No abstract available.
Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Radioisotope Renography*

PURPOSE: We evaluated a rapid preparation procedures for the labeling and quality control of 99mTc-ECD, MAG3, and MIBI using microwave heating and Sep-Pak cartridges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 99mTc labeling of ECD, MAG3, and MIBI kit preparation was performed according to the package inserts with microwave heating modification. Heating time was 10-15 sec, and heating was performed with 3 mm plastic bottle with screw cap to prevent radiation contamination. Labeling efficiency was obtained with C18 or Alumina N Sep-Pak cartridges. RESULTS: The radiochemical purity of 93~96% for 99mTc-ECD and 95~99% for 99mTc-MIBI was obtained using Alumina N Sep-Pak cartridge. The optimum irradiation time of microwave method for 3 ml 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceutical solution was 10 sec for 99mTc-ECD and 99mTc-MIBI, and 15 sec for 99mTc-MAG3. The RESULTS of quality control data with Sep-Pak cartridges were well correlated with TLC method. The total preparation time of these radiopharmcaeuticals was 5~6 min including quality control procedure. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that radiopharmaceuticals preparation by microwave heating and quality control by Sep-Pak cartridges can be efficiently utilized as an alternative to the recommended method by manufacturer's manual.
Aluminum Oxide ; Heating* ; Hot Temperature* ; Microwaves* ; Plastics ; Product Labeling ; Quality Control* ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide

We experienced a case of transient right-sided heart failure after angioplasty of membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava confirmed by sonography and an inferior vena cavogram. Angioplasty involved the use of a self-expandable metallic stent, but after successful recanalization of the obstruction , the patient became dyspneic. Chest radiography revealed mild cardiomegaly with pulmonary congestion, but this was resolved spontaneously. For the prevention of serious heart failure, we recommend preprocedural evaluation of cardiac function.
Angioplasty* ; Cardiomegaly ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Radiography ; Stents ; Thorax ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

In pediatric dentistry, chloral hydrate is habitually selected for sedation of uncooperative children. Although chloral hydrate has been used for decades, various adverse effects are reported and necessity for new alternative drugs has increased. Dexmedetomidine was approved by FDA for sedation at intensive care units (ICU) in 1999. Compared to conventional sedative drugs, dexmedetomidine has not only analgesic and sedative effects but also it barely suppresses the respiratory system. Due to these characteristics, dexmedetomidine is known as safe sedative drug for children and elderly patients. Furthermore, approved by KFDA in 2010 in Korea, the frequency of sedation using dexmedetomidine is increasing. However, due to its intravenous administration method, it was difficult to apply in pediatric dentistry. Recently, intranasal administration method was introduced which might be a new possible alternative of oral sedation. In this study, we compare the mechanisms, pros and cons of chloral hydrate and dexmedetomidine, introducing new possibilities.
Administration, Intranasal ; Administration, Intravenous ; Aged ; Child ; Chloral Hydrate ; Dental Care* ; Dexmedetomidine ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Methods ; Pediatric Dentistry ; Respiratory System

The effects of NMDA-receptor antagonist (MK-801) were assessed for the oxygen free radical mediated brain (hippocampus) injury with eighty rats which were exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) followed by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used as parameters of the oxygen free radical reaction. Experimental groups consisted of (1) control group (=breathing with air), (2) CO group (=exposed to CO after air breath), (3) CO-air group(exposed to CO after air breath followed by air breath), and (4) CO-HBO group (=exposed to CO after air breath followed by 3 ATA HBO). Each group was divided two subgroup according to the pretreatment (normal saline or MK-801). CO, CO-air and HBO groups increased in SOD activity as compared with control group. And CO-air and HBO groups increased in MDA as compared with control and CO group. Pretreatment of MK-801 decreased SOD activities significantly (p-value<.05) , but MDA amount not significantly (p-value=.107). These results suggest a useful protective effect of NMDA-receptor antagonist (MK-801) in CO induced hippocampal injury mediated by oxygen free radicals.
Animals ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Carbon Monoxide ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; Free Radicals ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxygen* ; Rats* ; Superoxide Dismutase

We report a case of Rasmussen aneurysm diagnosed by helical CT that well shows vascular imaging. Coil embolization of Rasmussen aneurysm stopped the bleeding successfully.
Aneurysm* ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Hemorrhage ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

Detecting malignant cells in ascitic fluid from tumor patients is important since the existence of malignant cells in ascitic fluids is related to the prognosis of patients. Various laboratory methods are being used to obtain diagnosis in ascitic fluids, but some ascitic fluids can not be diagnosed reliably. Cytogenetic analysis of ascitic fluid is not used routinely as a laboratory tool. In this presentation a cytogenetic study of the ascitic fluids from 9 patients with malignant tumor was performed by a direct or short-term culture method. According to cytogenetic study, 5 cases had positive findings for malignant cells. One case had a inconclusive result. There were no malignant cells in the remaining 4 cases. On blind cytologic data, no informations could be obtained in 4 out of 9 cases and the remaining 5 cases had negative findings for detecting malignant cells. Among the 5 cases, cytogenetic findings were negative in 3 cases but in the remaining 2 cases, one was reported positive and the other inconclusive each other. In present study, even though the ascitic fluids from 5 patients were subjected to the comparison of the cytologic study with cytogenetic analysis, two different findings could be obtained. Therefore if further study of a large series of cancer patients with ascitic fluids is done, the value of cytogenetic analysis will be clearly shown. In addition, the cytogenetic study of cell present in ascitic fluids can be used as useful adjunct to cytologic study, and also it can indicate that more invasive diagnostic procedures are necessary.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of double-phase Tc-99m MIBI parathyroidism scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with hyperparathyroidism. We also evaluated the relationship between Tc-99m MIBI uptake and oxyphil cell contents in parathyroid glands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 28 parathyroid glands of 10 patients who underwent Tc-99m MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy and parathyroidectomy for clinically suspected hyperparathyroidism. Early and delayed pinhole images were obtained at 15 minutes and 2 hours after injection of Tc-99m MIBI, and SPECT images were followed. The weight and oxyphil cell contents of parathyroid of tissue were obtained from pathologic specimen, and the scintigraphic findings were compared with histopathology. RESULTS: In surgical histopathology, 6 parathyroid adenomas and 9 parathyroid hyperplasias were confirmed. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of early and delayed images were 46.7% (7/15), 76.9% (10/13), 70% (7/10) and 667% (10/15), 92.3% (12/13), 90.9% (10/11), respectively. SPECT image detected an additional small hyperplasia. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of combined interpretation of early and delayed images with SPECT were 733% f11/15), 100% (13/13), 100% (11/11). The sensitivity was 100% (6/6) for aenoma, whereas that was 555% (5/9) for hyperplasia. Both adenomas and hyperplasias showed significantly increased oxyphil cell contents compared with normal parathyroid glands (p<0.0001), but the oxyphil cell content and weight were not significantly different between adenomas and hyperplasias. CONCLUSION: Double-phase Tc-99m MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy with SPECT is useful for lesion localization m patients with hyperparathyroidism. Although both adenoma and hyperplasia have increased oxyphil cell content, the sensitivity is high in adenoma, but low in hyperplasia.
Adenoma ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism* ; Hyperplasia ; Parathyroid Glands ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; Parathyroidectomy ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Pericardial fat necrosis is an infrequent cause of acute chest pain and this can mimic acute myocardial infarction and acute pericarditis. We describe here a patient with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of pericardial fat necrosis and this was correlated with the computed tomography (CT) findings. The MRI findings may be helpful for distinguishing pericardial fat necrosis from other causes of acute chest pain and from the fat-containing tumors in the cardiophrenic space of the anterior mediastinum.
Adult ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fat Necrosis/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Pericardium/*pathology

Semantic dementia is a rare, distinct form of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, characterized by a deficit in semantic memory with relative preservation of attention and executive functions. We report a case of semantic dementia that pre-sented with a 3-year history of progressive word-finding difficulty and prosopagnosia. Brain MRI showed prominent atrophic changes in the left temporal region and neuropsychological tests demonstrated semantic memory deficits.
Brain ; Executive Function ; Frontotemporal Dementia* ; Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Memory Disorders ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prosopagnosia ; Semantics*