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Introduction: The need for information regarding functional alterations in patients with brain gliomas is increasing, but little is known about the functional consequences of focal brain tumors throughout the entire brain. Using resting-state functional MR imaging (rs-fMRI), this study assessed functional connectivity in patients with supratentorial brain gliomas with possible alterations in long-distance connectivity and network topology., Methods: Data from 36 patients with supratentorial brain gliomas and 12 healthy subjects were acquired using rs-fMRI. The functional connectivity matrix (FCM) was created using 32 pairs of cortical seeds on Talairach coordinates in each individual subject. Local and distant connectivity were calculated using z-scores in the individual patient's FCM, and the averaged FCM of patients was compared with that of healthy subjects. Weighted network analysis was performed by calculating local efficiency, global efficiency, clustering coefficient, and small-world topology, and compared between patients and healthy controls., Results: When comparing the averaged FCM of patients with that of healthy controls, the patients showed decreased long-distance, inter-hemispheric connectivity (0.32 ± 0.16 in patients vs. 0. 42 ± 0.15 in healthy controls, p = 0.04). In network analysis, patients showed increased local efficiency (p < 0.05), but global efficiency, clustering coefficient, and small-world topology were relatively preserved compared to healthy subjects., Conclusion: Patients with supratentorial brain gliomas showed decreased long-distance connectivity while increased local efficiency and preserved small-world topology. The results of this small case series may provide a better understanding of the alterations of functional connectivity in patients with brain gliomas across the whole brain scale.

Introduction: We evaluated the feasibility of employing a self-expanding stent (Neuroform) in treatment of acute cerebral ischemia and compared the results of primary and secondary stenting., Methods: We analyzed the treatment results of 14 acute ischemic stroke patients (11 men and three women; median age, 65 years) who were treated with Neuroform stents. Seven patients received stent placement for primary recanalization and a further seven for secondary recanalization. We performed between-group comparisons of all of overall procedure duration, recanalization rate immediately after stenting, need for additional measures after stenting, final recanalization rate, occurrence of hemorrhagic transformation, early re-occlusion rate after 24 h, and 3-month functional recovery rate (mRS ≤2)., Results: The median interval from femoral puncture to stent placement was 61.5 min and was significantly shorter in the primary than in the secondary group (55 vs. 95 min, p = 0.004). The recanalization rate immediately after stenting was 42.9% and was greater in the primary than in the secondary group (71.4% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.1). Thirteen patients required various additional therapeutic measures. The final recanalization rate was 78.6%, attributable to improvements in the recanalization rate of the secondary group (71.4% vs. 85.7%). Early hemorrhagic transformation was noted in four patients, but only one patient became symptomatic (symptomatic hemorrhage, 7.1%). Good functional recovery was noted in eight patients (57.1%)., Conclusion: Placement of a self-expanding stent during endovascular recanalization of acute ischemic stroke was both feasible and safe. Primary use of this method may enhance early recanalization.

Introduction: In conjunction with intravenous and/or intra-arterial thrombolysis, adjuvant revascularization of intracranial artery occlusion by angioplasty vs. stenting remains controversial. We evaluated outcome in patients with intracranial occlusion after angioplasty and/or stenting., Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients who underwent angioplasty or stenting (17 stenting and 16 angioplasty) for intracranial arterial occlusion during the past 5 years were enrolled from prospective neurointerventional database. We compared recanalization rate [defined as thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade II/III flow], adverse events, and clinical outcome [modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 1 and 6 months]. We also tried to determine independent variables associated with clinical outcome., Results: Median initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 13 and median time to treatment was 12 h from symptom onset. The successful recanalization rate was mean 79%. Symptomatic hemorrhage occurred in 15% (5/33). Events (27%, 9/33) at 1 month included four deaths, four major, and one minor stroke. Good outcome (mRS