BACKGROUND: It is known that 20% of childhood epilepsy is refractory to anticonvulsants therapy, Recently, a few new anticonvulsants has been introduced. One of these, gabapentin is known to effective in such refractory cases. This study has been done to estimate the effectiveness of gabapentin in refractory childhood as well as adult epilepsies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 43 patients(male 25, female 18) has been selected among refractory epilepsies during the period of March, 1981 to Feb, 1996 diagnosed and treated at pediatric neurologic clinic School of Medicine, Yonsei University Those were already treated with various anticonvulsants and gabapentin was added to previous medication, and effectiveness of seizure frequency and the degree has been investigated over more than 3 month period as well as the side effect. RESULTS: 30 patients out of 43, showed seizure free or decreased frequency of seizure, those patients whose the seizure frequency was decreased over 50% was 11 cases, partial seizure 10 cases, generalized seizure 1 cases. 15 case out of 43 showed no changes or increased frequencies of seizure in 4 out of 27 in partial epilepsies, 1 out of 16 in generalized seizure, and 6 cases out of 43 manifested side effects such as behaviour change, abdominal pain and headache. CONCLUSION: Gabapentin was effective by add on therapy in refractory epilepsies and reducing the frequency of seizure over 50% was 25.6%. Most of these patients was partial seizure. We concluded that gabapentin as add on therapy is effective at least in 1/4 cases of refractory partial seizures.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Anticonvulsants ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Seizures*

The type-specific PCR and the sequence analysis of 56 kDa gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi infected in field rodents specimens have shown intratypic genetic heterogeneity in genotype Karp. In sequence comparison, this genetic heterogeneity was mainly due to insertion or deletion of a repeated unit in variable domain I (VDI) region. These results suggested that genetic duplication or deletion of the specific sequence rnight be involved in intratypic genetic heterogeneity of Orientia tsutsugamushi.
Genetic Heterogeneity* ; Genotype* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodentia ; Sequence Analysis

No abstract available.
Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung*

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Saphenous Vein*

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Aspergillosis*

To investigate MR artifacts induced by metallic implants, scans were obtained using both the ferromagnetic Drake lip and the non ferromagnetic Yasargil clip. Scan were taken through the area of clips using geometrical phantom. The MRI was performed by spin echo technique and gradient echo technique on both 2.0T and 0.5T MR unit. The luthors evaluated the nature and differences of artifacts in each sequence and parameter. Artifacts induced by both lips were noted in the direction of frequency encoding gradient, and consisted of region of signal loss abutted in one side by survilinear region of bright signal. Geometric distortion of image was marked in the Drake clip, out was minimal in the Yasargil clip under both 2.0T and 0.5T. Artifacts were more pronounced in the gradient echo technique than those of the spin echo technique on both 2.0T and 0.5T. Although there were no differences n the nature of artifacts induced by the Drake clip among each parameter in the spin echo technique under 2.0T, artifacts were slightly more pronounced on T2 weighted image under the 0.5T field, but no differences were found in the nature of artifacts induced by the Yasargil clip in the spin echo technique under, both the 2.0T and 0.5T fields. Marked artifacts were induced through the small area of the Drake clip which were included in the scan plane, but induced artifacts were small when a small area of the Yasargil clip was included in the scan plane. It seemed likely hat artifacts were slightly more pronounced in the 2.0T than the 0.5T field in both clips, but objective evaluation of the difference was difficult, In conclusion, these results can be an essential basis for the interpretation of MR images or patents with metallic inplants.
Aneurysm* ; Artifacts* ; Lip ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Magnets

PURPOSE: To identify the four layers based on intranodular vascular nature visible in multiphase incremental bolus dynamic CT and to determine any differential points according to various factors of liver abscess with this vascular nature or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We categonized 29 cases of confirmed liver abscess into three different groups according to presence of four layers visible in early phase(arterial phase) of CT. Three groups were compared in regard to the results of antiamebic antibody test and bacteriologic study and presense of cholangitic abscess and internal septation. RESULTS: We could separate four layers, innermost hypodense central cavitary lesion, hyperdense granular tissue, hypodense abscess wall and outermost hyperdense compensatory hypervascular zone in 18 cases(62%), only two layers, cavity and wall in six cases(21%), and characteristically we could find three layers without innermost cavitary lesion in five cases(17%). But we couldn't find significant correlations between various clinical factors of liver abscess and our vascular groups. CONCLUSION: Our method of CT could represent four layers based on vascularity in 62% of cases. And also could find the unusual inflammatory mass containing three layer which must be differentiated from other malignant solid mass. But we couldn't find differential point between various clinical factor of liver abscess and imaging diagnosis. We think that with the improvement of hardware such as spiral CT, identification of four layers will be earier and will be very helpful in early detection and proper treatment planning of liver abscess.
Abscess* ; Diagnosis ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies