PURPOSE: To evaluate whether there are any differences in MR findings between the childhood and the adult moyamoya disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the brain MR findings in 22 children (13 boys and 9 girls, 2-18 years of age) who had moyamoya disease with 15 adult patients (7 men and 8 women, 19-55 years of age). The MR findings were classified as parenchymal-(infarctions and intracranial hemorrhages) and vascular abnormalities (intracranial vascular patency and moyamoya vessels). The difference in each of these MR findings was analyzed using Chi-squaretest and Fisher's exact test (two-tailed). Out of 22 children, two children with normal MR finding were excluded from the statistical analysis. Moyamoya diseases were diagnosed angiographically in all adult patients. In children, they were diagnosed by MR imaging, MR angiography(6), and/or conventional cerebral angiography(18). RESULTS: In children, cerebral infarctions were observed in 20 of 22 patients (91%) (cortex 86%, periventricular white matter/centrum semiovale 32%, basal ganglia 10%). In two patients, there was no parenchymal abnormality. Intra-cranial hemorrhages were not demonstrated in any patients. In adults, intra-cranial hemorrhages(intracerebral hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, alone or combined) were demonstrated in 10 of 15 patients(67%). Cerebral infarctions with or without intracranial hemorrhage were detected in 10 of 15 patients(67%)(cortex 40%, periventricular white matter/centrum semiovale 53%, basal ganglia 20%). The difference in parenchymal abnormalities between the childhood and the adult moyamoya disease was statistically significant (p=0. 000164). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to the occlusive changes of the internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries or to moyamoya vessels(p> 0.01 ). CONCLUSION: This study could prove the fact that the principal clinical symptoms in the childhood moyamoya disease were due to cerebral infarction and those in the adult cases were due to infarction and intracranial hemorrhage. In addition, cortical infarction was more prevalent in children and infarction in periventricular white matter/centrum semivoale and basal ganglia was more frequentin adults. There was no significant difference in vascular abnormalities between the two groups.
Adult* ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Child* ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Vascular Patency

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of treatment and prognosis of Marjolin's ulcer compared with primary squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients treated for Marjolin's ulcer were analyzed. Twenty patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma treated during the same time period was the control group. Mean age was 61.2 years. There were 24 males and 10 females. The locations, TNM stages, histological grades, recurrence, metastasis, and survival rate were analyzed and compared between two groups. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 54.8 months (range, 12-168 months). Local recurrences were found in 6 cases, 5 ones in Marjolin's ulcer patients, and one case in primary squamous cell carcinoma patients. The mean time interval between the initial presentation and occurrence of local recurrences was 9 months (range, 2-20 months). There were 6 metastases. 2 (14.3%) metastases were found in Marjolin's ulcer patients, and 4 (20.0%) metastases in primary squamous cell carcinoma patients. Total events (metastasis or local recurrence) were found in 10 pateients, 6 of them in Marjolin's ulcer group, and the remaining four in primary group. 5-year disease-free survival rate was 64.3% in Marjolin's ulcer group and 95.0% in primary squamous cell carcinoma group. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell carcinomas originating as Marjolin's ulcers revealed higher recurrence rate and lower survival rate despite of aggressive treatment. Therefore, new treatment modalities should be developed for improving outcomes.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Ulcer

Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare tumor comprising 0.1 per cent of all malignancies worldwide. There is, however, an increased ineidence following renal transplantation, immunosupression and in the acquried immunodeficency syndrome(AIDS) Kaposi's sarcoma has been shown to involve every organ of the body except the brain. Gastrointesinal involvement is the most common extracutaneous site of involvement. Gaatrointesinal Kaposis sarcoma is preaent in approximately half of patients with cutaneous Kaposis sarcoma and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS). Although usually asymptomatic, gastrointestinal Kaposi's sarcoma may cause pain, bleeding, diarrhea, obstruction, intussusception, perforation. malabsorption, and protein-losing enteropathy. Three distinct gastroscopic appearances of Kaposi's sarcoma have been described: maculopapular, polypoid, and umbilicated nodular lesions. We report a case of Kaposis sarcoma of the stomach.
Brain ; Diarrhea ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intussusception ; Kidney Transplantation ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Stomach*

The potential of malignant melanoma to metastasize to all parts of the body is well known. Metastatic melanoma of the stomach may present with vague gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominai pain, or gastrointestinal bleeding. When gastrointestinal symptoms occur in a patient with known melanoma, gastric metastases should be considered. Melanoma metastatic to the stomach develops multiple small ulcerating masses. These sharply delineated submucosal lesions have been described as having a "bull's eye" or "target" configuration. Barium X-ray study, endoscopy, cytology study, and biopsy may yield the diagnosis. The prognosis is poor. We report a case of metastatic melanoma of the stomach with the review of the literature.
Barium ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

No abstract available.
Actinomycosis*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.