Mach bands, a visual phenomenon resulting from lateral inhibitory impulsess in the retina, are recognized aslucent or dense lines at the borders of different radiographic densities. A number of clinical situations have been described in which Mach bands may cause difficulty in radiographic diagnosis. Photodensitometric measurement of the film can differentiate the true change in film density from the Mach band which is an optical illusion. Authors present several examples of photodensitometric tracings of Mach bands, with the brief review of themechanism of their production.
Diagnosis ; Optical Illusions ; Retina

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of reduction based on postoperative computed tomography (CT) images after arthroscopic stabilization using tightrope system for unstable distal clavicle fracture. METHODS: Twelve patients with distal clavicle fracture combined with coracoclavicular (CC) ligament injury (type II, V) who received arthroscopically assisted fixation using a flip button device were evaluated for accuracy of reduction using 3-dimensional postoperative CT scan by measuring the degree of distal clavicular angulation and clavicular shortening. RESULTS: Immediate postoperative plain radiograph confirmed restoration of the CC distance (CCD) in 10 patients. At final follow-up, the CCD remained reduced anatomically on plain radiographs in these patients. All patients showed excessive posterior angulation and shortening compared to the opposite side. The average Constant score recovered to 94.8 at final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Indirect reduction and arthroscopic subacromial approach with flip button fixation of unstable distal clavicle fractures demonstrated favorable clinical results despite unavoidable posterior angulation of distal clavicle and shortening the total length of clavicle.
Arthroscopy ; Clavicle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of CT using water as an oral contrast material in a prone position in determining the depth of tumor invasion in gastric cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three patients(19 male, 14 female) with surgically confirmed gastric cancer were studied. We performed CT in a prone position after ingestion of 1 liter of pure water. CT findings were classified into 4 groups by the morphologic appearances of infiltrates in the perigastric fat plane :normal perigastric fat(SO), fine mottled densities(S1), irregular aggregated or linear densities(S2) and direct extension and invasion of tumor into contiguous structures(S3). Also we prospectively compared the CT staging with pathologic T staging according to the TNM systems. RESULTS: The overall accuracy of CT staging in determining the pathologic T factor was 69.6%. As we regarded T1 and T2 lesions as one group on CT, the accuracy of CT staging was increased to 80.2% because of a limitation of CT for distinguishing T1 from T2 lesions. CONCLUSION: Prone position CT using water as an oral contrast agent is quite accurate in determining the T staging of gastric carcinoma.
Eating ; Humans ; Male ; Prone Position* ; Prospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Water*

A rare case of binocular polycoria due to extensive persistence of the pupillary. membrane was reported. Central visions of both eyes in this case were not disturbed because of the presentation of few holes in the thick pupillary membranes.
Membranes* ; Telescopes*

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital*

No abstract available.
Cell Count* ; HIV* ; Humans ; Panax*

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rarely identified entity whose exact incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, medium-term evolution and optimal treatment have not yet been firmly estabilished. The cause of spontaneous disection remains unclear but theories of etiology include a medial eosinophilic angiitis, pregnancy induced degeneration of collagen and rupture of the vasovasoum. Most paients die suddenly, but a clinical spectrum is seen including and unstable angina, myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. We experienced 4 cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection found angiographically which caused myocardial infarction and unstable angina. Our patients were treated medically.
Angina, Unstable ; Collagen ; Coronary Vessels ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Pregnancy ; Rupture ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*

PURPOSE: Pathological complete response (pCR) of axillary lymph node (LN) is frequently achieved in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Treatment of the axilla after NAC is not well established and the value of sentinel LN biopsy following NAC remains unclear. This study investigated the predictive value of axillary response following NAC and evaluated the predictive value of a model based on axillary response. METHODS: Data prospectively collected on 201 patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer who were treated with NAC and underwent axillary LN dissection (ALND) were retrieved. A model predictive of axillary pCR was developed based on clinicopathologic variables. The overall predictive ability between models was compared by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: Of 201 patients who underwent ALND after NAC, 68 (33.8%) achieved axillary pCR. Multivariate analysis using axillary LN pCR after NAC as the dependent variable showed that higher histologic grade (p=0.031; odds ratio [OR], 2.537; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.087–5.925) and tumor response rate ≥47.1% (p=0.001; OR, 3.212; 95% CI, 1.584–6.515) were significantly associated with an increased probability of achieving axillary pCR. The area under the ROC curve for estimating axillary pCR was significantly higher in the model that included tumor response rate than in the model that excluded this rate (0.732 vs. 0.649, p=0.022). CONCLUSION: Tumor response rate was the most significant independent predictor of axillary pCR in response to NAC. The model that included tumor response rate was a significantly better predictor of axillary pCR than the model that excluded tumor response rate.
Axilla ; Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUND: Since 1997, the annual case occurrence of vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea have exceeded 1,000 cases since 1997. The military is thought to be an important source of the current outbreak. We collected various informations about malaria cases (soldiers, veterans and civilians) which occurred in 2000, and analyzed the characteristics of the current outbreak. METHODS: Informations about malaria cases of soldiers, veterans and civilians, including name, age, sex, day of onset, region, etc., were collected through the National Institute of Health. RESULTS: Out of total 4,141 cases, 1,288 (31.1%) occurred in the military, 1,273 (30.7%) occurred among the veterans, and 1,580 (38.2%) occurred among civilians. The monthly case occurrence reached its peak in early August. Areas such as Cheolwon, Yeoncheon and Paju showed the highest prevalence. CONCLUSION: It is considered that the current malaria outbreak has escaped from the exponential growth phase, however, more attention should be paid to prevent further spreading of malaria infection.
Humans ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax* ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea* ; United Nations ; Veterans