1/6. pathology of a dissecting intracranial aneurysm.The pathological findings of six autopsy cases of dissecting intracranial aneurysm are studied. Clinically, all cases exhibited systemic hypertension or left ventricular hypertrophy. Macroscopically, all cases exhibited rupture of the vertebral artery and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Two types of lesion were present. First, all cases showed the formation of a dilatated pseudoaneurysm with widespread disruption of the entire arterial wall, which was composed of thin adventitia. Second, a medial disruption of the arterial wall and subadventitial dissecting hemorrhage, which formed a false lumen and stenosis of the 'true' lumen of the artery, was also found. However, these lesions were found to be connected to the site of rupture. The autopsy cases within 1 day of onset of intracranial dissecting aneurysm showed the formation of fibrin thrombus, a marked degree of leukocyte infiltration and necrosis of the arterial wall at the site of the lesion. The cases that survived more than 1 week showed smooth muscle cell proliferation, macrophage accumulation and lymphocytic infiltration. No arteriosclerosis was found in any lesion studied. These data suggest that the disruption of the entire arterial wall might initially occur and cause medial disruption and subadventitial hemorrhage. hypertension and arteriosclerosis might function as causal and protective factors in the pathogenesis of dissecting intracranial aneurysms, respectively.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. An autopsied case of interferon encephalopathy.A 78-year-old male with renal carcinoma was treated with a high dose infusion of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) for eight months. The patient had evidence of organic brain syndrome such as dysfunction of memory, slowing of behavior, and development of mental confusion that appeared eight months after the treatment. MRI at the time of mental confusion revealed diffuse white matter lesions. Neuropathologic findings were compatible to Binswanger's disease and Senile dementia of Alzheimer Type (SDAT), Preexisting neurologic abnormalities including intracerebral arteriosclerosis and cerebral atrophy may increase susceptibility to unacceptably severe IFN neurotoxicity.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. Binswanger's disease: progressive subcortical encephalopathy or multi-infarct dementia?Since Binswanger's description of subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy in 1894, numerous cases have been reported. Several authors doubt the validity of this malady, although the majority consider it to be a disease entity. We report seven cases with this type of pallor of myelin, only two of which are accompanied by a history of dementia. Among the seven cases, two had arteriosclerosis of penetrating arteries and arterioles in cerebral white matter. Electron microscopy showed splitting of myelin sheaths, probably the result of edema. In reviewing the blood supply of the cerebral white matter, we conclude that no pathological alterations of medullary branches of the cerebral arteries, the same vessels supplying the white matter, can give rise to such diffuse pallor of white matter and spare the arcuate fibres. This pallor can only be due to cerebral edema, most likely of hypoxic-ischemic, hypotensive, or acidotic origin. We also contend that arteriosclerosis can only cause dementia through multiple infarcts or lacunae, if it indeed leads to dementia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. Cerebrovascular arteriopathy (arteriosclerosis) and ischemic childhood stroke.The aim of this report is to describe the intracranial cerebrovascular abnormalities and clinical status of 8 children who had familial lipoprotein disorders and evidence of thromboembolic cerebrovascular disease. Six of the 8 children had low levels of plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol, two had high triglyceride levels, and all came from kindreds characterized by familial lipoprotein abnormalities and premature cardio- and/or cerebrovascular atherosclerosis. Vascular occlusion, irregularities of the arterial lumen, beading, tortuosity, and evidence of collateralization were consistently noted. We speculate that cerebrovascular arteriosclerosis in pediatric ischemic stroke victims who have familial lipoprotein abnormalities may be related to lipoprotein-mediated endothelial damage and thrombosis formation, or to the failure to restore endothelial cells' integrity following damage. The apparent association of lipoproteins and strokes in children and their families merits further exploration, particularly when assessing cerebral angiograms in pediatric ischemic stroke victims. In children with unexplained ischemic cerebrovascular accidents, the diagnostic possibility of occlusive arteriosclerosis with thrombosis must be entertained.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's type) and cortical infarcts in a young normotensive patient.A 49-year-old normotensive man died after a series of strokes, slowly evolving dementia and personality change occurring over a period of 23 years. CT scan showed large infarcts involving the cortex and white matter of the temporo-occipital areas, small subcortical infarcts and low attenuation in the white matter of the frontal and parietal lobes. Neuropathological examination revealed large cortical and small subcortical infarcts corresponding to the radiological findings as well as degeneration/demyelination of central white matter corresponding to the areas of low attenuation seen on CT. The basic underlying pathological process was hyaline arteriosclerosis and atheroma which diffusely affected the small intracerebral arteries and to a lesser extent the arteries of the circle of willis. Though usual because of the absence of hypertension, the very early age at onset of the syndrome and the presence of large cortical infarcts this case illustrates the clinical, radiological and neuropathological features of subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's type).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. An autopsy case of Binswanger's disease without hypertension and associated with cerebral infarction in the terminal stage.We report here an autopsy case of Binswanger's disease (BD) without hypertension and associated with cerebral infarction in the terminal stage. The female patient, who was 74 years old at the time of death, had initially demonstrated manic-depressive disorder-like mental disorder, followed by dementia and neurological deficits. A brain CT scan showed white matter low attenuation bilaterally and symmetrically. BD was clinically diagnosed despite the lack of hypertension. In the terminal stage, she suffered an infarction in the left anterior cerebral artery region, and died of pneumonia. Neuropathologically, we found the infarction of the left anterior cerebral artery region, demyelination, fibrillary gliosis, lacunae and arteriosclerosis of the small arteries and arterioles in the white matter.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = arteriosclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |