These MR indexes may allow the identification and quantification of viable but ischemically threatened cerebral tissue amenable to therapeutic interventions in the hyperacute care of stroke patients.

Blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) are a controversial entity. They arise from non-branching sites on the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) and are suspected to originate from a dissection. Our aim is to describe the BBA cases seen in our center and to present a systematic review of the literature on BBAs. We analyzed the eleven cases of BBA admitted to our center from 2003 to 2012. We assessed the medical history, treatment modality (endovascular and/or surgery), complications and clinical outcome. The cohort included 8 women and 4 men with a mean age of 53.16 years. Treatment of the BBA consisted of stenting and coiling in 5 patients, stenting only in 4 patients, coiling and clipping in 1 patient, clipping only in 1 patient, and conservative treatment in 1 patient. A good outcome was found in 10 patients, as defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) less than or equal to two at three months. A systematic review of the literature was performed, and 314 reported patients were found: 221 patients were treated with a primarily surgical approach, and 87 patients were treated with a primarily endovascular approach. A rescue or second treatment was required in 46 patients (21%). The overall estimated treatment morbidity rate was 17%, and the mortality rate was 15%. BBAs exhibit more aggressive behavior compared to saccular aneurysms, and more intra-operative complications occur with BBAs, independent of the treatment type offered. They are also significantly more likely to relapse and rebleed after treatment. Endovascular treatment offers a lower morbidity-mortality compared with surgical approaches. Multilayer flow-diverting stents appear to be a promising strategy.

Multiple acute stroke lesions on DWI are common and could be caused by multiple emboli or the breakup of an embolus. In some cases it might become possible to make early inferences concerning the stroke mechanism that could be of use for immediately directing the clinical work-up and treatment of the patient.

Vitamin B 12 deficiency is known to be associated with signs of demyelination, usually in the spinal cord. Lack of vitamin B12 in the maternal diet during pregnancy has been shown to cause severe retardation of myelination in the nervous system. We report the case of a 141/2-month-old child of strictly vegetarian parents who presented with severe psychomotor retardation. This severely hypotonic child had anemia due to insufficient maternal intake of vitamin B 12 with associated megaloblastic anemia. MRI of the brain revealed severe brain atrophy with signs of retarded myelination, the frontal and temporal lobes being most severely affected. It was concluded that this myelination retardation was due to insufficient intake of vitamin B 12 and vitamin B 12 therapy was instituted. The patient responded well with improvement of clinical and imaging abnormalities. We stress the importance of MRI in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with suspected diseases of myelination.