We report a case of 53-year-old man with plasmacytoid transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, which may be confused with plasmacytoma. The patient initially presented with gross hematuria and dysuria for two months. Cystoscopy and radiologic studies revealed multiple intraluminal protruding masses on the urinary bladder invading perivesical fat tissue. After urinary cytologic examination and cystoscopic biopsy, radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissections were done. Urine cytology showed single cells and poorly cohesive cells with round eccentric nuclei, bi-or multi-nucleation, indistinct nucleoli, coarse chromatin, and abundant basophilic cytoplasm within relatively clear background. The cytologic findings of tumor cells were similar to the plasma cells seen in plasmacytoma. The tumor of the bladder was composed of discohesive, individual cancer cells with diffuse pattern that simulated lymphoma or plasmacytoma. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies clearly established the epithelial nature of the neoplasm. Recognition of this plasmacytoid type of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder can avoid the misdiagnosis.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

Collagenous colitis is an uncommon condition charaeterized clinically by diarrhea and weight loss and histologically by thickening of the subepithelial collagen band with chromic inflammation. Laboratory tests of blood, urine and stool, and colonscopic findings are usually normal. The etiology of collagenous colitis is unknown. We report a case of collagenous colitis improved after treatment with sulfasalazine with review of literatures.
Colitis, Collagenous* ; Collagen* ; Diarrhea ; Inflammation ; Sulfasalazine ; Weight Loss

Cervicomedullary junction arteriovenous malformation(AVM) is extremely rare. The authors present a case of a cervicomedullary junction AVM in a 31-year-old woman presenting with recurrent intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the AVM(of a size of approximately 2X2.5X4cm) extending from a lower medulla to C2-3 level. Vertebral angiography demonstrated a tightly coiled vascular mass with multiple feeders (radiculomedullary arteries) and irregular-shaped aneurysm at distal part of feeder originating at right C-1 level. The patient underwent superselective embolization of upper nidus and the aneurysm. The pertinent literature is reviewed, and diagnostic and therapeutic implications are discussed.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Female ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Cholesterol granuloma of frontal bone is a rare disease which usually occurs at the lateral part of the supraorbital ridge. This expanding lesion grows slowly and extends into the orbit and anterior cranial fossa. The most common symptom is proptosis. This granuloma is composed of a granulomatous reaction surrounding cholesterol crystals. Surgical treatment involves aspiration of contents and stripping or curettage of the lining which is highly successful. We experienced a case of cholesterol granuloma of frontal bone with huge intracranial extension, which was cured by surgical removal. The clinical features, radiologic, and pathologic finding were discussed and the pertinent literatures were reviewed.
Cholesterol* ; Cranial Fossa, Anterior ; Curettage ; Exophthalmos ; Frontal Bone* ; Granuloma* ; Orbit ; Rare Diseases

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is useful for rapid and relatively noninvasive detection of aneurysms in the circle of Willis. The purpose of this study is to compare CTA with conventional cerebral angiography (CCA) and to assess usefulness of CTA in detection of the anatomic delination of intracranial aneurysms of the circle of Willis in subarachnoid hemorrhage. PATEINTS AND METHODS: 126 consecutive patients with known SAH or suspected intracranial saccular aneurysms underwent CTA and CCA from January 2002 to June 2003. Using surface shaded display post-processing technique, CTA was interpreted for the presence, location and anatomic features of the aneurysms and also the image obtained with CTA was compared with CCA image. RESULTS: In 112 operated patients, 125 aneurysms were detected. CCA revealed 123 cerebral aneurysms and CTA revealed 113 aneurysms. Two of the 125 cerebral aneurysms were located outside of the imaging volume of CTA, 10 cases were not detected and false positive were 2 cases. The sensitivity of CTA was 90.3%. The results obtained with CTA comparing with that of CCA were almostly equal in detection of aneurysm location and delineation of aneurysmal neck. However, CTA provided a 3-dimensional representation of aneurysm and also it was very useful for surgical planning. CONCLUSION: CTA can be a diagnostic tool for the patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrge due to a ruptured aneurysm of the circle of Willis and provides adequate anatomic detail for surgical planning especially to complex cerebral aneurysms. However, it is obvious that CCA is necessary because of the limitations of CTA including its difficulty in detecting unusually located aneurysms including those in cavernous sinus or distal artery, and acquiring dynamic flow information.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Angiography* ; Arteries ; Cavernous Sinus ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Circle of Willis ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Neck ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Gestational trophoblastic tumor(GTT) is one of the most curable malignancies, but metastatic GTT involving high-risk sites(brain, liver, kidney etc.) have been recognized as an adverse prognostic factor. Most centers have treated these patients using multiagent chemotherapy with radiotherapy and/or surgery, but there is still no consensus concerning the optimal treatment strategies. We present our clinical experience in GTT patients with high-risk sites metastases with review of the literatures. We retrospectively reviewed the records of GTT patients treated at the Seoul National University Hospital between 1980 and 1994, and identified 22 GTT patients with high-risk site metastases and analysed prognostic factors which influence the survival. The patients ranged in age from 19 to 57 years(mean, 32 years). All 22 patients had concurrent lung involvement and 15 patients with brain metastases presented with neurologic symptoms. There was 9 cases with metastases to brain only, 5 with metastases to liver only, 3 to metastases to brain and liver, and 5 cases with metastases to multiple sites respectively, All Patients received chemotherapy with MAC(methotrexate, actinomycin D, chlorambucil) or etopodside-based regimens, A radiotherapy to the whole brain was given to patients with brain metastases, and splenic artery embolization was done to control the bleeding from the spleen metastasis in on case. With the use of multimodal therapy, 66.7%(6/9) of patients with brain metastases only, and 60%(3/5) of patients with hepatic metastases only achieved one year survival. Overall l year survival rate was 54%. Patients with high-risk sites metastases did not exhibit any statistically significant relationship between known prognostic factors and survival. Unitl now, combination chemotherapy with adjuvant therapy is the standard treatment approach in GTT patients with high-risk site metastases. A search for more effective treatment modality in this group of patients should be continued.
Brain ; Consensus ; Dactinomycin ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Spleen ; Splenic Artery ; Survival Rate ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms* ; Trophoblasts*

BACKGROUND: Various methods have been employed for treatment of onychomycosis. These methods can be categorized as topical, oral, or device-related. Among them, oral therapies have been regarded as the gold standard for treatment. However, the efficacy of oral therapies on onychomycosis remains limited and safety may be an issue, leaving many patients in need of alternative treatments. As an alternative treatment for onychomycosis, topical therapies are under investigation with great interest. OBJECTIVE: We conducted an investigation on the efficacy of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) as a new therapeutic option in treatment of onychomycosis. METHODS: Fourteen patients with onychomycosis in both great toenails, which was confirmed by fungal examination, were enrolled. About 0.1 ml of 100% TCA solution was applied on one great toenail of the patients eight times at an interval of one week. The other great toenail of the patients was treated with vehicle. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment period, clinical improvement of TCA-treated great toenails with onychomycosis was observed in eleven out of 14 patients. By contrast, no clinical improvement was observed in vehicle-treated great toenails with onychomycosis. Irritant contact dermatitis of the periungual nail folds occurred in 29% as an adverse effect. CONCLUSIONS: Topical solution of TCA may become a new therapeutic option for treatment of patients with onychomycosis who desire alternatives to oral antifungal agents.
Antifungal Agents ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Nails* ; Onychomycosis* ; Pilot Projects* ; Trichloroacetic Acid*

OBJECTIVES: Neurobiological models for obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) have consistently implicated prefrontal-striatal circuits in the pathophysiology of this disorder. But, prior studies have inconsistently found alteration in caudate and frontal lobe volumes in patients with OCD. This study was undertaken in the hope that semi-automated linear transformation methods would elucidate the morphometric differences of various parts of brain between OCD and normal control group. METHODS: Thirteen patients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for OCD, and 9 psychiatrically normal comparison subjects participated in the study. 3-D brain MRIs using Spoiled gradient-recalled (SPGR) sequence were acquired for each subjects. After spatially normalized according to Talairach and Tournoux's coordinates, the gray and white matters were segmented by semiautomated methods using fuzzy algorithm. Each lobal volumes was measured according to Talairach and Tournoux's coordinates, and the region of interests of caudate nuclei was manually traced. The frontal lobe was divided into 3 subregions; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbital frontal cortex, mesial frontal cortex accoring to the coordinates and Broadman's cytoarchitectonics. RESULTS: Only the volume of left and right frontal gray matter showed a significant difference between OCD and normal subjects. In OCD, the frontal gray matter volume was increased in tendency. There's no difference in laterality and no coorelation with clinical severities. CONCLUSION: Findings of increased frontal gray matter volumes in patients implicate a structural abnormality of these brain regions in the pathophysiology of OCD. The increased frontal gray matter volumes reflect a epiphenomena due to increased cerebral blood flows and metabolic rates before the structural changes may occur.
Brain* ; Caudate Nucleus ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Frontal Lobe ; Hope ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* ; Orbit ; Prefrontal Cortex

Periodic paralysis associated with thyrotoxicosis is characterized by intermittent flaccid paralysis of the skeletal muscle. The paralysis usually involve the skeletal muscle of the limbs, especially lower extrimities. In general, sensory function is intact. Involvement of respiratory, ocular or bulbar muscles is very rare, but bulbar and respiratoy invelvement may prove fatal. It is very rare a case that has severe clinical manifestation such as cardiac arrest. We report a case of thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis presenting as cardiac arrest.
Extremities ; Heart Arrest ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Paralysis ; Sensation ; Thyrotoxicosis

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used as a new therapeutic modality in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer, but limited information is available regarding the effectiveness and survival. The aim of this study is to identify the factors concerning chemoresponsiveness and survival, and to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy(NAC) for the patients with locally advanced cervical cancer in terms of 2-year disease-free survival (DFS). Between June 1987 and May 1992, 77 patients with bulky or locally advanced cervical cancer(FIGO Stage IB-III) received two or three courses of NAC. Sixty patients were treated with FP chemotherapy regimen consisting of 5-FU 1000mg/m2(day 1~day 5), CDDP 60mg/m2(day 1) and remaining 17 patients received EP chemotherapy consisting of Epirubicin 110mg/m2(day 1), CDDP 60mg/m2(day 1). After chemotherapy, patients were treated with surgery or radiotherapy according to feasibility. The effectiveness of NAC was evaluated for response by using World Health Organization criteria. Factors related to chemores ponse and survival were analyzed. The overall clinical response rate was 61%, which included a complete response(CR) in 16 patients(20.8%) and a partial response(PR) in 27 patients (40.2%). Mass size but none of the other parameters studied(age, stage, histologic type, chemotherapy regimen) was related to chemoresponsiveness. This therapy rendered radical surgery feasible in 58 evaluable cases(75.3%). Pretereatment characteristics were analyzed for response to NAC. Significantly lower response rates(38.2%) and lower 2-year DFS rates(48.7%) were found in stage II or III patients with tumor size more than 4 cm in diameter. Patients achieving CR or PR had a significantly improved 2-year DFS rate compared with those who did not respond. Lymph-node metastases were found after chemotherapy in 34.5%(20/58) of the surgically treated patients and less than 3 lymph node were involved in 10 patients. Pathologic parametrial involvement was found to be the most significant prognostic factor for recurrence. A 2-year DFS of 72% and 48.7% for stage IB-IIA, I IB-III, respectively, was found. According to chemoresponsiveness, these rate was 78% for responders and 31.6% for nonresponders, respectively. Poor chemoresponsiveness and uncertain survival benifits in stage II, III with bulky mass necessitate more effective therapeutic modalities in this group of patients.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Epirubicin ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pons ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; World Health Organization