PURPOSE: To describe the abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns obtained by means of three-dimensional (3-D) surface-rendering MR imaging in patients with cerebral cortical disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with cerebral cortical disease [M:F=9:4, aged 8 -55 (median, 26.6) years] underwent 3-D surface-rendering MR imaging. Seven had cortical dysplasia and six showed gyral atropic change, conditions which in all cases were pathologically confirmed. All were the subject of conventional brain MRI imaging studies using the MP-RAGE (magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo) sequence, and the resulting 3-D data sets were processed on a commercially available workstation. Abnormal gyral and suleal configurations were reviewed. RESULTS: Abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns were seen in all patients. In eight cases these involved the frontal lobe, in three the parietal lobe, and in two the sylvian fissure. In four patients with cortical dysplasia, conventional MR imaging revealed no cortical abnormality, but 3-D surface-rendering MRI indicated that the configuration and orientation of affected gyri and sulci were abnormal. In nine patients in whom an abnormal gyral pattern was revealed by conventional MRI, 3-D surface imaging confirmed the presence of a thick and enlarged gyrus, or that the configuration of affected gyri was atrophic and abnormal. CONCLUSION: In patients with cerebral cortical disease, 3-D surface-rendering MR imaging detects a high rate of abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns.
Brain ; Dataset ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Parietal Lobe

PURPOSE: To describe the abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns obtained by means of three-dimensional (3-D) surface-rendering MR imaging in patients with cerebral cortical disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with cerebral cortical disease [M:F=9:4, aged 8 -55 (median, 26.6) years] underwent 3-D surface-rendering MR imaging. Seven had cortical dysplasia and six showed gyral atropic change, conditions which in all cases were pathologically confirmed. All were the subject of conventional brain MRI imaging studies using the MP-RAGE (magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo) sequence, and the resulting 3-D data sets were processed on a commercially available workstation. Abnormal gyral and suleal configurations were reviewed. RESULTS: Abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns were seen in all patients. In eight cases these involved the frontal lobe, in three the parietal lobe, and in two the sylvian fissure. In four patients with cortical dysplasia, conventional MR imaging revealed no cortical abnormality, but 3-D surface-rendering MRI indicated that the configuration and orientation of affected gyri and sulci were abnormal. In nine patients in whom an abnormal gyral pattern was revealed by conventional MRI, 3-D surface imaging confirmed the presence of a thick and enlarged gyrus, or that the configuration of affected gyri was atrophic and abnormal. CONCLUSION: In patients with cerebral cortical disease, 3-D surface-rendering MR imaging detects a high rate of abnormal gyral and sulcal patterns.
Brain ; Dataset ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Parietal Lobe

Extramedullary hematopoiesis occurring in multiple organs such as thorax, liver and both kidneys is an unusual condition. We report the CT findings of this condition with review of literature. The lesions consisted of intrathoracic paravertebral masses, focal intrahepatic mass and masses of both pelvocalyceal systems on CT scans.
Biopsy ; Case Report ; Female ; Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary+ACo- ; Human ; Kidney/radiography ; Kidney/physiopathology ; Liver/radiography ; Liver/physiopathology ; Liver/pathology ; Mediastinum/radiography ; Mediastinum/physiopathology ; Middle Age ; Myelofibrosis/physiopathology+ACo- ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Extramedullary hematopoiesis occurring in multiple organs such as thorax, liver and both kidneys is an unusual condition. We report the CT findings of this condition with review of literature. The lesions consisted of intrathoracic paravertebral masses, focal intrahepatic mass and masses of both pelvocalyceal systems on CT scans.
Biopsy ; Case Report ; Female ; Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary+ACo- ; Human ; Kidney/radiography ; Kidney/physiopathology ; Liver/radiography ; Liver/physiopathology ; Liver/pathology ; Mediastinum/radiography ; Mediastinum/physiopathology ; Middle Age ; Myelofibrosis/physiopathology+ACo- ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective: We investigated whether circle of Willis (COW) morphology on 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography differs between young normal subjects, older normal subjects, and patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Methods: One hundred seventy-seven subjects were grouped according to age into a young group (20 – 40 years; n = 91) and an older group (> 60 years; n = 86). Subjects underwent brain MR examination as part of a health check-up. Fifty-three patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque were also included for evaluation in this study. COW morphology on 3D TOF MR angiography was analyzed in terms of completeness or incompleteness of the anterior and posterior components of the circle and completeness of the circle. Results: An incomplete pattern of anterior circulation was significantly more common in carotid atherosclerotic plaque patients (20.7%) than normal older subjects (5.5%) (p < 0.01). A complete posterior circulation pattern was more frequent in normal young subjects (46.5%) than in normal older subjects (16.5%) or the patient group (18.9%) (p < 0.01). Of patients with carotid artery stenosis, 18.9% had a bilateral incomplete connection and were significantly more likely to have an incomplete pattern than normal young (2.3%) or normal older subjects (2.2%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Young, healthy subjects were significantly more likely to have a complete pattern of posterior circulation than older subjects. Patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were significantly more likely to have incomplete anterior circulation and an incomplete circle than young, normal subjects.
Circle of Willis

Ciliated hepatic foregut cyst (CHFC) is a rare benign lesion consisting of ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium, loose subepithelial connective tissue, a smooth muscle layer, and an outer fibrous capsule. We encountered a patient with retroperitoneal and posterior mediastinal neurilemmoma and additional CHFC mimicking metastasis. Abdominal CT examination demonstrated that the posterior mediastinal and retroperitoneal lesions were lobulated, well-defined tumors with a neural foraminal extension that were pathologically confirmed as neurilemmomas. Unenhanced CT indicated that the additional lesion was a slightly hypodense mass relative to surrounding parenchyma at the medial segment of the left lobe of the liver, and after the IV ad-ministration of contrast material, the lesion did not show enhancement.
Connective Tissue ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Liver ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neurilemmoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Hypercalcemia in accelerated phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is very rare. Its pathogenesis is considered humoral hypercalcemia of malignancies mediated by parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). In severe hypercalcemia, calcifications in kidneys, skin, vessels, heart, and stomach may occur. Our two cases were admitted because of severe hypercalcemia in accelerated phase of CML. On Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scintigraphies, a marked tracer accumulation was seen in the lung, heart, stomach and kidney. We report increased tracer accumulation of multiple organs on Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy in two rare hypercalcemic patients with CML.
Adult ; Bone Diseases/radionuclide imaging* ; Bone Diseases/etiology* ; Calcinosis/radionuclide imaging ; Calcinosis/etiology ; Case Report ; Human ; Hypercalcemia/radionuclide imaging* ; Hypercalcemia/etiology* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic/metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic/complications* ; Male ; Middle Age ; Proteins/metabolism ; Technetium/diagnostic use

The first case report of granular cell tumor was by Abrikossoff in 1926, the tumor has been named with more than 20 different synonyms. It is found usually in the tongue, oral cavity, and the skin. It occurs rarely in the esophagus. Esophageal granular cell tumor is a benign lesion which can be diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy. Large symptomatic lesion can be removed by polypectomy. A 29-year-old female visited our hospital for intermittent epigastric pain and anterior chest discomfort. Endoscopy showed a 0.6 *0.4 cm whitish yellow nodule in the mid-esophagus, 25 cm from the incisor teeth. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed with "O"-type rubber band for endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL). A case of esophageal granular cell tumor conformed by S-100 protein stain is reported with the review of literature.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Incisor ; Mouth ; Rubber ; S100 Proteins ; Skin ; Thorax ; Tongue ; Tooth

PURPOSE: We analyzed the perioperative and early oncological outcomes following radical cystectomy with using the laparoscopic method, and we compared these findings with those of the conventional open method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2003 and December 2006, we performed laparoscopic radical cystectomy(LRC) with an extracorporeal ileal conduit for treating bladder cancer in 22 patients, and the results of the LRC were compared with those of open radical cystectomy(ORC) in 20 cases. The surgical results such as the operation time, the estimated blood loss(EBL), the transfusion rate, the hospital stay, the complications and the oncological results were reviewed retrospectively and then analyzed via the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of demographic data between the two groups. The pathologic reports showed a transitional cell type in all cases. For the LRC and ORC groups, the mean operation time for cystectomy was 186.5 min(150-240) vs 192.4 min(150-240), respectively (p=0.276), the EBL was 228.18ml(150-380) vs 995.0ml(400-1,200), respectively(p<0.01), the transfusion rate was 15.7% vs 85.0%, respectively, the hospital stay was 11.2 days vs 12.4 days, respectively(p=0.67), the intraoperative complications was 3/22 cases(13.6%) vs 9/20 cases(45.0%), respectively. The pathologic surgical margins were all negative. The surgical and pathologic parameters of the LRC group showed no significant differences compared to those of the ORC group, except for the EBL and transfusion rate. CONCLUSIONS: LRC resulted in less blood loss, a lower transfusion rate and earlier, more rapid recovery than did ORC. In our opinion, lararoscopic surgery is a feasible treatment for bladder cancer.
Cystectomy* ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion*

We report a case of multiple myeloma with gastric involvement occurring in a patient who underwent an upper gastrointestinal series (UGIS), CT and MRI. UGIS depicted a luminal protruding mass, while contrast-enhanced CT demonstrated marked thickening of the gastric wall, with subtle contrast enhancement. At T1- and T2-weighted MR imaging, the mass showed iso- and intermediate signal intensity, respectively. After the administration of contrast material, subtle homogeneous enhancement was apparent.
Case Report ; Contrast Media/administration & dosage ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Age ; Multiple Myeloma/pathology/*radiography ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology/*radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed