brain edema, herniation, tumors Flashcards
what type of brain edema causes intracellular swelling secondary to direct cell injury
cytotoxic edema
cyto= cell
cytotoxic edema caused by failure of what
failur of homeostatic mechanisms that maintain cell size
cytotoxic edema represents what that is caused by homeostatic failure
ATP failure
what type of brain edema is caused by increased permeability of capillary endothelial cells
vasogenic edema
what is vasogenic edema
- Vasogenic Edema (Barrier Breakdown - Fluid Leaks In)
• Cause: Breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (e.g., tumors, trauma, infections).
• Where?: Extracellular space (fluid leaks between brain cells).
• Key Feature: Affects white matter more.
• Example: Brain tumors, abscesses, stroke.
examples of vasogenic edema are
tumors
ICH
infarcts
abseccess
cns infections
what is the tx of vasogenic edema
steroid therapy : gd for mass lesions
what types is caused by increased fluid in periventricular white matter due to obstruction of csf flow
interstitial edema
examples of interstitial edema
•Example: Hydrocephalus (fluid accumulation in the brain)
treat interstitial edema
reduce csf pressure
what happens in tonsillar herniation
foramen magnum herniation or coning
the cerebellar tonsils herniate thru foramen magnum compress medulla oblongata and upper cervical sc
what are complications of tonsillar herniation
cardiopulmonary irregularities
what happens in subfalcine herniation
cingulate gyrus is displaced under falx cerebri by a high supratentorial mass in one hemisphere
what artery is compressed in subfalcine
anterior cerebral atery
what part of the brain is infarcted in subfalcine
paramedian cortex (frontal and parietal)
what veins can subfalcine compress
bridging veins that drain superior sagittal sinus
what type of tumor is benign well circumscribed in posterior fossa mostly occurs in children
pilocytic astrocytoma
diffuse astrocytoma is found mostly found where and is it benign or malignant
cerebral hemispheres and it is benign
anaplastic astrocytoma is characterized by what
-malignant
-increase in cellularity
-inc in mitotic activity
-atypia
glioblastoma astrocytoma features
-malignant
-progresses rapidly
-poor prognosis
-central necrosis and vascular prolif
where does meningioma arise from
arise from meninges and is benign
what do pts with vestibular schwannoma present with
-unilateral hearing loss
-tinnitus
-vertigo
-loss of balance
vestibular schwannoma occurs due to damage to what
vestibular nerve that is associated with balance
where does vestibular schwannoma originate from
cerebello-pontine angle
medulloblastoma features
-children
-neuroectodermal tumor
-arise from 4th vent
-post fossa
-highly malignant
presentation of pt with medulloblastoma
obstructive hydrocephalus
raised icp
where does craniopharyngioma arise from
from rathkes pouch embryo structure contributes to pituitary gland
what is the most common suprasellar tumor in children
craniopharyngioma
what do pts with craniopharyngioma present with
hypopituitarism
homonymous hemianopia
what to pts present with symptoms in subfalcine herniatiom
gait problem since aca is compressed and is in frontal lobe with controls movementsof lower limbs
in uncal herniation where is it located in brain
in temporal lobe
what are symptoms in uncal herniation
Think of the uncus (part of the temporal lobe) as a piece of brain tissue that gets pushed downward due to swelling or bleeding. This squeezes important brain structures, leading to three key symptoms:
Easy Way to Remember Symptoms – “Big Pupil, Bad Eye, Body Weak”
1. “Big Pupil” (Blown Pupil - One Large, Non-Reactive Pupil)
• The pupil on the same side as the herniation gets huge and doesn’t react to light.
• This happens because the oculomotor nerve (CN III) is squished, stopping pupil control.
2. “Bad Eye” (Eye Looks Down & Out + Droopy Eyelid)
• The eye on the same side can’t move properly → It points down & out.
• The eyelid droops (ptosis) because the nerve controlling eye muscles is compressed.
3. “Body Weak” (Weakness on the Opposite Side)
• The opposite side of the body becomes weak or paralyzed.
• This happens because the brainstem gets compressed, affecting movement signals.
what type of herniation is when both temporal lobes herniate thru tentorial notch bcz of bilateral mass effects
central herniation
what is compressed in tonsillar herniation
medulla oblongata contains resp centers (DRG+VRG) and upper sc
on mri what does glioblastoma appear
ring enhancing lesion
what is cytotoxic edema
Cytotoxic Edema (Cell Swelling - Fluid Stuck Inside)
• Cause: Brain cells can’t regulate water properly (e.g., oxygen deprivation).
• Where?: Inside brain cells (neurons and glial cells swell up).
• Key Feature: Affects both gray and white matter.
• Example: Stroke, toxins, hypoxia (lack of oxygen).
what is interstitial edema in brain
Interstitial Edema (CSF Overflow - Fluid Buildup Outside)
• Cause: Blocked cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage (e.g., hydrocephalus).
• Where?: Periventricular space (around the brain’s ventricles).
• Key Feature: Caused by excess CSF, not direct blood-brain barrier damage.
• Example: Hydrocephalus (fluid accumulation in the brain).
