The cytogenesis of ascitic pha­gocytes

Judging from our vital observation conducted mainly by tissue culture, it was firmly demonstrated that ascitic phagocytes are not histiocytes but they are the cells closely related to monocytes and that the sites of the genesis are the milky spots of the greater omentum. The milky spots are most possibly the remnants of the mesenchymal hematopoiesis of the embryonic stage.</p

Similar and Differing Distributions Between 18F-FDG-PET and Arterial Spin Labeling Imaging in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Background: Despite the increasing use of arterial spin labeling (ASL) in patients with epilepsy, little is known about its brain regional distribution pattern, including diaschisis, and its correspondence with FDG-PET. Here, we investigated the regional match and mismatch between FDG-PET and ASL in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods: We recruited 27 patients with unilateral TLE, who underwent inter-ictal ASL and FDG-PET scans. These images were spatially normalized using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12, and the regional values in both ASL and FDG-PET were calculated using PMOD software within 20 volumes of interest (VOIs), including the temporal lobe, adjacent cortices, subcortical structures, and cerebellum. ASL images of 37 healthy controls were also analyzed and compared.Results: Whereas, ASL showed significant side differences, mainly in the temporal and frontal lobes, the significant abnormalities in FDG-PET were more widespread and included the insula and supramarginal gyrus. Ipsilateral thalamic reduction was found in FDG-PET only. The detectability of the focus side compared with the contralateral side was generally higher in FDG-PET. The discriminative values in ASL compared with healthy controls were higher in temporal neocortex and amygdala VOIs.Conclusions: There are similar and differing regional distributions between FDG-PET and ASL in TLE, possibly reflecting regional match and mismatch of cerebral blood flow and metabolism. At this stage, it seems that ASL couldn't present comparable clinical usefulness with FDG-PET. These findings deepen our knowledge of ASL imaging and are potentially useful for its further application

Bartter's Syndrome — Case Report —

A 26-year-old female with Bartter's syndrome associated with Graves' disease is reported. This patient had a history of Graves' disease from the age of 22 and anti-thyroid drug (Methimazole) had been administered for 2 years. Thyroid function returned to normal but general fatigue and polyuria continued. Hypokalemia was diagnosed at 25 years of age and she was referred to our hospital for evaluation. Blood pressure was normal and laboratory data revealed normal thyroid function, hypokalemic alkalosis, high plasma renin activity and high plasma aldosterone concentration. She showed normal pressor sensitivity to norepinephrine infusion, grossly diminished pressor sensitivity to exogenous angiotensin II infusion compared with the normal. A renal biopsy specimen showed juxtaglomerular cell hyperplasia. Electron microscopy confirmed lacis cell (agranular cell) proliferation.</p

Changes of Myelin Organization in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Shown by q-Space Myelin Map Imaging

Background: Recent studies detected the aberrant myelination of the central nervous system (CNS) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we compared the change of myelination between patients with AD and controls by a novel magnetic resonance imaging modality, “q-space myelin map (MM) imaging.” Methods: Twenty patients with AD and 18 healthy subjects underwent MM imaging. We compared the MM metric between the 2 groups and examined the relationships between the metric and the clinical symptoms of AD. Results: AD patients showed a significant reduction of MM metric in the hippocampus, insula, precuneus, and anterior cingulate regions. There was also a significant negative correlation between the duration of illness and the MM metric in the temporoparietal region. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MM imaging could be a clinically proper modality to estimate the myelination changes in AD patients

Abnormal neurite density and orientation dispersion in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy detected by advanced diffusion imaging

BackgroundDespite recent advances in diffusion MRI (dMRI), there is still limited information on neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This study aimed to demonstrate neurite density and dispersion in TLE with and without hippocampal sclerosis (HS) using whole-brain voxel-wise analyses.Material and methodsWe recruited 33 patients with unilateral TLE (16 left, 17 right), including 14 patients with HS (TLE-HS) and 19 MRI-negative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)-positive patients (MRI-/PET+ TLE). The NODDI toolbox calculated the intracellular volume fraction (ICVF) and orientation dispersion index (ODI). Conventional dMRI metrics, that is, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), were also estimated. After spatial normalization, all dMRI parameters (ICVF, ODI, FA, and MD) of the patients were compared with those of age- and sex-matched healthy controls using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM12). As a complementary analysis, we added an atlas-based region of interest (ROI) analysis of relevant white matter tracts using tract-based spatial statistics.ResultsWe found decreased neurite density mainly in the ipsilateral temporal areas of both right and left TLE, with the right TLE showing more severe and widespread abnormalities. In addition, etiology-specific analyses revealed a localized reduction in ICVF (i.e., neurite density) in the ipsilateral temporal pole in MRI-/PET+ TLE, whereas TLE-HS presented greater abnormalities, including FA and MD, in addition to a localized hippocampal reduction in ODI. The results of the atlas-based ROI analysis were consistent with the results of the SPM12 analysis.ConclusionNODDI may provide clinically relevant information as well as novel insights into the field of TLE. Particularly, in MRI-/PET+ TLE, neurite density imaging may have higher sensitivity than other dMRI parameters. The results may also contribute to better understanding of the pathophysiology of TLE with HS

Voxel-based correlation of 18F-THK5351 accumulation and gray matter volume in the brain of cognitively normal older adults

BackgroundsAlthough neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) mainly accumulate in the medial temporal lobe with human aging, only a few imaging studies have investigated correlations between NFT accumulation and gray matter (GM) volume in cognitively normal older adults. Here, we investigated the correlations between 18F-THK5351 accumulation and GM volume at the voxel level.Material and methodsWe recruited 47 amyloid-negative, cognitively normal, older adults (65.0 ± 7.9 years, 26 women), who underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging, 11C-Pittsburgh compound-B and 18F-THK5351 PET scans, and neuropsychological assessment. The magnetic resonance and 18F-THK5351 PET images were spatially normalized using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12. Voxel-wise correlations between 18F-THK5351 accumulation and GM volume were evaluated using the Biological Parametric Mapping toolbox.ResultsA significant negative correlation (p < 0.001) between 18F-THK5351 accumulation and GM volume was detected in the bilateral medial temporal lobes.ConclusionsVoxel-wise correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between 18F-THK5351 accumulation and GM volume in the medial temporal lobe in individuals without amyloid-β deposits. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of primary age-related tauopathy in human aging