No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing*

Neuroimaging is a vascular and became an essential method to detecting and evaluating brain pathology. It is also important in evaluation of dementia, especially of vascular dementia. This article review characteristic features of methodological problems of CT and MRI, and of various dementias, especially vascular dementia.
Brain Diseases ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging*

The study was undertaken to assess the CT density of the antibiotics solution. CT scan of six antibioticssolution-streptomycin, chloramphenicol, Na-penicillin, ampicillin, kanamycin and cefamezine-in concentration ofabout 33% (approximatly single dose of intramuscular injection) was performed, using plastic syringes. Variousconcentrations of striptomycin, chloramphenicol and Na-panicillin were also examined for evaluation of relationbetween concentration and the CT density of the antibiotics. In addition, relationship between CT number andmathematically calculated effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics was evaluated. Theresults are as follows; 1. The CT densities of all antibiotics reveal high density (CT number 80–150) inconcentration of single intramuscular injection dose. 2. CT number of striptomycin, chloramphenicol andNa-penicillin gradually increased with increase of concentration of the antibiotics, producing linear proportionto concentration, effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics. 3. Therefore, density ofantibiotics should be included in differential diagnosis when high density on CT scan is observed.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chloramphenicol ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Kanamycin ; Plastics ; Syringes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To obtain magnetization transfer ratio(MTR) of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus and to assess the feasibility of utilizing the changes of these MTRs as an early indicator of disk degeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of lumbar spine with magnetization transfer(MT) technique in 42 patients were obtained. spin echo techniques (600/14) with same TR/TE with 1KHz off-resonance saturation were employed in 1.0T MR system. MTRs were calculated in two regions, anterior annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus, and the results were compared between the normal and degenerative disks, from grade I to IV, on T2-weighted images. RESULTS: MTRs of the nucleus pulposus were 17.6% in the normal disks, and 26.7%, 28.4%, 29.1%, 29.7% in degenerative disks, from grade I to IV, respectively, with a significant difference(P<0.05). On the other hand, MTRs in the annulus fibrosus were 30.2% in the normal disks and 31.5%, 33.2%, 32.1% and 35.6% in degenerative disks, from grade I to IV, respectively, without significant difference. CONCLUSION: Since MTRs are significantly higher in degenerative nucleus pulposus than those of the normal disks, increased MTRs in the nucleus pulposus can be used as an early sign of the degeneration of the nucleus pulposus.
Hand ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine

PURPOSE: Magnetization transfer imaging(MTI) is a new imaging contrast technique. Our MT pulse sequence is designed as fixed time interval between echo and MT pulse. This study was peformed to evaluate the influence of variations in TR/TE on MTR in T1 weighted image of normal brain tissue on this kind of MT pulse sequence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven healthy volunteers in twenties of age as the objectives, MRI was taken under various TR/TE(TR/TE ;700/14, 650/14, 750/14, 700/20 and 1500/20 msec). MTR was calculated from signal intensities measured at the same point in both pre and post MT images and statisticslly analyzed. The MR imager used in this study was 1.0T Magnetom 42SP(Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) and the parameters of additional MT pulse sequence were offset 1000Hz and bandwidth 250Hz, and posteriorly located to echo with 7.7 msec fixed interval. Offset of this MT pulse was variable. RESULT: In white matter of brain tissue from a normal person, MTR was 34-39%(average 37%) for TR and TE of 700/14 in T1WI and 33-36%(average 35%) for TR/TE of 650/14, and 34-38%(average 35%) for TR/TE of 750/14 which showed no statistical difference. However, in case of 1500/20 of TR/TE, MTR was 26-28%(average 26%) which is statistically significant. With TR/TE of 700/14 as the standrd value, the MTR of gray and white matter were 37% and 29% respectively, showing a definite difference of statistical means. Signal from CSF in ventricles is rarely influenced by MT pulse. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, a subtle variation in TR/TE in T1WI has little influence on MTR but wide range of variation in TR/TE as in proton density image induces significant difference in MTR on this kind of MT pulse sequence. Therefore, the exchangeable usage of MTR data would be possible in narrow range of TR/TE change but difficult in wide range of variation.
Brain* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Protons ; Reference Values*

We found a rare case of uncommon branching pattern with a prominent articular ramus of the inferior gluteal artery in a 39-year-old Korean male cadaver, whose cause of death was rectal carcinoma. The inferior gluteal artery branches off downwards at a time, the muscular rami ran in parallel with one another, and the articular ramus gave another muscular branch and has an anastomosis with the medial circumflex femoral artery. Knowledge of vascular variations in the gluteal region may give useful information of versatile flaps for reconstruction and the prominent articular ramus found in this case is good enough to consider the existence of the anastomosis between the medial circumflex femoral artery and the inferior gluteal artery as normal, not rudimentary
Adult ; Arteries* ; Buttocks ; Cadaver* ; Cause of Death ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Male

We found a rare case of uncommon branching pattern with a prominent articular ramus of the inferior gluteal artery in a 39-year-old Korean male cadaver, whose cause of death was rectal carcinoma. The inferior gluteal artery branches off downwards at a time, the muscular rami ran in parallel with one another, and the articular ramus gave another muscular branch and has an anastomosis with the medial circumflex femoral artery. Knowledge of vascular variations in the gluteal region may give useful information of versatile flaps for reconstruction and the prominent articular ramus found in this case is good enough to consider the existence of the anastomosis between the medial circumflex femoral artery and the inferior gluteal artery as normal, not rudimentary
Adult ; Arteries* ; Buttocks ; Cadaver* ; Cause of Death ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND: Zinc which is widely used to treat Behcet's disease, is known to be an important modulator in various aspects of immunity including cell mediated immunity (CMI). CMI is suspected of playing a major role in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to clarify the relationship of CMI and zinc in Behçet's disease. METHODS: Serum zinc level, NK cell activity, and ADCC were measured in 83 patients with Behçet's diseade. The results were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: ADCC and serum zinc level were found to be two significant variables that affect NK cell activity positively and negatively, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum zinc is presumed to exert inhibitory effect on NK cell activity but does not affect ADCC in Behçet's disease patients.
Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Zinc*

19 cases of non-pineal intracranial germ cell tumors were reviewed retrospectively with both radiologic andclinical featurses. The results were as follows: 1. The age distribution was 8 to 32 year old (16 year old of meanage) and the sex distribution shows male predominence(15:4). 2. The histopathologic diagnosis included 11 cases ofgeminoma, 2 cases of mixed germ cell tumor, 1 case of embryonal cell carcinoma and 5 cases of unknown. 3. Thelocation of tumors was the suprasellar region in 8 cases, the left basal ganglia and thalamus in 5 cases, and theright frontal lobe in 1 case. Among 11 cases of geminoma, 6 cases involve the suprasellar region and 3 cases theleft basal ganglia and thalamus. 4. In clinical features, there were visual disturbance, diabetes insipidus,increased ICP signs, motor weakness, hormonal disorders, and personal changes in order. 5. In tumor marker studyof 6 cases of geminoma, 5 cases show increase in HCG, titie, but all 6 cases were normal in AFP titer. 6. In brainCT, most of all revealed well-defined homogeneous high density with or without small central low density andhomogenous enhancement at solid portion,and there was calcification in only case with mixed germ cell tumor.
Age Distribution ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Frontal Lobe ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Thalamus

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate how risperidone, a new atypical antipsychotics, affect the quality of life in schizophrenics on their maintenance treatment. METHODS: The authors selected 39 schizophrenic patients diagnosed by the criteria of DSM-IV. We investigated their sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics, laboratory examination, PANSS for psychopathology evaluation, and UKU side effect rating scale. Also the subjects were asked the KmSWN scale, which consists of 18 items and a 6-point score, three times for studying the effect on the quality of life in schizophrenics over 26-week period. For the assessment, the authors conducted repeated measures ANOVA to evaluate the differences of mean dose of risperidone, vital sign, weight, PANSS scores, and UKU side effect rating scores at period of baseline, 2-week, 14-week, and 26-week respectively. Also We used Pearson correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between KmSWN and PANSS scores, KmSWN and UKU side effect rating scores. RESULTS: The results were shown as follows : first, in clinical evaluation, we observed mild systolic pressure diminution and 2.3 kg of mean weight gain at 26-week period but did not detected abnormal blood glucose level ; second, we observed the significant reduction in PANSS and UKU side effect rating scores on risperidone treatment, but the change of subjective evaluation on quality of life did not reported ; third, the schizophrenic symptoms, particularly negative and general psychopathology symptoms, and side effects were correlated negatively with the subjective evaluation on quality of life in schizophrenic patients at 26-week period after risperidone treatment in the Pearson correlation analysis. CONCLUSION: The authors observed the significant reduction in PANSS and UKU side effect rating scores at 26-week compared to baseline period. As the negative and general psychopathology symptoms, and the side effects reduced, the subjective evaluation on the quality of life improved in schizophrenic patients.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Psychopathology ; Quality of Life* ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia ; Vital Signs ; Weight Gain