• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.125-127
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• 2013

Here, we report a rare case of an anaplastic astrocytoma masquerading as a hypertensive basal ganglia hemorrhage. A 69-year-old woman who had been under medical management for hypertension during the past 3 years suddenly developed right hemiparesis with dysarthria. Brain computed tomography (CT) scans with contrast and CT angiograms revealed an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the left basal ganglia, without an underlying lesion. She was treated conservatively, but underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunt operation 3 months after the initial attack due to deteriorated mental status and chronic hydrocephalus. Three months later, her mental status deteriorated further. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium demonstrated an irregular enhanced mass in which the previous hemorrhage occurred. The final histological diagnosis which made by stereotactic biopsy was an anaplastic astrocytoma. In the present case, the diagnosis of a high grade glioma was delayed due to tumor bleeding mimicking hypertensive ICH. Thus, a careful review of neuroradiological images including MRI with a suspicion of tumor bleeding is needed even in the patients with past medical history of hypertension.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권17호
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• pp.7201-7205
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• 2014

Chemokine and chemokine receptor expression by tumor cells contributes to tumor growth and angiogenesis and thus these factors may be considered as tumor markers. Here we aimed to characterize cells directly extracted from glioma, meningioma, and secondary brain tumors as well as non-tumoral cells in vitro. Cells were isolated from brain tissues using 0.2% collagenase and characterized by flow cytometry. Expression of SDF-1, CXCR4, CXCR7, RANTES, CCR5, MCP-1 and IP-10 was defined using flow cytometry and qRT-PCR methods. Brain tissue isolated cells were observed as spindle-shaped cell populations. No significant differences were observed for expression of SDF-1, CXCR4, CXCR7, RANTES, CCR5, and IP-10 transcripts. However, the expression of CXCR4 was approximately 13-fold and 110-fold higher than its counterpart, CXCR7, in meningioma and glioma cells, respectively. CXCR7 was not detectable in secondary tumors but CXCR4 was expressed. In non tumoral cells, CXCR7 had 1.3-fold higher mRNA expression than CXCR4. Flow cytometry analyses of RANTES, MCP-1, IP-10, CCR5 and CXCR4 expression showed no significant difference between low and high grade gliomas. Differential expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 in brain tumors derived cells compared to non-tumoral samples may have crucial impacts on therapeutic interventions targeting the SDF-1/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.951-958
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) obtained using dual-layer dual-energy CT (DL-DECT) for evaluating brain tumors. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 32 patients with brain tumors who had undergone non-contrast head CT using DL-DECT. Among them, 15 had glioblastoma (GBM), 7 had malignant lymphoma, 5 had high-grade glioma other than GBM, 3 had low-grade glioma, and 2 had metastatic tumors. Conventional polychromatic images and VMIs (40-200 keV at 10 keV intervals) were generated. We compared CT attenuation, image noise, contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between tumor and white matter (WM) or grey matter (GM) between VMIs showing the highest CNR (optimized VMI) and conventional CT images using the paired t test. Two radiologists subjectively assessed the contrast, margin, noise, artifact, and diagnostic confidence of optimized VMIs and conventional images on a 4-point scale. Results: The image noise of VMIs at all energy levels tested was significantly lower than that of conventional CT images (p < 0.05). The 40-keV VMIs yielded the best CNR. Furthermore, both contrast and CNR between the tumor and WM were significantly higher in the 40 keV images than in the conventional CT images (p < 0.001); however, the contrast and CNR between tumor and GM were not significantly different (p = 0.47 and p = 0.31, respectively). The subjective scores assigned to contrast, margin, and diagnostic confidence were significantly higher for 40 keV images than for conventional CT images (p < 0.01). Conclusion: In head CT for patients with brain tumors, compared with conventional CT images, 40 keV VMIs from DL-DECT yielded superior tumor contrast and diagnostic confidence, especially for brain tumors located in the WM.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.263-271
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• 2001

교모세포종은 비교적 흔한 원발성 뇌종양이며 생물학적 특성상 빠른 성장률을 보이는 것 외에 침습성이 강하여 종양과 인접한 부분을 파괴 시킬 뿐 아니라 직접접촉하지 않는 부분의 파괴도 일어나게 되어 그 결과 치료 예후가 매우 불량한 것으로 되어 있다. 이러한 불량한 예후를 개선 시키기 위해서는 이들 종양의 침습에 대한 기전의 정확한 이해가 필요하며 이를 이용한 새로운 치료방법이 요구된다할 것이다. Protein kinase C(PKC)는 세포내 신호전달체제 과정에서 매우 중요한 역할을 하는 효소로 세포막 수용체 신호를 핵으로 전달하는 역할을 하며 세포내 여러 생물학적 작용이 알려져 있다. 본 실험은 종양침습과 연관하여 세포내 PKC가 어떠한 작용을 하는지에 대해서 악성교종 세포를 대상으로 하여 알아보고자 하였다. 따라서 PKC가 종양침습에 중요한 역할을 할 것이라는 가설을 세웠고 이 가설을 증명하기 위해 세포내 PKC농도를 길항제 및 촉진제를 이용하며 높고 낮게 조절함으로써 그에 따른 침습성의 변화를 살펴보았다. 방법으로는 교모세포종 세포주인 U-87 세포를 약제로 처리한 후 인위적으로 조절된 세포내의 PKC에 대해 효소의 활성도를 측정하였고 침습성은 matrigel artificial basement membrane assay 및 tumor spheroid fetal rat brain aggregate(FRBA) confrontation assay를 이용하여 측정하였다. 결과로 PKC의 길항제인 tamoxifen과 hypericin으로 처치한 세포는 PKC의 활성과 침습도가 모두 감소하였으며 이는 약제농도에 비례하여 나타났다. 반면 PKC 자극제인 TPA로 처치된 세포는 증가된 PKC 활성도나 침습도을 보이지 않았다. 이러한 결과를 종합해 보았을 때 PKC는 종양세포의 침습성에 중요한 역할을 함을 알 수 있었으며 PKC의 길항제는 종양 치료에 유용한 화학 요법 제가 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.222-227
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• 2008

Objective : Malignant gliomas are the most common primary cerebral neoplasms in adults. Despite multimodality treatments, the prognosis for patients with malignant glioma remains poor. However, recently, the effectiveness of concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with temozolomide (TMZ) has been reported. We report for the first time preliminary results of the treatment with CCRT of newly diagnosed malignant gliomas in Korean people. Methods : Thirty-two patients over the age of 17 years with newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed high-grade gliomas (HGG), from June 2004 to August 2007 were the subjects of this study. There were 17 men and 15 women, with a median age of 53.5 years (range, 17-74). Pathologically, glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and gliomatosis cerebri had been diagnosed in eighteen, eight, four, and two patients, respectively. These 32 patients were treated with CCRT with TMZ. Results : The median follow-up period was 12.5 months (range 3-48). At the time of this analysis, 13 patients died and three patients had been lost to follow-up. There was no mortality caused by drug toxicity. The median progression-free survival (PFS) of these patients was 9.0 months, and the six-month PFS rate was 72.4%. The median overall survival (OS) was 26 months, and the one-year OS rate was 83.6%. The 18 patients with glioblastoma were analyzed separately from the other patients with HGG, and the median OS was 18 months, and the one-year OS rates were 81.8%. The median PFS was seven months, and the six-month PFS rate was 75.0%. Conclusion : Our results are consistent with many other reports, confirming that CCRT with TMZ achieves good clinical outcomes in the treatment of HGG. Therefore, we suggest that CCRT with TMZ as adjuvant chemotherapy be considered as a standard therapy for patients with HGG.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.233-242
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the association of MRI features with the major genomic profiles and prognosis of World Health Organization grade III (G3) gliomas compared with those of glioblastomas (GBMs). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 76 G3 glioma and 155 GBM patients with pathologically confirmed disease who had pretreatment brain MRI and major genetic information of tumors. Qualitative and quantitative imaging features, including volumetrics and histogram parameters, such as normalized cerebral blood volume (nCBV), cerebral blood flow (nCBF), and apparent diffusion coefficient (nADC) were evaluated. The G3 gliomas were divided into three groups for the analysis: with this isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutation, IDH mutation and a chromosome arm 1p/19q-codeleted (IDHmut1p/19qdel), IDH mutation, 1p/19q-nondeleted (IDHmut1p/19qnondel), and IDH wildtype (IDHwt). A prediction model for the genetic profiles of G3 gliomas was developed and validated on a separate cohort. Both the quantitative and qualitative imaging parameters and progression-free survival (PFS) of G3 gliomas were compared and survival analysis was performed. Moreover, the imaging parameters and PFS between IDHwt G3 gliomas and GBMs were compared. Results: IDHmut G3 gliomas showed a larger volume (p = 0.017), lower nCBF (p = 0.048), and higher nADC (p = 0.007) than IDHwt. Between the IDHmut tumors, IDHmut1p/19qdel G3 gliomas had higher nCBV (p = 0.024) and lower nADC (p = 0.002) than IDHmut1p/19qnondel G3 gliomas. Moreover, IDHmut1p/19qdel tumors had the best prognosis and IDHwt tumors had the worst prognosis among G3 gliomas (p < 0.001). PFS was significantly associated with the 95th percentile values of nCBV and nCBF in G3 gliomas. There was no significant difference in neither PFS nor imaging features between IDHwt G3 gliomas and IDHwt GBMs. Conclusion: We found significant differences in MRI features, including volumetrics, CBV, and ADC, in G3 gliomas, according to IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion status, which can be utilized for the prediction of genomic profiles and the prognosis of G3 glioma patients. The MRI signatures and prognosis of IDHwt G3 gliomas tend to follow those of IDHwt GBMs.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.268-271
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• 2004

A 43-year-old man was presented with persistent headache for two weeks. 72 weighted MR imaging showed high signal intensity with surrounding edema in the left frontal lobe. These findings were considered with intracranial tumor such as glioma or metastasis. Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT showed focal radiotracer accumulation in the left frontal lobe. The operative specimen contained cerebral infarction with organizing leptomeningeal hematoma by pathologist. Another 73-year-old man was hospitalized for chronic headache. Initial CT showed ill-defined hypodensity with mass effect in the right parietal lobe. Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT showed focal radiotracer uptake in the right parietal lobe. These findings were considered with low-grade glioma or infarction. Follow-up CT after 5 months showed slightly decreased in size of low density in the right parietal lobe, and cerebral infarction is more likely than others. Tc-99m tetrofosmin has been proposed as a cardiotracer of myocardial perfusion imaging and an oncotropic radiotracer. Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT image provides a better attractive alternative agent than T1-201 as a tumor-imaging agent, with characteristics such as high-energy flux, short half-life, favorable biodistribution, dosimetry and lower background radioactivity. We have keep in mind on the analysis of Tc-99m tetrofomin imaging when cerebral infarction is being differentiated from brain tumor.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.132-134
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• 2007

The authors describe an anaplastic oligodendroglioma of the cerebellum which is distinctly uncommon. The patient presented with sudden onset of decreased consciousness associated with hemorrhage in the cerebellum, which appeared to origin from a vascular malformation or a tumor on a initial computed tomography (CT) scan. Subsequent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging suggested a high grade glioma with abundant vascularity in the right cerebellum. The histological examination revealed the findings compatible with those of an anaplastic oligodendroglioma. A complicated clinical course had led him to a poor outcome.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.53-56
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• 2009

The authors report here a rare case of cerebellar schistosomiasis identified by pathological diagnosis, lacking extracranial involvement. The clinical symptoms included headache, dizziness, and nausea. Studies in blood were normal and no parasite eggs were detected in stool. Computed tomography of brains showed hypodense signal, and magnetic resonance imaging showed isointense signal on T1-weighted images, hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images, and intensely enhancing nodules in the right cerebellum after intravenous administration of gadolinium. A high-grade glioma was suspected, and an operation was performed. The pathologic examination of the biopsy specimen revealed schistosomal granulomas scattered within the parenchyma of the cerebellum. The definitive diagnosis was cerebellar schistosomiasis japonica. A standard use of praziquantel and corticosteroid drugs was applied, and the prognosis was good. When the pattern of imaging examinations is present as mentioned above, a diagnosis of brain schistosomiasis should be considered.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.385-388
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• 2009

Objective : We analyzed the methylation status of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter in World Health Organization (WHO) grade III gliomas in association with other molecular markers to evaluate their prevalence. Methods : The samples of a total of 36 newly WHO grade III glioma patients including 19 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AO), 7 anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (AOA), and 10 anaplastic astrocytomas (AA) were analyzed. The methylation status of the MGMT gene promoter was confirmed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The 1p/19q chromosomal deletion status and EGFR amplification were assessed by Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization. MGMT, EGFR, EGFRvlll, and p53 expression were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Results : The MGMT gene promoter was methylated in 32 (88.9%) and unmethylated in 4 (11.2%) Among them, all of the AO and AOA had methylated MGMT gene promoter without exception. Significant associations between MGMT gene promoter hypermethylation and 1p/19q deletion was observed (p=0.003). Other molecular markers failed to show significant associations between MGMT gene promoter statuses. Conclusion : There was extensive epigenetic silencing of MGMT gene in high grade gliomas with oligodendroglial component. Together with frequent 1p/19q co-deletion in oligodendroglial tumors, this may add plausible explanations supporting the relative favorable prognosis in oligodendroglial tumors compared with pure astrocytic tumors.