Recent advent of 64-multidetctor (MD) CT enables more coverage of Z-axis in the perfusion imaging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of perfusion CT by using 64-MD CT in detecting the lesion in patients with acute stroke. The perfusion CT was performed by using 64-MD CT in 62 consecutive patients who were initially suspected to have subacute ischemic stroke symptoms during the period of recent 9 months. These patients had subacute stroke (n=62). CT scanning was conducted with Jog Mode which provided 16 imaging slices with 5 mm of slice thickness, and 8 cm of coverage in Z-axis. Scan interval was 1 seconds for each imaging slice and total 15 scans were repeated. After CT scanning, perfusion maps (CBV, CBF, MTT and TTP) were created at Extended Brilliance Workstation. The CBV and CBF maps showed that lesions were smaller images. While on the MTT and TTP map lesions were seen to be larger fifty-one were large than they appeared on these images. Two slices of perfusion maps obtained at the level of the basal ganglia were chosen to simulate conventional older perfusion CT with 8 cm of coverage in Z-axis. TTP and MTT maps may be clinically useful for evaluation of the penumbral zone in cases of aubacute cerebral ischemic stroke. The perfusion CT is useful in the assessment of acute stroke as an initial imaging modality.
Basal Ganglia ; Humans ; Perfusion Imaging ; Perfusion* ; Stroke* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Our objective was to evaluate the clinical feasibility of spatial domain filtering as an alternative to additional image reconstruction using different kernels in CT. Kernels were grouped as H30 (head medium smooth), B30 (body medium smooth), S80 (special) and U95 (ultra sharp). Derived from thin collimated source images, four sets of images were generated using phantom kernels. MTF (50%, 10%, 2%) measured with H30 (3.25, 5.68, 7.45 lp/cm), B30 (3.84, 6.25, 7.72 lp/cm), S80 (4.69, 9.49, 12.34 lp/cm), and U95 (14.19, 20.31, 24.67 lp/cm). Spatial resolution for the U95 kernel (0.6 mm) was 33.3% greater than that of the H30 and B30 (0.8 mm) kernels. Initially scanned kernels images were rated for subjective image quality, using a five-point scale. Image scanned with a convolution kernel led to an increase in noise (U95), whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. CT images increase the diagnostic accuracy in head (H30), abdomen (B30), temporal bone and lung (U95) kernels may be controlled by adjusting CT various algorithms, which should be adjusted to take into account the kernels of the CT undergoing the examination.
Abdomen ; Head ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lung ; Noise ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to review the disease course, clinical and laboratory manifestations, prognosis and treatment of adult onset Still s disease (AOSD) in Korea. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with AOSD were enrolled from 1986 to 1997 in Hanyang University Hospital. Diagnosis of AOSD was based on the criteria proposed by Yamaguchi. We classified the disease course into self-limited, inter mittent, or chronic disease course. RESULTS: Twenty-four (75%) patients were female. Skin rash occurred in 28 (88%) patients, lymphadenopathy in 8 (25%), hepatomegaly in 4 (13%), and pericarditis in 2 (6%) out of 32 patients. The most commonly affected joints were knee joints (88%). Elevated LDH was seen in 18 (60%) patients and decreased CK in 17 (61%) patients. Rheumatoid factor was detected in 4 (13%) patients and ANA in 12 (38%) patients. Anemia (Hb < 10 g/dL) was seen in 13 (41%) patients and hypoalbuminemia (<3. 5 g/dL) in 14 (52%) patients. Elevated ferritin (300 ng/mL) level was seen in 23 (79%) patients. Twenty-five (78%) patients had elevated serum transaminase. Bone marrow studies were performed in 16 patients. Nine out of 16 patients showed hyperplasia of the myeloid series and 2 patients displayed the features of a hemophagocytic syndrome. The mean duration of follow up of 32 patients was 32 months (range 3- 108). Eight (27%) patients had a self-limited, 9 (30%) an intermittent, and 13 (43%) a chronic disease course. The hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with an "intermittent or chronic disease group" (p<0. 05). Thirty-two patients received systemic corticosteroids and 21 patients received single or combination of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. CONCLUSION: We found that hypoalbuminemia at presentation was significantly associated with an unfavorable outcome, intermittent or chronic disease group. The clinical manifestations and disease course of AOSD in Korea were similar to those previously reported in other countries except significantly lower incidence of lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, and pericarditis.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult* ; Anemia ; Antirheumatic Agents ; Bone Marrow ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis ; Exanthema ; Female ; Ferritins ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Korea* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Pericarditis ; Prognosis ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

Klebsiella pneumoniae is known to cause an invasive syndrome characterized by primary liver abscess associated with metastatic infection. The characteristics of the metastatic infection involving the musculoskeletal system in this invasive syndrome are not well understood. The authors present a case report of a patient who developed abscesses of the lower extremities along with abscesses of multiple organs, such as the liver and eye, caused by K. pneumonia. The patient was diagnosed early, and the infection was successfully controlled after several surgical treatments.

No abstract available.
Cholestanol ; Spinal Cord* ; Xanthomatosis, Cerebrotendinous*

No abstract available.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Dementia ; Presenilins*

PURPOSE: A preoperative biliary drainage procedure (endoscopic nasogastric biliary drainage, ENBD; endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage, ERBD; or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, PTBD) is infrequently performed in periampullary cancer patients with obstructive jaundice. Among these different biliary drainage procedures, a safer and more informative procedure should be performed in the indicated cases. However, no comparative study has been done between the two biliary drainage methods (endoscopic vs. percutaneous). The aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcome of these two biliary drainage methods in periampullary cancer and to suggest guidelines for selecting the appropriate preoperative biliary drainage procedure. METHODS: Between January 1996 and June 2002, 25 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipples' operation or pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy) after ENBD/ERBD (Group A) due to periampullary cancer. Twenty- five patients who ubderwent PTBD preoperatively were matched with Group A, according to age group, sex, diagnosis, and type of operation during the same period (Group B). RESULTS: There were no differences in operative time, intraoperative/postoperative transfusion, total/postoperative length of hospital stay, incidence of postoperative complication, TNM staging, or perineural/endovascular/endolymphatic invasion. However, the thickness of CBD wall (Group A: Group B=1.78+/-0.55 mm : 1.14+/-0.37 mm, P<0.001) and degree of inflammation of the CBD wall (Group A> Group B, P<0.001) were significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although a significant difference of clinical outcome between the two preoperative biliary drainage methods could not be identified in this study, the inflammation of operative field resulting from ENBD/ERBD is expected to cause surgical difficulties and ultimately affect postoperative complications.
Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Length of Stay ; Neoplasm Staging ; Operative Time ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Postoperative Complications ; Pylorus

A 57-year-old woman with morbid obesity (BMI: 37.39) was scheduled for ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition of the carpometacarpal joint. A difficult supraclavicular brachial plexus block was performed using a 22-gauge regional block needle with a nerve stimulator and 40 ml of 1% mepivacaine. Approximately 10 minutes after the injection, she complained dyspnea, shortness of breath and right mid-thoracic pain. Her oxygen saturation decreased from 100% to 95%. Diagnostic workup revealed right diaphragmatic elevation caused by phrenic nerve block. General anesthesia was induced because of the unsuccessful brachial plexus block and dyspnea with chest pain. She recovered without any residual complications and was discharged on the third postoperative day. Phrenic nerve block is a common complication in supraclavicular brachial plexus block but it is usually not severe and reassurance is enough to control it. However, pre-operative physical conditions that may lead to decreased respiratory reserves, such as morbid obesity should be considered as a risk factors when conducting supraclavicular brachial plexus block.
Anesthesia, General ; Brachial Plexus ; Carpometacarpal Joints ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Mepivacaine ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Obesity, Morbid ; Oxygen ; Phrenic Nerve ; Risk Factors ; Tendons

Pilomatricoma is a tumor with differentiation toward hair cortex cells. There have been a few cases of multiple familial pilomatricomas in association with myotonic muscular dystrophy. We report two members of the family(brother and sister) with association of multiple pilomatricomas and myotonic muscular dystrophy. Multiple familial pilomatricomas may be a cutaneous manifestation of the myotonic syndrome.
Hair ; Humans ; Muscular Dystrophies* ; Pilomatrixoma* ; Siblings*

PURPOSE: To analyze ocular manifestations of herpes zoster ophthalmicus and evaluate risk factors and complications affecting visual acuity. METHODS: Ocular, cutaneous, and systemic findings were analyzed retrospectively from the medical records of 81 patients, admitted between 1994 and 2007, to the dermatology department of our hospital for the management of herpes zoster ophthalmicus. RESULTS: Herpes zoster ophthalmicus was manifested as eyelid eruption (93%), conjunctivitis (80%), keratitis (67%), iridocyclitis (36%), secondary glaucoma (20%), or extraocular muscle palsy (1%). Some patients had accompanying systemic illnesses, including malignancy, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, and cerebrovascular disease. Patients with decreased vision during the follow-up period were statistically more likely to have presented with keratitis (p=0.032). However, 86% of these patients recovered vision over a 6-month period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with keratitis upon initial evaluation are at risk for decreased vision and require appropriate ophthalmic evaluation and management.
Conjunctivitis ; Dermatology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Eyelids ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Hepatitis ; Herpes Zoster ; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus ; Humans ; Iridocyclitis ; Keratitis ; Medical Records ; Muscles ; Paralysis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tuberculosis ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Acuity