Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether limited T2-weighted-only lumbar spine MRI is clinically available to patients visiting pain intervention clinic for radicular pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 patients (mean age: 63.5 ± 16.1 years) with low back pain (LBP) or sciatica who underwent limited T2-weighted-only lumbar MRI using T2-weighted sagittal and axial sequences were enrolled. All MRI scans were reviewed by two radiologists for degenerative spinal lesions that most correlated with each patient’s symptoms. All patients received spinal injections. Treatment response was recorded based on patients’ subjective evaluations and an 11-point numerical rating scale. Clinical characteristics and changes in the diagnosis of patients who had undergone previous MRI or additional MRI within six months were also analyzed. Results: Using limited T2-weighted-only lumbar spine MRI, acquisition time and cost for imaging examinations were effectively reduced. Pathologic lesions corresponding to clinical symptoms were detected in most (95%) patients. Symptoms had improved in 78.1% of patients at the 6-month follow-up. Further imaging work-up was not performed for any subject during the study period because there was clear indication (no doubt) for other diagnoses on the limited T2-weighted-only lumbar spine MRI or during the clinical follow-up. Conclusion Limited T2-weighted-only lumbar spine MRI comprising T2-weighted sagittal and axial images may sufficiently detect degenerative changes of the lumbar spine in patients with LBP and sciatica. Treatment responses are satisfactory, effectively reducing scan time and costs.

BACKGROUND: The frequency and type of major opportunistic infections (OI' s) in HIV-infected patients are different among various countries. To determine major OI' s in Korea, we analyzed OI' s in HIV-infected patients at an university-affiliated teaching hospital in Korea. METHODS: We reviewed medical records for the HIV-infected patients seen at Seoul National University Hospital from 1985 to April 1998. OI' s were diagnosed according to the definition proposed by CDC (1993). RESULTS: One hundred and seventy three patients were analyzed. Over 70% of the patients were followed for more than 6 months. CD4 + lymphocyte counts at the initial visit ranged 200 to 500/mm 3 in 55% of the patients, and was less than 200/mm 3 in 26%. Tuberculosis was the most frequent OI (25%), followed by candidiasis (21%), herpes zoster (20%), and pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (10%). Kaposi' s sarcoma developed in 3 patients (2%), non-Hodgkin' s lymphoma in 2 (1%). Eleven patients (6%) developed peripheral neuropathy, and 8 patients (5%) had HIV encephalopathy. There was no case of toxoplasmosis. The AIDS defining conditions for the 61 AIDS patients was comprised of 39 (64%) tuberculosis, 6 (10%) esophageal candidiasis, and 6 (10 %) pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Twenty four patients died; 7 patients died of pneumonia and 4 patients committed suicide. There was no long-term nonprogressor. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis was the most frequent OI in Korean HIV-infected patients. Candidiasis, herpes zoster, and cytomegalovirus diseases were also common. Compared to those in the United States and European countries, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and Kaposi' s sarcoma were relatively low. Pneumonia was the major cause of death.
AIDS Dementia Complex ; Candidiasis ; Cause of Death ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Cytomegalovirus ; Herpes Zoster ; HIV Infections* ; HIV* ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphoma ; Medical Records ; Opportunistic Infections* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Prevalence ; Sarcoma ; Seoul ; Suicide ; Toxoplasmosis ; Tuberculosis ; United States