BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) offers a unique window on the connectivity changes, extending beyond the basal ganglia, which accompany the cognitive symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD). The primary purpose of this study was to assess the microstructural damage to cerebral white matter occurring in idiopathic PD.

Background Several preclinical and clinical investigations have argued for nervous system involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some sparse case reports have described various forms of encephalitis in COVID-19 disease, but very few data have focused on clinical presentations, clinical course, response to treatment and outcomes. Methods The ENCOVID multicentre study included patients with encephalitis with full infectious screening, CSF, EEG, MRI data and confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection recruited from 13 centres in northern Italy. Clinical presentation and laboratory markers, severity of COVID-19 disease, response to treatment and outcomes were recorded. Results twenty-five cases of encephalitis positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. CSF showed hyperproteinorrachia and/or pleocytosis in 68% of cases whereas SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR resulted negative. Based on MRI, cases were classified as ADEM (n=3), limbic encephalitis (LE, n=2), encephalitis with normal imaging (n=13) and encephalitis with MRI alterations (n=7). ADEM and LE cases showed a delayed onset compared to the other encephalitis (p=0.001) and were associated with previous more severe COVID-19 respiratory involvement. Patients with MRI alterations exhibited worse response to treatment and final outcomes compared to other encephalitis. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a wide spectrum of encephalitis characterized by different clinical presentation, response to treatment and outcomes.

Malignant gliomas, the most frequent primary brain tumors, are characterized by a dismal prognosis. Reliable biomarkers complementary to neuroradiology in the differential diagnosis of gliomas and monitoring for post-surgical progression are unmet needs. Altered expression of several microRNAs in tumour tissues from patients with gliomas compared to normal brain tissue have been described, thus supporting the rationale of using microRNA-based biomarkers. Although different circulating microRNAs were proposed in association with gliomas, they have not been introduced into clinical practice so far. Blood samples were collected from patients with high and low grade gliomas, both before and after surgical resection, and the expression of miR-21, miR-222 and miR-124-3p was measured in exosomes isolated from serum. The expression levels of miR-21, miR-222 and miR-124-3p in serum exosomes of patients with high grade gliomas were significantly higher than those of low grade gliomas and healthy controls and were sharply decreased in samples obtained after surgery. The analysis of miR-21, miR-222 and miR-124-3p in serum exosomes of patients affected by gliomas can provide a minimally invasive and innovative tool to help the differential diagnosis of gliomas at their onset in the brain and predict glioma grading and non glial metastases before surgery.

Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is a rare, progressive, chronic encephalitis characterised by drug-resistant epilepsy, progressive hemiparesis and mental impairment. It typically involves only one cerebral hemisphere, which becomes atrophic. We present neuroradiological findings in 13 children with RE. MRI was performed in all patients, fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (PET) in three, Tc-99m hexamethylpropylenamine oxime single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in two and proton MR spectroscopy ((1)HMRS) in two. MRI showed progression of the hemisphere atrophy, always prevalent in the region primarily involved (13 patients), spread of the abnormal signal in white matter (11) and cortex (10) and progression of atrophy of the head of the caudate nucleus (nine). Associated secondary changes were: atrophy of the contralateral cerebellar hemisphere (in four patients), the ipsilateral hippocampus (in five) and the brain stem (in five). The earliest CT and MRI abnormalities, seen between 1 day and 4 months after the first seizure (in 12 patients examined, nine of whom had MRI) in one cerebral hemisphere included: high signal on T2-weighted images in the cortex (seven patients) and white matter (nine), cortical atrophy usually involving the frontoinsular region, with mild or severe enlargement of the lateral ventricle (eight) and moderate atrophy of the head of the caudate nucleus (seven). Cortical swelling in the early stage of the disease was recognisable only in two patients. PET revealed hypometabolism, SPECT decreased perfusion, and (1)HMRS reduction of N-acetylaspartate in the affected hemisphere. PET and SPECT were usually performed in the late stages and did not provide specific findings. MRI thus demonstrates the progression of RE and may suggest the diagnosis in the early stages, often before the appearance of neurological deficits. Early diagnosis of RE may be crucial for selecting patients for aggressive medical therapy or major surgical interventions such as hemispherectomy.

Background and Objective: Few prospective studies exist evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The Aneurysm Study of Pipeline In an observational Registry (ASPIRe) study prospectively analyzed rates of complete aneurysm occlusion and neurologic adverse events following PED treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Materials and Methods: We performed a multicenter study prospectively evaluating patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with PED. Primary outcomes included (1) spontaneous rupture of the Pipeline-treated aneurysm; (2) spontaneous nonaneurysmal intracranial hemorrhage (ICH); (3) acute ischemic stroke; (4) parent artery stenosis, and (5) permanent cranial neuropathy. Secondary endpoints were (1) treatment success and (2) morbidity and mortality at the 6-month follow-up. Vascular imaging was evaluated at an independent core laboratory. Results: One hundred and ninety-one patients with 207 treated aneurysms were included in this registry. The mean aneurysm size was 14.5 ± 6.9 mm, and the median imaging follow-up was 7.8 months. Twenty-four aneurysms (11.6%) were small, 162 (78.3%) were large and 21 (10.1%) were giant. The median clinical follow-up time was 6.2 months. The neurological morbidity rate was 6.8% (13/191), and the neurological mortality rate was 1.6% (3/191). The combined neurological morbidity/mortality rate was 6.8% (13/191). The most common adverse events were ischemic stroke (4.7%, 9/191) and spontaneous ICH (3.7%, 7/191). The complete occlusion rate at the last follow-up was 74.8% (77/103). Conclusions: Our prospective postmarket study confirms that PED treatment of aneurysms in a heterogeneous patient population is safe with low rates of neurological morbidity and mortality. Patients with angiographic follow-up had complete occlusion rates of 75% at 8 months.