The grading of astrocytoma has traditionally relied on histological assessment, but there are some differences in their parameters, application, and reproducibility. Recently, numerous studies have attempted to correlate biological aggresiveness with tumor proliferation index using new immunohistochemical methods. The purpose of this study is to correlate the histopathological grades of astrocytoma with the expression of Ki-67, PCNA, p53 protein and AgNORs. The paraffin sections of 41 consecutive cases of astrocytomas were examined. Histologically the tumors were graded as three groups under the St. Anne-Mayo system and showed 14 cases in grade II, 15 cases in grade III and 12 cases in grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme). As a result, the Ki-67 labelling index and p53 protein expression tended to increase with increasing grade of malignancy. But the univariate analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the tumor grades (p>0.05). The PCNA labelling index and number of AgNORs revealed striking differences between the grade II and grade III astrocytomas (p<0.05). We concluded that the PCNA labelling index and AgNORs counting are useful markers for differentiation between grade II and III astrocytomas.
Astrocytoma* ; Paraffin ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; Strikes, Employee

Membranous obstruction of the hepatic inferior vena cava(MOVC)is one of the common causes of Budd-Chiari syndrome. The aim of this study is to ascertain and compare the characteristic sonographic and CT findings of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by MOVC. We studied 10 patients of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by MOVC through sonography and CT. MOVC was confirmed by operation and/or inferior vena cavography. The cases included 9 men and one woman. With sonography. IVC obstruction was diagnosed in 9 cases. The cause of IVC obstruction was web in 5 cases and fibrous cord in 3 cases. The cause was unspecified in on case. Obliteration of the hepatic veins and intrahepatic collateral vessels were delineated in 9 cases. With color doppler sonography, the directions of blood flow of the hepatic veins through the intervenous communication were fairly well demonstrated in all 5 cases. With CT, IVC obstruction was diagnosed in 7 cases. The obliteration of the hepatic segment of the IVC were segmental in 6 cases and diffuse in one case. Ct demonstrated communicating vessels between the hepatic veins in 3 cases. Furthermore. Systemic collateral vessls(azygos and hemiazygos veins. Veins along the abdominal wall, and internal mammary veins)were demonstrated in all cases. Liver cirrhosis was combined in all cases and hepatoma developed in 4 cases. Sonography is useful to detect the MOVC and to demonstrate hepatic venous obstruction and intrahepatic collateral vessels. Color doppler sonography is easily performed to show the direction of the blood flow through interconnecting vessels. CT shows the obliterated segment of the IVC clearly and multiple prominent systemic coliaterals. In conclusion, and Budd-Chiai syndrome caused by MOVC is accurately diagnosed by combined color doppler sonography and CT.
Abdominal Wall ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Ultrasonography ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

No abstract available.
Blepharoptosis*

The findings of upper gastrointestinal series(UGI), computed tomography (CT), and sonography(US) of ten duodenal adenocarcinoma confirmed by surgery (n=7) and endoscopic biopsy (n=3) were retrospectively analyzed. We performed US in all cases, CT and UGI in 8 out of 10 cases. UGI showed 4 cases of ulcerating type, 3 of stenotic type, and one failed to visualize duodenum due to previous gastrojejunostomy. UGI was more accurate in depicting the mucosal changes such as ulcer, however, it played a limited role in the evaluation of extraluminal extension. US showed 4 cases of hypocchoic wall thickening, 3 of hypoechoic extraluminal mass, and one of polypoid intraluminal mass but 2 were not detected on US. US accurately detected hepatic and pancreatic metastasis, however, it played a limited role in the evaluation of direct colonic invasion. CT showed was eccentric wall thickening in 4 cases, large extraluminal mass in 2, and low density intraluminal mass in but one was missed on CT. CT was the most accurate modality to determine the extent of the lesion and adjacent or distant metastasis but it could be misdiagnosed as submucosal tumor if the extraluminal component is large. UGI, CT and US can be used complementary for accurate diagnosis of a duodenal cancer. US may be used as a screening tool for detecting duodenal cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; Duodenum* ; Gastric Bypass ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: Authors retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of superselective renal arterial emboliation in 5 patients with symptomatic renal angiomyolipoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five Patients with renal angiomyolipoma who had been treated with superselective renal arterial embolization were analysed retrospectively. Two patients who had multiple bilateral lesions were associated with tuberous sclerosis. The mbolic materials used were absolute alcohol in 6 sessions, absolute alcohol mixed with lipiodol in one session, and polyvinyl alcohol in one session. RESULTS: We could observe devascularization of the tumor on the post-embolization arteriograms. The symptoms such as flank pain were improved in all patients during the follow-up period of 3 months to 3years. CONCLUSION: Superselective renal arterial embolization is an effective and safe procedure in the management of renal angiomyolipomas.
Angiomyolipoma* ; Ethanol ; Ethiodized Oil ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberous Sclerosis

In an attempt to evaluate the immune competence of urologic cancer patients, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) were performed in thirty-four patients and same numbers of age and sex matched normal controls. Also we compared of the level of ADCC before and after the operation. Concomittantly the values of ADCC were examined by histological grading and clinical staging. We used 51Cr-labelled chicken erythrocytes sensitized with 7s rabbit anti-chicken erythrocytes antibody as target cells and patient peripheral mononuclear cells as effector cells. 1. Effector cells of the patients with the urologic cancer showed significantly lower ADCC than those of normal controls. 1) All urologic cancer. Controls 41.4+/-6.0% (n=34) Preoperation 22.1+/-6.8% (n=34) 2) Transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and the bladder. Controls 41.7+/-6.1% (n=28) Preoperation 22.5+/-6.3% (n=28) 3)Non-transitional cell carcinoma(renal cell Ca. prostate ca. penis ca. seminoma). Controls 40.2+/-5.9% (n=6) Preoperation 20.6+/-4.6% (n=6) 2. In the patients with the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and the renal pelvis, highly graded patients had tendency to have lower response of ADCC. Grade I 27.3+/-4.0% (n=14) Grade II 19.9+/-4.l% (n=7) Grade III 15.5+/-3.2% (n=7) 3. In the patients with bladder carcinoma highly staged patients had tendency have lower response of ADDC. Stage T
Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Chickens ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Kidney Pelvis ; Male ; Mental Competency ; Penis ; Prostate ; Tumor Burden ; Urinary Bladder ; Urologic Neoplasms*

The amino acid L-glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in central nervous system of vertebrates. NMDA( n-methyl-d-aspartate) is one of the L-glutamate receptor subtypes. During a critical period of early postnatal development, the visual cortex is susceptible to experience-dependent modification of neuronal response. Recently, the activation of NMDA receptors has been supposed as an prerequisite for the induction of such modification We therefore investigated developmental changes of NMDA receptors in rat visual cortex and questioned whether they could be related to the visual development. We assessed the density of [3H] NMDA receptor in visual cortex of normally reared rats (Group I) and visually deprivated rats (Group II) using quantitative autoradiography. The density of [3H] NMDA receptor was increased rapidly by postnatal 1 week and decreased after postnatal 5 weeks, and was significantly lower in Group II than Group I during early postnatal period. These results suggest that NMDA receptors may have a role in neuronal development in visual cortex.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Central Nervous System ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Glutamic Acid ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Rats* ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate* ; Vertebrates ; Visual Cortex*

No abstract available.
Pneumonia* ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*

Each Disease affecting the bile ducts tends to produce characteristic pattern of billiary dilatation: recurrent pyogenic cholangitis causes dilatation and straightening of the larger(central) intrahepatic ducts ; clonorchiasis causes dilatation of the smaller (peripheral) intraahepatic ducts; and carcinoma along the extrahepatic ducts causes (proportional) dilatation and tortuosity of both larger and smaller intrahepatic ducts. To evaluate the specificity of the pattern and morphology of the dilated biliary tree on CT scancs (CT characterization) three independent radiologists who were unfamiliar with the cases were asked to classify 62 CT scans in patients with obstructive jaundice. The case population consisted of 14 cases with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis, 18 cases with clonorchiasis and 30 cases with carcinoma along the extrahepatic ducts, which were intermixed randomly. Classification was made only on the basis of CT characterization: those scans showing primary lesions i.t., stone, aggregate of flukes, or tumor mass were excluded or masked. All the scans of every case showing the extrahepatic bile duct were masked. Radiologists correctly classified 54 of the 62 cases (87%): ten of the 14 patients with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis(71%), 17 of the 18 patients with clonorchiasis(94%) and 27 of the 30 patients with carcinoma along the extrahepatic bile cucts(90%). We believe that CT characterization of bile duct dilatation is useful in the differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice, especially when a primary pathologic lesion is not depicted in CT scans.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile* ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangitis ; Classification ; Clonorchiasis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive* ; Masks ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Trematoda

There has been few papers regarding the pathologic changes of kidney induced by contrast media, especially in terms of iodine concentration or osmolarity. In order to evaluate histopathologic changes, a series of rat kidneys, after injection of iodinated contrast media, were examined. A total of 220 rats were divided into two groups: those given Urografin-60% by 6.3 ml/Kg(1840mg/6.3ml):those given Urografin-76% by 5ml/Kg(1850mg/5ml). (the same amount of iodine but at different iodine concentration). The kidneys were removed and microscopically examined on 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10th days, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 12th weeks after injection of contrast media, respectively. The results were as follows: Renal pathologic changes induced by contrast media were congestion and ectatic change of the interstitial vessels, epithelial degeneration and necrosis of the collectiong ducts. Congestion of interstitial vessels and epithelial degeneration and necrosis of the collecting ducts were severe in the higher iodine concentration Urografin-76% group(2100 Osm/Kg H2O) than the Urografin-60% group(1500 Osm/Kg H2O). And above pathological changes persisted for 12weeks without significant interval changes. The authors conclude that the renal damage induced by ionic contrast media becomes more severe in higher concentrations or osmolarities in spite of the same amount of iodine and that the pathologic changes persisted until 12 weeks without improvement.
Animals ; Contrast Media ; Diatrizoate* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Iodine ; Kidney ; Necrosis ; Osmolar Concentration* ; Rats*