OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken for the purpose of describing the CT features of intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors in patients who were treated with imatinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors, who were treated with imatinib between May 2001 and December 2003, were included in this study. The clinical findings and CT scans were retrospectively reviewed. The metastatic lesions were assessed according to the location, size (greatest diameter), attenuation, and the enhancing pattern before and after imatinib treatment. RESULTS: Prior to the treatment, the sizes and attenuation values of the metastatic lesions ranged from 5 to 20 cm and from 63 to 131 H, respectively. The metastatic lesions showed a heterogeneous enhancement pattern on the contrast-enhanced CT scans. After the treatment, the metastatic lesions became smaller in all 11 patients, and the corresponding attenuation value ranged from 15 to 51 H. The metastatic lesions became homogeneous and cystic in appearance on the follow-up CT scans, mimicking ascites. CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated with imatinib may appear as well-circumscribed cystic lesions on contrast-enhanced CT. These metastases are likely to become smaller and resemble ascites, but may persist indefinitely on the follow-up CT.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Contrast Media ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Iohexol/*analogs & derivatives/diagnostic use ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiography/secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiography/secondary ; Piperazines/*therapeutic use ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinase/antagonists & inhibitors ; Pyrimidines/*therapeutic use ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods

PURPOSE: To compare the proliferation potential of the epithelial cells between unicystic ameloblastoma (UA), dentigerous cyst (DC), and odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) and to correlate this proliferation potential with the radiographic features of these three pathoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of PCNA, Ki-67, and cytokeratin as a proliferation marker were assessed for 15 cases of UA, 15 cases of DC, and 15 cases of OKC. The degree of immunochemical expression of three proliferation markers were correlated with the radiographic features, especially cortical expansion (negative and positive) and shape of border (scalloped and round). RESULTS: Using PCNA and Ki-67, OKC showed the highest proliferation potential and UA the lowest. Statistically significant differences were found between the OKC and the UA (p< 0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was present according to the radiographic features in all pathoses. Using cytokeratin, there was no significant differences of proliferation potential among three pathoses. CONCLUSIONS: OKC epithelium has the most intense proliferation potential, followed by the dentigeous cyst and then unicystic ameloblastoma. There is no significant relation between the radiographic features and the proliferation potential of epithelium of these three pathoses.
Ameloblastoma* ; Dentigerous Cyst* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Keratins* ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Odontogenic Cysts* ; Odontogenic Tumors ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of infusion of normal saline onto the surface of the liver capsule for minimizing thermal injury of the adjacent organs during radiofrequency ablation of subcapsular hepatic tumor in an ex-vivo porcine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used porcine small bowel with it's serosal surface spread onto the porcine liver as an experiment model. The puncturing electrode was inserted into a 6 Fr introducer sheath, and the introducer sheath was connected to the infusion pump for creating a saline flow over the liver surface . A total of 15 ablations were divided into the control group (n=5), intermittent saline infusion group (n=5) and continuous saline infusion (n=5) group. The ablations were done during 3 minutes, and the infusion was set at 2 ml/min and stopped every 30 seconds in the intermittent saline infusion group. After the ablation, we measured the size of the ablated lesion on the surface of bowel and liver, and we also measured the depth of hepatic lesion. RESULTS: Ablated areas of bowel and liver surface in the control group, intermittent saline infusion group and continuous infusion group were 210.7+/-89.1 mm2, 74.6+/-27.2 mm2 and 35.8+/-43.4 mm2, respectively, and 312.6+/-73.6 mm2, 228.4+/-110.5 mm2, and 80.9+/-55.1 mm2, respectively. In contrast to the broad base of the ablated area on the surface of the liver in the control group, the shapes of the lesions became narrower approaching to the liver surface in all cases of the continuous saline infusion group, and the shapes of the lesions were broad based in 3 cases and narrow based in 2 cases of the intermittent saline infusion group. CONCLUSION: Continuous infusion of normal saline onto the surface of the liver during radiofrequency ablation of subcapsular hepatic tumor is a feasible method for minimizing thermal injury of the adjacent organs. Further exploration of the optimal parameters or techniques to maximize the hepatic ablation and simultaneously to minimize the thermal injury of adjacent organs is required.
Catheter Ablation* ; Electrodes ; Infusion Pumps ; Liver*

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of transluminal radiofrequency thermal ablation using a stent-type electrode and to determine, by means of in-vitro and in-vivo animal studies, the appropriate parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro: The radiofrequency electrode used was a self-expandable nitinol stent with 1cm insulated ends. A stent was placed in the portal vein of bovine liver, and ablations at target temperatures of 70, 80, 90, and 100degrees C were performed. Ablated sizes were measured longitudinally. In vivo: Four mongrel dogs were anesthetized, and a stent was inserted in the common bile duct under fluoroscopic guidance through an ultrasound-guided gall bladder puncture site. The ablation temperature was set at 80 degrees C, and each dog underwent proximal and distal esophageal ablations lasting 12 minutes. They were sacrificed immediately. RESULTS: In-vitro: Ablated sizes showed significant correlation with target temperatures (r>0.04; p<0.05). Although most lesions were fusiform, dumbbell-shaped lesions with central thinning were found in two cases in the 70degrees C group. In all cases in the 70 degrees C and 80 degrees C group, the length of the insulated segment was less than 1 cm. In-vivo: At microscopy, tissues at the center of the biliary stent showed more prominent pathological change than those at the periphery while those remote from the stent showed minimal or no change. In esophageal ablations, the mean highest temperature was 48.6 degrees C. Microscopy demonstrated the destruction and shedding of mucosa, edema, and coagulation necrosis of submucosa, but in muscle layers no abnormalities were apparent. CONCLUSION: Transluminal radio-frequency thermal ablation using a stent-type electrode may be useful for elongating patency. The appropriate target temperature for biliary ablation is 80 degrees C.
Animals ; Common Bile Duct ; Dogs ; Edema ; Electrodes* ; Liver ; Microscopy ; Mucous Membrane ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Punctures ; Stents ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of angiography in the diagnosis and treatment of pseudoaneurysm manifesting arterial hemorrhage as a significant complication following pancreatoduodenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 51 months, of a total of 298 patients who had undergone pancreatoduodenectomy, 19 patients (6.4%) developed clinically significant hemorrhage and nine patients proved to have a pseudoaneurysm on angiography. These nine patients (3.0%) were managed by transcatheter arterial embolization. We analyzed clinical feature, angiographic findings and hemostatic effect of embolization retrospectively. RESULTS: In nine patients (3.0%), pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed on angiography (common hepatic artery in four, gastroduodenal artery in three, proper hepatic artery in one, and left gastroepoploic artery in one patient). The size ranged from 0.3 cm to 6.5 cm (mean 1.9 cm). And extravasation was noted in five patients (55.6%). The remained ten patients showed no evidence of bleeding on angiography. Those who manifested as early bleeding (within two weeks) or delayed bleeding (later than two weeks) were five and four patients respectively. Before the onset of major bleeding, among the nine pseudoaneurysm patients, seven patients (77.8%) had experienced percutaneous drainage due to intra-abdominal fluid collection with or without abscess resulting from anastomotic leak, and all nine patients had had preliminary minor bleeding. The angiogram demonstrated an exact site of bleeding as a pseudoaneurysm followed by transcatheter arterial embolization (microcoil in eight patients, gelfoam in one) and achieved complete hemostasis yielding a success rate of 100%. Overall, no patients experienced complications related directly to the transcatheter arterial embolization technique. During the follow-up period (72-1,336days, mean 640), no recurrence of bleeding was noted. CONCLUSION: Although pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication, it is important as a cause of hemorrhage after pancreatoduodenectomy. Angiography followed by transcatheter arterial embolization allows early diagnosis and hemostasis of pseudoaneurysm and minimizes the need for high-risk emergency surgery.
Abscess ; Anastomotic Leak ; Aneurysm, False* ; Angiography* ; Arteries ; Diagnosis* ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: It is well-known that migraineurs frequently have abnormal findings on transcranial Doppler ultra-sound (TCD), but their clinical implications are not clear. We investigated the clinical significance of TCD findings in migraineurs. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven consecutive migraineurs were prospectively gathered. The following clinical parameters were investigated : 1) age and sex, 2) time from onset of headache to visiting hospital, 3) frequency, duration, laterality, pulsating quality, and severity of headache, 4) presence of nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia, 5) aura, and 6) aggravation of headache by routine physical activity. TCD was performed during a headache-free period to measure the mean flow velocities (MFVs) and other parameters of 13 intracranial and 2 extracranial vessels. If MFV of any artery or its side-to-side difference in each migraineur was beyond 2 standard deviations of corresponding age and sex-matched reference subgroups, the TCD result was regarded as abnormal. Correlations between abnormal TCD and clinical parameters were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Results of TCD were abnormal in 84 patients (61.3%). Pulsatility of headache and absence of aura were significantly correlated with abnormal TCD on univariate analyses (p=0.003 and 0.049 respectively). On multivariate analysis, pulsatility of headache was the only statistically significant predictor of abnormal TCD (p=0.015). Headache attacks tended to be less frequent in patients with abnormal TCD with marginal significance (p=0.050). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that abnormal results on TCD are more frequent in migraineurs with pulsatile headache. An association between abnormal TCD and frequency of headache attacks is suggested.
Arteries ; Epilepsy ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyperacusis ; Migraine Disorders ; Motor Activity ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nausea ; Photophobia ; Prospective Studies ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Transfection*

Ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia are a classical triad of Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS). The experience of dizziness secondary to ophthalmoplegia is also not uncommon. However, nystagmus is rare and vertigo, a symptom of vestibulocerebellar dysfunction, has not been reported yet. A 56-year-old woman visited our hospital due to sudden vertigo. Initial examination revealed nystagmus evoked by a bilateral horizontal gaze with left side dysmetria. The next day, her symptoms rapidly aggravated to ophthalmoplegia, severe ataxia, areflexia, and quadriplegia. She was diag-nosed with MFS and was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. On the fourth day, she developed respiratory fail-ure and a ventilator was applied. Twenty-eight days after her admission, she recovered to the point of walking without any aid and was discharged with minimal disability. There are still controversies surrounding the nosology of MFS and many investigators have reported evidence for brainstem involvement. Vertigo can be additional evidence for the involvement of the central nervous system in MFS.
Ataxia ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Dizziness ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Middle Aged ; Miller Fisher Syndrome* ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Quadriplegia ; Research Personnel ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Vertigo* ; Walking

The explanation of isolated-organ tuberculosis rests on the assumption that in the course of the lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination of bacilli, organisms may be rapidly destroyed in all other sites save for the particular tissue involved in the isolated tuberculous process. Tuberculosis can arise in all tissues having lymphatics or blood supply, but the disease causing biliary tract obstruction has been known to be rare. Recently, we experi-enced a case of isolated-organ tuberculosis causing common bile duct obstruction and periductal lymph node enlargement in a 46-year-old Korean male. An ultrasonography-guided percutaneous needle biopsy revealed a granulomatous inflammation of the lymph node. After 7 months of anti-tuberculous medication, the common bile duct obstruction and periductal lymph node enlargement disappeared completely in a follow up abdominal CT and ERCP.
Biliary Tract ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholestasis ; Common Bile Duct* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis*

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) includes early development of up to thousands of colorectal adenoma and of colonic adenocarcinoma in all untreated cases. Moreover, a variety of extracolonic manifestation are seen. Several reports have demontrated a high incidence of papillry carcinoma of thyroid. We experienced a case of familial adenomatous polyposis, presenting with thyoid papillry carcinoma, and reported with a brief review of literatures.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Colon ; Incidence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms