No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Child* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To assess the role of blood vessels in the formation of peritumoral abnormal signal intensity which exaggerates the size of malignant tumor on MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed MR-microangiographic-pathologic correlation using implanted VX-2 carcinoma in 16 rabbit thighs 1-28 days after tumor implantation. The shape and distribution of abnormal vessels were analyzed on microangiography and on histologic examination in correlation with peritumoral abnormal signal intensity on MR images. RESULTS: Dilated peritumoral blood vessels gave rise to irregular, tortuous tumor vessels penetrated into the tumor. With the tumor growth, hypervascular tumor vessels in peritumoral area and central avascular areas were increased. These hypervascular areas on microangiography were corresponded with abnormal signal intensity on MR images. CONCLUSION: Hypervascularity could be a cause of peritumoral abnormal signal intensity which exaggerates the size of experimentally induced malignant musculoskeletal tumors on MR images.
Blood Vessels* ; Thigh

No abstract available.
Coronary Aneurysm* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Heterotaxy Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Meningitis*

To evaluate the usefulness of MR in the osteomyelitis, we reviewed MR examinations of 14 patients with pyogenic osteomyelitis of the long bone. All 14 patients were confirmed to have osteomyelitis either surgically (13/14) or by aspiration (1/14). MRI was performed with 0.5R (n=8) or 2.0T (n=6) SE technique, and Gd-DTPA enhanced T1WI was obtained in 10 examinations. Anatomic location of lesions were femur (8/14), tibia (5/14),m and fibula (1/14). The marrow cavity and soft tissue were involved in 13/14, 12/14 respectively. The signals of both intraosseous and extraosseous infected area were iso to low signal intensity to muscles on T1WI and high signal intensity on PDWI & T2WI. Rim or diffuse enhancement of the marrow cavity and soft tissue were seen in all (10/10) cases. Sequestra, periosteal reaction. And cortical defect were found in 12/14, 10/14, 9/14. MR provided more accurate and detailed anatomic information including extent of disease and possible activity than bone scintigraphy, CT, or conventional radiography. We conclude that MR might be the choice of modality in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis of the long bone.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; Femur ; Fibula ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscles ; Osteomyelitis* ; Radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Tibia

PURPOSE: Collectin family is an important component of innate immunity, of which surfactant protein (SP)-D and mannose-binding lectin (MBL) are the most characterized. We examined SP-D and MBL in young children with acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. METHODS: Sixty-three children (< or =24 months of age) admitted with the first RSV bronchiolitis during 2 epidemics and followed for 1 year after discharge were enrolled. The patients were defined as severe group when they had 2 of followings during admission: hypoxemia (<92% oxygen saturation), rapid breathing (and/or lower chest wall indrawing), and >7 days of hospital stay. All children were evaluated if they had recurrent wheezing during follow-up. SP-D and MBL were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum collected on admission and compared with controls. Their levels were evaluated in relation to the symptom severity during admission and recurrence of wheezing after discharge. RESULTS: Serum SP-D increased significantly in the patients (P<0.01), but MBL showed no difference compared to the controls. SP-D levels were significantly higher in severe group compared with nonsevere group (P<0.05). SP-D levels in the patients with recurrent wheezing after discharge were significantly higher than in those without (P<0.05). MBL showed no difference in relation to the symptom severity or recurrence of wheezing. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that serum SP-D was associated with the severity of RSV bronchiolitis and suggests that it might be a biomarker of lung injury and recurrence of wheezing illnesses in the young children admitted with their first RSV bronchiolitis.
Anoxia ; Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Collectins ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Infant ; Length of Stay ; Lung Injury ; Mannose-Binding Lectin ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; Recurrence ; Respiration ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Thoracic Wall

PURPOSE: Interleukin (IL)-33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine family, is considered to be important for innate-type mucosal immunity of the lung and also has been suggested to induce Th2-type immune responses. We aimed to investigate if IL-33 is involved in airway inflammation due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in young children. METHODS: Thirty-eight infants (< or =24 months of age) admitted with their first episode of RSV bronchiolitis were enrolled in the study. Atopy was defined by having at least 1 allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), positive result to skin prick test, or high serum IgE levels. The patients were assessed to have severe symptoms when they had > or =2 of the following clinical findings: hypoxemia (<92% oxygen saturation), rapid breathing (and/or lower chest wall indrawing), and >7 days of hospital stay. The levels of IL-33 and the IL-33 receptor (sST2) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in nasal secretion samples collected from the patients on admission and compared with 20 age-matched controls. We also investigated the levels of IL-33 and sST2 in relation to the atopic status and symptom severity of the patients. RESULTS: Nasal IL-33 levels in the patients with acute RSV bronchiolitis were significantly increased (P<0.05), but sST2 showed no difference compared to the controls. Neither IL-33 nor sST2 showed significant difference in relation to the atopic status or severity of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our study showed significantly increased IL-33 in the nasal secretions of the young infants admitted with acute RSV bronchiolitis and suggests that IL-33 is involved in the pathogenesis of RSV-induced airway inflammation.
Anoxia ; Bronchiolitis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukins ; Length of Stay ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Respiration ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Skin ; Thoracic Wall

Alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytochrome P-4502E1 (CYP2E1), and then to acetate by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Polymorphisms of these ethanol-metabolizing enzymes may be associated with inter-individual difference in alcohol metabolism and susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease. We determined genotype and allele frequencies of ALDH2, CYP2E1, ADH2, and ADH3 in male Korean patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (n=56), alcoholics without evidence of liver disease (n=52), and nondrinkers (n=64) by using PCR or PCR-directed mutagenesis followed by restriction enzyme digestion. The prevalences of heterozygous ALDH2*1/*2 plus homozygous ALDH2*2/*2 in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (7.1%) and alcoholics without evidence of liver disease (3.8%) were significantly lower than that in nondrinkers (45.3%). The c2 allele frequencies of the CYP2E1 in alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholics without evidence of liver disease, and nondrinkers were 0.21, 0.20, and 0.20, respectively. Allele frequencies of ADH2*2 in the three groups were 0.78, 0.74, and 0.77 and those of ADH3*1 were 0.94, 0.98, and 0.95. Therefore, we confirmed the observation that the ALDH2*2 gene protects against the development of alcoholism. However, the development of cirrhosis in Korean alcoholic patients was not associated with polymorphisms of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes.
Adult ; Alcohol Dehydrogenase/*genetics ; Alcoholism/enzymology/genetics ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/*genetics ; Central Nervous System Depressants/pharmacokinetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1/*genetics ; Ethanol/pharmacokinetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Human ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/enzymology/*genetics ; Male ; Middle Age ; *Polymorphism (Genetics)

PURPOSE: In the present study, we investigated the clinical characteristics of tuberculosis in school-age children and adolescents, which is important as a reservoir for future disease burden. METHODS: Ninety patients, aged from 6 to 18 years, who were diagnosed and treated with tuberculosis during the period from January 2005 to July 2011, were enrolled. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records and investigated clinical characteristics of the patients. RESULTS: Eight patients were 6 to 12 (9%) and 82 were over 13 years of age (91%). There was a significantly higher percentage of males than females in the latter age group (P<0.01). Route of infection was not confirmed in 74 patients, and 16 patients were diagnosed through the school or military medical examinations with no clinical symptoms. Seventy patients (78%) were presented with pulmonary tuberculosis. Chronic persistent coughing was the most common presenting symptom, and both upper lobes were most frequently involved. Nineteen patients over 13 years of age had adult-type cavitary tuberculosis. The positive results for acid-fast smears or cultures were not high, and the rate of positive tuberculin skin test was 88%. The most frequent adverse effects of anti-tuberculosis treatment were hepatotoxicity, hyperuricemia, and gastrointestinal disorders. The duration of the treatment was much prolonged in 8 patients who had drug-resistant tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that pulmonary tuberculosis should be suspected in the adolescents who have prolonged respiratory symptoms. It also indicates that pulmonary tuberculosis in adolescents has similar characteristics to tuberculosis in adults, which suggests the potential important role of adolescent tuberculosis in community disease transmission.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Cough ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Male ; Medical Records ; Military Personnel ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Tests ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary