Although multiphasic CT is an efficient technique for determination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), occasionally, diagnosis of HCC using multiphasic CT can be difficult. Herein we present a case of HCC that was indicative of a typical abscess on CT imaging and compared the image findings with the gross specimen. The patient's body temperature and laboratory results indicated that inflammation were in the normal range. This case emphasizes that not only imaging findings but also clinical presentation should be considered to achieve a correct diagnosis in clinical practice.
Abscess ; Body Temperature ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Inflammation ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: There is a clinical need for a simpler measurement of global cardiac function incorporating elements of both systole and diastole. Doppler time index is theoretically regarded as a sensitive index of global left ventricular perfomance and defined as the sum of isovolumetric contraction time (IVCT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) divided by ejection time (ET). This study was designed to determine the clinical usefulness of the Doppler time index in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction as well as systolic dysfunction. METHODS: The study population consisted of 23 patients with hypertension as a diastolic dysfunction group, 16 patients with low ejection fraction as a systolic dysfunction group and 31 subjects with normal LV function. The ejection fraction (EF) was measured using M-mode echocardiography. Doppler profiles such as IVCT, IVRT and ET were obtained from Doppler echocardiography. The Doppler time index [ (IVCT+RT)/ET] was calculated from each Doppler velocity profiles. RESULTS: IVRT, IVRT/ET and (IVCT+VRT)/ET were significantly increased in the diastolic dysfunction group (120.5+/-19.5 msec, 0.45+/-0.1, 0.64+/-0.2, respectively:p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively) compared with normal subjects (66.1+/-17.4 msec, 0.25+/-0.0, 0.41+/-0.1). IVCT and IVRT were significantly increased and ET was significantly shortened in systolic dysfunction group (75.4+/-25.7, 144.0+/-39.5 msec, 242.7+/-46.5 msec respectively:p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.05, respectively) compared with diastolic dysfunction group (50.4+/-23.0 msec, 120.5+/-19.5 msec, 276.8+/-44.6 msec, respectively). IVCT/ET, IVRT/ET and (IVCT+IVRT)/ET also were increased in patients with systolic dysfunction group (0.32+/-0.1, 0.61+/-0.2, 0.93+/-0.2 respectively:p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.001, res-pectively) compared with diastolic dysfunction group (0.19+/-0.1, 0.45+/-0.1, 0.64+/-0.2). Ejection fraction calculated by M-mode parameters was significantly correlated with (IVCT+IVRT)/ET (correlation coefficient - 0.605, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The Doppler time index was significantly difficient from normal subjects in patients with isolated LV diastolic dysfunction as well as in those with systolic dysfunction. Thus, this index can be used as a sensitive indicator of myocardial performance.
Diastole ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Relaxation ; Systole ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by recurrent episodes of colonic inflammation and tissue degeneration in human or animal models. The contractile force generated by the smooth muscle is significantly attenuated, resulting in altered motility leading to diarrhea or constipation in IBD. The aim of this study is to clarify the altered contractility of circular and longitudinal smooth muscle layers in proximal colon of trinitrobenzen sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mouse. Colitis was induced by direct injection of TNBS (120 mg/kg, 50% ethanol) in proximal colon of ICR mouse using a 30 G needle anesthetized with ketamin (50 mg/kg), whereas animals in the control group were injected of 50% ethanol alone. In TNBS-induced colitis, the wall of the proximal colon is diffusely thickened with loss of haustration, and showed mucosal and mucular edema with inflammatory infiltration. The colonic inflammation is significantly induced the reduction of colonic contractile activity including spontaneous contractile activity, depolarization-induced contractility, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated contractile response in circular muscle layer compared to the longitudinal muscle layer. The inward rectification of currents, especially, important to Ca2+ and Na+ influx-induced depolarization and contraction, was markedly reduced in the TNBS-induced colitis compared to the control. The muscarinic acetylcholine-mediated contractile responses were significantly attenuated in the circular and longitudinal smooth muscle strips induced by the reduction of membrane expression of canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channel isoforms from the proximal colon of the TNBS-induced colitis mouse than the control.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Constipation ; Contracts ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Membranes ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Models, Animal ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscles ; Needles ; Protein Isoforms

Veratrum patulum is a perennial plant with toxicity, which grows wild in the high mountain areas of Korea. Various types of steroidal alkaloids contained in Veratrum patulum are known to cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bradycardia and hypotension. Twenty-three patients were admitted to our center with chief complaints of nausea and vomiting after ingesting leaves of Veratrum patulum. The mean age of the group was 44 years old and was comprised of 19 males and 4 females. Some patients showed hypotension and bradycardia with symptoms such as dizziness. Ten patients with severe bradycardia coupled with other symptoms received atropine administration. Nausea and vomiting were improved after the administration of anti-emetics. Blood pressure and the pulse rate were all normalized on the day after admission, and all of the patients were discharged without any symptoms.
Alkaloids ; Antiemetics ; Atropine ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Dizziness ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Male ; Nausea ; Plants ; Veratrum ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ghrelin has recently been reported as exerting a protective effect in the damaged pancreas in rats. We investigated the correlation between severity of acute pancreatitis and serum ghrelin concentrations. METHODS: Blood samples were collected three times (at admission, after 48 hours, and at discharge) from patients admitted with acute pancreatitis. We divided the patients into nonrisk and risk groups. The risk group was defined as the presence of at least one of following risk factors for severe acute pancreatitis: Ranson's score > or =3, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score > or =8, C-reactive protein (CRP) > or =150 mg/L, and CT severity index (CTSI) > or =4. Serum ghrelin concentrations were measured with RIA kit and analyzed based on clinical and biochemical parameters. RESULTS: A total of 53 patients was enrolled in this study: 28 in the nonrisk group and 25 in the risk group. At admission, the ghrelin concentration was significantly higher in the risk group (286.39+/-272.19 vs 175.96+/-138.87 pg/mL [mean+/-SD], p=0.049). However, the ghrelin concentration did not differ significantly between the two groups after 48 hours (p=0.450) and at discharge (p=0.678). The overall ghrelin concentration was significantly lower at admission than at discharge (240.65+/-247.96 vs 369.41+/-254.27 pg/mL, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with risk factors for severe acute pancreatitis have higher serum ghrelin concentrations.
Animals ; APACHE ; C-Reactive Protein ; Ghrelin ; Humans ; Pancreas ; Pancreatitis ; Rats ; Risk Factors

Acute diarrhea is caused by many situations such as infections, drugs, autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency, ischemia and toxins. In addition, enema induced-colitis also causes acute diarrhea. Damage to the colon has been reported after exposure to a number of rectally administered agents, the better known of which are soaps and detergents used as cleansing enemas. Soap enemas cause corrosive colitis due to the saponification reaction as well as toxic materials. We report two cases of acute colitis induced by soap enemas administered in preparation for cesarean sections.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Cesarean Section ; Colitis ; Colon ; Detergents ; Diarrhea ; Enema ; Female ; Ischemia ; Pregnancy ; Soaps

Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, presenting with various clinical symptoms. The most common etiologies of anaphylactic reactions include allergic responses to food, medications, latex, and Hymenoptera stings. In its classic form, anaphylaxis typically involves the cutaneous, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramping abdominal pain, can occur transiently but mucosal lesions are rarely detected. We recently experienced a case of ischemic colitis presenting with hematochezia after bee venom-induced anaphylactic shock. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case in Korea. We report the case with a review of the literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Anaphylaxis ; Bee Venoms ; Bees ; Bites and Stings ; Cardiovascular System ; Colitis, Ischemic ; Diarrhea ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Latex ; Muscle Cramp ; Nausea ; Vomiting

The Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma histologically classifies endoscopically resected gastric cancer into differentiated and undifferentiated types according to the presence or absence of tubular structures on histology. The former includes papillary adenocarcinoma and tubular types, and the latter includes poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, signet ring cell carcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma. However, gastric cancer sometimes contains a mixture of differentiated and undifferentiated components, and the clinical outcomes of the histological mixture are unknown, especially following endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer (EGC). This case was within the guideline indications for endoscopic submucosal resection (ESD), although it contained a partly signet ring cell carcinoma component; it recurred after 19 months with multiple lymph node and liver metastases. This case shows that additional surgical resection after ESD should be performed for patients with any mixed signet ring cell component, even in mild or moderately differentiated EGC.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; Cellular Structures ; Classification ; Humans ; Liver* ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) in the small intestine are rare and can cause bleeding. The study investigated the clinical characteristics of GIST in the small intestine and to determine the factors related to gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcomes of 22 patients with small bowel GIST who were pathologically diagnosed at Gangneung Asan Hospital between March 1997 and August 2012. RESULTS: The median age was 63.5 (38-82) years. Nine patients (40.9%) had gastrointestinal bleeding, five patients (22.7%) had abdominal pain, two patients (9%) had palpable mass. The site of tumor was the duodenum in nine cases (40.9%), jejunum in 7 cases (31.8%), and ileum in six cases (27.3%). Most patients underwent small bowel resection or wedge resection but three patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Tumor size ranged from 1.6 to 19 cm (median 6.5 cm). The median mitotic rate was 2 (0-50)/50 high power fields (HPF). The median mitotic rate was 2 (0-50)/50 HPF. Five patients (25%) showed recurrence. Gender, aspirin or warfarin use, size and mitotic index of tumor, hospital stay, recurrence and survival were not significantly different between bleeding and non-bleeding group. Bleeding group showed older age, proximal location in small intestine and mucosal ulceration significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Small bowel GISTs with bleeding were marked by older age, mucosal ulceration and location of proximal small bowel (duodenum and jejunum) rather than distal small bowel (ileum).
Abdominal Pain ; Aspirin ; Duodenum ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestine, Small ; Jejunum ; Length of Stay ; Mitotic Index ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer ; Warfarin