No abstract available.
Infectious bursal disease virus*

Posterior cervical foraminotomy is an attractive therapeutic option in selected cases of cervical radiculopathy that maintains cervical range of motion and minimize adjacent-segment degeneration. The focus of this procedure is to preserve as much of the facet as possible with decompression. Posterior cervical inclinatory foraminotomy (PCIF) is a new technique developed to offer excellent results by inclinatory decompression with minimal facet resection. The highlight of our PCIF technique is the use of inclinatory drilling out for preserving more of facet joint. The operative indications are radiculopathy from cervical foraminal stenosis (single or multilevel) with persistent or recurrent root symptoms. The PCIFs were performed between April 2007 and December 2009 on 26 male and 8 female patients with a total of 55 spinal levels. Complete and partial improvement in radiculopathic pain were seen in 26 patients (76%), and 8 patients (24%), respectively, with preserving more of facet joint. We believe that PCIF allows for preserving more of the facet joint and capsule when decompressing cervical foraminal stenosis due to spondylosis. We suggest that our PCIF technique can be an effective alternative surgical approach in the management of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Female ; Foraminotomy ; Humans ; Male ; Mandrillus ; Radiculopathy ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Spondylosis ; Zygapophyseal Joint

OBJECTIVE: To compare current perception threshold with nerve conduction study, we measured current perception threshold (CPT) in healthy control and patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHOD: Twenty control subjects and twenty patients with CTS were included. Latency and amplitude of median and ulnar motor and sensory nerves were measured. The sensory current perception threshold was measured at the distal interphalangeal joint of third and fifth fingers and the palm with electrical current of 5 Hz, 250 Hz, and 2,000 Hz in frequency. We compared the results of the nerve conduction study with the data of the CPT. RESULTS: We found that measuring of the sensory threshold might detect carpal tunnel syndrome, especially with 2,000 Hz and 250 Hz stimulation and that CPT data correlated to sensory latency and amplitude of the median nerve. CONCLUSION: The sensory threshold test might be useful for diagnosis and follow up test in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Diagnosis ; Fingers ; Humans ; Joints ; Median Nerve ; Neural Conduction ; Sensory Thresholds

PEG is a simple, safe and rapid method for the placement of feeding gastrostomy tube because of its low morbidity and mortality. Also, exchange of gastrostomy tube can be easily performed because several types of exchange tube, suich as replacement balloon gastrostomy tube are available. But, less has been known about complications of exchange tube. The authors experienced a case of severe gastric ulcer bleeding in seventy one years old male patient who had been suffered from melena after exchange of old PEG tube for replacement balloon gastrostomy tube. Gastroscopy showed bleeding from acute, large and deep ulcer on the body of stomach, and replacement tube tip directed to the center of ulcer. Bleeding was thought to be caused by gastric ulcer due to replacement balloon gastrostomy tube, After removal of tube and conservative management with H2 receptor antagonist, bleeding ceased
Gastroscopy ; Gastrostomy* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Male ; Melena ; Mortality ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer* ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Pancreatitis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of echo-planar FLAIR imaging in various cerebral lesions as compared with fast FLAIR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained consecutive fast FLAIR and echo-planar FLAIR images in 33patients in whom MR imaging had revealed ischemic infarction (n=11), acute infarction (n=5), brain tumor (n=3), other conditions (n=3) or no abnormality (n=11). On both sets of images, percentage contrast and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for white matter-gray matter and white matter-lesion. RESILTS: White matter-gray matter percentage contrast and CNR were lower on echo-planar FLAIR imaging than on fast FLAIR imaging (percentage contrast, 19 +/- 2 % vs 28 +/- 3 %, CNR, 2.77 +/- 0. 5 vs 4.86 +/- 0.7). White matter-lesion percentage contrast on echo-planar FLAIR imaging was similar to or greater than that on fast FLAIR imaging; 75 +/- 12 % vs 45 +/- 11 % in ischemic infarction, 80 +/- 12 % vs 78 +/- 11% in acute infarction, and 121 +/- 25 % vs 102 +/- 15 % for tumors. White matter-lesion CNR was similar on both sets of images: 8.3 +/- 0.9 vs 7.9 +/- 0.8 in ischemic infarction, 11 +/- 1.5 vs 9.5 +/- 1.2 in acute infarction, and 24 +/- 4 vs 27 +/- 3 for tumors. Due to high susceptibility to magnetization, echo-planar FLAIR imaging showed image degradation at the interface of the paranasal sinus and adjacent to the temporal bone. CONCLUSION: Echo-planar FLAIR imaging may be a useful pulse sequence in the diagnosis of various cerebral lesions.
Brain Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Noise ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective memory complaints and cognition in the elderly. METHODS: Data obtained from 1,496 subjects (510 men and 986 women) aged above 60 years was analyzed from the Gwangju Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment Study (GDEMCIS). All subjects completed the study questionnaire including demographic characteristics, history of current and past illnesses, drug history, Korean version-Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), and Short Form Korean version of Geriatric depression scale (SGDS-K). Subjective memory complaints were defined in two different ways; worse than others (SMC-O) and worse than one's past (SMC-P). RESULTS: On analysis of covariance, there was significant difference of estimated marginal means of K-MMSE score among five SMC-P groups (much improve:18.0, little improve:21.3, not changed:21.2, little worse:21.1, much worse:20.2) after adjusting age, sex, educational level and depression (F=9.63, df=4, p<0.0001, adjusted R2=0.375). There was significant difference of estimated marginal means of K-MMSE score among three SMC-O groups (below peer's average:20.4, peer's average:20.9, above peer's average:21.8) after adjusting age, sex, educational level and depression (F=4.89, df=2, p=0.043, adjusted R2=0.0.361). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that subjective memory complaints may be an indicator of objective cognitive impairment in the elderly.
Aged ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Depression ; Humans ; Male ; Memory ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) with 2D echocardiography (2DE) is one of the time-consuming procedures in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Moreover, the accuracy of DSE with 2DE depends on the operator's skill or bias during the image acquisition. This study was conducted to determine the feasibility and accuracy of DSE with real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE) for the diagnosis of CAD. SUBJECT AND METHODS: 62 patients (RT3DE: 36, 2DE: 26), suspected of angina pectoris and post-revascularization ischemia, underwent DSE and coronary angiography (CAG). Image acquisition was performed at the baseline, and at 4 times during the dobutamine infusion and recovery stages. The procedure time (from the baseline to the end of the peak dose stage) was recorded. Off-line analyses of the volumetric images acquired with RT3DE were performed using 3D computer software (TomTec, Co.). Digitized quad-screen images acquired with 2DE were analyzed using the 2DE review system (ProSolv 4.0). >50% luminal diameter stenosis of any coronary artery on CAG was defined as significant coronary artery stenosis. RESULTS: The procedure time of DSE with RT3DE was significantly shorter than that of DSE with 2DE (25+/-4 vs. 37+/-4 mins, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the sensitivity (p>0.05) or specificity (p>0.05) between the two procedures. CONCLUSION: DSE with RT3DE seems to be a feasible and less time consuming diagnostic procedure, probably providing comparable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of coronary artery stenosis, than DSE with 2DE.
Angina Pectoris ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis* ; Dobutamine* ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Stress* ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional* ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Phenobarbital ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To compare functional MR imaging of the motor cortex during active and passive movement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven healthy, right-handed volunteers (M:F=6:1; age:25-30 years) were included in this study. A 1.5-T whole body scanner and the multislice EPI BOLD method were used. The motor paradigm was flexion-extension of a thumb against rest. In the active motion task, the thumb was flexed voluntarily once a second, while in the passive task, it was tied with a thread and pulled to flex and extend passively at the same interval and with the same intensity as in the active task. For image postprocessing, an SPM 96 program was used. The sites, numbers, and signal intensity of the activated pixels were determined, and the threshold for significance was set at p<0.001 to p<0.01. RESULTS: In the active motion task, strong activation at the contralateral side of the primary sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex occurred in all 14 examples in all seven volunteers. Additionally, the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor area were activated in 12/14 and 11/14 such tasks, respectively. During passive motion tasks, on the other hand, weak activation occurred at the contralateral side of the primary sensorimotor cortex in all cases, but in the contralateral supplementary motor cortex in only three. In the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor area, there was no activation. CONCLUSION: Compared with the active motion task, activation occurring in the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex and supplementary cortex was weaker and less frequent during the passive task, and during this latter, the ipsilateral motor cortex remained inactive. These results may be useful for the clinical application of functional MR imaging in unconscious patients or in animal studies.
Animals ; Hand ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Motor Cortex* ; Thumb ; Volunteers

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of the functional MRI (fMRI) using motor and sensory stimuli in patients with brain tumors or focal cerebral lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved five patients with brain tumors (n=2) or cerebral lesions [cysticercosis (n=1), arteriovenous malformation (n=1), focal infarction (n=1)] and seven normal controls. For MR examinations a 1.5T scanner was used, and during motor or sensory stimulation, the EPI BOLD technique was employed. For image postprocessing an SPM program was utilized. RESULTS: In volunteers, contralateral sensori-motor cortices were activated by both motor and sensory stimuli, while supplementary motor cortices were activated by motor stimuli and other sensory cortices by sensory stimuli. Preoperative evaluation of the relationship between lesions and important sensory and motor areas was possible, and subsequent surgery was thus successful, involving no severe complications. Activation of ipsilateral or other areas occurred in patients with destruction of a major sensory and/or motor area, suggesting compensatory reorganization. CONCLUSION: fMRI could be a useful supportive method for determining the best approach to surgery treatment in patients with brain tumors or focal cerebral lesions.
Arteriovenous Malformations ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Volunteers