External ventricular drainage (EVD) is a common procedure performed in neurosurgical field. The purpose of this study was to introduce the linear intracranial calcification formed along EVD tract and to investigate its incidence, predisposing factors, and clinical impact. A total of 59 patients who underwent EVD insertion over a 1-year period were included in this study. The clinical factors and radiographic features between the occurrence and the non-occurrence groups were analyzed to investigate the predisposing factors and clinical impact related to the linear intracranial calcification in EVD tract. The linear intracranial calcification following EVD insertion occurred in 7 patients (11.9%). Among various risk factors assessed, only usage of bone dust (p =0.003) had contributed to linear intracranial calcification with statistical significance in univariate logistic regression analysis. Housefield unit (HU) scale was different between calcification (872.57 ± 46.15 HU) and EVD catheter (169.00 ± 61.35 HU). This study indicates that using bone dust for sealing a burr hole is the only predisposing factor for linear intracranial calcification formed in EVD tract.
Catheters ; Causality* ; Drainage* ; Dust ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Radioopaque lesions are commonly seen in patients who received thoracic radiotherapy for various kinds of thoracic neoplasm, But therir exact diagnos are sometimes uncertain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined simple chest radiograph and computed tomogram(CT) of 69 patients who received thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer and were follow up at least 6 months in Yeungnam University Medical Center. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients. thirty-eight patients showed radioopaque lesions in their chest radiographs except radiation fibrosis; radiation pneumonitis was witnessed in 24 patients. infectious pneumonia in 8 patients, and recurrence in 6 patients. In radiateionpneumonitis patients, the pneumonitis occurred usually between 50 to 130 days after receiving radiation therapy, and interval between pneumonitis and fibrosis is 21 to 104 days. Simple chest radiographs of radiation pneumonitis(24 patients) represented ground glass opacities or consolidation in 4 cases(type I, 17%), reticular of reticulonodular opacities in 10 cases(type II, 42%), irregular patichy consolidations in 2 cases( type III, 8%), and consolidation with fibrosis in 8 cases(type IV, 33%), CT represent ground glass opacities or consolidation in 5 cases(type I, 29%), irregular nodular opacities in 3 cases(type II, 19%), irregular opacity beyond radiation fields in 3 cases(type III, 18%), and consolidation with fibrosis in 6 cased(typeIV, 35%). The CT of four patients who represented type II on simple chest radiographs reveal type I and III, and CT of two patients with clinical symptoms who had no abnormal finding on simple radiograph revealed type I. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, computed tomogram is superior to the simple radiograph when trying to understand the pathologic process of radiation pneumonitis and provide confidence in the diagnosis of radiation induced lung disease.
Academic Medical Centers ; Diagnosis ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glass ; Humans ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Pneumonia ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Thoracic Neoplasms

Primary neoplasms arising in vesical diverticula are rare and present special problems in diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of primary carcinoma arising in vesical diverticula with associated benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Diagnosis ; Diverticulum* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical manifestations and treatments of parafoveal telangiectasis. METHODS: Twenty-two eyes of fifteen patients diagnosed as parafoveal telangiectasis were selected who had visited Kong Eye Center from September 1999 to August 2003 complaining of decreasing visual acuity. Visual acuity was checked and fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were done. Authors treated six eyes of six patients experienced decreasing visual acuity due to macular edema with argon laser photocoagulation and one eye of one patient accompanying with choroidal neovascularization with photodynamic therapy. RESULTS: Among fifteen patients, group 1 cases were eight (1B eight) and group 2 cases were seven by classification of Gass and Blodi. Visual acuity improved in two eyes of six eyes and maintained in four eyes of six eyes and optical coherence tomography showed decrease of macular edema in six eyes of six patients all after argon laser photocoagulation. Visual acuity improved and optical coherence tomography showed decrease of macular edema in one eye of one patient after photodynamic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Group 1 cases were more than group 2 cases. Argon laser photocoagulation can be effectively used to treat decreasing visual acuity due to macular edema in parafoveal telangiectasis patients. Photodynamic therapy seems to be effective in parafoveal telangiectasis accompanied with choroidal neovascularization but we think that additional studies with more cases are needed.
Argon ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Classification ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Edema ; Photochemotherapy ; Telangiectasis* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: In this study, we attempted to analyze the occupational accident experience rate by working life cycle of Korean workers considering entrance and turnover in their jobs. The specific goal of this study was to calculate the accident experience rate according to workers' turnover history and previous accident experience. METHODS: We constructed a cumulative data set of 90,338 cases of workers' accident experiences in their jobs from the Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey. The accident experience rates according to workers' turnover and previous accident experiences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. RESULTS: In this study, the cumulative accident experience rate of Korean workers was found to be 5.2%. It was confirmed that the accident experience rate of workers increased as the turnover frequencies increased. In addition, we analyzed only the data of the workers who had experienced turnover and found that the accident experience rate after turnover increased about 7.5 times when workers had experienced accidents in the past. CONCLUSION: To prevent occupational accidents in workers, safety strategies should consider a worker's previous job history and injury experiences. It will also be necessary to focus preventive efforts on new and young workers through ongoing monitoring and on-the-job training.
Accidents, Occupational ; Dataset ; Inservice Training ; Life Cycle Stages

PURPOSE: In this study, we attempted to analyze the occupational accident experience rate by working life cycle of Korean workers considering entrance and turnover in their jobs. The specific goal of this study was to calculate the accident experience rate according to workers' turnover history and previous accident experience. METHODS: We constructed a cumulative data set of 90,338 cases of workers' accident experiences in their jobs from the Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey. The accident experience rates according to workers' turnover and previous accident experiences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. RESULTS: In this study, the cumulative accident experience rate of Korean workers was found to be 5.2%. It was confirmed that the accident experience rate of workers increased as the turnover frequencies increased. In addition, we analyzed only the data of the workers who had experienced turnover and found that the accident experience rate after turnover increased about 7.5 times when workers had experienced accidents in the past. CONCLUSION To prevent occupational accidents in workers, safety strategies should consider a worker's previous job history and injury experiences. It will also be necessary to focus preventive efforts on new and young workers through ongoing monitoring and on-the-job training.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study. PURPOSE: We evaluated the predictive value of the Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) system for spinal adverse events (SAEs) in patients with single spinal metastatic tumor. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The SINS system was developed to assess spinal instability in patients with single metastatic spinal tumor. However, the system’s potential predictive value for SAEs has been partially studied. METHODS: This system was applied to a retrospective cohort of 78 patients with single spinal metastatic tumors. The patients underwent surgical treatment and were postoperatively followed up for at least 2 years or until death. The attribution of each score and total SINS to SAE (vertebral compression fracture [VCF] and spinal cord compression [SCC]) occurrence was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: SAEs occurred on average 7 months after diagnosis of spinal metastasis. The mean survival rate post diagnosis was 43 months. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the pain (p=0.029) and spinal alignment (p=0.001) scores were significantly related to VCF occurrence, whereas the pain (p=0.008) and posterolateral involvement (p=0.009) scores were related to SCC occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Among the components of the SINS system, while pain and spinal alignment showed a significant association with VCF occurrence, pain and posterolateral involvement showed association with SCC occurrence.
Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To report two cases of spontaneous resolution of macular hole stage 1 and 2, that were objectively diagnosed with OCT(optical coherence tomography). METHODS: Case 1-A 64-year-old woman without systemic disease visited Kong Eye Center complaining of decreasing visual acuity for 1 month. We diagnosed her case as macular hole stage 1, checked her regularly and detected spontaneous resolution of the macular hole after 6 months. We examined her using OCT before and after spontaneous resolution. Case 2-A 66-year-old man without systemic disease visited Kong Eye Center complaining of decreasing visual acuity for several months. We diagnosed his case as macular hole stage 2 and decided to perform an operation 3 weeks later. On admission, we detected spontaneous resolution of the macular hole. We examined him using OCT before and after spontaneous resolution. RESULTS: We could confirm the spontaneous resolution of stage 1 and 2 macular hole using OCT objectively. CONCLUSIONS: OCT is a useful tool in the diagnosis of macular hole and in the evaluation of various natural course of macular hole.
Aged ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Perforations* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiologic features and clinical utility of ultrasonography and mammography in cases of gynecomastia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 40 men inwhom gynecomastia had been pathologically diagnosed by surgical incision. In 21 cases, a retrospective analysis of ultrasonographic and mammographic findings was performed. RESULTS: Causative factors of gynecomastia among the 40 pathologically-proven cases were idiopathic or pubertal in 33 cases, related to male hormone deficiency in three cases and to chronic liver disease in four. Bilateral involvement was seen in 14 cases, and unilateral involvementin 26 ; among unilateral cases, right side was involved in 10 cases, and the left side in 16. Mammographically, asubareolar discoid lesion was present in 12 cases, diffuse increased breast density was seen in five cases and dendritic marginated subareolar lesion without microcalcification in one. Ultrasonographically, a round smooth marginated low echogenic lesion in the subareolar region was seen in five cases, a diffuse hyperechogenic pattern without definite mass in two cases and an ill defined low echogenic lesion in one. CONCLUSION: The male breast is small, so in cases of gynecomastia, ultrasonography is an effective diagnostic modality. Mamography will, however, be helpful in the detection of microcalcification in cases of gynecomastia seen on sonography.
Breast ; Gynecomastia* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Mammography ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography