[Background and purpose - We present two cases of angio-proliferative tumors that were misdiagnosed and treated as typical hemangiomas with epidural expansion. Materials and methods - Two middle-aged women presented with symptoms and radiological signs characteristic for aggressive hemangioma with epidural expansion. In the first case preoperative embolization and decompressive surgery with open transpedicular vertebroplasty was performed. Within less than a year, epidural recurrence of the tumor prompted for radical excision and corpectomy. The diagnosis after the histological studies and the further clinical evolution was metastasizing leiomyomatosis. No further recurrence occured during the next 6 years. In the second case percutaneous vertebroplasty was performed and complicated by epidural polymethyl-methacrylcate (PMMA) leakage, requiring urgent decompressive surgery. Histological study of the lesion raised the possibility of myopericytoma. This was confirmed 16 months later when complete vertebrectomy was performed due to severe epidural propagation of the recurring tumor. No further recurrence occurred in next the two years. Conclusions - Rare angio-proliferative tumors, like benign metastasizing leiomyoma and myopericytoma radiologically may resemble aggressive vertebral hemangiomas of the spine. Unlike hemangiomas, such tumors require radical removal due to their likely recurrence. As imaging studies may not be able to completely exclude such pathologies, bone biopsy and thorough histopathological studies are warranted prior to the therapeutic decision.]

[A preclinical cadaver study was performed to test a transendoscopic sonographic probe for neurosurgery. In 25 fresh post-mortem adult human cadaver with a total of 39 endo-sonographic dissections in the ventricular system were carried out. A sonograph with an outer diameter of 6 F was used and radial sonograms were made by a realtime image technique. First results showed precise imaging, comparable to a CT in a neighbouring area of 3 cm. In this publication, the authors describe the endo-neurosonographic anatomy of the ventricular system. The sonographic probe was advanced through the working canal of a ventriculoscope, then the endoscopic and sonographic imaging were compared. Results were documented by paralell sonographic and endoscopic photo and video recordings. Based on the authors experience, it is revealed that the additional sonographic view could also be used as a navigation tool.]

[The authors present the management of a patient suffering from lumbar vertebral hemangioma. Percutaneous transpedicular acrylate vertebroplasty was performed. This method has widely been used for the treatment of pathological vertebral bodies of different aetiology. A brief rewiev of the literature of previous and current methods is presented. A detailed discussion is given why vertebroplasty was used in contrast to the radiological investigation where the patient's hemangioma proved to be a non-agressive type. According to the authors' knowledge this is the first Hungarian publication of acrylate vertebroplasty for the treatment of vertebral hemangioma.]

[Osteoporosis affects about 600 thousand women and 300 thousand men in Hungary. The fractures give the illness its significance, among them 30-40 thousand vertebral fractures occur annually. One fifth of the patients suffering from vertebral compression fracture (VCF) sustaines an other VCF within a year. The intense pain can not always be controlled under conservative care and an efficient and fast intervention is needed to restore the quality of life of the patients. The cement augmentation (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) may help in days. The authors wish to present for the colleagues the details of indication, technical questions of the procedures and their complications based upon the data of numerous operated cases. They emphasize that osteoporotic patients sustained a VCF need complex care and nurture. They also mention that the danger of fracture of a neighbouring vertebra is increased due to the rigidity of the cemented one.]

[Aim of the study - Presentation of functional MRI performed at low magnetic field (1 Tesla) for planning microsurgical operation in a patient suffering from tumor close to an eloquent brain area. Methods - Microsurgical removal navigated by frameless stereotaxy of an intrinsic tumor located in eloquent area is indicated if speech function is not damaged, i.e. exact localisation and relationship of the tumor and speech area can be defined. Before operation an optimized EPI based 2D sequence was applied to yield functional MR images. At the planning of the operation the paradigm used for the localization of the sensory language cortex contained passive listening to a text. Control investigations were performed one month postoperatively. A specific psychological test, as an additional investigation to estimate the accurate level of the sensory language function, was also conducted. Results - Low resolution (matrix of 64×64) functional MR images visualized sensory speech center and auditory cortex satisfactorily. The scans showed clearly that the Wernicke's region was situated just above the tumor (WHO grade II glioma), and this finding increased the safety of intraoperative localization and reduced the risk of morbidity. Control examinations revealed minimal decrease in sensory language function, however, it was not noticeable for either the patient or her surroundings. Conclusion - Optimized functional MR imaging performed at low magnetic field can support planning of neurosurgical operations and reduce the morbidity of microsurgical interventions.]