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Background and Objective: Although risk factors for extended spectrum beta lactamase E. coli (EBLE) infection have been explored, specific risk factors for bacteremic urinary tract infection by EBLE have been hardly analyzed., Patients and Methods: We collected data from all patients with bacteremic urinary tract infection by E. coli attended in our hospital during 2006. Logistic regression was performed to explore predictors for EBLE bloodstream infection in this group of patients., Results: EBLE was present in 19 cases (17,9%) out of 106 bacteraemia from urinary origin. Patients with bloodstream infection by EBLE were male, older, demented, living in a nursing home, with previous urologic diseases and urologic manipulation, with a higher percentage of previous urinary tract infection, previous antibiotic use, more frequent nosocomial infection, and hospital admission in the previous month. In the logistic regression analysis, only previous urologic diseases (OR 13,9; IC95% 2,5-78,2) and living in a nursing home (OR 6,5; IC95% 1,4-0,9) were associated with EBLE bacteremic urinary tract infection., Conclusions: Previous urologic disease and living in a nursing home are independent risk factors for EBLE bacteremic urinary tract infection., (Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The A3243G gene tRNALeu(UUR) mutation has different phenotypic expressions. The clinical outcome and survival of each phenotype are mostly unknown. We followed-up two of three family members, carriers of the A3243G mutation, until their death., Clinical Case: The proband case had MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactacidosis, stroke) phenotype. Although he presented with a stroke-like episode, he developed recurrent generalized and partial epileptic seizures without associated stroke-like episodes over time as well as slowly progressive dementia. The cognitive performance greatly worsened after a complex partial epileptic status. He died from bronchopneumonia and septic shock eleven years after diagnosis. His sister remains asymptomatic. His mother was diagnosed of diabetes mellitus and deafness when she was 53. Seventeen years later she developed a single stroke-like episode. She died one year after from acute renal failure and cardiogenic shock following sympathectomy for ischemic angiopathy. In the MELAS case neither idebenone treatment nor valproate substitution by other anticonvulsants reduced seizure frequency nor the spreading of lesions evaluated by MRI. In the phenotype with diabetes and deafness the outcome diabetes mellitus was as expected., Conclusions: In this family with A3243G mutation, the phenotype with neurosensorial deafness and diabetes mellitus seems to have longer survival than the MELAS phenotype. The cause of death in both cases was closely related to medical complications prevalent in each patient at the time of death.

Introduction: Percutaneous vertebroplasty consists of the injection of acrylic cement into weakened vertebral bodies to achieve pain relief and mechanical stability of the spine., Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and effectiveness of the vertebroplasties performed at the Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet in Zaragoza., Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 147 vertebroplasties performed in 95 patients (60 women and 35 men; age range: 19 to 84 years). The oblique transpedicular approach, which achieves adequate cement injection with a single puncture, is currently used. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain before and after the procedure., Results: The osseous lesion most often treated by vertebroplasty is fracture secondary to osteoporosis, accounting for 65% of the cases in this series, followed by hemangiomas (23%), and osteolytic metastases, traumatic fractures, lymphomas, and myelomas. Prior to vertebroplasty, the mean VAS score was 8.88 versus 2.78 after the treatment. Only 7.3% of the patients had symptomatic complications., Conclusion: Vertebroplasty is safe and efficacious; it is the treatment of choice for vertebral pain refractory to medication. It enables patients to return to their habitual lifestyle quickly and thus helps reduce hospital stays and costs.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SS) is recognized as the connective tissue disease which less frequently presents neurological complications; in recent studies it is demonstrated, however, that neurological involvement in SS is more frequent of what it had been assumed., Patients and Methods: Clinical neurological exploration was done in 26 patients with definitive SS; an electroneurogram was carried out in 23 cases in order to determine the prevalence of central neurological pathology and of peripheral neuropathy, to define its characteristics, and to investigate possible associations with clinical parameters and with autoimmunity., Results: 23 cases (88%) were females and 3 cases (12%) males; the median age was 57.5 12.0 (SD) years, while the median age to the diagnosis was 51.3 12.3 (SD) years and the median period of natural history of disease was 6.2 3.1 years. Seven patients (26.9%) showed involvement of the CNS, being the headache and the neuropsychiatric manifestations the most common conditions (11.5%). Peripheral neuropathy prevalence was 39.1% (9 cases); according to the distribution of the injury, the polyneuropathy prevailed in 30.4% of cases. With regard to the functional selectivity, the sensitive-motor forms were most frequent (55.6%); according to the most involved structure, the axonal neuropathy was most common (44.4%).Discussion. The possible pathogenic mechanisms of the neurological pathology in this disease are discussed.

Introduction: Vertebroplasty is a new procedure used in interventional neuroradiology, involving percutaneous introduction of acrylic cement., Clinical Case: We present the case of a D10 vertebral hemangioma, which had progressed so as to cause compression of the spinal cord. We used combined treatment. Vertebroplasty was done with acrylic cement, using transpedicular percutaneous puncture, with subsequent bilateral laminectomy to decompress the spinal cord. One year later the clinical condition is completely satisfactory. The signs of paraparesia and dorsalgia have disappeared. Posterior fixation was not necessary., Conclusions: Vertebroplasty is effective since the vertebral body is consolidated and pain avoided. We give details of the methodology, indications and possible complications of the technique of percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Introduction: Wegener's granulomatosis is a systemic vasculitis which, in its classical form, is characterized by involvement of the superior and inferior respiratory tract and the kidneys. The vasculitis may be multisystemic. Ophthalmic and neurological involvement are common (22% and 54% of those affected respectively). When considering involvement of the nervous system, the commonest finding is peripheral neuropathy, particularly in the form of multiple mononeuritis. Meningeal involvement is exceptional., Clinical Case and Conclusions: We present a case of Wegener's granulomatosis with meningeal involvement, studied using CT and MR. The findings using imaging techniques are described, and conditions which should be considered in the differential diagnosis are discussed.

Introduction and Material: During 54 months, we have studied the electro-clinical and neuroimaging features in outpatients with active epilepsy. Each patient was interviewed for one of us. Then, we have reviewed the medical records about both the clinical featuring. EEG and neuroimaging (NI) studies and seizures frequency (SF) outcome. Differences in crude proportions were assessed by chi 2 test for independence by 2 x 2 tables., Results and Conclusions: It has been 207 patients with 49 +/- 19.6 years of mean age at review. Partial seizures was significantly related with both a higher SF at onset and politherapy. Also, with a focal EEG distribution but only in case of complex partial seizures. Abnormal NI was significantly more frequent in oldest patients. A greater proportion of patients were in politherapy in four situation: SF at onset > 1 by day, a focal EEG distribution, duration of epilepsy longer than 20 years and age of onset lesser than 60 years. A 37.2% was seizures-free in the last year and in 34% the SF was improved a 50% or more from the beginning. A significantly greater proportion of patients was following with seizures in four cases: when the SF at onset has been > or = 1 by day, being partial seizures, women and having politherapy.

Introduction: Hypophyseal hyperplasia is an uncommon disorder in which the gland increase in size due to excessive proliferation of strings of normal cells, which usually secrete prolactin. Different aetiologies may cause this disorder of the hypophyseal gland. However, in a small number of cases the hyperplasia is not due to any of these aetiologies and is therefore known as idiopathic hypophyseal hyperplasia. There are few references in the literature to idiopathic hypophyseal hyperplasia with hyperprolactinaemia. Usually diagnosis is reached after treatment for a hypophyseal adenoma, since the clinical features are similar., Clinical Cases: We present three cases seen in our department, in which hormone and endocrine studies were done to exclude known causes of hyperplasia, together with CT and MR scans. We analyzed the behaviour of hypophyseal hyperplasia by using imaging techniques, and the differential aspects with regard to hypophyseal adenomas. Firm diagnosis is only made on anatomopathological study of the hypophysis. However, we consider that sound knowledge of the characteristics of this condition may help to establish the correct diagnosis and thus avoid unnecessary surgery., Conclusions: We review the information published in the literature on this subject, emphasizing the importance of differential diagnosis by means of imaging techniques.

We describe the clinical and radiologic evolution of pineal gland cysts found in computed tomography or magnetic resonance images in 12 patients. The patients had complained of headache and/or lateralized sensory symptoms. None had signs of intracranial hypertension or tectal dysfunction. Only one patient, who had partial epilepsy and a large cyst, was treated by ventriculo-cystic shunt; the rest were treated conservatively. The follow-up period in 11 patients was from 2 to 5 years. No changes were observed in cyst size or radiological characteristics; nor did signs of tectal dysfunction develop. In patients with no signs or symptoms directly attributable to these cysts, surgery can be avoided if no radiological changes are found upon follow-up.

Introduction: Epileptic crises are uncommon in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, epilepsy is commoner in these patients than in the general population. An epileptic crisis as the presenting feature of multiple sclerosis is even rarer. The lesions involved in the pathogenesis of these crises are plaques of demyelinization which affect the cortical or subcortical areas. Other factors, some of which are still not clearly understood, such as the fibre, electrolytic changes, size of the plaque, reactive gliosis and the enzyme (Na(+)-K+)ATPase, seem also to play a part in the production mechanism. Magnetic resonance is a very sensitive technique used in the detection of demyelinating lesions during the acute phase. The sensitivity is further increased by the use of gadolinium., Clinical Cases and Conclusions: We present two cases of multiple sclerosis which presented as epileptic crises. In one there were generalized tonic-clonic crises and in the other partial sensitive crises. We mention the EEG findings, CSF analysis and neuroimaging diagnostic techniques.

Hypophyseal adenomas are the most frequent intrasella tumours. They are classified as macroadenomas or as microadenomas depending on whether their size is greater or less than 1 cm. Hypophyseal tumours may undergo ischaemic necrosis and haemorrhage when the blood supply is reduced. Intratumoural bleeding is found in varying percentages, between 9.9% and 26%. We review our series of 122 patients with hypophyseal adenomas in whom MR was done. Signs of bleeding were found in 12 patients (9%). In five cases, bleeding had presented as hypophyseal apoplexy, in five cases with subacute symptoms and in two cases was asymptomatic and diagnosis fortuitous. Of the adenomas with intratumoural bleeding, 9 were functioning tumours (4 secreted PRL, 4 ACTH and 1 GH) and 3 non-functioning. The risk factors considered in the pathogenesis of intratumoural bleeding are numerous. The increased incidence of bleeding in large and in invasisve adenomas, especially when treated with bromocriptin, is well established. MR is the ideal technique to detect intratumoural bleeding, T2 weighted sequences being very useful in the diagnosis of bleeding in the acute phase. In the subacute phase, focal areas of hyperintensity are seen in T1 and of hypo/hyperintensity in T2. In the chronic phase, areas of hypodensity are seen both in T1 and in T2. In our study we analyze the clinico-radiological correlation in patients with signs of intratumoural bleeding.

Neuro-imaging studies (NI) in patients with complex partial seizures (CPC) demonstrate the epileptogenicity of a more or less localized underlying lesion. Correlation with the topography of the EEG focus permits affirmation of the origin. We analyze anomalies on NI and on the EEG of 151 patients with CPC. The EEG was abnormal in 128 and showed a unilateral epileptic focus in 117. NI was focal and unilateral in 72 of the 102 abnormal cases. Topographic correlation was 78.5%. This close correlation in our series makes us consider the localized lesions to be the probable aetiological factor.

With the appearance of MR, a great advance has been made in the study of the aetiology of epilepsy. This technique can show anomalies not detected in CT scans, obtain images of multiple planes, improve the differentiation of cerebral tissues and allow improved visualization of the temporal lobe, making it very useful in the study of patients with complex partial crises (CPC). We studied 151 epileptics with CPC by means of CT scan and MR in all cases; the anomolous topography was the same in all cases, but the diagnosis was not. In patients with a previously normal CT scan, on MR anomalies were detected in 24 cases. We found a statistical differences on evaluation of the MR anomaly depending on whether the CT scan was normal or abnormal. Statistical differences were also found when there were a greater number of anomalies on MR depending on the frequency of crises at the onset of the disorder.

Abnormal communications between the carotidal artery and the cavernous sinus are known as carotid-cavernous fistulas. We can however distinguish between these fistulas two different evolutive and etiological entities: on the one hand there are the direct types with high flux and normally related to hard traumatisms and on the other hand there are the indirect types lacking clear etiological factors, with slower flux and which correspond to dural malformations with different arterial nutrition. In the last two years in our service we have treated eight carotid-cavernous fistulas, four direct and four indirect, using endovascular techniques with differing emboligenic materials according to the nature of the fistula, flux volume and origin. Complete closure was obtained in all patients with direct fistulas and in two whose fistulas were indirect. Closure was almost (greater than 75%) complete in the remaining two cases. In all cases symptomatology prior to intervention diminished completely a few weeks later with no relapse up until now. We discuss the classification and clinico-pathological characteristics of each fistula type, the comparative usefulness of different diagnostic methods and we review therapeutic symptoms with special emphasis on neuroradiological endovascular techniques, analyzing the usefulness of each emboligenic material type. The recent development of intervention techniques in neuroradiology makes low risk correct closure of carotid-cavernous fistulas a possibility. Endovascular is accepted as the treatment of choice today.

We present a study of 165 patients with fits with normal brain computerized tomography (CT) scan or else who showed no evidence as to the etiology of such attacks. We analyzed the magnetic resonance (MR) results obtained. In 36.6% of cases MR was pathological, the most frequent finding in our series being cerebral atrophy (12.8%). We comment on the most important pathology groups, highlighting the contribution MR made in our patients.

Postraumatic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) usually occur after traumatisms or surgical procedures. A clinic hemodynamic repercussion, or even a cardiac failure, can be caused by them. AVF diagnosis is mainly made angiographic study. In the present works we study different "Diagnosis by Images" methods (i.e.: CT, echography, MNR, angiography, gammagraphy, etc.) used in AVF diagnosis. Also, a Bibliographic Review of such disease was made. We present four cases reports with postraumatic arteriovenous fistulas; two were located in extremities (right upper limb and left lower limb, respectively) and the other two were abdominal (left reno-renal and right renocava).