Clinical Features of Brain Tumors Overview of Symptoms Patients with both primary and metastatic brain tumors can present with a variety of clinical symptoms and neurological signs. These manifestations are not specific for individual tumor subtypes or brain tumors, and…
Acknowledgments Michael Jansen, Arie Perry, Reid R. Heffner, Jr., and David N. Louis were authors of this chapter in the previous edition. General Principles of Nervous System Tumor Biology Tumors of the nervous system, like other human neoplasms, are dysregulated…
Primary brain tumors are a diverse group of neoplasms arising from different cells of the central nervous system (CNS), including neuroepithelial tissue, the meninges, and cranial and spinal nerves. Within each of these cell types, tumors can exhibit distinct pathological…
Central nervous system vasculitis (CNSV), alternatively termed primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) or granulomatous angiitis of the central nervous system, is a rare diagnosis with an estimated incidence rate of 2.4 cases per 1 million person years…
The spinal cord is subject to many of the same vascular diseases that involve the brain, but its unique anatomy and embryology render it susceptible to some syndromes that do not have intracranial counterparts. Although some vascular myelopathic processes have…
Stroke and the Developing Cerebrovascular System Unlike adults, in most children with stroke, conditions such as diabetes and hypertension make little contribution to the etiology of stroke. Developmental, genetic, and environmental factors are the major contributors to cerebrovascular injury in…
An intracranial aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a brain artery causes dilation or ballooning, which can grow and rupture over time. The term aneurysm originally comes from the Greek aneurysma—ana meaning “across” and…
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for approximately 10%–20% of strokes. Its clinical importance derives from its high frequency and 30-day mortality, which is close to 50%. The incidence of ICH has remained stable in the past 3 decades ( ), despite…
Epidemiology and Risk Factors There are approximately 795,000 new or recurrent strokes annually in the United States (610,000 being first events and 185,000 being recurrent events) ( ) Despite declining stroke incidence, 7 million Americans above the age of 20…
Historical interest in peripheral nervous system (PNS) trauma dates back many centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci made detailed anatomical drawings of the brachial plexus, believing this complex of nerves existed to ensure continued function of the upper extremity should one of…