Brain injuries are becoming increasingly common in athletes and represent an important diagnostic challenge. Early detection and management of brain injuries in sports are of utmost importance in preventing chronic neurological and psychiatric decline. These types of injuries incurred during sports are referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries, which represent a heterogeneous spectrum of disease. The most dramatic manifestation of chronic mild traumatic brain injuries is termed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is associated with profound neuropsychiatric deficits. Because chronic traumatic encephalopathy can only be diagnosed by postmortem examination, new diagnostic methodologies are needed for early detection and amelioration of disease burden. This review examines the pathology driving changes in athletes participating in high-impact sports and how this understanding can lead to innovations in neuroimaging and biomarker discovery.
Search Results
James Pan, Ian D. Connolly, Sean Dangelmajer, James Kintzing, Allen L. Ho, and Gerald Grant
Tej D. Azad, James Pan, Ian D. Connolly, Austin Remington, Christy M. Wilson, and Gerald A. Grant
Resection of brain tumors is followed by chemotherapy and radiation to ablate remaining malignant cell populations. Targeting these populations stands to reduce tumor recurrence and offer the promise of more complete therapy. Thus, improving access to the tumor, while leaving normal brain tissue unscathed, is a critical pursuit. A central challenge in this endeavor lies in the limited delivery of therapeutics to the tumor itself. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is responsible for much of this difficulty but also provides an essential separation from systemic circulation. Due to the BBB's physical and chemical constraints, many current therapies, from cytotoxic drugs to antibody-based proteins, cannot gain access to the tumor. This review describes the characteristics of the BBB and associated changes wrought by the presence of a tumor. Current strategies for enhancing the delivery of therapies across the BBB to the tumor will be discussed, with a distinction made between strategies that seek to disrupt the BBB and those that aim to circumvent it.
James Pan, Jennifer L. Quon, Eli Johnson, Bryan Lanzman, Anjeza Chukus, Allen L. Ho, Michael S. B. Edwards, Gerald A. Grant, and Kristen W. Yeom
OBJECTIVE
Fast magnetic resonance imaging (fsMRI) sequences are single-shot spin echo images with fast acquisition times that have replaced CT scans for many conditions. Introduced as a means of evaluating children with hydrocephalus and macrocephaly, these sequences reduce the need for anesthesia and can be more cost-effective, especially for children who require multiple surveillance scans. However, the role of fsMRI has yet to be investigated in evaluating the posterior fossa in patients with Chiari I abnormality (CM-I). The goal of this study was to examine the diagnostic performance of fsMRI in evaluating the cerebellar tonsils in comparison to conventional MRI.
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The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 18 pediatric patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CM-I based on gold-standard conventional brain MRI and 30 controls without CM-I who had presented with various neurosurgical conditions. The CM-I patients were included if fsMRI studies had been obtained within 1 year of conventional MRI with no surgical intervention between the studies. Two neuroradiologists reviewed the studies in a blinded fashion to determine the diagnostic performance of fsMRI in detecting CM-I. For the CM-I cohort, the fsMRI and T2-weighted MRI exams were randomized, and the blinded reviewers performed tonsillar measurements on both scans.
结果
The mean age of the CM-I cohort was 7.39 years, and 50% of these subjects were male. The mean time interval between fsMRI and conventional T2-weighted MRI was 97.8 days. Forty-four percent of the subjects had undergone imaging after posterior fossa decompression. The sensitivity and specificity of fsMRI in detecting CM-I was 100% (95% CI 71.51%–100%) and 92.11% (95% CI 78.62%–98.34%), respectively. If only preoperative patients are considered, both sensitivity and specificity increase to 100%. The authors also performed a cost analysis and determined that fsMRI was significantly cost-effective compared to T2-weighted MRI or CT.
有限公司NCLUSIONS
Despite known limitations, fsMRI may serve as a useful diagnostic and surveillance tool for CM-I. It is more cost-effective than full conventional brain MRI and decreases the need for sedation in young children.
Tobias Prasse, Natalie Yap, Sananthan Sivakanthan, James Pan, John Ogunlade, Jan Bredow, Peer Eysel, Richard G. Ellenbogen, and Christoph P. Hofstetter
OBJECTIVE
The utilization of telemedicine in healthcare has increased dramatically during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility to perform remote patient monitoring after full endoscopic spine surgery via a smartphone application that also allows communication with patients.
开云体育世界杯赔率
A smartphone application (SPINEhealthie) was designed at the University of Washington and used to collect patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and to provide chat communication between patients and their care team. A total of 71 patients were included in the study and prospectively followed for 3 months postoperatively. Patient demographic characteristics, compliance with surveys, and frequency of chat utilization were recorded. The ease of use, the participants’ experiences with the app interface design, and the usefulness of the app were assessed by using the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ).
结果
所有符合条件的患者,71/78(91.0%)的同意participate. Of these, 60 (85%) patients provided at least 1 postoperative PROM. There was good coverage of the immediate postoperative period with 45 (63.4%) patients providing ≥ 5 PROMs within the 1st week after surgery. The authors observed a 33.2% increase in patient compliance in postoperative PROMs and a 45.7% increase in chat function utilization between the first and last of the three enrollment periods of the study, during which continuous updates were made to improve the app’s functionality. Sixty-two (87.3%) patients responded to the user satisfaction survey after using the app for at least 40 days. The MAUQ results revealed excellent rates of satisfaction for ease of use (78.6% of the maximum score), app interface design (71.4%), and usefulness (71.4%), resulting in a total mean MAUQ score of 110 (74.8%). Communication with the doctor (38 votes) was found to be the top feature of the app. Additionally, physical therapy instructions (33 votes) and imaging review (29 votes) were the top two features that patients would like to see in future app versions. Lastly, the authors have presented a case example of a 68-year-old man who used the app for postoperative monitoring and communication after undergoing a two-level lumbar endoscopic unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression.
有限公司NCLUSIONS
Postoperative remote patient monitoring and communication after full endoscopic surgery is feasible using the SPINEhealthie app. Importantly, patients were willing to share their medical information using a mobile device, and they were eager to use it postoperatively as a supplementary tool.
Increased expression of the glioma-associated antigen ARF4L after loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN
Laboratory investigation
John H. Chi, Amith Panner, Kristine Cachola, Courtney A. Crane, Joseph Murray, Russell O. Pieper, C. David James, and Andrew T. Parsa
Object
Despite recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, cellular mechanisms controlling expression of tumor-associated antigens are poorly understood. Mutations in cancer cells, such as loss ofPTEN,可能会增加表达式of tumor-associated antigens. The authors investigated the relationship betweenPTENstatus and the expression of a glioma-associated antigen, adenosine diphosphate–ribosylation factor 4–like (ARF4L) protein.
开云体育世界杯赔率
Human glioma cell lines with confirmedPTENstatus were examined by Northern blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blot analysis was used to measure ARF4L protein levels across multiple cell lines.
Results
The loss ofPTENwas shown to lead to increased levels of ARF4L protein but no change in transcript levels. Cell lines with serial mutations, including activation of Ras and Akt pathways, also demonstrated increased levels of ARF4L protein, which decreased after treatment with rapamycin. The ARF4L transcript preferentially localized to the polysomal compartment afterPTENloss in glioma or activation of Akt in human astrocytes.
Conclusions
表达ARF4L由空调控制tivated Akt/mTOR pathway, which is a downstream effect of the loss ofPTENfunction. Mutations leading to oncogenesis may impact the regulation and expression of tumor specific antigens. Screening of mutation status in glioma may be helpful in selecting patients for immunotherapy trials in the future.
艾伦·l·詹姆斯·潘Ho Myreille D 'Astous,埃里克·S。Sussman, Patricia A. Thompson, Armine T. Tayag, Louisa Pangilinan, Scott G. Soltys, Iris C. Gibbs, and Steven D. Chang
OBJECTIVE
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been an attractive treatment option for hemangioblastomas, especially for lesions that are surgically inaccessible and in patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease and multiple lesions. Although there has been a multitude of studies examining the utility of SRS in intracranial hemangioblastomas, SRS has only recently been used for spinal hemangioblastomas due to technical limitations. The purpose of this study is to provide a long-term evaluation of the effectiveness of image-guided radiosurgery in halting tumor progression and providing symptomatic relief for spinal hemangioblastomas.
开云体育世界杯赔率
Between 2001 and 2011, 46 spinal hemangioblastomas in 28 patients were treated using the CyberKnife image-guided radiosurgery system at the authors' institution. Fourteen of these patients also had VHL disease. The median age at treatment was 43.5 years (range 19–85 years). The mean prescription radiation dose to the tumor periphery was 21.6 Gy (range 15–35 Gy). The median tumor volume was 0.264 cm3(range 0.025–70.9 cm3). Tumor response was evaluated on serial, contrast-enhanced CT and MR images. Clinical response was evaluated by clinical and imaging evaluation.
结果
The mean follow-up for the cohort was 54.3 months. Radiographic follow-up was available for 19 patients with 34 tumors; 32 (94.1%) tumors were radiographically stable or displayed signs of regression. Actuarial control rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 96.1%, 92.3%, and 92.3%, respectively. Clinical evaluation on follow-up was available for 13 patients with 16 tumors; 13 (81.2%) tumors in 10 patients had symptomatic improvement. No patient developed any complications related to radiosurgery.
有限公司NCLUSIONS
Image-guided SRS is safe and effective for the primary treatment of spinal hemangioblastomas and is an attractive alternative to resection, especially for those with VHL disease.
James Pan, Scott H. Boop, Jason K. Barber, Srinivas M. Susarla, Sharon Durfy, Jeffrey G. Ojemann, Hannah E. Goldstein, Amy Lee, Samuel Browd, Richard G. Ellenbogen, and Jason S. Hauptman
OBJECTIVE
Tethered cord syndrome refers to a constellation of symptoms characterized by neurological, musculoskeletal, and urinary symptoms, caused by traction on the spinal cord, which can be secondary to various etiologies. Surgical management of simple tethered cord etiologies (e.g., fatty filum) typically consists of a single-level lumbar laminectomy, intradural exploration, and coagulation and sectioning of the filum. More complex etiologies such as lipomyelomeningoceles or scar formation after myelomeningocele repair involve complex dissection and dural reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate operative complications and long-term outcomes of secondary retethering related to pediatric tethered cord release (TCR) at a tertiary children’s hospital.
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Medical records of children who underwent surgery for TCR from July 2014 to March 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included demographics, perioperative characteristics, surgical technique, and follow-up duration. Primary outcomes were 60-day postoperative complications and secondary retethering requiring repeat TCR surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with complications and secondary retethering.
结果
A total of 363 TCR surgeries (146 simple, 217 complex) in 340 patients were identified. The mean follow-up was 442.8 ± 662.2 days for simple TCRs and 733.9 ± 750.3 days for complex TCRs. The adjusted 60-day complication-free survival rate was 96.3% (95% CI 91.3%–98.4%) for simple TCRs and 88.7% (95% CI 82.3%–91.4%) for complex TCRs. Lower weight, shorter surgical times, and intensive care unit admission were associated with complications for simple TCRs. Soft-tissue drains increased complications for complex TCRs. The secondary retethering rates were 1.4% for simple TCRs and 11.9% for complex TCRs. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival rates in complex cases were 94.7% (95% CI 89.1%–97.4%), 77.7% (95% CI 67.3%–85.3%), and 62.6% (95% CI 46.5%–75.1%), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that prior detethering (OR 8.15, 95% CI 2.33–28.50; p = 0.001) and use of the operative laser (OR 10.43, 95% CI 1.36–80.26; p = 0.024) were independently associated with secondary retethering in complex cases.
有限公司NCLUSIONS
This is the largest series to date examining postoperative complications and long-term secondary retethering in TCR surgery. Simple TCR surgeries demonstrated safety, rare complications, and low secondary retethering rates. Complex TCR surgeries presented higher risks of complications and secondary retethering. Modifiable risk factors such as operative laser use influenced secondary retethering in complex cases.
Amol J. Ghia, Eric L. Chang, Andrew J. Bishop, Hubert Y. Pan, Nicholas S. Boehling, Behrang Amini, Pamela K. Allen, Jing Li, Laurence D. Rhines, Nizar M. Tannir, Claudio E. Tatsui, Paul D. Brown, and James N. Yang
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare fractionation schemes and outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated in institutional prospective spinal stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS) trials who did not previously undergo radiation treatment at the site of the SSRS.
开云体育世界杯赔率
Patients enrolled in 2 separate institutional prospective protocols and treated with SSRS between 2002 and 2011 were included. A secondary analysis was performed on patients with previously nonirradiated RCC spinal metastases treated with either single-fraction (SF) or multifraction (MF) SSRS.
结果
SSRS was performed in 47 spinal sites on 43 patients. The median age of the patients was 62 years (range 38–75 years). The most common histological subtype was clear cell (n = 30). Fifteen sites underwent surgery prior to the SSRS, with laminectomy the most common procedure performed (n = 10). All SF SSRS was delivered to a dose of 24 Gy (n = 21) while MF regiments were either 27 Gy in 3 fractions (n = 20) or 30 Gy in 5 fractions (n = 6). The median overall survival duration for the entire cohort was 22.8 months. The median local control (LC) for the entire cohort was 80.6 months with 1-year and 2-year actuarial LC rates of 82% and 68%, respectively. Single-fraction SSRS correlated with improved 1- and 2-year actuarial LC relative to MF SSRS (95% vs 71% and 86% vs 55%, respectively; p = 0.009). On competing risk analysis, SF SSRS showed superior LC to MF SSRS (subhazard ratio [SHR] 6.57, p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis for LC with tumor volume (p = 0.272), number of treated levels (p = 0.819), gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage (p = 0.225), and GTV minimum point dose (p = 0.97) as covariates, MF SSRS remained inferior to SF SSRS (SHR 5.26, p = 0.033)
有限公司NCLUSIONS
SSRS offers durable LC for spinal metastases from RCC. Single-fraction SSRS is associated with improved LC over MF SSRS for previously nonirradiated RCC spinal metastases.
Tej D. Azad, Arjun V. Pendharkar, James Pan, Yuhao Huang, Amy Li, Rogelio Esparza, Swapnil Mehta, Ian D. Connolly, Anand Veeravagu, Cynthia J. Campen, Samuel H. Cheshier, Michael S. B. Edwards, Paul G. Fisher, and Gerald A. Grant
OBJECTIVE
Pediatric spinal astrocytomas are rare spinal lesions that pose unique management challenges. Therapeutic options include gross-total resection (GTR), subtotal resection (STR), and adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy. With no randomized controlled trials, the optimal management approach for children with spinal astrocytomas remains unclear. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on pediatric spinal astrocytomas.
开云体育世界杯赔率
The authors performed a systematic review of the PubMed/MEDLINE electronic database to investigate the impact of histological grade and extent of resection on overall survival among patients with spinal cord astrocytomas. They retained publications in which the majority of reported cases included astrocytoma histology.
结果
29岁以前发表的研究遇到了eligibility criteria, totaling 578 patients with spinal cord astrocytomas. The spinal level of intramedullary spinal cord tumors was predominantly cervical (53.8%), followed by thoracic (40.8%). Overall, resection was more common than biopsy, and GTR was slightly more commonly achieved than STR (39.7% vs 37.0%). The reported rates of GTR and STR rose markedly from 1984 to 2015. Patients with high-grade astrocytomas had markedly worse 5-year overall survival than patients with low-grade tumors. Patients receiving GTR may have better 5-year overall survival than those receiving STR.
有限公司NCLUSIONS
The authors describe trends in the management of pediatric spinal cord astrocytomas and suggest a benefit of GTR over STR for 5-year overall survival.
