The aim of this work is to show the imaging criteria of the offending vessel in neurovascular compression syndrome in the cerebellopontine angle using MRI. This will increase the acceptance of the concept of vascular compression syndrome of the cranial nerves as an etiology of trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, and some cases of disabling vertigo and tinnitus.
Between 1994 and 2008, MRI radiographs of 782 cases of vasculoneural compression were reviewed to analyze the imaging criteria of the offending vascular loop and were correlated with intraoperative vascular decompression findings in various pathologies such as hemifacial spasm, trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, vertigo, and tinnitus.
The specificity and high sensitivity of the T2 constructive interference in steady state or fast spin eco sequence MRI allowed us to precisely define the vasculoneural conflict in almost all cases and to highlight certain radiological criteria required for a vasculoneural conflict diagnosis in general. These criteria are mainly the presence of a vascular loop that is perpendicular to the course of the nerve and the presence of distortion of the neural structures.
MRI in the T2 sequence is the key assessment in neurovascular compression syndrome.
Sphenoid sinus disease is recognized as an unusual clinical entity. It is likely that it is under-reported because of its lack of recognition as it has an insidious onset with nonspecific symptoms. Further, optimal physical examination is difficult because of the relative inaccessibility of the sinus. During the past decades, endoscopic sphenoid surgery has been the standard approach worldwide. There are many variables to be considered while selecting the best endoscopic approach to the sphenoid. In this work, the author describes different endoscopic approaches to the sphenoid with their clinical application.
The aim of this work was to perform an audiological evaluation on a group of children with autistic features and to correlate the results with the intelligent quotient, communication skills, and sensory integration function of these children.
Descriptive cross-sectional study.
The study was carried out on 25 Egyptian children with autistic features and 25 age-matched and sex-matched typically developing children. All the children’s age ranged from 4 to 9 years. All the children were subjected to the following: history taking, basic audiological evaluation, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, N100, and P300. The children were also subjected to communication assessment, sensory integration dysfunction questionnaire, psychometric evaluation, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The results obtained from the two groups were then compared. In addition, correlation studies were carried out for all the results obtained.
Autistic children presented with normal hearing sensitivities and cochlear function, and delayed N100 and P300 latencies and small P300 amplitudes compared with the control group. There was a significant negative correlation between N100 latency and verbal and nonverbal communication abilities. In addition, there was a significant correlation between P300 latency and amplitude and each of the following: intelligent quotient, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and dynamic assessment of verbal and nonverbal communication. The auditory and visual modalities of the sensory integration dysfunction score correlated positively with P300 latency but not amplitude.
The auditory deficits in autism involve controlled attention processes, speed of perceptual classification, and allocation of attention. N100 is a correlate of the level of communication and language development rather than a marker of autism. P300 abnormalities affect verbal and nonverbal communication, mental development, autistic features, and sensory integration function in autism and may be used as a tool to assess the prognosis of autism.
Different methods have been used in the past for the diagnosis of many laryngeal diseases. Ultrasound has become a very important, widely used diagnostic tool for head and neck diseases.
The aim of this study was to evaluate laryngeal ultrasound as an alternative to computed tomography (CT) scans in the diagnosis of different laryngeal diseases.
This was a comparative cross-sectional study that was carried out between April 2010 and December 2011 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt. The study comprised two groups of patients: the control group (12 patients) and the study group (54 patients). Individuals of the control group who were undergoing neck ultrasound for thyroid swelling were subjected to laryngeal ultrasound only, whereas patients of the study group were subjected to both laryngeal ultrasound and CT scans of the neck.
Laryngeal ultrasound was found to be effective in detecting vocal cord nodules in 27.3% of patients, polyps and cysts in all patients, Reinke’s oedema in 60% of patients and laryngeal masses in 78.6% of patients. These results were comparable with those of the CT scans.
Laryngeal ultrasound is considered of great value in diagnosing different laryngeal lesions and can be used as an alternative to or complementary to CT scans.
The level of evidence is 3a.