The crowned dens syndrome has been termed as acute neck pain ascribed to CPPD deposits associated with a tomographic appearance of calcification surrounding the odontoid process. This rare entity resulting in cervical cord compression is generally seen in older female patients. We present a 26-year-old woman with cervical cord compression due to massive calcification in the periodontoid area and discuss the X-ray and CT findings of the disease.

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The metabolite changes in the brains of children with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) were investigated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). A total of 30 subjects and 14 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent single-voxel MRS (TE: 136). The duration of disease, medication, presence of hypoglycaemia episodes and the level of haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) in the patients were noted. Voxels were placed in the pons, left basal ganglion (LBG) and left posterior parietal white matter (PPWM). N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatinine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were calculated. The average HbA1c level was 11.9 +/- 3.4 (8.2-19.4). The average number of keto-acidosis episodes was 1.9 +/- 2.2 (0-9) and the average number of daily insulin injections was 2.8 +/- 0.97 (2-4). MRS revealed lower NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios in the pons and lower NAA/Cr ratio in the PPWM of patients with DM than in control subjects. No significant correlation was observed between the number of hypoglycaemia episodes and metabolite ratios. Metabolic abnormalities have been observed by MRS in the brain of poorly controlled type 1 DM children. These metabolic changes, in particular in the pons region, include a decrease in NAA, indicating neuronal loss or functional impairment, and likely explanations for a decrease in Cho may be dynamic changes in membrane lipids and/or decreased membrane turnover.

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An unusual case of myositis ossificans traumatica lesion located in the paraspinal region is reported. Despite the contiguity of the lesion with the cervical vertebrae and ominous appearance of the biopsy material, the history of antecedent trauma and computed tomography findings allowed preoperative accurate diagnosis. To our knowledge, myositis ossificans traumatica located in the cervical paraspinal region is very rare.

Our aim was to investigate whether neurological impairment in Behçet's disease (BD) can be assessed by means of proton MRS and whether it can assist in prognosis. We used single-voxel MRS to measure metabolites in regions of normal-appearing pons, basal ganglia and periventricular white matter (PWM) in 32 patients with chronic BD patients with and without neurological deficits and 29 control subjects. Patients had significantly higher N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios in the basal ganglia than the controls. The Cho/Cr ratio in the PWM was also significantly higher in the patients. MRS enabled clear discrimination of patients and controls and also revealed spectral differences between non-neuro-Behçet's disease and neuro-Behçet's disease in the basal ganglia. MRS can be used to assess brain involvement in BD even if structural changes are absent.

The variety of alterations in cardiac function and morphology that has been observed in obese adults, appears to start earlier in life. Obesity and hypertension were clearly associated with the left ventricular geometry. Also, subclinical systolic and load-depended diastolic dysfunctions can be detected in obese hypertensive children with concentric hypertrophy.

This study showed that rats fed on a diet mixed with ethanol have a histologically delayed fracture healing associated with decreased bone density and mineral content. Besides the negative effects of ethanol on bone metabolism, it also interferes with the fracture-healing process.