No abstract available.
Down Syndrome* ; Humans ; Mothers*

Objectives : 201Tl - chloride, 99mTc - MIBI, 99mTc(V) - DMSA SPECT has been used in distinguishing lung cancer from benign lesion. To compare the diagnostic efficacy of SPECT with these tumor - seeking agents, we performed three consecutive SPECT using 201Tl, 99mTc - MIBI, 99mTc(V) - DMSA in same subjects with a solitary pulmonary lesion. Methods : SPECT was carried out at 10min and 3hr for 201Tl after injection of 2 mCi, and 2hr for 99mTc - MIBI and 99mTc(V) - DMSA after injection of 20mCi, respectively, in 37 patients with a solitary pulmonary lesion(27 lung cancer and 10 benign diseases). In patients showing visual uptake on lesion site, we obtained the lesion - to - bakground(target lesion/contralateral normal lung) uptake ratio from transverse slice for each radionuclide and also calculated the retention index for 201Tl. Results : The diagnostic sensitivity of 201Tl, 99mTc - MIBI and 99mTc(V) - DMSA SPECT to lung cancer was 100%, 96% and 73%, and the specificity was 40%, 70% and 70%, respectively. The low specificities for these agents were mainly due to high positive uptake in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. There were no significant differences in uptake ratios and retention index between malignant and benign lesions, and among the histologic types of lung cancer Conclusion : 201Tl and 99mTc - MIBI showed higher sensitivity than 99mTc(V) - DMSA for detecting lung cancer, but was of limited usefulness in distinguishing lung cancer from benign lesion due to low specificity, especially in area with a high prevalence of active pulmonary tuberculosis.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Succimer* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Objectives : 201Tl - chloride, 99mTc - MIBI, 99mTc(V) - DMSA SPECT has been used in distinguishing lung cancer from benign lesion. To compare the diagnostic efficacy of SPECT with these tumor - seeking agents, we performed three consecutive SPECT using 201Tl, 99mTc - MIBI, 99mTc(V) - DMSA in same subjects with a solitary pulmonary lesion. Methods : SPECT was carried out at 10min and 3hr for 201Tl after injection of 2 mCi, and 2hr for 99mTc - MIBI and 99mTc(V) - DMSA after injection of 20mCi, respectively, in 37 patients with a solitary pulmonary lesion(27 lung cancer and 10 benign diseases). In patients showing visual uptake on lesion site, we obtained the lesion - to - bakground(target lesion/contralateral normal lung) uptake ratio from transverse slice for each radionuclide and also calculated the retention index for 201Tl. Results : The diagnostic sensitivity of 201Tl, 99mTc - MIBI and 99mTc(V) - DMSA SPECT to lung cancer was 100%, 96% and 73%, and the specificity was 40%, 70% and 70%, respectively. The low specificities for these agents were mainly due to high positive uptake in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. There were no significant differences in uptake ratios and retention index between malignant and benign lesions, and among the histologic types of lung cancer Conclusion : 201Tl and 99mTc - MIBI showed higher sensitivity than 99mTc(V) - DMSA for detecting lung cancer, but was of limited usefulness in distinguishing lung cancer from benign lesion due to low specificity, especially in area with a high prevalence of active pulmonary tuberculosis.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Succimer* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Cavernous hemangioma in the gastrointestinal tract is a rare benign vascular lesion, which can produce massive or persistent blood loss. Herein, we present two cases of gastrointestinal hemangiomas that could not be resected completely and were treated with estrogen because of multiple involvement of the gastrointestinal tract and viscera, including the anal canal. A 49-year-old male presented with unknown chronic melena and anemia. Preoperative work-up could not reveal the definite cause of bleeding. During exploration, hemangioma scattered in whole small bowel was identified and feeding vessel ligation was performed. Postoperative recurrent bleedings were controlled by additional estrogen therapy. A 25-year-old young woman had suffered from painless anal bleeding with subsequent anemia since her youth. She had diffuse carvernous hemangioma in the large intestine involving the anal canal and uterus. Total proctocolectomy and ileal-pouch anal anastomosis was performed, however the uterine hemangioma was left intact because the patient wanted to be pregnant. She was also treated with estrogen, postoperatively. It is suggested that estrogen may be a good alternative treatment modality for gastrointestinal hemangioma that can not be removed completely.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Anal Canal ; Anemia ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intestine, Large ; Ligation ; Male ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Uterus ; Viscera

Postoperative gas-forming bacterial infection is very rare. However, it can be a life threatening problem if not properly addressed. Authors treated a patient who was infected with gas forming Escherichia coli after both knee arthroplasty with incision and drainage, as well as arthroscopic synovectomy and antibiotics. Herein, we report a case of postoperative gas-forming bacterial infection with literature review.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Bacterial Infections* ; Drainage ; Escherichia coli ; Humans

Brain tumors represent a diverse spectrum of histology, biology, prognosis, and treatment options. Although MRI remains the gold standard for morphological tumor characterization, positron emission tomography (PET) can play a critical role in evaluating disease status. This article focuses on the use of PET with radiolabeled glucose and amino acid analogs to aid in the diagnosis of tumors and differentiate between recurrent tumors and radiation necrosis. The most widely used tracer is ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Although the intensity of FDG uptake is clearly associated with tumor grade, the exact role of FDG PET imaging remains debatable. Additionally, high uptake of FDG in normal grey matter limits its use in some low-grade tumors that may not be visualized. Because of their potential to overcome the limitation of FDG PET of brain tumors, 11C-methionine and ¹⁸F-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (FDOPA) have been proposed. Low accumulation of amino acid tracers in normal brains allows the detection of low-grade gliomas and facilitates more precise tumor delineation. These amino acid tracers have higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting brain tumors and differentiating recurrent tumors from post-therapeutic changes. FDG and amino acid tracers may be complementary, and both may be required for assessment of an individual patient. Additional tracers for brain tumor imaging are currently under development. Combinations of different tracers might provide more in-depth information about tumor characteristics, and current limitations may thus be overcome in the near future. PET with various tracers including FDG, ¹¹C-methionine, and FDOPA has improved the management of patients with brain tumors. To evaluate the exact value of PET, however, additional prospective large sample studies are needed.
Biology ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Electrons* ; Glioma ; Glucose ; Gray Matter ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Radiopharmaceuticals* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) after thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) is the most sensitive marker for detecting recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). In DTC, Tg production is regulated by TSH; however, TSH values after THW are never identical, even in the same patient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of TSH on Tg levels after THW. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TSH and Tg concentrations were measured twice at 2 and 3 weeks after THW in 309 patients with DTC. TSH and Tg levels at these time points were compared. The percent change in TSH (ΔTSH) and change in Tg level (%ΔTg) from 2 to 3 weeks after THW were calculated, and Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to determine whether ΔTSH could affect %ΔTg. Tg cutoff value for diagnostic imaging was 2 ng/mL. RESULTS: The TSH and Tg values at 3 weeks were significantly higher than those at 2 weeks after THW. Tg values increased significantly to >2 ng/mL after 1 week in 38.5% of the patients with Tg values of 0.2-2 ng/mL at 2 weeks after THW. In patients with Tg values ≥2 ng/mL at 2 weeks after THW, Tg values increased significantly after an additional week of THW. ΔTSH correlated significantly with %ΔTg. CONCLUSION: TSH values differed according to time after THW, and Tg values differed significantly according to TSH values. Therefore, TSH values should be considered carefully when interpreting the meaning of Tg levels in patients with DTC.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Thyroglobulin* ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyrotropin*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is recommended that duodenal ulcer patients who are infected with H. pylori should be treated with eradication therapy, whether the ulcer is active or in remission. However, there has been no report on the effect of eradication treatment in patients with incidentally found S-2 stage duodenal ulcer scar. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 80 H. pylori-positive patients with S-2 stage duodenal ulcer scar who have no past history of ulcer treatment. Treatment group received triple therapy consisted of omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin for 2 weeks, whereas control group received no treatment. The follow-up endoscopy was performed every 1 year and when the patients have symptoms of ulcer disease. Fifty-three patients were followed up for more than 1 year. RESULTS: The eradication rate of the treatment group was 92.9%. During the follow-up period of 14.7 months, 20% (5/25) of patients in the control group (2 gastric ulcers and 3 duodenal ulcers) and 3.6% (1/28) of patients in the treatment group (1 duodenal ulcer) developed active or healing stage peptic ulcers (p=0.089). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that H. pylori eradication may he effective in preventing peptic ulcers in patients with S-2 stage duodenal ulcer scar.
Amoxicillin ; Cicatrix* ; Clarithromycin ; Duodenal Ulcer* ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Omeprazole ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prospective Studies ; Stomach Ulcer ; Ulcer

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited autosomal dominant syndrome caused by germ-line mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. Clinical diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis is usually based on the presence of >100 colonic adenomas, which, if left untreated, progress to colorectal cancer, typically at age under 40 years. Attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli is a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis and also has been described as "hereditary flat adenoma syndrome". Attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli is recognized by the occurrence of <100 (> or =5 or > or =10) colonic adenomas. It is tend to be located proximal to splenic flexure and a later onset of colorectal carcinoma than familial adenomatous polyposis. PURPOSE: This study was performed to analyze the clinicopathologic features of suspicious attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli, to document the occurrence of colorectal carcinoma, and to assess the definition of attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli. METHODS: From June 1989 to June 1998, we reviewed 773 cases of colonic adenomas and compared with three groups (Group I, II, III) at Asan Medical Center. Median follow-up period was 16.4 months (range, 1 to 102 months). RESULTS: The incidence of suspicious attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli (Group II) was 4.9%. The most common symptom was anal bleeding (36.9%). Median size and number of adenomas were 1.0 cm (0.2 to 7.5 cm), 2 (1 to 43), respectively.Location of adenoma was prevalent at right colon in Group II (P<0.05). In respect to the occurrence of carcinoma in situ (CIS), it was more frequently presented in Group II (13.5%) and Group III (13.6%) whereas 4.1% in Group I (P<0.05). Recurrence rates within 12 months after polypectomy or surgery in Group II was 13.5% whereas 5.6% in Group I (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Histopathology revealed suspicious attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli with villous component to be relatively correlated with occurrence of colorectal carcinoma. In suspicious attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli (Group II), the interval of the recurrence of the polyps was shorter than the control group with right colonic predominancy. These findings might be associated with genetic codominance of APC gene or other mutator genes.
Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genes, APC ; Germ-Line Mutation ; Hemorrhage ; Incidence ; Polyps ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: There is no accepted landmark for the mechanical axis of the femoral axis in sagittal plane in conventional total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: As palpable anatomic landmarks of the femur, lateral epicondyle, and anterior margin of the greater trochanter were identified. The line connecting these two landmarks was defined as the "palpable sagittal axis". The mechanical axis of the femur was compared with the palpable sagittal axis and the distal femoral anterior cortex axis. These axes were also compared with sagittal bowing of the femur. RESULTS: The distal femoral anterior cortex axis and the palpable sagittal axis were flexed by 4.1degrees and 2.4degrees more than the sagittal mechanical axes, respectively (p < 0.05). However, the palpable sagittal axis was not correlated with sagittal bowing of the femur (Spearman's rs, 0.17; p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: The palpable sagittal axis showed a consistent relationship with the sagittal mechanical femoral axes regardless of the severity of the sagittal bowing of the femur.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/*methods ; Biomechanics ; Female ; Femur/anatomy & histology/*surgery ; Humans ; Knee Joint/anatomy & histology/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged