No abstract available.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine* ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

Lumbar puncture is a simple bedside procedure that is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of several neurologic diseases. Known complications include headache, backache, infection, and hemorrhage, with the most common being postpuncture headache. We report a case of postpuncture spinal subdural hematoma-which is extremely rare-in a 29-year-old female. Although most cases of postpuncture spinal hematomas are associated with coagulation abnormalities, this case shows that it can occur in the absence of predisposing factors.
Back Pain ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Spinal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Spinal Puncture

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Precise assessment of lesion severity is fundamental for the clinical decision making in the patients with coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography has limitation to projection imaging techniques. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been known to be a gold standard of morphological severity of coronary stenosis. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is known to be a lesion specific functional index of epicardial stenosis that can be derived from intracoronary pressure assessed during maximal vasodilation. The objective of this study was to investigate the validity of fractional flow reserve for stenosis severity in comparison with IVUS. METHODS: The study population consisted of 24 patients with angina pectoris (M:F=19:5, age: 58+/-12 yrs). The IVUS and intracoronary pressure wire performed at 26 lesions after diagnostic coronary angiography. We measured angiographical diameter stenosis (DST), minimal luminal diameter (MLD), minimal luminal area (MLA) and reference area stenosis (r-AST). FFR was defined by the ratio of distal mean coronary pressure (Pd) to aortic mean pressure (Pa). RESULTS: FFR showed significant correlation with both r-AST (r=-0.93, p<0.00001) than DST (r=-0.79, p<0.0001). When the lesions with MLD less than 1.1 mm were excluded, considering the limitation of IVUS for the thickness of its catheter, FFR showed excellent correlation with r-AST with higher correlation coefficient (r=-0.96, p<0.00001). FFR showed significant correlation with MLA (r=0.87, p=0.0001) or MLD (r=0.83, p=0.0005). CONCLUSION: FFR with excellent correlation with r-AST measured by IVUS seems to be a useful lesion specific functional index for the assessment of coronary stenosis in angina patients.
Angina Pectoris ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Decision Making ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vasodilation

Renal angiomyolipomas are uncommon benign neoplasms composed of mature adipose tissue, thick walled blood vessels and smooth muscle in varying proportions. Accurate preoperative diagnosis of renal angiomyolipoma is essential if conservative resection or angiographic embolization is to be used. In recent years, abdominal computerized tomography (CT) and renal ultrasonography have resolved the diagnostic dilemma, making detection of angiomyolipomas possible in almost all cases. Recently, we performed selective renal angioembolizations in 3 patients (2 females, 1 male). After followup period of 6 months to 1 year, all patient got better in clinical symptoms. In two of them the lesions decreased in size on followup CT but one patient showed suspicious malignant change and we performed the exploration to rule out renal malignancy. In our opinion, it is appropriate to perform the selective renal angioembolization for initial treatment of renal angiomyolipomas.
Adipose Tissue ; Angiomyolipoma* ; Blood Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Catheters* ; Stents*

No abstract available.
Astrocytoma* ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As lack of myocardial perfusion was demonstrated Microvascular function after reperfusion of infarct related artery (IRA) can be changed in convalescent stage for several possible mechanisms such as hyperemia and microvascular stunning. Therefore, myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) performed early stage after reperfusion of IRA may cause over or underestimation of the extent of myocardial necrosis. The aims of the study were to demonstrate the temporal changes of myocardial perfusion after revascularization of IRA and to explore the association of late changes of myocardial capillary flow with contractile recovery. METHODS: MCE was performed 5-7days after the attack of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 21 patients (M:F=17:4, age: 58+/-12yrs) who underwent successful reperfusion of IRA. MCE was graded by semiquantitative score (0: no opacification, 0.5: partial opacification, 1: homogenous opacification) by 16 segment model. Every patient underwent 1-2months follow up 2D echocardiography and MCE. Improvement of wall motion score more than 1 at follow up was considered to have contractile recovery. RESULTS: Thirty-one of 71 initially akinetic segments were scored as 1, 30 segments as 0.5 and 10 segments as 0 after attempted reperfusion. Twelve of 30 segments with score of 0.5 and 5 of 10 segments with score of 0 showed late improvement of MCE score to 1 and 0.5. Only 1 of 30 segments with score of 0.5 got worse to score of 0. Every segment with late improvement from 0.5 to 1 showed contractile recovery, whereas none of 5 segments with late improvement from 0 to 0.5 showed contractile recovery. There was no significant difference of predictive value between early and late MCE (p=ns). CONCLUSION: Temporal changes of myocardial perfusion from 1week to 2 months in AMI were mainly progressive improvement caused by recovery of microvascular function from stunning rather than progressive microvascular damage or reactive hyperemia. However, it may not significantly affect the validity of MCE in predicting contractile recovery.
Arteries ; Capillaries* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Necrosis ; Perfusion ; Reperfusion*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As lack of myocardial perfusion was demonstrated Microvascular function after reperfusion of infarct related artery (IRA) can be changed in convalescent stage for several possible mechanisms such as hyperemia and microvascular stunning. Therefore, myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) performed early stage after reperfusion of IRA may cause over or underestimation of the extent of myocardial necrosis. The aims of the study were to demonstrate the temporal changes of myocardial perfusion after revascularization of IRA and to explore the association of late changes of myocardial capillary flow with contractile recovery. METHODS: MCE was performed 5-7days after the attack of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 21 patients (M:F=17:4, age: 58+/-12yrs) who underwent successful reperfusion of IRA. MCE was graded by semiquantitative score (0: no opacification, 0.5: partial opacification, 1: homogenous opacification) by 16 segment model. Every patient underwent 1-2months follow up 2D echocardiography and MCE. Improvement of wall motion score more than 1 at follow up was considered to have contractile recovery. RESULTS: Thirty-one of 71 initially akinetic segments were scored as 1, 30 segments as 0.5 and 10 segments as 0 after attempted reperfusion. Twelve of 30 segments with score of 0.5 and 5 of 10 segments with score of 0 showed late improvement of MCE score to 1 and 0.5. Only 1 of 30 segments with score of 0.5 got worse to score of 0. Every segment with late improvement from 0.5 to 1 showed contractile recovery, whereas none of 5 segments with late improvement from 0 to 0.5 showed contractile recovery. There was no significant difference of predictive value between early and late MCE (p=ns). CONCLUSION: Temporal changes of myocardial perfusion from 1week to 2 months in AMI were mainly progressive improvement caused by recovery of microvascular function from stunning rather than progressive microvascular damage or reactive hyperemia. However, it may not significantly affect the validity of MCE in predicting contractile recovery.
Arteries ; Capillaries* ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Necrosis ; Perfusion ; Reperfusion*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dilated cardiomyopathy(DCMP) is a primary myocardial disease of unknown cause characterized by left ventricular or biventricular dilatation and impaired myocardial contractility. In 1973, Kreulen et al. classified DCMP into two groups-one with generalized hypokinesia and the other with regional asynergy in addition to generalized hypokinesia. Diminished coronary flow reserve has been reported in DCMP with generalized hypokinesia but its mechanism remains obscure. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the degree of microvascular dysfunction and the difference of regional wall motion abnormality in DCMP with regional asynergy. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 11 patients (M:F=:5, mean age:60 15yrs) a diagnosis of DCMP with regional asynergy, normal sinus rhythm without left bundle branch block and normal coronary angiogram who underwent Doppler wire from September 1997 to December 1999. Left ventricle was divided into three territories according to the coronary arterial distribution by echocardiography(A: coronary artery territory showing regional asynergy, I: coronary artery territory showing intermediate wall motion, P: coronary artery territory showing relatively preserved wall motion). Coronary flow reserve(CFR) was measured at the mid portion of left anterior descending artery(LAD), left circumflex artery(LCX) and right coronary artery(RCA) with 0.014 inch Doppler guide wire before and during intracoronary injection of 12-18 of adenosine. Relative coronary flow reserve(rCFR) was obtained by the ratio of the CFR in coronary artery of the territory showing regional asynergy and relatively preserved wall motion to the CFR in coronary artery of the territory showing intermediate wall motion (CFRA/CFRI, CFRP/CFRI). RESULTS: Regional asynergy was observed in LAD territory in 4(36%) patients, LCX territory in 4(36%) patients, RCA territory in 3(28%) patients (p=s). The mean CFR was 2.5 0.6 in LAD, 2.4 0.5 in LCX, 2.4 0.6 in RCA(p=s). The mean CFR and rCFR in coronary arteries showing regional asynergy were significantly lower than those in coronary arteries showing relatively preserved wall motion(2.1 0.5 vs 2.7 0.6, p<0.05, 0.84 0.12 vs 1.11 0.11, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Degree of regional hypokinesia in DCMP with regional asynergy seems to be associated with that of microvascular dysfunction.
Adenosine ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Coronary Vessels ; Deoxycytidine Monophosphate ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypokinesia*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The pathological findings of Non-Q wave myocardial infarction(NQMI) on ECG did not always correspond to subendocardial infarction(SEMI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic validity of ECG for SEMI by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in the patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population was 84 patients who underwent MCE under the diagnosis of AMI. MCE was performed by intracoronary injection of sonicated Hexabrix into the infarct related artery and SEMI was diagnosed by inspecting endocardial defect with epicardial enhancement on MCE. RESULTS: (1) Among 19 NQMI cases, 7 cases showed SEMI with MCE score 0.5, 11 cases with score 1, and 1 case with score 0. Among 65 Q-wave MI(QMI) cases, only 5 cases showed SEMI. (2) 7 cases who had NQMI with SEMI showed LV wall motion recovery at follow-up echocardiography except 1 case. Whereas, of 5 QMI cases who had SEMI, only 1 case improve LV wall motion. CONCLUSION: NQMI on ECG does not always imply SEMI on MCE, but the absence of pathologic Q wave in the patients with SEMI is thought to be a predictive factor of the recovery of LV wall motion.
Arteries ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Ioxaglic Acid