PURPOSE: To evaluate surface configuration of intervertebral disc on three dimensional CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three dimensional surface images reconstructed from CTscans(1 mm thick) of 20discs in 14 healthy adults were reviewed. Disc surface was classified into peripheral and central zones in contact with consecutive peripheral ring and central endplate. Local irregularity incidence, pattern in radial, concentric, or mixed form, size, location, and extension were observed. Incidence and severity ranges in 4 grades of general irregularity, and peripheral width relative to central radius were evaluated. RESULTS: Normal disc mostly showed smooth surface with few display of small local irregularity(6/20) which was mainly radial in pattern(4/5), posterolaterally located(4/6), and confined within peripheral zone(5/6). General irregularity displayed(5/20) was all grade I and peripheral width was 0.82 of central radius. CONCLUSION: Normal disc shows smooth surface but few may display small local irregularity maybe due to very early degenerative change.
Adult ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Radius

Recently, due to the evolution of technology, the field of neurosurgery is receiving spotlight. In particular endovascular neurosurgery has gained a great interest along with the advancement of the modern neurosurgery. The most remarkable advances were made in embolization of the cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and intracranial stenosis during the past 10 years. These advances will further change the role of neurosurgeons in treating cerebrovascular disease. Because interventional neuroradiologists have performed most of procedures in the past, neurosurgeons have been deprived of chances to learn endovascular procedure. This article discusses the development of technological aspect of endovascular neurosurgery in chronological order. By understanding the history and current status of the endovascular surgery, the future of neurosurgery will be promising.
Aneurysm ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endovascular Procedures ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Neurosurgery

A study to evaluate the diagnostic significance of M. pneumoniae Infection by measurements of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers is performed with 191 pediatric patients who have visited Yeungnam University Hospital during the period through January to July, 1987. Forty eight of 191 cases made follow up tests feasible. The results obtained are as follows: 1. It is necessary to perform routine combined measurements of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers for the all pediatric pneumonia caser since a large proportion of pneumonia in children is caused by M. pneumonia. 2. For the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae Infection, measurements of cold agglutinin titer alone seems to be less significant than to check both cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers. 3. The measurement of antimycoplasma antibody titer appeared to be more specific than cold agglutinin test in the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae Infection. 4. The present study urges the necessity of follow up study of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titer for those who initially presented with normal titers in both tests, but are clinically suspected for M. pneumoniae Infection.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

No abstract available.
Abscess* ; Bacteria, Aerobic* ; Quinolones* ; Virulence*

The recent advent of "-omics" technologies have heralded a new era of personalized medicine. Personalized medicine is referred to as the ability to segment heterogeneous subsets of patients whose response to a therapeutic intervention within each subset is homogeneous. This new paradigm in healthcare is beginning to affect both research and clinical practice. The key to success in personalized medicine is to uncover molecular biomarkers that drive individual variability in clinical outcomes or drug responses. In this review, we begin with an overview of personalized medicine in breast cancer and illustrate the most encountered statistical approaches in the recent literature tailored for uncovering gene signatures.
Biomarkers ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Precision Medicine

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a reversible but potentially critical disease caused by thiamine deficiency. Most patients complain of symptoms such as ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion. Heavy alcohol drinking is commonly associated with the disease, but other clinical conditions also can provoke it. In pregnant women, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to the depletion of body thiamine due to poor oral intake and a high metabolic demand. We report a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy following hyperemesis gravidarum in a 36-year-old female at 20 weeks of pregnancy, who visited our hospital because of shock with vaginal bleeding. This case suggests that although the initial presentation may include atypical symptoms (e.g., shock or bleeding), Wernicke's encephalopathy should be considered, and thiamine replacement should be performed in pregnant women with neurologic symptoms and poor oral intake.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Ataxia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Shock ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

PURPOSE: Primary pulmonary lymphoma(PPL) arising in the lung as the initial site is very rare. Authors experienced two cases of PPL and report the radiologic findings and clinical characteristics with a brief reviewof the literature. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Plain chest radiograph and enhanced axial CT scan of the chest were taken. We analyzed radiologic findings of the two cases and correlated with broncoscopic and pathologic findings. RESULTS: Plain chest radiograph showed a mass like consolidative lesion on RML without peripheral atelectasis. Chest CT scan revealed a mass like consolidation with airbronchogram and the absence of a hilar mass or thoracic adenopathy. Percutaneous needle aspiration and biopsy(PCNA and PCNB) of the RML mass confirmed B-cell lymphoma, in both cases. CONCLUSION: PPL must be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic alveolar consolidation such as bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Lung ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Needles ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

It is usually difficult to obtain an exact reduction of bony mallet finger involving more than one third of the articular surface by closed manipulation and extension splinting and needs the operative treatment to obtain an exact anatomical reduction. Operative treatment of a mallet finger is a difficult procedure, fraught with many potential problems, including intraoperative fragmentation of dorsal lip fracture, difficulty of exposure and anatomical reduction of the fragment, skin slough, and postoperative loss of fixation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the fixation technique and to reduce intraoperative complications. We retrospectively reviewed 13 patients of bony mallet fingers, who were treated by tension wire fixation between January 1994 and August 1995 at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kwangmyung Sung Ae Hospital. There were 6 male and 7 female pateints. The most common cause was sports injury (6 cases). According to Wehbe and Schneider classification, 8 cases were type II and subtype B, 7 cases were the other types. According to modified Abouna and Brown criteria, the clinical results were success in 10 cases and failure in 3 cases. Postoperative complications were superficial infeciton (2 cases), skin necrosis (1 case), nail deformity (1 case) and secondary extensor tendon rupture (1 case). In conclusion, tension wire fixation of bony mallet finger was a simple and effective fixation of the fragment under the direct vision, which make it possible to exercise early and fix sturdily. But it should be avoided some pitfalls associated with internal fixation of small bony fragments.
Athletic Injuries ; Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Fingers* ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Lip ; Male ; Necrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Skin ; Splints ; Tendons

Displaced fracture of the ankle are probably the most common skeletal injury managed today by open reduction and internal fixation. But, it is recommended that metallic implant might be removed to restore normal biomechanical forces on hone and to reduce discomfort directly under the skin. in order to reduce the resources needed for the removal of metallic fixation devices, absorbable impiants of biodegradable synthetic polymers were deveioped. However reports of clinical application of such implants have so far been very few. This prospective study represents the good resuits in 15 displaced non-comminuted closed malleolar fractures of the ankle treated using hiodegradahle internal fixation in department of orthopedic surgery of Kwang Myung Sung Ae general hospitai from June I 995 to December 1996. The results were as follows 1. All cases were united and the average time for union was 7.6 weeks. 2. As a results of comparison with normal side, a restriction of 10 degrees or more of dorsiflexion of the ankle joint was present in 4 cases, a restriction of 20 degrees or more of plantar tlexion was present in 2 cases, a restriction of supination was present in 3 cases and a restriction of plantar flexion was present in 4 cases. 3. According to Phillips functional scoring scale, 4 cases were excellent, 7 cases good, 4 cases fair and no cases were poor. 4. There were no complications in all cases.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Orthopedics ; Polymers ; Prospective Studies ; Skin ; Supination

A 70-year-old female who was diagnosed as myxoid chondrosarcoma by fine needle aspiration of a pleural mass is described. She presented with left chest discomfort of 4 months' duration and aggravating dyspnea and chest pain for 2 months. Chest X-ray and CT scan revealed a large lobulated low density mass invading chest wall at the left pleural cavity and massive pleural fluid. Fine needle aspiration was done under the impression of mesothelioma or metastatic cancer. The aspirates from the mass were very cellular and composed of isolated or clustered forms of large plump cells. Abundant cytoplasm was bluish opaque and the margin was rounded in the isolated cells, whereas clustered cells show ill-defined cell borders and aggregating tendency. The nuclei were eccentric, round to ovoid, and had fine chromatin pattern and multiple small nucleoli. Cellular pleomorphism or mitotic figure was not definite. These findings were consistent with cytologic features of chondrosarcoma. Final diagnosis was confirmed as myxoid chondrosarcoma by mediastinoscopic biopsy and the tumor showed strong positivity for S-100 protein.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Chest Pain ; Chondrosarcoma ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Humans ; Mesothelioma ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Pleural Cavity ; S100 Proteins ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed