Crohn's disease is a chronic, nonspecific inflammatory process which most commonly involves the terminal ileum, but which can affect any region of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. When Crohn's disease does involve the upper gastrointestinal tract, there is nearly always concomitant disease in the small bowel or colon. However isolated gastric Crohn's disease is a rare entity, and gastroduodenal involvement in Crohn's disease has been considered unusual, having an incidence of 1.5 to 7.0%. Gastric Crohn's disease usually localizes to antrum of the stomach and or the pyloroduodenal junction. No single feature is pathognomonic of Crohn' disease, and the diagnosis is based on supportive clinical, radiographic, endoscopic, and pathologic findings. Crohn's disease is invariably a diagnosis of exclusion, so infectious, neoplastic, ischemic, infiltrative, and other inflammatory processes must be ruled out. Usually a patient with isolated Crohn's disease of the stomach will have the clinical symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain, and there will be radiographic evidence of a small contracted stomach (or occasionally, a huge dilated stomach). The treatment of stomach Crohn's disease is palliative and symptomatic. In this paper, we describe a patient with Crohn's disease who had diffuse involvement of the entire stomach without any evidence of involvement elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract.
Anal Canal ; Colon ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Ileum ; Incidence ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Stomach* ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Humans ; Organophosphate Poisoning* ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

In recent days, cataract surgery has trend to reduce postoperative astig-matism and acquired early visual rehabilitation.Phacoemulsification with small incision and insertion of foldable intraocular lens has been used popularly, but its high cost and intraoperative or postoperative complication especially in old age with dense nucleosclerosis could be detrimental to patients. Postoperative corneal astigmatic changes and visual rehabilitation were evaluated after extracapsular cataract extraction with 7 mmscleral tunnel incision (Group I, 7 mm-ECCE, 28 eyes)by comparing with those after phacoemulsification with 3.5 mmscleral tunnel incision (Group II, 3.5 mm-Phaco, 41eyes).One piece PMMA intraocular lens was inserted in group I, while foldable intraocular lens in group II.Surgically induced corneal astigmatism was calculated by Cravy's vector analysis.There was no statistically signifi-cant difference between group I and group IIfor surgically induced corneal astigmatism (Kt)after postoperative one month (p>0.05).In group I and group II, corneal astigmatism was with-the-rule in early postoperative days, and changed to against-the-rule in postoperative 3 months.There was no statistically significant difference between group I and group IIincorneal astigmatism during all follow-up period (p>0.05). Therefore, 7 mm-ECCE could be an effective method for old patient with high grade nucleosclerosis or when phacoemulsification was unavailable.
Astigmatism* ; Cataract ; Cataract Extraction ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Phacoemulsification ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Postoperative Complications ; Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: MR is the most useful imaging method in evaluating the anatomic changes of the optic chiasm (OC). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the OC displacement and visual manifestations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients who showed displacement of OC on brain MR. The pattern of OC displacement was classified into 3 groups according to following criteria: group A included the patients with OC displacement only due to empty sella;group B represented the patients with OC displacement by a lesion and the border between the lesion and OC was distinct;and group C was the patients with OC displacement by a lesion and had a indistinct border or thinning of the OC. RESULTS: Visual symptoms and signs were noted in 12 patients and the most common sign was bitemporal hemianopsia. In group A(7 patients), the visual symptoms and signs were seen in only one patient(14%), in whom contracted visual fields persisted since previous pituitary apoplexy had developed. In group B(30 patients), the visual symptoms and signs were seen in 4 patients(13%) who had tumorous conditions except one case of cysticercosis. In group C(7 patients), the visual symptoms and signs were seen in all patients (100%). CONCLUSION: The more OC is compressed, the more the prevalence of visual symptoms and signs increases. However, there was no correlation between the occurrence of visual symptoms and the presence of OC displacement only without compression.
Brain ; Cysticercosis ; Hemianopsia ; Humans ; Optic Chiasm* ; Pituitary Apoplexy ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: Retrospective studies were carried out to evaluate the usufulness of CT in differentiating benign or malignant intrahepatic duct(IHD) dilatation due to extrahepatic duct(EHD) obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 75 cases of IHD dilatation, 35 cases(47%) which did not show causative lesion on CT were classified into central or peripheral type according to the extent of the dilatation and into pruned or beaded form according to its pattern. We considered central type or pruned form as a benign feature while peripheral type or beaded from as a malignant feature. Predictions of benignancy or malignancy were made according to the pattern and the extent of IHD dilatation. In all 75 cases, maximum caliber of IHD at portal vein bifurcation were examined. RESULTS: In regard to the classification of the extent, 80% (28 out of the 35 cases:11 of 15 cases of benignancy and 17 of 20 cases of malignancy) of our prediction was correct. As to the classification of the pattern, similar results(82% correct prediction) were obtained(14 out of 17 cases):ln 15 cases of benignancy, we observed six cases of pruning and 1 case of beading. Among the 20 cases of malignancy, two cases of pruning and eight cases of beading of IHD dilatation were observed. Mean diameters of IHD at portal vein bifurcation were 10.1ram in benignancy and 15.1mm in malignancy.(Diameters less than 11mm was suggestive of benignancy(alpha =0.05). CONCLUSION: Evaluation of the extent, the pattern, and the degree of IHD dilatation is necessary in differential diagnosis of benignancy and malignancy of EHD obstruction. We conclude that CT is a useful tool for this purpose of differential diagnosis of the benignancy and the malignancy of extrahepatic biliary obstruction.
Classification ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dilatation* ; Portal Vein ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

PURPOSE: To give a help in the interpretation of cardiac cine-MR examination, the extent, shape, and timing of appearance of signal void regions near atrioventricular(A-V) valve prospectively evaluated in the healthy population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using an axial gradient-echo technique with small flip angle, repetition time(TR) of 36 msec and echo time(TE) of 22 msec, 20 volunteers without known valvular abnormalities undertook cardiac cine-MR imaging including atrioventricualr valve areas. RESULTS: Transient signal void was observed within the atrium near the tricuspid(13/20 = 65%) and mitral valves(9/20 = 45%), respectively, which is so called "physiologic atrioventricular valvular insufficiency". Eight subjects revealed the signal void areas near both tricuspid and mitral valves but, 5 subjects didnot show any evidences of physiologic insufficiency. This physiologic condition does not extend more than lcm proximal to A-V valve plane and is generally observed only during early systole. Its morphology is semilunar or triangular configuration with the base to the valve plane in most cases of normal tricuspid insufficiency and small globular appearance in most cases of normal mitral insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Awareness of normal signal void areas near the A-V valve and their characteristics is critical in the interpretation of cardiac cine MR examinations and maybe helpfal in the study of the normal cardiac physiology.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Physiology ; Prospective Studies ; Systole ; Volunteers

Epileptic seizures have been shown to cause increased signal intensities on diffusion-weighted images (DWI). Extensive hemispheric involvement on MRI after status epilepticus was very rare. A 56-year-old man transferred to our hospital due to status epileticus. The status epilepticus lasted nearly 7 hours. Neurological examination showed confusional consciousness, left hemiplegia and hemineglect of left side. Brain DWI demonstrated extensive high signal intensities in the right posterior frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes resembling acute cerebral infarction. EEG revealed periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges over the right hemisphere. Follow-up DWI showed more decreased signal intensity in right hemispheric lesions. This case demonstrates the importance of recognizing the characteristics that help differentiate status epilepticus from other disorders.
Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Consciousness ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Examination ; Occipital Lobe ; Status Epilepticus

Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) infection is a rare cause of meningoencephalitis. A 53-year-old previously healthy woman presented with fever, headache, and multiple erythema on the both legs. Cerebrospinal fluid study revealed pleocytosis and elevated opening pressure and protein level. Brain MRI showed multiple, asymmetric, hyperintensity in the brain stem, basal ganglia, white matter, and gray matter. Anti-B19 IgM antibody and PCR for PVB19 were positive in serum. Clinician should consider PVB19 infection in any case of acute febrile illness with erythema and meningoencephalitis.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Erythema ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Leg ; Leukocytosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningoencephalitis* ; Middle Aged ; Parvovirus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of plasma D-dimer at admission after acute ischemic stroke, and to assess its effect on short-term functional outcome. METHODS: Fasting plasma D-dimer was measured in 290 consecutive patients (61.7% men, mean age 67.0±12.3 years) within 3 days after the onset of acute ischemic stroke. The outcomes were measured at 3-months after stroke onset, by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: Atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes and involvement of the insular cortex, the levels of serum high sensitive C-reactive protein and D-dimer, as well as incidence of women and age, were all significantly higher in the poor outcome group (P<0.05). After the adjustment of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission, the plasma D-dimer levels positively correlated with mRS (Spearman partial rho=0.247, P<0.001). The cut-off value of D-dimer level for prediction of poor outcomes was 0.35 mg/L (sensitivity 0.70, specificity 0.63, area under the curve 0.71). Furthermore, two multivariated logistic regression analysis models were performed. One model excluded the NIHSS score as an independent variable, and demonstrated that D-dimer (odds ratio, 1.24 for every 1.0 mg/L, P<0.05) was independently associated with poor functional outcome. Conversely, the other model which included the NIHSS score, did not show any such association. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma D-dimer level is a useful marker for short-term outcomes in acute ischemic stroke, and may have a role in risk stratification for predicting a poor outcome.
Atrial Fibrillation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cerebral Infarction ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Male ; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stroke

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that selectively involves the lumina of vessels, and may present as ischemic stroke. A 62-year-old man presented with progressive aphasia, dementia, seizure and stroke-like symptom. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed dynamic progressive fluid attenuated inversion recovery lesions and multiple punctate microbleeds in the bilateral subcortical region. A kidney biopsy revealed IVLBCL. We report a patient with IVLBCL presenting as rapidly progressive encephalopathy.