Background: This overview provides a summary of the applications of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in ischemic stroke. Results: A fast-track neurovascular ultrasound protocol has been developed for detecting occlusion or stenosis. The technique is more reliable in the carotid area than in the posterior circulation. By monitoring the pulsatility index the in­crea­sed intracranial pressure can be diagnosed. TIBI score was developed for grading residual flow. TCD has been shown to accurately predict complete or any recanalization. Regarding recanalization, TCD has a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 88%, a positive predictive value of 96%, a negative predictive value of 78% and an overall accuracy of 91%, respectively. Sonothrombolysis seemed to be a promising application but randomized controlled trials have shown that it does not improve clinical outcome. TCD examination can detect microembolic signals (MES) which are associated with an increased risk of stroke. Micro­em­boli were detected in symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and during carotid endarterectomy. The number of microemboli can be decreased by antithrombotic therapy. Contrast en­chan­ced examination and Valsalva maneuver with continuous TCD monitoring can accurately screen for right-to-left shunt.

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) deficiency is an autosomal inherited metabolic disorder in which the β-oxidation of the long chain fatty acids is defective. The clinical presentation may be in various forms; it presents itself in the severe form during neonatal and infantile periods and as the less severe myopathic form in the school age and adolescence. While the severity of the rhabdomyolysis attacks varies, occasionally the clinical course may be complicated with acute renal failure. Acylcarnitine analysis may help in the diagnosis of CPT II, but its normality does not indicate the absence of the disease. If there is strong suspicion, genetic analysis should be performed on the cases. In this article, we present a 15-year-old male patient who had two rhabdomyolysis attacks triggered by infection and starvation. Acylcarnitine analysis of the case was normal, CPT II deficiency was considered when the history was evaluated, and CPT II gene c.137A>G (p.Gln46Arg) homozygous novel pathogenic mutation was detected. CPT II deficiency is one of the most common causes of metabolic rhabdomyolysis in patients with recurrent episodes of rhabdomyolysis.

Pisa syndrome is a movement problem defined by tonic, sustained lateral flexion with a slight posterior rotation of the trunk. It seems to be a side effect of antipsychotic medicine in most cases. The clinical duration of Pisa syndrome can be acute, chronic, or recurrent. As far as we know, no reports are available in the literature on the chronic form of Pisa syndrome caused by low-dose amisulpride. A case of refractory tardive dystonia form of Pisa syndrome during treatment with stable low-dose amisulpride is presented in this report. Long-term, low-dosage amisulpride therapy may induce tardive dystonia even in patients with no other risk factors for dystonia.

[A case of a 61-year-old male patient suffered chronic renal failure and dialysed for 23 years with destructive cervical spondylarthropathy is presented. The patient presented with sudden onset of cervical pain radiating into his shoulders without neurological deficits. CT and MRI of the cervical and thoracic spine revealed severe destructive changes and compressive fractures of C6 and C7 vertebrae which caused the narrowing of the nerve root canals at these levels. A 360-degree fixation was performed to treat the unstable fracture and the patient’s pain (C6 and C7 corpectomy, autolog bone graft replacement of the two vertebral bodies, anterior plate fixation and posterior instrumentation with screws and rods). Postoperatively the patient had no significant pain, no neurological deficit and he was able to manage independent life himself. During the immediate follow-up CT of the neck showed the satisfactory position of the bone graft and the metal implantations. The 6 months follow-up CT revealed the anterior migration of the two screws from the Th1 vertebral body and 2 mm ventral elevation of the caudal end of the plate from the anterior surface of the Th1 vertebral body. The 1-year follow-up could not be performed because the patient died due to cardio-pulmonary insufficiency. This is the second Hungarian report of a chronic dialysis related severe spondylarthropathy which may cause pathologic fractures of the vertebral bodies. The typical radiological and histological findings are discussed. This disease affect patients’ quality of life and the conservative treatment alone seems to be ineffective in most cases. Based on the literature and personal experiences, the authors suggest 360-degree fixation of the spine to provide sufficient stability for the vertebrae of ”bad bone quality”, and early mobilisation of the patient can be achieved.]

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a disorder which is diagnosed with its characteristic clinical and radiological findings, typically resolves with treatment. The prevalence of PRES in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients is not exactly known. A systemic disorder frequently appears as a presenting symptom in SLE. However, in rare cases, the disease starts with a neurological manifestation. Here we report a 35-year-old woman presenting with a headache and blurred vision. She had neurologic symptoms and cerebral lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggesting PRES. The patient was diagnosed with SLE during the etiological investigation of PRES. In this article, we aimed to emphasize that PRES as an initial presentation of SLE.