Renata ConfortiUNIVERSITà della Capania "" L. Vantelli" · •Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione
Renata Conforti
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Publications (98)
To evaluate the ability of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of degenerative pathologies of lumbar spine using radiologist evaluation as a gold standard.
Patients with degenerative pathologies of lumbar spine, evaluated with MRI study, were enrolled in a retrospective study approved by local ethical...
The cranio-orbital region may harbor many types of mass lesions, tumoral and not, benign, and malignant. They may be in the intraconal (including optic nerve sheath complex, retrobulbar space, and orbital apex) and extraconal compartment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the technique of choice for defining the intraorbital location and the even...
The quantification of radiotherapy (RT)-induced functional and morphological brain alterations is fundamental to guide therapeutic decisions in patients with brain tumors. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows to define structural RT-brain changes, but it is unable to evaluate early injuries and to objectively quantify the volume tissue loss....
Perivascular spaces (PVSs) are small extensions of the subpial cerebrospinal space, pial-lined and interstitial fluid-filled. They surround small penetrating arteries, and veins, crossing the subarachnoid space to the brain tissue. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) shows a PVS as a round-shape or linear structure, isointense to the cerebrospinal flu...
Background:
Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are small round/oval lesions seen in MRI-specific sequences. They are divided in deep and lobar according to their location. Lobar CMBs (L-CMBs) are commonly associated with amyloid angiopathy. Although CMBs have been considered clinically silent for a long time, a growing body of evidence has shown that the...
The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the prevalence and the imaging features of incidental intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in oncologic patients. We retrospectively examined 6599 brain CT studies performed for cancer staging (without and with intravenous iodinated contrast medium) at our institution, between January 2016 and December...
Background
Since the pioneering reports of the so-called “leonine face” in cluster headache (CH) patients, cranial and facial features of these patients have been poorly investigated with conflicting results. We aimed to investigate whether abnormalities in craniometric measurements could characterize male CH patients and represent reliable and rep...
Thoracic paravertebral masses are a diagnostic challenge due to the broad spectrum of lesions that may be found in this compartment. The correct radiological approach is essential to narrow the differential diagnoses but, due to the overlap of imaging features of certain lesions, in selected cases, a pathological study may be necessary
IntroductionThe O’Donnell–Luria–Rodan (ODLURO) syndrome, caused by heterozygous mutation in the lysine N-methyltransferase2E (KMT2E) gene in chromosome 7q22, has been recently described. Mutation of KMT2E produces a protein-truncating variant gene that may be responsible for both developmental delay and intellectual disability disorders commonly de...
Dilated Virchow–Robin spaces (VRSs) are expansions of the normal perivascular spaces with a short axis greater than 2 mm or, according to some authors, greater than 3 mm. They are usually documented at the basal ganglia, at the convexity white matter (WM) and centrum semiovale, and at the mesencephalon. The anterior temporal WM is a recently descri...
Intramedullary spinal cord metastases are rarely encountered in patients suffering from extra - central nervous system primary cancer, with only 2 described cases reported in the literature deriving from esophageal cancer. Intramedullary spinal cord metastases may occur at any level of the spinal cord but cervical location is the most frequent. We...
Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare congenital erythroid aplasia with a highly heterogeneous genetic background; it usually occurs in infancy. Approximately 30–40% of patients have other associated congenital anomalies; in particular, facial anomalies, such as cleft palate, are part of about 10% of the DBA clinical presentations.
Pierre Robin s...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological disorder in young adults. The prevalence of walking impairment in people with MS (pwMS) is estimated between 41% and 75%. To evaluate the walking capacity in pwMS, the patient reported outcomes (PROs) and performance-based tests (i.e., the 2-minute walk test, the 6-minute walk test, the Timed...
In this manuscript we report the case of a 69-year-old female patient, who suffers from Parkinson's disease (PD) with a dilated Virchow-Robin space (dVRS) on the left anterior perforated substance.
During a magnetic resonance imaging examination, the presence of a dVRS was discovered on the left anterior perforated substance.
Subsequently, the pati...
Introduction
Fatigue (F) is a common, inexplicable, and disabling symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a possible correlation between fatigue and morpho-volumetric features and site of dilated perivascular spaces (dPS), visible on 3T magnetic resonance (MR) in fatigued multiple sclerosis patients (F...
Background:
Tumefactive multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unusual variant of demyelinating disease characterized by lesions with pseudotumoral appearance on radiological imaging mimicking other space-occupying lesions, such as neoplasms, infections, and infarction. Especially when the patient's medical history is incompatible with MS, the differential...
Understanding mechanisms for vessel tone regulation within the trigeminal nuclei is of great interest because some headache syndromes are due to dysregulation of such mechanisms. Previous experiments on animal models suggest that mastication may alter neuron metabolism and blood supply in these nuclei. To investigate this hypothesis in humans, arte...
To evaluate the resting-state visual network functional connectivity in patients with migraine with aura and migraine without aura during the interictal period.
Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, the resting-state visual network integrity was investigated in 20 patients with migraine with aura, 20 age- and sex-matched patien...
The transient splenial lesion (TSL) of the corpus callosum (CC) is an uncommon radiologic finding incidentally detected on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). It was first observed in epileptic patients and ever since it has been described in varied neurologic conditions but its etiology is still little known. Slow disappearance of signal abnormaliti...
This study aimed to verify whether brain abnormalities, previously described in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), progressed over time and, if so, to characterize their progression. Thirteen DM1 patients, who had at least two MRI examinations, were retrospectively evaluated and included in the study....
Osteomas of the external auditory canal tend to be rather common; those of the internal auditory canal (IAC) are much rarer, though, with less than twenty cases reported in literature up to this very day. Bilateral IAC osteomas, as in this case, are extremely unusual.These benign bone tumors grow very slowly and this implies that the patient is ver...
Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome is characterized by bilateral facio-glosso-pharyngo-masticatory paralysis of voluntary movement due to bilateral anterior opercular lesions. We describe the case of a 17-year-old female affected by Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome and congenital cytomegalovirus infection, evaluating the possible etiopathogenetic correlation b...
Several studies demonstrated the involvement of GABA and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in trigeminal pain transmission; anyway, there are still poorly understood mechanisms modulating pain, resulting, for instance, in hypoalgesia in hypertensive patients. One possibility is that the activity of afferent neurons during mastication modulates ROS prod...
To investigate the functional response of neural pathways associated with vestibular stimulation in patients with vestibular migraine (VM).
Twelve patients with VM underwent whole-brain blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI during ear irrigation with cold water. The functional response of neural pathways to this stimulation in patients with VM w...
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a relatively common single-gene disorder, and is caused by heterozygous mutations in the NF1 gene that result in a loss of activity or in a nonfunctional neurofibromin protein. Despite the common association of NF1 with neurocutaneous features, its pathology can extend to numerous tissues not derived from the neura...
The discrimination between recurrent glioma and radiation injury is often a challenge on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We verified whether adding and combining proton MR spectroscopic imaging ((1)H-MRSI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) information at 3 Tesla facilitate such discrimination.
Twe...
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a relatively common single-gene disorder, and is caused by heterozygous mutations in the NF1 gene that result in a loss of activity or in a nonfunctional neurofibromin protein. Despite the common association of NF1 with neurocutaneous features, its pathology can extend to numerous tissues not derived from the neura...
The aim of this study was to assess differences in the presence, size, number and site of dilated cerebral Virchow-Robin spaces (VRSd) between patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the inactive phase and healthy controls, and between MS patients with disabling (MSd) or nondisabling (MSnd) disease.
The study was performed by retrospectively analy...
Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS) are pial-lined, interstitial fluid-filled structures that do not directly communicate with the subarachnoid space, accompany penetrating arteries and veins and can be visualized on magnetic resonance imaging. This article reviews the imageology characteristics, the functions, the causes and the relation with neurological...
Neurodegenerative disorders are an inhomogeneous group of neurological diseases that affect a large part of the population because of the rise in life expectancy. Although clinical manifestations are important to make the correct diagnosis, the new advanced imaging technique represent a very useful tool for the diagnostic work-up.
The purpose of this paper is to study acoustic neuroma diagnostic process, describe tumor's molecular basis and its magnetic resonance imaging characterization, which is considered to be the gold standard diagnostic tool to study this disease.
Migraine is one of the most common forms of primary headache. In recent years there have been important discoveries thanks to a greater understanding of conventional radiologic studies and the advent of the advanced exams. This has led to a revolution of the knowledge of its pathophysiological mechanisms and opens the way for future therapeutic dev...
White matter changes are one of the several aging brain alterations. Actually, magnetic resonance imaging is the best diagnostic tool in investigation and monitoring these lesions that determine some common clinical manifestations in the elderly population.
In this review it is discussed the role of mild traumatic brain injury as a cause of Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS) pathological enlargement. Anatomy and physiology of normal VRS, and their immunological role are described. Special attention is given to magnetic resonance imaging findings of both normal and enlarged perivascular spaces.
Tornwaldt's cyst is a benign developmental lesion of the nasopharynx, most of all midline located, originating from an outpouching of the pharyngeal mucosa caused by notocord retraction. Usually, the cyst represents an incidental finding of magnetic resonance study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differential diagnostic aspects of...
In this article, we review the expected course of each of the 12 cranial nerves. Traditional magnetic resonance imaging depicts only the larger cranial nerves but SSFP sequences of magnetic resonance imaging are capable of depicting the cisternal segments of 12 cranial nerves and also provide submillimetric spatial resolution.
Chordoma is a rare malignant tumor of the bone; it arises from embryonic remnants of the primitive notochord and occurs along the midline from the skull base to the sacrum. In this article, we reviewed the origin, location, clinical, histopatological and imaging features, treatment, and differential diagnosis of chordoma.
A child with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) with headache was submitted to magnetic resonanace imaging and a pseudovasculitic lesion was found. Vascular lesions are uncommon in patients with NF1 and our case highlights an even more rare feature of this form of vascular disease.
Brain activity during rest is characterized by slow (0.01-0.1 Hz) fluctuations of blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging signals. These fluctuations are organized as functional connectivity networks called resting-state networks, anatomically corresponding to specific neuronal circuits. As Parkinson's disease is mai...
Virchow-Robin spaces are lesions often seen in the brain parenchyma but their etiopathogenesis remains unsettled. Giant Virchow-Robin spaces placed in the midbrain are extremely rare. We describe three patients with a diagnosis of giant Virchow-Robin spaces in the midbrain, and their clinical and radiologic findings. We reviewed the literature in t...
Paget's disease (PD) is a common focal progressive osteometabolic disorder characterised by a disturbance in bone modelling and remodelling, because of an increase in osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity. It is a condition of unknown aetiology affecting approximately 3% of the population over 40 years of age and, approximately 10% of those over t...
Background:
Converging neuropsychological evidence suggests that in migraine executive functions (EF) may be affected during interictal periods.
Objective:
To evaluate the functional connectivity of the fronto-parietal networks (FPN) known to be associated with EF, in migraine without aura (MwoA) patients, in the interictal period, in comparison...
Pagets disease (PD) is a common focal progressive osteometabolic disorder characterised by a disturbance in bone modelling and remodelling, because of an increase in osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity. It is a condition of unknown aetiology affecting approximately 3% of the population over 40 years of age and, approximately 10% of those over th...
Chordomas are rare and aggressive tumors derived from notochordal remnants, usually arising in the axial skeleton. The most frequently reported anatomic distribution of chordoma is 50% sacral, 35% spheno-occipital and 15% spinal. We describe the case of an elderly lady presenting with progressive dysphagia, headache and neck pain. We found an expan...
We explored the functional pattern of the pain-processing network in patients with migraine, in the interictal periods, during trigeminal noxious stimulation. Contact heat evoked potential stimulation induced thermal pain and functional magnetic resonance imaging were used to measure whole-brain activation in 16 patients with episodic migraine with...
The extensive application of advanced MR imaging techniques to the study of ALS has undoubtedly improved our knowledge of disease pathophysiology, even if the actual spread of the neurodegenerative process throughout the central nervous system is not fully understood. The present study aimed to detect WM patterns of microstructural abnormalities to...
We report a case of trigeminal neuralgia caused by persistent trigeminal artery (PTA) associated with asymptomatic left temporal cavernoma. Our patient presented unstable blood hypertension and the pain of typical trigeminal neuralgia over the second and third divisions of the nerve in the right side of the face. The attacks were often precipitated...
Dementia is a common and growing problem, affecting 5% of the over 65s and 20% of the over 80s. Dementia is a clinical diagnosis, but often neuroimaging is crucial for proper assessment. Structural imaging by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MRI) may help clinicians by identifying nondegenerative and potentially treatable causes of...
This study correlated anatomical findings and clinical evidence in Duane's Retraction Syndrome using brain MRI. The study included 11 patients with different types of Duane's Retraction Syndrome (DRS). Each patient underwent brain MRI. The VI(th) nerve was absent in all patients with DRS-I, present in all patients with DRS-II, while findings varied...
The facial nerve is frequently injured after head trauma with or without temporal bone fractures. Computed tomography (CT) is the best procedure for detecting the fracture line at the level of the facial nerve canal and for assessing any associated lesions within the temporal bone. Magnetic resonance (MR) is required if there is a facial nerve para...
A 65-year-old woman underwent MRI for a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MRI showed hippocampal sulcus remnants bilaterally, although they were larger on the right, and left hippocampal atrophy with increased left fimbriosubicular distance (right side: 1.2 mm; left side: 2.0 mm). The meaning of these findings...
A 16-year-old female who manifested psychotic symptoms underwent CT and MRI for the evaluation of an incidentally discovered asymptomatic palpable mass of the right occipital region of the skull. The correlation between clinical and radiological data and biopsy data led to the diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma. The radiological finding is discuss...
We describe a patient with non-alcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy caused by long-term parenteral nutrition. The diagnosis is based on clinical and magnetic resonance findings. We also reviewed the literature review in typical and atypical findings at MR examination.
Intramedullary metastases are rare, accounting for 0.9-5% of spinal metastases. Radiation myelopathy is considered one of the most distressing complications of radiotherapy. In both cases symptoms are aspecific, and there are no characteristic neuroradiologic findings. We describe a case of single intramedullary metastasis from lung microcytoma in...
Objective: To determine the correlation between maternal blood pressure value and the volume of amniotic fluid. Methods: Amniotic fluid index (AFI) and fetal and maternal Doppler, followed by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure were determined in patients with preeclampsia (n = 10), gestational hypertension patients (n = 28), fetal growth retardation (I...