Six patients with twenty histologically proven neurilemmomas of the extremities were studied using magnetic resonance(MR) imaging. The size, number, signal intensity on spin-echo T1WI(TR 500-650ms/TE 14-25ms)and gradient -echo (TR 200-600ms/TE 14-20ms; flip angle 25-30)image, enhancement pattern, detectability of nerve of origin, nerve-lesion relationship, and presence of a capsule were analyzed. The masses ranged from 1 to 12cm in longitudinal diameter and originated from the median nerve, ulnar nerve, sciatic nerve, radial nerve, and tibial nerve. All the nerve tracts except for those of 5 lesions, which could not be detected due to their small diameter, were visualized as low intensity tubular structures. All visible nerve tracts were situated along the periphery of the lesion and this finding was considered to be specific for neurilemmona. All neurilemmomas were isointense with the surrounding muscle on spin-echo T1WI and hyperintense on gradient-echo image. After a GD-DTPA injection, all masses showed moderate or marked enhancement and more prominent inhomogeneity than that on nonenhanced scan. In 19 out of 20 lesions(95%), a low signal intensity capsule surrounding the masses could be seen. Four of the six patients showed multiple masses, which was unusual as neurilemmoma usually arises as a solitary mass. In conclusion, the MR findings, especially the eccentric location of the mass lesion from the nerve of origin and the presence of a capsule, were useful in making a diagnosis of neurilemmoma of the extremity and that multiple neurilemmomas were not uncommon.
Diagnosis ; Extremities* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Neurilemmoma* ; Radial Nerve ; Sciatic Nerve ; Tibial Nerve ; Ulnar Nerve

Primary role of ultrasound in patients with thyroid nodule is to determine the multiplicity and detect occult carcinoma. We analyzed US findings of 53 thyroid carcinomas with multiple nodular lesions from january 1988 to december 1991. The results were as follows: 1. 109 malignant nodules in 53 cases and 24 benign in 23 were comfirmed. 2. The nature of the masses were solid in 72 malignant nodules (74.2%), and complex in 25 (25.8%) of which 19 were predominantly solid. 3. The echo pattern of the solid and solid predominant masses were hypoechoic in 78 malignant nodules (80.4%), hyperechoic in 10 (10.3%), and isoechoic in 3 (9.3%) 4. Internal punctate calcifications within the masses were observed in 31 malignant nodules (31.9%). 5. Halo sign was present in 16 malignant nodules(16.5%). 6. The preoperative sonographic diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma was made in 39.4% of 53 cases with multiple nodules on US. In conclusion, the number, and halo formation of nodules were insignificant to differentiate the benign nodule from the malignant. The heterogeneous hypoechoic nodules with size greater than 4cm, multiple stippled calcifications, displacement of the trachea or other surrounding structures of combined lymph node enlargements seem to indicate the possibility of malignancy.
Diagnosis ; Goiter* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Trachea ; Ultrasonography

We report the results of field operation of TELEACE system between Kyung-Pook National University Hospital and Ul-Jin Goon Health Care Medical Center from December, 1990 to September, 1991, which had been operated as a kind of Integrated Services Digital Nework projects by KOREA TELECOMMUNICATION Inc. Ul-Jin Goon Health Care Medical Center transmitted 414 plain radiographs to our hospital in speed of 9600BPS. Each image was composed of 1024X1024 pixelsX8 bits/pixel. In our hospital, the image files were displayed on high resolution monitor (1280×1024 pixets). Text files of image interpretations were transmitted to the health care medical center. The two radiologists who had interpreted the transmitted images, went to the health care medical center and read radiographic film with blind test method. We obtained the following results: false negative rate of 6.3%, false postitve rate of 2.4%, mean sensitivity of 81.4%, mean specificity of 96.3%, and mean accuracy of 91.3%. In predictive value of 0.05, there was no significant difference between results of these two types of radiographs. In conclusion, TELEACE system was valuable to the clinicians isolated from services of radiologists.
Delivery of Health Care ; Korea ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Telecommunications ; X-Ray Film

No abstract available.
Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor*

PURPOSE: In advanced prostate cancer, malignant cells generally tend to spread into the bone, and metastasis into nonregional lymph nodes (NRLNs) at the time of initial diagnosis is relatively rare. We investigated the prognostic significance of NRLN metastasis in patients receiving hormonal therapy and chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2005 to August 2011, we identified 105 patients who had metastatic prostate cancer. First, we assessed the prognostic effect of NRLN metastasis on the prostate-specific antigen response through logistic regression and the progression-free time to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) by using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Second, we investigated the prognostic influence of NRLN metastasis on the chemotherapy response through logistic regression and on cancer-specific survival of CRPC patients receiving chemotherapy by using Cox proportional analysis. RESULTS: Of these 105 patients, 12 patients (11.4%) had only NRLN metastases without bone metastases. Progression-free time to CRPC was significantly less in patients with NRLN metastases by Cox proportional hazard regression multivariate analysis (p=0.020). However, NRLN metastasis was not an independent factor for predicting the response to chemotherapy in CRPC patients, and NRLN metastasis did not reduce cancer-specific survival in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve (11.4%) of 105 patients with NRLN metastases had lymph node metastases without bone metastases. In addition, NRLN metastasis was a significant prognostic factor for predicting reduced progression-free time to CRPC. Thus, although we speculate that prostate cancer with NRLN metastasis exhibits unique tumor biology, additional molecular and genetic studies are needed.
Biology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of US/CT with US/CT/¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT in the diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: From July 2008 to May 2010, 36 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, confirmed by aspiration cytology analysis, underwent neck US, neck CT and ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT preoperatively. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the US/CT, US/CT/PET-CT was analyzed according to lymph node level (all: levels I~VI, central: level VI, lateral: levels I~V). RESULTS: At all lymph nodes group (level I~VI), US/CT/ PET-CT showed a sensitivity of 66.6%, a specificity of 61.9% and a diagnostic accuracy of 63.8%. The corresponding values for US/CT were 60.0%, 85.7%, 75.0% respectively. Considering the central cervical nodes group (level VI), US/CT/PET-CT showed a sensitivity of 57.1%, a specificity of 68.1%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 63.8%. The corresponding values of US/CT were 57.1%, 90.9%, 77.7% respectively. Considering the lateral cervical nodes group (level I~V), US/CT/PET-CT showed a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 84.3%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 86.1%. The corresponding values of US/CT were 75.0%, 84.3%, 83.3% respectively. The diagnostic results of US/ CT, US/CT/PET-CT in initial evaluation of the cervical nodes metastasis did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that additional PET-CT evaluation in US/CT does not provide statistically significant benefit for initial diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Many topical hemostatics are widely applied for bleeding control. They can be classified into two categories according to their mechanism of action on the clotting cascade in a biologically active or passive manner. Passive hemostatics include cellulose and gelatin. We performed an experimental study to compare the effect of passive hemostatics in wound healing by applying them to a rectus abdominis muscle defect of white mice. METHODS: Surgicel is a sterile absorbable knitted fabric prepared by the controlled oxidation of regenerated cellulose. Spongostan is an absorbable hemostatic gelatin sponge. In 30 mice, a 1x1 cm defect was created on the rectus abdominis muscle and the materials were applied in three ways: control group, cellulose (Surgicel) group, gelatin (Spongostan) group. For the histologic analysis, biopsies were performed at 3 and 28 days. RESULTS: After 3 days, the cellulose group showed limited granulation formation with acute inflammatory reactions similar to the control group. At the 28th day, moderate amounts of granulation tissue formation was observed with milder inflammatory reactions than the control group. In the gelatin group, after 3 days, gelatin remnants were observed surrounded by severe inflammatory changes. After 28 days, the same quantity of gelatin remnants could be still observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that cellulose is associated with minimal morbidity in wound healing, while the use of gelatin shows severe adverse tissue reactions with delayed wound healing. Consequently, cellulose is better than gelatin when considering wound healing.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Cellulose ; Cellulose, Oxidized ; Fibrin Foam ; Gelatin ; Granulation Tissue ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostatics ; Humans ; Mice ; Muscles ; Porifera ; Rectus Abdominis ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: Prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is very favorable, but PTC frequently invade adjacent soft tissue and metastases to cervical lymph node. We evaluated the pattern of cervical neck lymph node metastasis in PTC according to tumor size. METHODS: From August 2005 to January 2009, 353 patients were underwent surgery for PTC. Among these patients, total thyroidectomy with cervical neck lymph node dissection were done in 266 patients. We subdivided patients into four groups according to size and compared the clinicopathologic characters between groups. And we confirmed the factors affecting central neck node metastasis. RESULTS: The mean age of patients of diagnosis was 49.1 years and female to male ratio was 5.8:1. Cervical lymph node metastasis were in 47.0% of the total cases. Cervical lymph node metastases and invasion to adjacent structure increased with tumor size. But, there were no significant differences in tumor size, invasion to adjacent structure, multifocality or bilaterality according to cervical lymph node metastasis. Early diagnostic age and sexuality were significantly related to cervical lymph node metastasis of PTC. CONCLUSION: PTC showed the aggressiveness with increasing tumor size. Tumor size was not related to cervical lymph node metastasis. These findings suggest that tumor size can help treat PTC, can`t be used by prediction factor of cervical lymph node metastasis.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes* ; Male ; Neck* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Sexuality ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy

We report one case of ureteral triplication associated with ipsilateral vesicoureteral reflux and the relevant literatures are reviewed. A 26-year-old female was referred to our hospital with a history of fever, chilling and recurrent left flank pain. Referral was prompted by documentation of urinary tract infection. Intravenous pyelogram showed 3 ureters, which were drained into bladder separately and cystoscopy revealed only two ureteral orifices in left side. It can be classified as type I according to Smith's classification. Vesicoureteral reflux (Grade I) was found on voiding cystourethrogram.
Adult ; Classification ; Cystoscopy ; Female ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Referral and Consultation ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

Among the various types of congenital meniscal anomalies, the double-layered lateral meniscus is extremely rare. The double-layered meniscus consists of both the upper additional and the lower normal meniscus. As the upper additional meniscus is mobile, it can be easily displaced, while the lower lateral meniscus is usually normal in shape and volume. A 42-year-old woman suffering from pain and locking of her left knee underwent Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination and an arthroscopic surgery. A rare meniscal abnormality was seen in her left knee, which presented as a double-layered lateral meniscus with displacement. It was remarkable that the upper additional meniscus was displaced over the intercondylar eminence of the tibia and it mimicked a bucket-handle tear. Even though it is rare, it is necessary to consider the possibility of displaced double-layered meniscus in the differential diagnosis of a bucket-handle tear. Here, we report the MRI and arthroscopic findings of a displaced double-layered lateral meniscus, which was similar to the bucket-handle tear.
Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Menisci, Tibial* ; Tears* ; Tibia