

Objective: To carry out a current review of psychiatric manifestations of brain tumoursData Source: To carry out a review of psychiatric manifestations of brain tumours utilizing electronic databases in the internet including Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, MedScape and Psych Info Searches.Data Extraction: Abstracts of relevant articles identified were assessed, read, and analysed to determine their eligibility and relevance to the subject under reviewData Synthesis: After establishing eligibility and relevance from abstracts, the entire article was read and the significant points incorporated in the subject under reviewConclusion: Tumours of the brain can present clinically with neurological or psychiatric symptoms or a combination of both. Rarely patients present with psychiatric symptoms without physical or neurological localizing symptoms frequently leading to misdiagnosis and mistreatment with psychotropic drugs. Clinicians must have high index of suspicion when managing psychiatric symptoms that are atypical, new-onset, anxiety, or with poor response and resistance to known and efficacious psychopharmaco-therapy treatment regimes, as there may be an underlying brain tumour responsible for the symptomatology. This must be ruled out through effective neuro-imaging techniques including Computerized Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and if diagnosis confirmed, treated definitively by surgical excision, radiotherapy and chemotherapy alone or in combination

Infratentorial glioblastoma multiforme: case report and review of literature

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the commonest and most malignant form of the gliomas. The tumour accounts for 45% of malignant primary brain and Central Nervous System (CNS) tumours, 54% of all gliomas and 16% of all primary brain and CNS tumours. We present a seven year old female child who presented with a one month history of right sided headache, progressive right sided hemiparesis, and tremor with no history of infection or trauma. Investigations which included computerized tomography scanning, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Tractography. These revealed a homogenously hypo-dense mildly ring enhancing lesion in the right brain stem, with mass effect displacing the 4th ventricle to the left, among others. Retro sigmoid craniotomy and concurrent ventricular drain placement was performed with post-operative period being uneventful. Histopathology confirmed malignant Glioblastoma multiforme and the patient was commenced on Temozolimide and radiotherapy with satisfactory results

Infratentorial glioblastoma multiforme: Case report

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and most malignant form of the gliomas. The tumour accounts for 45% of  malignant primary brain and Central Nervous System (CNS) tumours, 54% of all gliomas and 16% of all primary brain and CNS tumours. We present a seven year old female child who presented with a one month history of right sided headache, progressive right sided hemiparesis, and tremor with no history of infection or trauma. Investigations included computerised tomography scanning, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Tractography. These revealed a homogenously hypo-dense mildly ring enhancing lesion in the right brain stem, with mass effect displacing the fourth ventricle to the left, among others. Retro sigmoid craniotomy and concurrent ventricular drain placement was performed with post-operative period being uneventful. Histopathology confirmed malignant Glioblastoma multiforme and the patient was commenced on Temozolimide and radiotherapy with satisfactory results