Neuro Flashcards
Ddx intraaxial hemorrhage
HTN, tumor (primary or mets), vascular malformation (cavernoma, AVM), trauma, amyloid, venous infarct, transformation of ischemic stroke
gelatinous pseudocysts - who? describe? caused by?
HIV pts perivascular spread of infection from cryptococcus, toxo, TB, fungal, angiocentric lymphoma
Intraventricular mass in adult
glioma (astrocytoma, subependymoma, giant cell astrocytoma), meningioma, ependymoma, choroid plexus papilloma, metastasis, cystercosis, central neurocytoma (young adult)
intraventricular mass in child
choroid plexus papilloma, ependymoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), teratoma, and astrocytoma
Posterior dysmyelinating disease
Adrenoleukodystrophy (unless it’s a girl - very unlikely in this X-linked disease) - has a leading edge of enhancement PRES (ask about HTN)
Anterior dysmyelinating disease
Alexander Childhood onset Alexander disease is sporadic and typically presents with macrocephaly, rapid neuorological deterioration, seizures and spasticity, and retarded psychomotor development
Describe pattern of metachromatic leukodystrophy
Diffuse, sparing of subcortical U fibers, “tiger striping”
How do you grade an AVM?
Spetzler-Martin Size of nidus (6cm) location (eloquent?) draining vein deep or superficial
What is a ganglioglioma
low grade, typically temporal lobe. Solid or partially cystic mass.
Ddx temporal lobe mass with cystic component
Ganglioglioma PXA: pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma hemangioblastoma (can have cystic component) pilocytic astrocytoma met (lung, breast, etc.) oligodendroglioma (look for calcs on CT) DNET (bubbly on T2) all cystic - neurocysticercosis
Name the CNS vascular malformations
capillary telangiectasia, AVM, cavernous hemangioma, developmental venous anomaly
periventricular cystic spaces in a child
periventricular leukomalacia from HIE (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy) in former premie
hypothalamic/suprasellar masses - adult
craniopharyhgioma, pituitary adenoma (maybe with hemorrhage), teratoma, aneurysm, rathke cleft cyst, chordoma, mets
Wernickes Encephalopathy - what is it? findings?
Thymine (B1) deficiency symmetrical increased T2 signal in the thalami, mamillary bodies, tectal plate, and periaqueductal area
Ddx leptomeningeal enhancement
meningitis (bacterial, fungal, TB) leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (CNS) lymphoma/leukemia sarcoidosis (moya moya)
intracranial hypotension - what? findings?
CSF leak (usually in spine) cerebellar tonsillar herniation dural venous sinus distention dural (pachymeningeal) enhancement
Ddx dural/pachymeningeal enhancement
infection: bacterial, fungal, TB intracranial hypotension post-op dural mets (breast and prostate) sarcoid lymphoma
What’s the difference between leptomeninges and dura/pachymeninges?
Lepto = pia and arachnoid (gyriform) Pachymeninges = dura (follows dural reflections)
Enlarged lateral and third ventricles, small 4th ventricle
aqueductal stenosis
Multiple hemosiderin deposits in brain (“black dot” differential)
DAI, mets, amyloid, cavernomas, neurocystercercosis (calcification internally)
ring-enhancing lesions in the CNS
GBM (thick rim) abscess (restricted diffusion) CNS lymphoma with immunocompromised host tumefactive MS (incomplete ring) sequestered subacute infarct resolving hematoma radiation necrosis Toxoplasmosis (neurocystercercosis - some enhance, some not)
lesion in 3rd ventricle
colloid cyst, aneurysm, neurocystercercosis, subependymoma
NF2 lesions
meningioma, schwannoma (esp 8th nerve), ependymoma
what is a phakomatosis? name some
neurocutaneous disorder characterised by involvement of structures that arise from the embryonic ectoderm (thus central nervous system, skin and eyes) neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) neurofribromatosis type 2 (NF2) tuberous sclerosis encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis: or Sturge-Weber syndrome von Hippel-Lindau disease ataxia telangiectasia (etc…)