Differentiation between benign and malignant hepatic lesions was attempted according to the shape of the lesion, internal architecture and characteristics of signal intensity on MR images. MR images. We retrospectively analyzed 20 cases of hemangiomas, 12 cases of hepatomas and 5 cases of cysts which were diagnosed by clinical, radiological and surgical methods (33 patients). On T1-weighted, proton weighted, and T2-weighted images, most hemangiomas (70%) and cysts (100%) had smooth margin and were round or oval in shape, while hepatocellular carcinomas had irregular (67%) or lobulated (33%) borders. Ninety percent of hemangiomas and 100% of cysts had homogeneous signal intensity, but 67% of hepatocellular carcinomas were inhomogeneous. Signal intensities of hepatocellular carcinomas were more variable. However, hemangionmas were isointense or hyperintense on proton weighted images, and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted images . In conclusion, inhomogenous, irregular border, and variable signal intensity lesions had high likelihood of malignancy, while homogenous and markedly hyperintense lesions were more likely benign.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies

Differentiation between benign and malignant hepatic lesions was attempted according to the shape of the lesion, internal architecture and characteristics of signal intensity on MR images. MR images. We retrospectively analyzed 20 cases of hemangiomas, 12 cases of hepatomas and 5 cases of cysts which were diagnosed by clinical, radiological and surgical methods (33 patients). On T1-weighted, proton weighted, and T2-weighted images, most hemangiomas (70%) and cysts (100%) had smooth margin and were round or oval in shape, while hepatocellular carcinomas had irregular (67%) or lobulated (33%) borders. Ninety percent of hemangiomas and 100% of cysts had homogeneous signal intensity, but 67% of hepatocellular carcinomas were inhomogeneous. Signal intensities of hepatocellular carcinomas were more variable. However, hemangionmas were isointense or hyperintense on proton weighted images, and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted images . In conclusion, inhomogenous, irregular border, and variable signal intensity lesions had high likelihood of malignancy, while homogenous and markedly hyperintense lesions were more likely benign.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies

Malignant lymphomas with cental and/or peripheral low densities suggesting internal infarcted necrosis arerare, probably due to the same reason as that of normal lymph nodes in which spontaneous infarction seldom occuresbecause of dual vascular connection and low oxygen consumption of activated lymphocytes. We report eight cases ofhistologically proven non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, that showed necrotic low density within tumor mass in CT scan, priorto any teatment. The locations of necrotic lymphomas were mediastinum in 3 cases, abdomen in 4 cases, and neck in1 case. The histologic types of the cases wre diffuse histiocytic (Rappaport) in 4 cases, porly differentiatedlymphocytic types in 2 cases, lymphoblastic type in 1 case, and mixed type(predominantly poorly differentiatedlymphocytic) in 1 case. It seems that malignant lymphoma can be included in differential diagnosis oflymphadenopathy with cental and/or peripheral necrotic low densities on CT.
Abdomen ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Infarction ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Necrosis ; Oxygen Consumption ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objectives: Physicians experience high occupational stress due to heavy workload, responsibility and stressful situations in the medical field. Although occupational stress decreases productivity and increases medical accidents, occupational stress on Korean psychiatrists is not well studied. In this study, we investigated the occupational stress and career satisfaction of Korean psychiatrists. Methods: Electronic surveys were conducted via e-mail, and a total of 266 psychiatrists fully answered the surveys. The surveys consisted of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), career satisfaction and stress inventory for the health professional. Results: The mean KOSS score of Korean psychiatrists was lower than the score of other Korean professions (43.99 vs. 46.03). There are significant differences in the sub-items of KOSS, depending on the lifestyle, the career and the hospital on duty. Psychiatric residents scored significantly higher in job control and occupational climate than psychiatrists. On the other hand, workplace relationships and job insecurity scored significantly higher in psychiatrists. Psychiatrists working in general and university hospitals had higher stress in job demand than psychiatrists working at private psychiatric hospitals. Job control and lack of reward scores were high in psychiatrists working in national psychiatric hospitals, and 21.8% of psychiatrists answered that they would not become a psychiatrist again. Conclusion This study showed the overall job stress level of psychiatrists in Korea, and they were experiencing high job stress in different areas depending on factors, such as position, working environment and living habits.

We performed hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery for a 67-year-old male with a 5.6 cm sized abdominal aortic aneurysm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in Korea. After an initial hand dissection of the abdominal aorta under laparoscopy, we performed proximal anastomosis and distal abdominal aorta suture ligation through a 6 cm abdominal incision. Distal anastomosis was done at the bilateral common femoral arteries. He resumed his oral intake 6 hours after the surgery and discharged at the 4th postoperative day.
Aged ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Femoral Artery ; Hand ; Hand-Assisted Laparoscopy ; Humans ; Korea ; Laparoscopy ; Ligation ; Male ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic findings of granulomatous colitis on double contrast barium enema and changes on follow-up studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial double contrast barium enemas of six patients with granulomatous colitis confirmed by endoscopic biopsy were reviewed. We analyzed the radiologic findings and their follow-up changes, including aphthous ulcers, lymphoid hyperplasia, deep ulcers, cobble stone appearance, geographic ulcers, asymmetric involvement of ulcers, skip lesions, sinus tract, fistula formation, pseudosacculation, focal stricture, and small bowel involvement. RESULTS: Pretreatment double contrast baruim enema findings were aphthous ulcers in five patients, deep ulcer in six, cobble stone appearance in five, longitudinal geographic ulcers in two, fistulas in one, pseudo-sacculations in two, focal stricture in one, and pseudopolyps in six. Also, anal ulcers were observed in two patients, asymmetric involvement of ulcers in three, skip lesions in four, and small bowel involvement in five in five patients proved to have inactive disease after treatment, aphthous ulcers and deep ulcers disappeared. Geographic ulcers of two patients and anal ulcer of one patients decreased in size or depth. Pseudosacculation in one patient disappeared. Pseudopolyps decreased in two patients, increased in one, and decreased after increase in two. One patient whose disease remained active after treatment showed maintenance or increase of ulcers or fistula. And their pseudosacculation or focal stricture unchanged and pseudopolyps decreased. CONCLUSION: The major radiologic findings of chronic granulomatous colitis on double contrst barium enema are aphthous ulcer, deep ulcer, cobble stone appearance, discontinuity of the lesion, and coexistence of ulcers and pseudopolyps. And, double contrast barium enema is good follow-up modality because its findings correlate with clinical course of the granulomatous colitis after treatment.
Barium* ; Biopsy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Crohn Disease* ; Enema* ; Fissure in Ano ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Stomatitis, Aphthous ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic findings of granulomatous colitis on double contrast barium enema and changes on follow-up studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial double contrast barium enemas of six patients with granulomatous colitis confirmed by endoscopic biopsy were reviewed. We analyzed the radiologic findings and their follow-up changes, including aphthous ulcers, lymphoid hyperplasia, deep ulcers, cobble stone appearance, geographic ulcers, asymmetric involvement of ulcers, skip lesions, sinus tract, fistula formation, pseudosacculation, focal stricture, and small bowel involvement. RESULTS: Pretreatment double contrast baruim enema findings were aphthous ulcers in five patients, deep ulcer in six, cobble stone appearance in five, longitudinal geographic ulcers in two, fistulas in one, pseudo-sacculations in two, focal stricture in one, and pseudopolyps in six. Also, anal ulcers were observed in two patients, asymmetric involvement of ulcers in three, skip lesions in four, and small bowel involvement in five in five patients proved to have inactive disease after treatment, aphthous ulcers and deep ulcers disappeared. Geographic ulcers of two patients and anal ulcer of one patients decreased in size or depth. Pseudosacculation in one patient disappeared. Pseudopolyps decreased in two patients, increased in one, and decreased after increase in two. One patient whose disease remained active after treatment showed maintenance or increase of ulcers or fistula. And their pseudosacculation or focal stricture unchanged and pseudopolyps decreased. CONCLUSION: The major radiologic findings of chronic granulomatous colitis on double contrst barium enema are aphthous ulcer, deep ulcer, cobble stone appearance, discontinuity of the lesion, and coexistence of ulcers and pseudopolyps. And, double contrast barium enema is good follow-up modality because its findings correlate with clinical course of the granulomatous colitis after treatment.
Barium* ; Biopsy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Crohn Disease* ; Enema* ; Fissure in Ano ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Stomatitis, Aphthous ; Ulcer

The authors devdeloped a computer program for automatic coding of ACR (American College of Radiology) code. The automatic coding of the ACR code is essential for computerization of the data in the department of radiology. This program was written in FoxBASE language and has been used for automatic coding of diagnosis in the Deparment of Radiology, Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital since May 1992. The ACR dictionary files consisted of 11 files, one for the organ code and the others for the pathology code. The organ code was obtained by typing organ name or code number itself among the upper and lower level codes of the selected one that were simultaneously displayed on the screen. According to the first number of the selected organ code. the corresponding pathology code file was chosen augomatically. By the similar fashion of organ code selection, the proper pathologic dode was obtained. An example of obtained ACR code is "131.3661". This procedure was reproducible regardless of the number of fields of data. Bacause this program was written in "User's Defined Function" from, decoding of the stored ACR code was achieved by this same program and incoporation of this program into another data processing program was possible. This program had merits of simple operation, accurate and detail coding, and easy adjustment for another program. Therefore, this program can be used for automation of routine work in the department of radiology.
Automation ; Clinical Coding* ; Diagnosis ; Methods* ; Pathology ; Protestantism

Fetal thymus may be the organ for NK cell maturation, but the in vivo evidences are few, Here, by analyzing NK cell receptor, we present that NK cells develop in fetal thymus and fetal liver and that NK cell receptor appears earlier than the expression CD16 or CD56. Moreover, the finding that the repertoire of NK cell receptor is different between fetal thymus and fetal liver lymphocytes suggests that the environmental factors may influence the NK cell receptor repertoire during NK cell maturation.
Killer Cells, Natural* ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Thymocytes* ; Thymus Gland

Lyme disease is a common vector-borne disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Erythema migrans represents the most common manifestation during the early phase of this disease;however, systemic manifestations involving the nervous system, joints, or heart are known to occur. We report a case of Lyme disease accompanied by cardiac complications in a 13-year-old Korean male adolescent. The patient developed annular erythematous lesions on his lower extremities after a field trip during his visit to Connecticut, USA, for a boarding school camp, and his skin lesions were consistent with erythema migrans. Indirect immunofluorescence assay and Western blot analysis for Lyme immunoglobulin M showed positive results. Electrocardiography revealed a first-degree atrioventricular block, and he was diagnosed with Lyme carditis and received a 4-week course of oral doxycycline. Follow-up electrocardiography performed a week later revealed normal findings, and the patient showed an uneventful recovery. Lyme carditis often presents as an asymptomatic heart block that can progress to an advanced heart block; however, this condition is reversible with appropriate antibiotic treatment.