Recently, duplex sonography has been used as a screening test for the evaluation of carotid arterial disease. If an occlusion of atherosclerosis is located at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery or the lower portion of the internal carotid artery, the luminal change may be directly visualized on high-resolution B-mode sonography or color-Doppler images. But when the lesion is located at the high cervical, petrous or cavernous protion of the internal carotid artery, it is difficult to directly visualize the lesion with the sonography. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the indirect changes on the Doppler patterns of both common carotid arteries with clamping of an internal carotid artery. Thirty common carotid arteries in fifteen normal rabbits were examined with duplex ultrasonography using high-resolution real-time imaging and 7.5MHz pulsed-wave Doppler flow measurements with velocity waveform analysis. Systolic velocity (SV) was 45.4±8.4cm/sec, end-diastolic velocity (EDV) 15.3±4.9cm/sec and resistative index(RI) 0.66±0.08 in the common carotid artery before clamping of the internal carotid artery. SV was 26.3±7.8cm/sec, EDV 6.0±5.2cm/sec and RI 0.78±0.18 in the ipsilateral common carotid artery and SV was 56.6±13.0cm/sec, EDV 22.3±8.2cm. sec and RI 0.61±0.10 in the contralateral common carotid artery after clamping of the internal carotid artery. During clamping of the internal carotid artery, the difference between SV of bilateral common carotid arteries was 30.3±13.8cm/sec and EDV 16.3±9.2cm/sec. There was no difference of the velocity patterns of the common carotid artery between preclamping and declamping of the internal carotid artery. In conclusion, lower SV and EDV in a common carotid artery than that in contralateral side on Doppler patterns strongly suggests an occlusion of ipsilateral internal carotid artery.
Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Artery, Common* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Constriction* ; Mass Screening ; Phenobarbital ; Rabbits ; Ultrasonography

The authors analysed the CT findings in 75 cases diagnosed as gastric carcinoma by U.G. I.S. or endoscopy in a 3)1, year period. The comparative analysis betw~en CT findings and surgical pathologic findings was done in 55 cases who underwent surgery. 20 cases could not be operated upon because of distant metastasis. The gastric carcinoma was devided into 4′ stages according to the staging system of the American joint Committee on Cancer. The CT findings were then compared and the following results noted : 1. The relationship with gastric wall thickening and penetratioil degree of tumori no thickening (Iesser than 1.0 cm) of 3 cases showed all of T1, 11 of localized thickening (1. 0.1 .5cm) showed 7 of T2, 38 of localized thickening (more than 1.5 cm) showed 37 of T3 and 3 of diffuse thickening showed all of T4a. 2. The accuracy of Iymph node detection by CT scan, 1) Regionaf tymph node showed 86% in operative f in ding and 73% in pathologic. 2) Extragastric Iymph node showed 87% in operative finding and 89% in pathologic. 3) Retro-peritoneallymph node showed 96% in operative finding and 95% in pathologic. ic. 3. In operated cases, there was one case of false positive distant metastasis and three false negative cases. 20 cases of non-operated cases showed distant metastasis such as liver, lung or kidney. 4. 55 cases were classified as stage 1 in 4 cases, 11 in 18, 111 in 23 and IV in 10 by pathologic findings, and 1 in 3, 11 in 24, 111 in 19 and IV in 9 by CT. The overall accuracy by CT stagi ng is 75%. 5. Among a total of 75 cases, there were 46 operable cases by CT finding an d 43 operabl e cases by pathologic staging. There we re 29 inoperable cases by CT finding and 27 cases by pathologic staging. Therefore, there was a 93% overall accuracy by CT stagi ng in terms of determination of operability. 6. The accuracy of adhesion into adjacent structure by CT finding was 69%. compared with operable finding.
Endoscopy ; Joints ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Sparganosis is a rare tissue-parasitic infestation caused by a plerocercoid tapeworm larva(sparganum), genus Spirometra. The most common clinical presentation of sparganosis is a palpable subcutaneous mass or masses. Fifteen simple radiographs and 10 ultrasonograms of 17 patients with operatively verified subcutaneous sparganosis were retrospectively analyzed to find its radiologic characteristics for preoperative diagnosis of sparganosis. The locations of the subcutaneous sparganosis were lower extremity, abdominal wall, breast, inguinal region and scrotum in order of frequency. The simple radiographs showed linear or elongated calcification with or without nodular elongated shaped soft tissue mass shadows in 8 patients, soft tissue mass shadow only in 2 patients and lateral abdominal wall thickening in 1 patient. But no specific findings was noted in 4 patients with small abdominal and inguinal masses. We could classify the subcutaneous sparganosis by ultrasound into 2 types: one is long band-like hypoechoic structures, corresponding to the subcutaneous tunnel-like tracks formed by migration of sparganum larva and the other is elongated or ovoid hypoechoic nodules, representing granulomas. Long band-like hypoechoic structures within or associated with mixed echoic granulomatous masses were noted in 6 patients and elongated or ovoid hypoechoic mass or masses were noted in 4 patients. In conclusion, sparganosis should be considered when these radiologic findings-irregular linear calcifications on simple radiograph and long ban-like hypoechoic structures on ultrasonography, corresponding to the subcutaneous tunnel-like tracks formed by migration of sparganum larva-are noted in the patients who have subcutaneous palpable mass or masses. And radiologic examination especially ultrasonography is very helpful to diagnose sparganosis.
Abdominal Wall ; Breast ; Cestoda ; Diagnosis ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Larva ; Lower Extremity ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Sparganosis* ; Sparganum ; Spirometra ; Ultrasonography

Pheochromocytoma is a rare endocrine tumor arising from the chromaffin tissue, and it is able to produce and secrete catecholamines. Lymph nodes, liver, lung and bone are the most frequent sites of metastasis. We report here on a case of pheochromocytoma arising from the dura in a patient who was surgically treated for bilateral pheochromocytoma five years previously.
Catecholamines ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pheochromocytoma*

Direct coronal CT scans of the body have been carried out in 78 cases of the thoracic and abdnominal diseases. The results are as follows: 1. Among total 78 patients, 66 cases were successfully scanned by the direct coronal CT. 2. Direct co ronal CT scan most accurately detected retroperitoneal diseases, especially renal diseases. 3. In comparison with multiplanar reformating (MPR) image, direct coronal CT of the body has three advantages: (a) improved image quality: (b) improved definition of the coronal anatomy : (c) shorter examination time. 4. Direct coronal CT has advantages in evaluation of the mass nature and relationship with other organs. 5. Disadvantages or limitations of the direct coronal CT are as follows: in creased radiation exposure and insufficient positioning for disabled patients. 6. In our experience, direct coronal CT is considered as helpful method for presurgical evaluation and the rapeutic management of various diseases, especially gross tumor of the retroperitoneum.
Humans ; Methods ; Radiation Exposure ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a multi-systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by high spiking fever, evanescent salmon-colored rash, arthralgia or arthritis, leukocytosis and the involvement of various organs. However, leukopenia is rarely associated with AOSD. It may be due to hemophagocytic syndrome, which usually present with acute febrile illness, pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and hyperferritinemia. We report a case of 28-year-old man with AOSD and leukopenia. There is no evidence of other causes of cytopenia and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow examination. Leukopenia can be the initial presentation of AOSD.
Adult ; Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Leukopenia* ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Pancytopenia ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

Episodic angioedema with eosinophilia is characterized by recurrent angioedema, urticaria, fever, weight gain and hypereosinophilia. Although this syndrome shows similarities to idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, it differs in that it has good prognosis and has no organ involvement. The pathogenesis is unclear, but IL-5 is thought to be major cytokine of pathogenesis. It has benign course with spontaneous remission or low-dose prednisolone treatment. Here, we describe a patient whose clinical and laboratory features are similar to those observed in episodic angioedema with eosinophilia.
Angioedema* ; Eosinophilia* ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Interleukin-5 ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Urticaria ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Incidentally detected focal 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake was compared with colonoscopy. We investigated the characteristics of colon adenomas which were revealed on PET/CT. Then we identified whether additional colonoscopy was necessary in patients with lesions which were revealed on PET/CT but had no matched lesions on colonoscopy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 95 patients who underwent colonoscopy within a 6 month interval after they had focal FDG uptake from January 2010 to May 2012 at National Police Hospital in Korea. Also, we analyzed 30 patients who underwent additional colonoscopy within 2 years after they had no matched lesions on primary colonoscopy. RESULTS: PET/CT depicted 54.6% (41/75) of adenomas and adenocarcinomas. The PET visibility of colon adenoma was significantly associated with degree of dysplasia (p=0.027), histologic type (p=0.040), and the size (p=0.038). The positivity rate was increased with higher degree of dysplasia (low-grade dysplasia, 47%; high-grade dysplasia, 78%; adenocarcinoma, 100%) and villous patterns of histologic type (tubular, 46.8%; tubulovillous, 87.5%; villous, 100%). Patients with adenomas larger than 10 mm (87.5%) had higher detection rate compared to those with adenomas smaller than 10 mm (49.0%). Among the 30 patients who underwent additional colonoscopy, only one patient had a 6 mm sized tubular adenoma (low-grade dysplasia). CONCLUSIONS: Incidental focal colonic uptake may indicate advanced adenoma or adenocarcinoma. Thus, it justifies performing colonoscopy for identifying the presence of colon neoplasms. However, in case of unmatched lesions between PET/CT and colonoscopy, there was little evidence that additional colonoscopy would yield benefits.
Adenocarcinoma/pathology/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Adenoma/pathology/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Adult ; Aged ; Colonic Neoplasms/pathology/*radiography/*radionuclide imaging ; Colonic Polyps/pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To evaluate the clinical significance of autoantibodies to three major epithelial cytokeratins (CK) -- CK8, CK18, and CK19 -- we compared 66 patients with toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma (group I) with three control groups: 169 asymptomatic exposed subjects (group II), 64 patients with allergic asthma (group III), and 123 unexposed healthy subjects (group IV). Serum IgG, specific for human recombinant CKs, were measured by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), and ELISA inhibition tests were performed. The existence of these antibodies was confirmed by IgG immunoblot analysis. Anti-TDI-HSA (human serum albumin) IgE and IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA in the same set of the patients. The prevalence of CK8, CK18, and CK19 auotantibodies in group I was significantly higher than in the other three groups. Results of the ELISA inhibition test showed significant inhibition with the addition of three CKs in a dose-dependent manner. No significant association was found between CK autoantibodies and the prevalence of anti- TDI-HSA IgG and IgE antibodies. These results suggest that autoantibodies to CK18 and CK19 can be used as serologic markers for identifying patients with TDI-induced asthma among exposed workers.
Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/*toxicity ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Occupational Diseases/chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Keratins/*immunology ; Keratin-8/immunology ; Keratin-19/immunology ; Keratin-18/immunology ; Immunoblotting ; Humans ; Female ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Biological Markers/blood ; Autoantibodies/*blood ; Asthma/chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Adult

Azathioprine is frequently used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Lymphomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas have been reported among patients receiving azathioprine therapy. Herein, we report a case of pleomorphic liposarcoma of chest wall which occurred in a 44-year-old man with Crohn's disease taking azathioprine. He was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 3 years ago after suffering from abdominal pain and hematochezia for 12 years. He had been taking 50 mg of azathioprine per day for 23 months when he visited the thoracic and cardiovascular surgery clinic due to right chest palpable mass that had rapidly grown during the past 2 months. Excisional biopsy was performed and the mass was diagnosed as pleomorphic liposarcoma. Therefore, he underwent radical excision of the right chest wall mass, which measured 11.0x6.5 cm in size. He is scheduled to receive radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Adult ; Azathioprine/*therapeutic use ; Colonoscopy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Crohn Disease/complications/*drug therapy ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/*therapeutic use ; Liposarcoma/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Male ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed