SummaryBackgroundFunctional magnetic resonance (fMRI) studies results in case of an adult patient with low grade glioma (LGG) in dominant hemisphere suggest brain plasticity process with acquisition of language functions by the non-dominant hemisphere speech regions.Case ReportA 36-years old right-handed woman was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery for surgical treatment of brain tumor. An MRI examination revealed a pathological mass in the left frontal lobe, in close topographical relationship to the Broca’s area. A left fronto-parietal craniotomy was performed, with an intraoperative awake language mapping procedure. A total resection of the pathological mass was achieved. The tumor was examined histologically as LGG. In the follow-up MRI exam 32 months after the operation a tumor recurrence was suggested. The fMRI exams performed preoperative and 3, 32 and 41 months after the operation showed changes in language regions activation patterns, with a progressive right-sided activation of Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. Pre- and postoperative cognitive evaluation by a neuropsychologist did not detect any language impairment. We present a running process of reorganization of language areas in a patient after brain tumor resection, from strong left-sided to symmetrical lateralization.Conclusions1. FMRI results in comparison with the psychological status of the patient proved contribution of functional reorganization to the preservation of language performance. 2. A slow growing LGG as well as the recurrence of the tumor near the left Broca’s area might be the factors leading to reorganization of language-related areas by recruiting the right hemisphe.

SummaryBackgroundPrimary pathological laryngeal lesions occur rarely in infraglottic space. Modern possibilities of diagnostic imaging of infraglottic space include computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR). Diagnostic imaging was performed in potential lesions in this area: inflammatory process – cicatrical pemphigoid, benign neoplastic process – chondroma, malignant neoplastic – squamous cell carcinoma.The aim of the paper is to present clinical and radiographical characteristics of selected lesions located in infraglottic space in MRI examination.Material/MethodsThree patients examined at the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging of University Hospital No. 1 in Lodz (SPZOZ USK nr 1) from 2010–2011 with a pathological mass in infraglottic space. Standard imaging protocol for MRI of the neck was used in all patients: field of 1.5 T, slice thickness 3 mm, the distance between the scans 10–20%, FOV – 3 mm, sequences: T1 (TR/TE 455/9, 7 ms, T2 (TR/TE 5300/67 ms), T1 + Gd-DTPA (contrast agent Gd-DTPA at 0.2 mmol/kg).Conclusions1. It is possible to determine characteristic signal pattern for rare lesions of the infraglottic space in MRI. 2. MRI is a valuable complementary modality for the diagnostics and differentiation of lesions in infraglottic space, the evaluation of their advancement and treatment planning.