During the last 7 years in Ogori Daiichi General Hospital, three cases of foreign bodies in the bladder and urethra are treated, two cases with transurethral removal and a case with transvesical removal. All of three cases are males. Two cases of transurethral removal were performed at out-patient-department and a case of transvesical removal was hospitalized for 33 days after the operation under lumber anethesia.
A statistical investigation clearly showed that transurethral removal became more common than transvesical removal owing to the recent advances of endourological procedures.

Between January 1986 and August 1989, four patients, whose urinary tuberculous cultures were positive, were treated in our hospital. They represented 0.66% of the total number of the new patiants who visited the outpatient department during this period. Also during the same period, two other patiants with unilateral old renal tuberculosis underwent nephrectomy.
Since the middle of this century, the development of chemotherapy has decreased the number of the patiants with urinary tuberculosis. However, there has been little decrease in recent several years, and our report supports this evidence. So, the possibility of urinary tuberculosis cannot be made light of in the urological examination, especially for the patiants with refractory urinary tract infection.

We report a rare case of severe aortic regurgitation after mitral valve replacement (MVR) and tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP). An 83-year-old woman underwent MVR and TAP for mitral regurgitation and secondary tricuspid regurgitation. The early postoperative course was not eventful until 6 days after surgery. However, 7 days after surgery, she suffered from acute heart failure and transthoracic echocardiography showed severe aortic regurgitation. We performed a second operation 13 days after the first surgery. Intraoperatively, we found the annulus suture of the TAP just under the NCC-RCC commissure of the aortic valve. We speculated that the suture pulled the aortic valve annulus, resulting in severe aortic regurgitation. We removed the suture and replaced the aortic valve with bioprosthetic artificial valve. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and she was discharged 22 days after the second surgical procedure.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of washout-parametric imaging (WOPI) with that of conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (cCEUS) in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs). Methods: A total of 181 FLLs were imaged with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, and the recordings were captured for 10 minutes in a prospective setting. WOPI was constructed from three images, depicting the arterial phase (peak enhancement), the early portal venous phase (1-minute post-injection), and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (5 or 10 minutes post-injection). The intensity variations in these images were color-coded and superimposed to produce a single image representing the washout timing across the lesions. From the 181 FLLs, 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 30 non-HCC malignancies, and 30 benign lesions were randomly selected for an observer study. Both techniques (cCEUS and WOPI) were evaluated by four off-site readers. They classified each lesion as benign or malignant using a continuous rating scale, with the endpoints representing "definitely benign" and "definitely malignant." The diagnostic performance of cCEUS and WOPI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the DeLong test. Interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The difference in average AUC values between WOPI and cCEUS was 0.0062 (95% confidence interval, -0.0161 to 0.0285), indicating no significant difference between techniques. The interobserver agreement was higher for WOPI (ICC, 0.77) than cCEUS (ICC, 0.67). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of WOPI is comparable to that of cCEUS in differentiating FLLs, with superior interobserver agreement.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of washout-parametric imaging (WOPI) with that of conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (cCEUS) in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs). Methods: A total of 181 FLLs were imaged with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, and the recordings were captured for 10 minutes in a prospective setting. WOPI was constructed from three images, depicting the arterial phase (peak enhancement), the early portal venous phase (1-minute post-injection), and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (5 or 10 minutes post-injection). The intensity variations in these images were color-coded and superimposed to produce a single image representing the washout timing across the lesions. From the 181 FLLs, 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 30 non-HCC malignancies, and 30 benign lesions were randomly selected for an observer study. Both techniques (cCEUS and WOPI) were evaluated by four off-site readers. They classified each lesion as benign or malignant using a continuous rating scale, with the endpoints representing "definitely benign" and "definitely malignant." The diagnostic performance of cCEUS and WOPI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the DeLong test. Interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The difference in average AUC values between WOPI and cCEUS was 0.0062 (95% confidence interval, -0.0161 to 0.0285), indicating no significant difference between techniques. The interobserver agreement was higher for WOPI (ICC, 0.77) than cCEUS (ICC, 0.67). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of WOPI is comparable to that of cCEUS in differentiating FLLs, with superior interobserver agreement.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of washout-parametric imaging (WOPI) with that of conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (cCEUS) in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs). Methods: A total of 181 FLLs were imaged with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, and the recordings were captured for 10 minutes in a prospective setting. WOPI was constructed from three images, depicting the arterial phase (peak enhancement), the early portal venous phase (1-minute post-injection), and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (5 or 10 minutes post-injection). The intensity variations in these images were color-coded and superimposed to produce a single image representing the washout timing across the lesions. From the 181 FLLs, 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 30 non-HCC malignancies, and 30 benign lesions were randomly selected for an observer study. Both techniques (cCEUS and WOPI) were evaluated by four off-site readers. They classified each lesion as benign or malignant using a continuous rating scale, with the endpoints representing "definitely benign" and "definitely malignant." The diagnostic performance of cCEUS and WOPI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the DeLong test. Interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The difference in average AUC values between WOPI and cCEUS was 0.0062 (95% confidence interval, -0.0161 to 0.0285), indicating no significant difference between techniques. The interobserver agreement was higher for WOPI (ICC, 0.77) than cCEUS (ICC, 0.67). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of WOPI is comparable to that of cCEUS in differentiating FLLs, with superior interobserver agreement.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of washout-parametric imaging (WOPI) with that of conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (cCEUS) in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs). Methods: A total of 181 FLLs were imaged with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, and the recordings were captured for 10 minutes in a prospective setting. WOPI was constructed from three images, depicting the arterial phase (peak enhancement), the early portal venous phase (1-minute post-injection), and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (5 or 10 minutes post-injection). The intensity variations in these images were color-coded and superimposed to produce a single image representing the washout timing across the lesions. From the 181 FLLs, 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 30 non-HCC malignancies, and 30 benign lesions were randomly selected for an observer study. Both techniques (cCEUS and WOPI) were evaluated by four off-site readers. They classified each lesion as benign or malignant using a continuous rating scale, with the endpoints representing "definitely benign" and "definitely malignant." The diagnostic performance of cCEUS and WOPI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the DeLong test. Interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The difference in average AUC values between WOPI and cCEUS was 0.0062 (95% confidence interval, -0.0161 to 0.0285), indicating no significant difference between techniques. The interobserver agreement was higher for WOPI (ICC, 0.77) than cCEUS (ICC, 0.67). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of WOPI is comparable to that of cCEUS in differentiating FLLs, with superior interobserver agreement.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of washout-parametric imaging (WOPI) with that of conventional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (cCEUS) in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs). Methods: A total of 181 FLLs were imaged with contrast-enhanced ultrasound using Sonazoid, and the recordings were captured for 10 minutes in a prospective setting. WOPI was constructed from three images, depicting the arterial phase (peak enhancement), the early portal venous phase (1-minute post-injection), and the vasculo-Kupffer phase (5 or 10 minutes post-injection). The intensity variations in these images were color-coded and superimposed to produce a single image representing the washout timing across the lesions. From the 181 FLLs, 30 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 30 non-HCC malignancies, and 30 benign lesions were randomly selected for an observer study. Both techniques (cCEUS and WOPI) were evaluated by four off-site readers. They classified each lesion as benign or malignant using a continuous rating scale, with the endpoints representing "definitely benign" and "definitely malignant." The diagnostic performance of cCEUS and WOPI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the DeLong test. Interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The difference in average AUC values between WOPI and cCEUS was 0.0062 (95% confidence interval, -0.0161 to 0.0285), indicating no significant difference between techniques. The interobserver agreement was higher for WOPI (ICC, 0.77) than cCEUS (ICC, 0.67). Conclusion The diagnostic performance of WOPI is comparable to that of cCEUS in differentiating FLLs, with superior interobserver agreement.

Objective：This study was aimed at investigating the acquirement of socks-handling ability with hip flex, abduction, and external rotation position (hip open position) in 5 months after the posterior approach to total hip arthroplasty (THA), with consideration of the functional goals by conducting a multicenter cooperative study.Methods：The study included 101 patients (104 hip joints) with hip osteoarthritis. We evaluated patient attribution；ranges of motion of the hip, knee and ankle；hip pain in socks-handling；and upper extremity length, which were evaluated before the operation, upon hospital discharge and at 5 months after the posterior approach to THA. The patients were classified into those who attained and did not attain socks-handling ability in open hip position until 5 months after THA. We investigated the factors for acquiring socks-handling ability by using a multiple logistic regression analysis.Results：We identified three factors that significantly correlated to socks-handling ability as follows：(1) socks-handling ability before the operation, (2) range of hip external rotation before operation, and (3) range of hip abduction before discharge. The goal to acquire socks-handling ability is 27.5°hip external rotation and 17.5°hip abduction.Conclusion：We suggest that socks-handling ability must be acquired before THA and that the target range of hip abduction and external rotation must be attained during the early post-THA stage.

Objective：This study was aimed at investigating the acquirement of socks-handling ability with hip flex, abduction, and external rotation position (hip open position）in 5 months after the posterior approach to total hip arthroplasty (THA), with consideration of the functional goals by conducting a multicenter cooperative study.Methods：The study included 101 patients (104 hip joints) with hip osteoarthritis. We evaluated patient attribution；ranges of motion of the hip, knee and ankle；hip pain in socks-handling；and upper extremity length, which were evaluated before the operation, upon hospital discharge and at 5 months after the posterior approach to THA. The patients were classified into those who attained and did not attain socks-handling ability in open hip position until 5 months after THA. We investigated the factors for acquiring socks-handling ability by using a multiple logistic regression analysis.Results：We identified three factors that significantly correlated to socks-handling ability as follows：(1) socks-handling ability before the operation, (2) range of hip external rotation before operation, and (3) range of hip abduction before discharge. The goal to acquire socks-handling ability is 27.5° hip external rotation and 17.5° hip abduction.Conclusion：We suggest that socks-handling ability must be acquired before THA and that the target range of hip abduction and external rotation must be attained during the early post-THA stage.