Pituitarni apsces neuobičajenog kliničkog tijeka

The aim is to present unusual clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of pituitary abscess. A 59-year-old man presented with fever, polyuria, polydipsia and marked weight loss within the last two months. Basic endocrinology tests revealed the presence of anterior pituitary dysfunction, associated with central diabetes insipidus and increased levels of inflammatory markers. The presence of expansile sellar lesion, showing restricted diffusion signal pattern compatible with acute pituitary pyogenic abscess was found on MRI. Regression of pituitary abscess was obvious during the next few weeks of parenteral antibiotic treatment. Adequate substitution treatment with L thyroxine, hydrocortisone, testosterone and desmopressin was achieved. Seventeen months later, clinical deterioration associated with recurrent pituitary abscess was confirmed on MRI. Abscess regression was obvious again after conservative treatment. However, control MRI study performed three years after initial scanning revealed the presence of pituitary tumor, most consistent with macroadenoma. Surgical intervention was ordered. Histologic evaluation indicated the presence of fibrotic changes, associated with granulation tissue and rare cellular elements, compatible with chronic inflammation. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies in the literature describing such a pattern of chronic evolution of pyogenic pituitary abscess with consequent chronic inflammatory changes with granulation tissue proliferation, mimicking macroadenoma.Cilj rada je prikaz neuobičajenog kliničkog tijeka i magnetsko-rezonantnih (MR) karakteristika pituitarnog apscesa. Bolesnik je bio 59-godišnji muškarac s groznicom, poliurijom, polidipsijom i gubitkom tjelesne mase u posljednja dva mjeseca. Osnovni endokrinološki testovi ukazali su na poremećaj funkcije adenohipofize, udružen s centralnim insipidnim dijabetesom i povišenom razinom upalnih biljega. Pregled pomoću MR je otkrio ekspanzivnu leziju u selarnoj regiji sa znacima restrikcije difuzije, nalaz kompatibilan s pituitarnim apscesom. Nakon primjene antibiotika tijekom sljedećih nekoliko tjedana došlo je do regresije apscesa, a odgovarajuće nadomještanje hormona postignuto je primjenom L-tiroksina, hidrokortizona, testosterona i dezmopresina. Sedamnaest mjeseci kasnije uočeno je pogoršanje kliničkog stanja s opetovanim pituitarnim apscesom, što je potvrđeno pomoću MR. Nakon primijenjene terapije došlo je do ponovne regresije apscesa. Međutim, kontrolni pregled pomoću MR tri godine nakon prvog otkrio je prisustvo pituitarnog tumora s obilježjima makroadenoma, zbog čega je provedena kirurška intervencija. Patohistološka analiza je dokazala prisustvo fibroze udružene s granulacijskim tkivom, rijetkim staničnim elementima, karakteristično za kroničnu upalu. U literaturi ne postoje studije koje prikazuju kroničnu evoluciju pituitarnog apscesa s kroničnim upalnim promjenama koje oponašaju makroadenom

Imaging features of bilateral vestibular neuritis

Introduction. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was found to be insensitive diagnostic modality in detecting the abnormalities in patients with vestibular neuritis. Case report. A 32-year-old man was admitted to hospital with clinical signs of acute vestibular neuritis. The conventional MRI was inconclusive, including 3 mm slice-thickness postcontrast study, while the postcontrast high resolution study with 1 mm slice-thikness, detected bilateral enhancement of the vestibulocochlear nerve’s vestibular branch, consistent with inflammation. Conclusion. High-resolution 1 mm or submilimeter slices should be perfomed to evaluate patients with vestibular neuritis in order to increase the MRI sensitivity and improve correlation with clinical findings

Prediction of brain atrophy using three drug scores in neuroasymptomatic HIV-infected patients with controlled viremia

Background: Despite potent antiretroviral therapy, HIV still causes brain damage. Better penetration into the CNS and efficient elimination of monocyte/macrophages reservoirs are two main characteristics of an antiretroviral drug that could prevent brain damage. The aim of our study was to assess efficacy of three antiretroviral drug scores to predict brain atrophy in HIV-infected patients. Methods: A cross sectional study consisting of 56 HIV-infected patients with controlled viremia, who had no clinically evident neurocognitive impairment. All patients had MRI of the head. A typical T2 transversal slice was analyzed and ventricles–brain ratio (VBr) as an overall brain atrophy index was calculated. Three antiretroviral drug scores were used and correlated with VBr: 2008 and 2010 CNS penetration effectiveness scores (ΣCPE2008 and ΣCPE2010) and the recently established monocyte efficacy (ΣME) score. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: ΣCPE2010 was significantly associated with VBr in both univariate (r = −0.285, p = 0.033) and multivariate (β = −0.299, p = 0.016) regression models, while ΣCPE2008 was not (r = −0.141, p = 0.300 and β = −0.156, p = 0.214). ΣME was associated with VBr in multivariate model only (r = −0.297, p = 0.111 and β = −0.406, p = 0.029). Age and reported duration of HIV infection were also significant predictors of overall brain atrophy in multivariate regression models. Conclusions: Although based on similar type of research, ΣCPE2010 is a superior drug score compared to ΣCPE2008. ΣME is an efficient drug score in determining brain damage. Both ΣCPE2010 and ΣME scores should be taken into account in preventive strategies of brain atrophy and neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected patients. Keywords: CPE, Monocyte efficacy score, Brain atrophy, HAART, HI

Pituitary abscess with unusual clinical course

The aim is to present unusual clinical course and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of pituitary abscess. A 59-year-old man presented with fever, polyuria, polydipsia and marked weight loss within the last two months. Basic endocrinology tests revealed the presence of anterior pituitary dysfunction, associated with central diabetes insipidus and increased levels of inflammatory markers. The presence of expansile sellar lesion, showing restricted diffusion signal pattern compatible with acute pituitary pyogenic abscess was found on MRI. Regression of pituitary abscess was obvious during the next few weeks of parenteral antibiotic treatment. Adequate substitution treatment with L thyroxine, hydrocortisone, testosterone and desmopressin was achieved. Seventeen months later, clinical deterioration associated with recurrent pituitary abscess was confirmed on MRI. Abscess regression was obvious again after conservative treatment. However, control MRI study performed three years after initial scanning revealed the presence of pituitary tumor, most consistent with macroadenoma. Surgical intervention was ordered. Histologic evaluation indicated the presence of fibrotic changes, associated with granulation tissue and rare cellular elements, compatible with chronic inflammation. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies in the literature describing such a pattern of chronic evolution of pyogenic pituitary abscess with consequent chronic inflammatory changes with granulation tissue proliferation, mimicking macroadenoma

A prominent lactate peak as a potential key magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) feature of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML): Spectrum pattern observed in three patients

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare, often fatal, opportunistic infection, associated with demyelinating process. PML is caused by John Cunningham (JC) polyomavirus, and predominantly affects patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or other immunocompromised patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in establishing the diagnosis of PML. MRS with long and short echo time was performed in two patients with PML associated with HIV infection and in one PML patient associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The most prominent peak on the obtained spectra was for lactate; it showed 2-3 times higher concentration of lactate compared to choline, almost 4-6 times higher lactate concentration compared to creatine, and 4-11 times higher lactate in comparison to N-acetylaspartate concentration. Similar spectrum pattern was observed in all patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is a new finding that might be useful in early diagnosis of PML. Nevertheless, further confirmation of our results is needed, since we analyzed the spectrum pattern only in three patients. Overall, our results could help in early detection of PML, especially in non-HIV patients, and thus prevent the fatal outcome of the disease. MRS could also be useful in detecting “tumefactive” demyelinating lesions in PML patients, associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, to avoid misdiagnosis of neoplasm

The VEGF gene polymorphism in glioblastoma may be a new prognostic marker of overall survival

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms and overexpression are involved in high-grade malignant gliomas. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of +405C&gt;G VEGF gene polymorphism in patients diagnosed by glioblastoma and to test its association with the overall survival (OS)

Plasma Amino Acids in NAFLD Patients with Obesity Are Associated with Steatosis and Fibrosis: Results from the MAST4HEALTH Study

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been linked to changes in amino acid (AA) levels. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between MRI parameters that reflect inflammation and fibrosis and plasma AA concentrations in NAFLD patients. Plasma AA levels of 97 NAFLD patients from the MAST4HEALTH study were quantified with liquid chromatography. Medical, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics were collected and biochemical parameters, as well as inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, were measured. In total, subjects with a higher MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) exhibited higher plasma AA levels compared to subjects with lower PDFF. The concentrations of BCAAs (p-Value: 0.03), AAAs (p-Value: 0.039), L-valine (p-Value: 0.029), L-tyrosine (p-Value: 0.039) and L-isoleucine (p-Value: 0.032) were found to be significantly higher in the higher PDFF group compared to lower group. Plasma AA levels varied according to MRI-PDFF. Significant associations were also demonstrated between AAs and MRI-PDFF and MRI-cT1, showing the potential utility of circulating AAs as diagnostic markers of NAFLD