The diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy associated with pheochromocytoma was made in a 24 year old male on the basis of symptoms and signs, measurements of metabolites of catecholamine,echocardiography and radionuclide ventriculography were preformed and demonstrated. The presence of a tumor on both adrenal glands without definite distant metastasis was demonstrated by abdominal ultrasonography, CT scanning and 131I-MIBC scintigraphy. Surgical removal was performed after proper preoperative preparation with a-adrenergic blocker. During the surgery, neither significant arrhythmia nor severe change of blood pressure was observed. After surgery, cardiac function of the patient improved slowly and progressively.
Adrenal Glands ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Thoracic Surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Perfusion scintigraphy with dipyridamole have been reported to be useful for diagnosis of coronary artery disease and the assessment of the presence and extent of myocardium at ischemic risk, especially in patients who can not undergo dynamic exercise testing. Dipyridamole, pharmacologic coronary vasodilator, also induces fall in blood pressure and rise in heart rate. The purpose of this study was to answer the question if dipyridamole induced peripheral hemodynamic responses were related to chest pain, ST changes on EKG, scintigraphic defect or extent of coronary stenosis. METHODS: Dipyridamole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial scintigraphy and coronary angiography on 43 subjects who were suspected to have coronary artery disease. The peripheral hemodynamic response was graded as absent(group 0) if there was a < or =10mm fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or < or =10 beats/min rise in geart rate(HR) ; moderate(group 1) if there was >10 but < or =20mm fall in SBP and/or >10 but < or =20 beats/min rise in HR ; and marked (group 2) if there was >20mm fall in SBP and/or >20 beats/min rise in HR. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease of dipyridamole perfusion scintigraphy were 68%, 83% while per vessel sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease were 66%, 97%. The numbers of induced chest pain and ischemic ST changes among hemodynamic subgroups, were 40%, 40% in group 0, 33%, 27% in group 1 and 50%, 40% in group 2 without significant difference in each hemodynamic subgroups. Either the numbers of diseased coronary arteries or the numbers of patients demonstrationg reversible scintigraphic defects were not statically different among each subgroups. CONCLUSION: Although the peripheral hemodynamic response dose not always correlate with its central coronary effect but dipyridamlole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is an useful test for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Blood Pressure ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Dipyridamole* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Myocardium ; Perfusion Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Frictional force between the orthodontic bracket and arch wire during sliding tooth movement is related to many factors, such as the size, shape and material of both the bracket and wire, ligation method and the angle formed between the bracket and wire. There have been clear conclusions drawn in regard to most of these factors, but as to the effect of bracket width on frictional force there are only conflicting studies. This study was designed to investigate the effect of bracket width on the amount of frictional forces generated during clinically simulated tooth movement. Three different widths of brackets (0.018x0.025"standard), narrow (2.40mm), medium (3.00mm) and wide (4.25mm) were used in tandem with 0.016x0.022" stainless steel wire. Three bracket-arch wire combinations were drawn on for 4 minutes on a testing apparatus with a head speed of 0.5mm/min and tested 7 times each. To reproduce biological conditions, dentoalveolar models were designed with indirect technique using a material with similar elastic properties as periodontal ligament (PDL). In addition, to minimize the effect of ligation force, elastomer was used with added resin, which was attached to the bracket to make up for the discrepancies of bracket width. The results were as follows: 1. Maximum frictional force for each bracket-arch wire combination was: Narrow (2.40mm) : 68.09+/-4.69 gmf Medium (3.00mm) : 72.75+/-4.98 gmf Wide (4.25mm) : 72.59+/-4.54 gmf 2. Frictional force was increased with more displacement of wire through the bracket slot. 3. The ANOVA post-hoc test showed that the bracket width had no significant effect on frictional force when tested under clinically simulated conditions (P>0.05)
Elastomers ; Friction* ; Glia Maturation Factor ; Head ; Ligation ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Periodontal Ligament ; Stainless Steel ; Tooth Movement* ; Tooth*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast (SonoVue(R)) enhancement ultrasonography (CEUS) and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating liver masses. METHODS: CEUS (n=50), CT (n=47), and MRI (n=43) were performed on 50 liver masses in 48 patients for baseline mass characterization. The most likely impression for each modality and the final diagnosis, based on the combined biopsy results (n=14), angiography findings (n=36), and clinical course, were determined. The diagnostic value of CEUS was compared to those of CT and MRI. RESULTS: The final diagnosis of the masses was hepatocellular carcinoma (n=43), hemangioma (n=3), benign adenoma (n=2), eosinophilic abscess (n=1), and liver metastasis (n=1). The overall diagnostic agreement with the final diagnosis was substantial for CEUS, CT, and MRI, with kappa values of 0.621, 0.763, and 0.784, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 83.3%, 87.5%, and 84.0%, respectively, for CEUS; 95.0%, 87.5%, and 93.8%, respectively, for CT; and 94.6%, 83.3%, and 93.0%, respectively for MRI. After excluding the lesions with poor acoustic sonographic windows, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for CEUS were 94.6%, 87.5%, and 93.3%, respectively, with a kappa value of 0.765. CONCLUSIONS: If an appropriate acoustic window is available, CEUS is comparable to CT and MRI for the diagnosis of liver masses.
Adult ; Aged ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases/pathology/radiography/*ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed