Board Review 1 – Case 7

Posted on May 20, 2018January 15, 2019 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 7

Neuroradiology board review. This lecture is geared towards the ABR core exam for residents, but it would be useful for review for the ABR certifying exam or certificate of added qualification (CAQ) exam for neuroradiology.

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

This case is a patient presenting to the ER with headache. The CT demonstrates scattered areas of edema, warranting further evaluation with an MRI.

The MRI shows parenchymal nodular areas of enhancement with surrounding edema. There is also coating of the surfaces of the brain with abnormal enhancement, known as leptomeningeal enhancement. When this is nodular, it is highly concerning for metastatic disease.

The diagnosis is: metastatic disease

Nodular leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI is concerning for several serious pathologies. The differential includes meningitis, both with bacterial and unusual (TB and fungal) pathogens, inflammatory pathologies such as sarcoidosis, and carcinomatosis (as in this case).

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 6

Posted on May 19, 2018January 15, 2019 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 6

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

This case is a young postpartum patient with seizure and somnolence. The MRI shows FLAIR hyperintense white matter abnormalities in a predominantly posterior distribution. There is likely a small amount of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The diagnosis is: posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, or PRES.

PRES has several names, including acute hypertensive encephalopathy, although this is also misleading because there are several causes, including hypertension and many medications. It is a primary disorder of vasoregulation, with edema occurring in subcortical white matter.

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 5

Posted on April 24, 2018December 11, 2018 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 5

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

This case has a patient with Parkinsonian symptoms and shows a nuclear medicine scan of the basal ganglia. This scan is an I131-ioflupane scan, or DaTscan. In this, the normal distribution is in both the caudate and putamen (like a comma). In parkinsonian syndromes, the putamen loses its normal signal and the image becomes more like a period.

The diagnosis is: parkinson’s disease

DaTscan can be useful in differentiating true parkinsonian syndromes (including MSA and PSP) from vascular or drug-induced parkisonism, among other causes. However, it cannot differentiate between PD, MSA, and PSP.

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 4

Posted on April 24, 2018December 11, 2018 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 4

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

In this case, there are bilateral basal ganglia and cortical FLAIR hyperintensities. Thalamic abnormalities involve the pulvinar nucleus and make an L-shaped abnormality known as the “hockey stick sign”.

The diagnosis is: creutzfeldt-jakob disease, or CJD.

CJD is a prion disease characterized by rapidly progressive dementia. The vast majority of cases are spontaneous, although some can be acquired through exposure to prions in meat.

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 3

Posted on April 22, 2018December 11, 2018 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 3

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

In this case, the patient has T2 hyperintensity in the pons. This abnormality takes on a cruciform shape which is known as a “hot crossed bun” appearance.

The diagnosis is: multisystem atrophy, or MSA

Multisystem atrophy is a degenerative disease which is similar to Parkinson’s disease. It does not respond well to typical Parkinson’s disease treatments. There are 3 main types of MSA.

MSA-P has Parkinsonian predominant symptoms.
MSA-C is predominated by cerebellar symptoms and ataxia
MSA-A (autonomic) is dominated by autonomic instability and was previously known as Shy-Drager syndrome

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 2

Posted on April 21, 2018December 10, 2018 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 2

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

In this case, the patient has focal midbrain atrophy. On sagittal images, this gives the midbrain the appearance of a hummingbird, with a concave upper margin to the midbrain. This is called the hummingbird sign. On axial images, the interpeduncular cistern is widened, giving the midbrain the appearance of “Mickey Mouse”

The diagnosis is: progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP

PSP is a degenerative disease which is similar to Parkinson’s disease. Other key features include vertical gaze palsy and dementia. It does not respond well to typical Parkinson’s disease treatments.

Youtube Playlist

Board Review 1 – Case 1

Posted on April 14, 2018December 10, 2018 by Brent Weinberg, MD

Board Review 1 – Case 1

More description and the answer (spoiler!) are seen below the video.

In this case, a relatively young individual has memory loss. Imaging findings demonstrate volume loss and T2/FLAIR hyperintensity within the caudates bilaterally.

The diagnosis is: Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease is an autosomal dominant disease with characteristic findings of caudate volume loss and hyperintensity.

Youtube Playlist