Although the clinical and imaging features and behaviour of brain stem gliomas in children are well documented, similar data are not available, for adults. We have carried out a retrospective study, on 101 consecutive patients (71 children and 30 adults) with a histologically verified brain stem glioma. Duration of symptoms, clinical features, imaging characteristics, histopathology and outcome were specifically compared in children and adults with brain stem glioma. Peak incidence was in the first decade in children and in the third and fourth decades in adults. Mean duration of symptoms before admission was 9.7 months in adults and 3.6 months in children (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the clinical features between adults and children. Imaging characteristics revealed no major differences except that diffuse hypodense lesions involving the whole brainstem accounted for 41.2% of the lesions in children and only 11.1% of adults (P < 0.001). A stereotactic biopsy was performed in 92 patients and an open biopsy or partial excision in 9 patients. Histopathological examination showed that the majority of gliomas were diagnosed as grade II astrocytomas in both groups. Survival was significantly shorter in children when compared to adults (P < 0.01). While the tumour grade was a significant factor in predicting survival in adults, in children it did not correlate with outcome. Therefore, determination of the grade of a brain stem glioma may be of prognostic significance in adult patients.
The need to obtain histological diagnoses of intracranial tuberculomas, before initiating therapy, is not universally accepted, because some clinicians believe that an image-based diagnosis is fairly accurate in patients from endemic regions. To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of computed tomography (CT)-based diagnosis of an intracranial tuberculoma, we prospectively compared the preoperative imaging diagnoses with histological diagnoses in 105 consecutive patients with intracranial masses. CT differential diagnoses (first or second) of tuberculomas were considered in 21 patients. Seven of them were histologically confirmed to have tuberculomas (true-positive results); 14 had other diseases (false-positive results). The 14 false-positive cases included 6 cases of astrocytomas, 5 of metastases, and 3 with miscellaneous diagnoses. All tuberculomas were correctly diagnosed on the CT scans (5 by both surgeons and 2 by one surgeon). During the study period, we encountered 11 patients who were referred by other clinicians with diagnoses of tuberculomas on the basis of their CT scans. We concurred with their CT diagnoses in 5 of them, but only 1 patient had a histologically verified tuberculoma. Astrocytomas (4 patients), metastases (3 patients), and solitary cysticercus granulomas (3 patients) were the causes of misdiagnosis in this group of patients. Although the sensitivity of CT in the diagnosis of intracranial tuberculomas is 100%, and its specificity is 85.7%, the positive predictive value is only 33% (confidence limits, 24-42%). The negative predictive value is 100%. The low positive predictive value for a diagnosis of intracranial tuberculoma on CT alone indicates the need for a confirming histological diagnosis.
Anatomic variations of the anterior cerebral artery-anterior communicating artery complex (ACA-AComA) are common. An infra-optic course of the A1-ACA is extremely rare, and recognition of this variant is very important in planning surgery for ACA-AComA complex aneurysms. We present two cases of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured AComA aneurysms with unilateral infra-optic course of the A1-ACA. In both the cases, the preoperative catheter angiography revealed low bifurcation with a horizontal course of internal carotid artery. In our first case, the finding was rather unexpected; however, in our second case, we could anticipate an infra-optic course of A1-ACA. Preoperative recognition of this anomaly helps in achieving proximal vascular control with ease and confidence. It also enhances surgical safety of aneurysm clipping, by avoiding unnecessary dissection elsewhere. This emphasizes the importance of careful preoperative angiographic evaluation. In the presence of this anomaly, one should always search for other associated vascular anomalies.
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