Nine patients of clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.0T. The MS plaques were seen in the brain and spinal cord in eight and three patients. respectively. The frequent sites of MS plaques were periventricular white matter, brain stem, and cervical cord. The shape of most brain MS plaques was round or finger-like configuration. The MS plaques showed high signal intensity on R2 weighted images and low or iso signal intensity on T1 weighted images in all nine cases. Contrast enhancement was seen in 4 cases. Mild brain atrophy was noted in 2 cases and mass effect in 1 case. The sites of cord MS plaques in three patients were C2-C4, C2-C5, and C4-C6 levels respectively. The cord MS plaques showed high signal intensity on T2 weighted image and contrast enhancement on Gd-DTPA enhanced T1 weighted images in all 3cases with mild cord expansion in 2 cases. In conclusion, MRI is a useful diagnostic tool in evaluationg the MS plaques involving central nervous system.
Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System ; Cervical Cord ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Spinal Cord ; White Matter

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections*

No abstract available.
Urticaria Pigmentosa* ; Urticaria*

This study was undertaken to know the extent of apoptosis, expression of bcl-2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in uterine cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN; 15 cases) and invasive carcinoma (27 cases) and to evaluate them as a prognostic marker. Apoptosis was analysed by using the in situ apoptosis detection kit and bcl-2 and PCNA were detected by the immunohistochemical method. The results were as follows: Apoptotic indices (AI) in the invasive carcinoma (mean: 4.3) were 10-times higher than that in the CIN (mean: 0.43). Bcl-2 was expressed 60% of the cases in the dysplastic cells of the CIN II and CIN III, 33.3% of cases in the invasive carcinoma and not expressed in the CIN I except basal cells. The expression of the PCNA was increased by the grades of CIN and was strong in invasive carcinoma. The mean survival time of the patient with invasive carcinoma was significantly decreased in the higher AI index (above 4.3) than in the lower AI index (below 4.3). There was no significant correlation between the extent of apoptosis and the expression of bcl-2. According to the above results, AI are able to be used as an independent prognostic marker in the invasive cervical carcinoma, and bcl-2 and PCNA have an important role in the tumorigenesis of uterine cervical carcinoma.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinogenesis ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia* ; Humans ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*

From 1989 to 1996, push back palatoplasty, 2-flap palatoplasty and Furlow's palatoplasty were the main procedures of cleft palate repair in our institute. To compare the maxillary growth state of patients in each palatoplasty group, evaluation of dental occlusion and cephalometric analysis were performed in total 50 patients. The results were as follows: 1. Normal control group was composed of 17 children who didn't have cleft lip or cleft palate. Mean values of cephalometric data in the normal control group were 6.19 cm in SN length, 1.17cm in ONA length, 7.29cm in effective maxillary length 53.88degree in SNO angle, and 82.41 degree in SNA angle. 2. Fourteen patients who underwent push-back palatoplasty showed anterior crossbite in all cases. SNO angle and SNA angle were significantly decreased compared to the normal control group, which indicated significant impairment of maxillary growth. 3. In seventeen patients who underwent 2-flap palatoplasty, 7 patients showed anterior crossbite. Cephalometric parameters showed no significant difference compared to the normal control group. 4. Nineteen patients underwent Furlow's palatoplasty. In this group, 3 patients had anterior crossbite. Cephalometric parameters showed no significant difference compared to the normal control group. Although this report was based on data acquired from patients before the age of complete maxillary growth, our results suggested that each palatoplasty would have a different influence on maxillary growth.
Child ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Dental Occlusion ; Facial Bones* ; Humans ; Malocclusion

Percutaneous biliary drainage is an effective new nonsurgical method for combined external/internal catheterdecompression of obstructed extrahepatic bile ducts. Molnar and Stockum, and more recently others, have reportedsucdess utilizing this approach to establish biliary drainage in patients with obstructive jaundice. Percutaneousbiliary drainage was performed in 9 patients with obstructive jaundice. Internal drainage was accomplished in 4patients (44.4%), and external drainage in 5 patients (55.6%). Major complications occurred in 2 patients; bileleakage, one; sepsis, one. Minor complications occurred in 7 patients; mild or high fever, 5 cases; transienthemobilia, 2 cases. The catheter management problems encoutered including pain, catheter dislodgement ormigration, lumen occulusion, and external bile leakage.
Bile ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Catheters ; Drainage ; Fever ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Methods ; Sepsis

No abstract available in English.
Clinical Study ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Psychological Tests

Extrapelvic endometriosis remains quite rare phenomenon. The majority of extrapelvic endometriosis involve scar tissue following obstetric/gynecologic procedures. Endometriosis involving a cesarean section scar may be more common than previously recongnized. The classic symptom is a painful scar that became swollen and more tender during menstruation. The cause of surgical scar endometriosis is believed to be iatrogenic transplantation of endometrial tissue to the surgical wound. The surgical excision remains the treatment of choice for expected cures and presents the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic intervention. We present two cases of endometriosis appearing on the abdominal wall scar of cesarean section with a brief review of the concerned literatures.
Abdominal Wall* ; Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Menstruation ; Pregnancy ; Wounds and Injuries

Actinomycosis, a rare disease entity in the upper genital tract, and caused by anaerobic bacteria, Actinomyces israelii, presents some difficulties in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis. Pelvic actinomycosis has been reported more frequently in women with intrauterine device (IUD). Actinomycosis may be confused with malignancy and other inflammatory diseases due to its infiltrative nature and tendency to invade normal anatomic barriers. So, cervicovaginal smear is recommended for all women wearing IUDs, and actinomyosis should be suspected in such patients suffering pelvic infections. We experienced a case of pelvic and abdominal actionomycosis complicated by tuboovarian abscess in a 52 year-old woman wearing IUD and report it with a brief review of related literatures.
Abscess ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Infection ; Rare Diseases