PURPOSE: We conducted a comparative study to evaluate the diagnostic values of Tl-201, Tc-99m MIBI and I-131 scans in the follow-up assessment after ablative I-131 therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 20 patients who underwent surgical removal of thyroid cancer and ablative radioactive iodine therapy, and followed by one or more times of I-131 retreatments (33 cases). In all patients, Tl-201, Tc-99m MIBI, diagnostic and therapeutic I-131 scans were performed and the RESULTS were analyzed retrospectively. Also serum thyroglobulin levels were measured in all patients. The final diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer was determined by clinical, biochemical, radiologic and/or biopsy findings. RESULTS: Positive rates (PR) of Tc-99m MIBI, Tl-201, diagnostic and therapeutic I-131 scans in detecting malignant thyroid tissue lesions were 70% (19/27), 54% (15/28), 35% (17/48) and 63% (30/48), respectively. The PR in the group of 20 cases (28 lesions) who underwent concomitant Tl-201 and I-131 scans were in the order of therapeutic 131 scan 71%, Tl-201 scan 54% and diagnostic I-131 scan 36%. There was no statistically significant difference between Tl-201 and diagnostic I-131 scans (p>0.05). In the group of 20 cases (27 lesions) who underwent concomitant Tc-99m MIBI and I-131 scans, the PR were in the order of Tc-99m MIBI scan 70%, I-131 therapeutic scan 52% and I-131 diagnostic scan 33%. The PR of Tc-99m MIBI was significantly higher than that of diagnostic I-131 scan (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Tc-99m MIBI scan is superior to diagnostic I-131 scan in detecting recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer following ablation therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Tl-201 scan did not showed significantly higher positive rate than diagnostic I-131 scan. Instead of diagnostic I-131 scan before the I-131 retreatment, Tc-99m MIBI scan without discontinuing thyroid hormone replacement would be a prudent and effective approach in the management of these patients.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Iodine ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Candida can be a part of normal human flora, but can be harmful in immunocompromised patients. While oral or esophageal moniliasis can be found in healthy people or gravely ill patients, ulceration of the duodenum is far less common. Acid-reducing drugs such as H2 receptor blocker increase growth of microbes, including fungus, and candidal invasion is regarded as rare one of the factors that are associated with failure to respond to H2 receptor blocker therapy. Recently, we experienced a case of atypical duodenal ulcer which was found in a patient with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome and diabetes mellitus and failed to respond to H2 receptor blocker therapy. Fungal spores and hyphae were histologically identified from the biopsy specimens that were obtained from the margin of the duodenal ulcer, and this fungus was confirmed as Candida albicans by blood culture. It should be considered that in immunocompromised patients, gastroduodenal ulcers can be caused by fungal infection.
Biopsy ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Candidiasis ; Cushing Syndrome ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Duodenal Ulcer* ; Duodenum ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Immunocompromised Host ; Peptic Ulcer ; Spores, Fungal ; Ulcer

Benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura is a relatively rare neoplasm originated from pleural mesothelial cell, often asymptomatic or presenting with a specifical sign. One of the main problems, concerns the preoperative differential diagnosis, mainly because it is difficult to differentiate between benign and malignant type. A 62-year old woman presented with recurrent chest pain. The chest radiography in a patient was suspected localized pleural mesothelioma. The chest computed tomography scan showed that mass like lesion of well marginated ovoid shape with homogenous attenuation on anterior-basal segment of right lower lobe. After resection of a pleural mass by thoracoscopic extirpation from right hemithorax, Localized benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura was confirmed by pathology and immunohisto-chemical staining. We report here one case of pleural benign fibrous mesothelioma with some considerations on its diagnosis and treatment.
Chest Pain ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Mesothelioma ; Middle Aged ; Pathology ; Pleura* ; Radiography ; Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleural* ; Thorax

PURPOSE: Hearing loss can lead to a number of disabilities and can reduce quality of life. Noise-induced hearing losses have become more common among adolescents due to increased exposure to personal music players. We, therefore, investigated the use of personal music player among Korean adolescents and the relationship between hearing threshold and usage pattern of portable music players. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 490 adolescents were interviewed personally regarding their use of portable music players, including the time and type of player and the type of headphone used. Pure tone audiometry was performed in each subject. RESULTS: Of the 490 subjects, 462 (94.3%) used personal music players and most of them have used the personal music player for 1-3 hours per day during 1-3 years. The most common type of portable music player was the MP3 player, and the most common type of headphone was the earphone (insert type). Significant elevations of hearing threshold were observed in males, in adolescents who had used portable music players for over 5 years, for those over 15 years in cumulative period and in those who had used earphones. CONCLUSION: Portable music players can have a deleterious effect on hearing threshold in adolescents. To preserve hearing, adolescents should avoid using portable music players for long periods of time and should avoid using earphones.
Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; *Audiovisual Aids ; Auditory Threshold ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/*epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; *Music ; Sex Distribution

Inflammatory bowel disease has a potential risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, there is little causal relationship between intestinal tuberculosis and colon cancer because intestinal tuberculosis is curable disease and has relatively short disease course. But there were a few case reports of intestinal tuberculosis associated with colon cancer. Diffuse infiltrating colon cancer, characterized by tumor cells in the presence of inflammatory changes with much fibrosis, is very rare in the colon. We experienced a 49-year-old woman who had tuberculous colitis combined with diffuse infiltrative colon cancer. She visited our hospital because of chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain. Colonoscopy showed multiple geographic ulcers in the transverse colon and partial intestinal obstruction. Histological examination revealed non-caseating granuloma and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured in biopsied tissue. She took an anti-tuberculosis drug for 2 weeks, but her symptoms were aggravated. Therefore, extended right hemicolectomy was performed and revealed mucin-secreting, diffuse infiltrating adenocarcinoma. Herein, we report a rare case of diffuse infiltrative colon cancer coexisting with colonic tuberculosis with a review of liferatures.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenocarcinoma ; Colitis ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis* ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: There are only a few studies on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) for its eradication rates of lansoprazole-based triple therapy in Korea, and the results are controversial. Therefore, we undertook to investigate the eradication rate of lansoprazole-based triple therapy, and compare the concordance rate of urea breath test (UBT) and rapid urease test (RUT) in evaluating H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Patients with acute peptic ulcer who were H. pylori-positive were recruited by prospective, consecutive manner. They received lansoprazole 30 mg b.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. for 1 week. Upper endoscopy was performed after 4 weeks to check for ulcer healing, and UBT and RUT were performed to evaluate H. pylori eradication status. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients were recruited, and they were all compliant. H. pylori eradication rate was 87.0% (40/46) and ulcer healing rate was 91.3% (42/46). Forty one patients showed negative in both UBT and RUT, and 4 patients revealed positive in both tests, therefore, the concordance rate of UBT and RUT was 97.8% (45/46). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that 1-week lansoprazole-based triple therapy was effective in H. pylori eradication and ulcer healing. UBT can be an effective, noninvasive method for evaluating H. pylori status after H. pylori eradication.
Amoxicillin ; Breath Tests* ; Clarithromycin ; Endoscopy ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lansoprazole ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Prospective Studies ; Ulcer ; Urea* ; Urease

BACKGROUND: There are only a few studies on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) for its eradication rates of lansoprazole-based triple therapy in Korea, and the results are controversial. Therefore, we undertook to investigate the eradication rate of lansoprazole-based triple therapy, and compare the concordance rate of urea breath test (UBT) and rapid urease test (RUT) in evaluating H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Patients with acute peptic ulcer who were H. pylori-positive were recruited by prospective, consecutive manner. They received lansoprazole 30 mg b.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. for 1 week. Upper endoscopy was performed after 4 weeks to check for ulcer healing, and UBT and RUT were performed to evaluate H. pylori eradication status. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients were recruited, and they were all compliant. H. pylori eradication rate was 87.0% (40/46) and ulcer healing rate was 91.3% (42/46). Forty one patients showed negative in both UBT and RUT, and 4 patients revealed positive in both tests, therefore, the concordance rate of UBT and RUT was 97.8% (45/46). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that 1-week lansoprazole-based triple therapy was effective in H. pylori eradication and ulcer healing. UBT can be an effective, noninvasive method for evaluating H. pylori status after H. pylori eradication.
Amoxicillin ; Breath Tests* ; Clarithromycin ; Endoscopy ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lansoprazole ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Prospective Studies ; Ulcer ; Urea* ; Urease