Sclerosing hemangiomas are rare benign neoplasms in pulmonary parenchyme, We analyzed CT findings of two cases of sclerosing hemangiomas of the lung in two adult females. Chest radiograph showed well-circumscuribed, round soft tissue mass with calcification in right lower lobe of one patient and without calcification and moderate or marked contrast enhancement was clearly demonstrated with CT scan. CT findings of contratst enhancement and contour of calcification allow differentiation of sclerosing hemangioma from other venign neoplasms or postinflammotory pseudotusrs of the lung.
Adult ; Female ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Humans ; Lung ; Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The size of spinal canal is valuable ot detect the body encroachment of spinal canal and expansion due totumors by computed tomography. This study was desinged for taking accurate measurement of the normal thoracicspinal canal in korean adults. The anteroposterior diameter, interpediculate distance and cross-sectional area ofthoracic spinal canal were measured in 80 normal adults. The results were as follows. 1. In A-P diameter, middleparts of the canal were smaller values than those of upper and lower parts from T1 to T6, and upper parts of thecanal were larger than those of middle and lower parts from T7 to T10. 2. In interpediculate distance, middleparts of the canal revealed larger value than those of upper parts. 3. All measurements of male were larger thanthose of female at all levels of the spinal canals and 65 measurement(93%) were statistically significant.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Spinal Canal

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality, contrast characteristics, and possible clinical utility of Medium Tau Invesion Recovery(MTIR) sequence with white matter suppression in patients with brain cortical lesion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two normal volunteers and twenty-one patients with cortical lesion were scanned with MTIR as well as other MR imaging sequences. Gray-white matter contrast was evaluated objectively using region-of-interest calculations, including percent contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR). MTIR sequence was visually compared with other sequences in 21 patients with cortical lesion including conspicuity and detection rate. RESULTS: MTIR sequence had the highest percent contrast and CNR between the gray matter and white matter. In twenty-one cases of cortical lesion including cortical dysplasia, MTIR sequence improved delineation and conspicuity of lesion, but MTIR sequence could not detect new lesions. CONCLUSION: MTIR sequence demonstrated a superior percent contrast and CNR to other MR pulse sequences. The MTIR sequence well delineated the cortical lesions, particularly in including cortical dysplasia. It may be used as an adjunctive imaging sequence in case of poor gray and white matter differentiation with conventional T1-weighted sequences.
Brain* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malformations of Cortical Development

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effectivensess of intracavitary urokinase with percutaneous catheter drainage in Ioculated thoracic empyemas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients were identified as second stage of Ioculated thoracic empyema by estimating nature of pleural fluid, chest PA, lateral decubitus view and CT scan. Under the guidance of fluoroscopy or ultrasound, catheter was inserted percutaneously. Instillation of urokinase was started when amount of drained fluid became less than 30ml per day with 100,000U of urokinase mixed with 100ml of normal saline. Trial of urokinase was repeated until complete drainage of empyema was demonstrated on plain chest film obtained after 48 hours. RESULTS: Successful complete drainage was achieved in 14 of 15 patients. In long-term study, complete resorption was demonstrated in 11 of 12 patients. Average dosage of used urokinase was 330,000U and mean duration of catherter insertion was 35 days. CONCLUSION: lntracavitary urokinase with percutaneous catheter drainage is a safe and effective method to facilitate drainage of Ioculated empyema and to prevent recurrence.
Catheters ; Drainage ; Empyema ; Empyema, Pleural* ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effectivensess of intracavitary urokinase with percutaneous catheter drainage in Ioculated thoracic empyemas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients were identified as second stage of Ioculated thoracic empyema by estimating nature of pleural fluid, chest PA, lateral decubitus view and CT scan. Under the guidance of fluoroscopy or ultrasound, catheter was inserted percutaneously. Instillation of urokinase was started when amount of drained fluid became less than 30ml per day with 100,000U of urokinase mixed with 100ml of normal saline. Trial of urokinase was repeated until complete drainage of empyema was demonstrated on plain chest film obtained after 48 hours. RESULTS: Successful complete drainage was achieved in 14 of 15 patients. In long-term study, complete resorption was demonstrated in 11 of 12 patients. Average dosage of used urokinase was 330,000U and mean duration of catherter insertion was 35 days. CONCLUSION: lntracavitary urokinase with percutaneous catheter drainage is a safe and effective method to facilitate drainage of Ioculated empyema and to prevent recurrence.
Catheters ; Drainage ; Empyema ; Empyema, Pleural* ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

To evaluate a new reliable sclerosant of the gallbladder, we attempted gallbladder ablation with 10% phenol, and the results compared with those from using 95% ethanol which had been used previousy as gallbladder sclerosing agent in laboratory animals in other reports. After laparotomy, ligation of the cystic dusts with silk and cannulation of gallbladder with 18 gauge angiocatheter were done. Then, transcatheter administration of two different scleroing agents was performed in 8 rabbits respectively and normal saline in four rabbits as a control. Additionally, preliminary washing with each agent were implemented to prevent the dilutional effect of residual bile and bleeding. All animals survived without complication. Eight animals were used for each agent, four each being sacrified two weeks and six weeks after adminstration of sclerosing agents respectively. In our results, 10% phenol was more effective than 95% ethanol in denuding the gallbladder epithelium and promoting fibrosis of gallbladder wall, And it was relatively safe in regard to the dilutional effect of residual fluid and bleeding during procedure. Toxic effects on the liver evaluated by examination of histologic specimen were non-specific except for edematous swelling on some cases, which had also been observed on others including control group. 10% phenol can be considered to be a promosing sclerosant for gallbladder ablation, but further study of its toxicity is needed before its application on human gallbladder.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory ; Bile ; Catheterization ; Dust ; Epithelium ; Ethanol ; Fibrosis ; Gallbladder* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Ligation ; Liver ; Phenol* ; Rabbits* ; Sclerosing Solutions ; Sclerosis* ; Silk

Balloon dilatation of nasolacrimal drainage apparatus was attempted for the treatment of stenoses or obstructions of the nasolacrimal system in 49 eyes of 41 consecutive patients with complete obstructions and 16 eyes of 14 patients with incomplete obstructions. These two groups were compared with regards to the effectiveness of balloon dacryocystoplasty. All patients suffered from severe epiphora had already undergone multiple probings. A 0.0018-inch hair or ball guide wire was introduced through the superior punctum into the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity and pulled out through the nasal aperture using a hemostat under nasal endoscopy. A deflated angioplasty balloon catheter was then introduced in a retrograde direction and dilated under fluoroscopic control. No major complications occurred in any of the patients. At 7 days after balloon dilatation, 25 of 49 eyes with complete obstruction demonstrated improvement in epiphora (initial success rate: 51.0%) and among them 17 eyes showed complete resolution of symptoms. Reocclusion occurred in 12 of the 25 eyes with initial improvement at the 2-months follow up. For the 16 eyes with incomplete obstruction, and improvement of epiphora was attained in 11 eyes (initial success rate 68.8%): 5 of these eyes showed complete resolution of epiphora, and 3 was failed to maintain initial improvement at the 2-months follow up. Although this study demonstrates that results of balloon dacryocystoplasty are not encourging because of the high failure and recurrence rate, balloon dacryocystoplasty is a simple and safe nonsurgical technique that can be used to treat for obstruction of the nasolacrimal system. In addition, balloon bacryocystoplasty shows better results in incomplete obstruction than in complete obstruction of the nasolacrimal system.
Angioplasty ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Drainage ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hair ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Nasal Cavity ; Recurrence

Benign prostatic hyperplasia and urethral stricture are common causes of urethral obstruction over 50 years of age. To evaluate the usefulness of the Gianturco expandable stent for dilatation of the urethra, 14 single stents were placed in the posterior urethra (2 in prostatic urethra, 12 in membranous urethra), 20 in the anterior urethra. And 4 six-eight connected stents ere positioned in the posterior urethra to straddle at the internal sphincter or external sphincter and followed up for 2 weeks (one dog), 1 month (two dog), 2 months (one dog), 3 months (one dog), 5 months (one dog), 9 months (three dogs), and 14 months (two dogs). Seven of 18 stents in the posterior urethra and 5 to 20 in the anterior urethra were migrated during the follow-up. By 2 weeks after placement. 100% expansion was achieved in the posterior urethra, but by 1 month in the anterior urethra. Partial or complete epithelial covering of the stents was observed 1 month after stent placement in the anterior urethra, but mucosal folds were observed in the anterior and posterior urethra. Urinary incontinence was not observed in all cases. Our experience suggests that Gianturco expandable stent can be used in dilating and maintaining the lumen of the prostatic urethra and urethral stricture.
Animals ; Dilatation ; Dogs* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Stents* ; Urethra* ; Urethral Obstruction ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Incontinence

To objectively assess the difficulty in the procedures of corrosive esophageal strictures, the success rates, the number of sessions and balloon dilatation and complications were evaluated in 66 patients with esophageal strictures who underwent balloon dilatation. These patients were grouped into three according to the causes as corrosive esophageal strictures (n=24), non-corrosive benign strictures (n=22) and malignant strictures (n=22). Success rates were 29% in corrosive esophageal strictures, 86% in noncorrosive benign strictures, and 85% in malignant strictures. Required average number of sessions and balloon dilations were 3.4 and 7.4 in corrosive strictures and 1.4 and 2 in noncorrosive benign and malignant strictures, respectively. Esophageal rupture occured in 33% of corrosive strictures, 4% of each noncorrosive benign and malignant strictures. Pain in corrosive esophageal strictures was severest. In conclusion, balloon dilatation in corrosive strictures has low success rate and high complication rate and requires more frequent dilation, which implies that it is more difficult than other strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Rupture

The purpose of this study is to report our 5-year experience with fluoroscopic removal of blunt esophageal foreign body or impacted food in 15 consecutive patients who were referred by endoscopists because they couldn's remove it endoscopically. The foreign body or impacted food was a pieced of meat, a bean, a badug stone or a beef bone. Thirteen patients had underlying disease(11 of corrosive stricture, 2 of postoperative stricture) but 2 patients did not. We removed the object using one of the following 4 techniques: Basket extraction technique, Foley catheter technique, single balloon technique (dilatation of stenosis for passing the food into the stomach and for the treatment of the stricture as well), double balloon technique(removal of the foreign body by trapping it with two valvuloplasty balloons). Removal was successful in all patients. Esophageal perforation occurred in one patient using the single balloon technique, who treated nonoperatively by means of fasting, antibiotics and parenteral alimentation. No procedure related death occurred in these series. In conclusion, fluoroscopic removal of blunt esophageal foreign bodies of impacted food with various techniques is promising alternative to esophagoscopic removal.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Esophageal Perforation ; Fasting ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Meat ; Red Meat ; Stomach