No abstract available.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Child* ; Colloids* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies*

BACKGROUND: the prediction on changes in the lung function after lung surgery would be an important indicator in terms of the operability and postoperative complications. In order to predict the postoperative FEV1 - the commonly used method for measuring changes in lung function- a comparison between the quantitative CT and the perfusion lung scan was made and proved its usefulness. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The subjects included 22 patients who received perfusion lung scan and quantitative CT preoperatively and with whom the follow-up of PFT were possibles out of the pool of patients who underwent right lobectomy or right pneumonectomy between June of 1997 and December of 1999. The FEV1 and FVC were calibrated by performing the PFT on each patient and then the predicted FEV1 and FVC were calculated after performing perfusion lung scan and quantitative CT postoperatively. The FEV1 and FVC were calibrated by performing the PFT after 1 week and after 3 momths following the surgery. RESULTS: There was a significant mutual scan and the actual postoperative FEV1 and FVC at 1 week and 3 months. The predicted FEV1 and FVC(pneumonectomy group : r=0.962 and r=0.938 lobectomy group ; r=0.921 and r=913) using quantitative CT at 1 week postoperatively showed a higher mutual relationship than that predicted by perfusion lung scan(pneumonectomy group : r=0.927 and r=0.890 lobectomy group : r=0.910 and r=0.905) The result was likewise at 3 months postoperatively(CT -pneumonectomy group : r=0.799 and r=0.882 lobectomy group : r=0.934 and r=0.932) CONCLUSION: In comparison to perfusion lung scan quantitative CT is more accurate in predicting lung function postoperatively and is cost-effective as well. Therefore it can be concluded that the quantitative CT is an effective method of replacing the perfusion lung scan in predicting lung function post-operatively. However it is noted that further comparative analysis using more data and follow-up studies of the patients is required.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung* ; Perfusion* ; Pneumonectomy ; Postoperative Complications

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes may play an important role in many human cancers including breast. This study was done to determine the relationship between the expression of p53 and Rb protein and prognostic factors such as histopathologic differentiation, tumor size, and lymph node metastasis. In 57 cases of breast invasive ductal carcinomas, the immunohistochemical staining with p53 and Rb protein gave the following results: p53 protein was detected in 45.6% (26/57) of cases. Tumors with large size, poor differentiation or lymph node metastases tended to show increased expression of p53 protein. However, p53 protein expression did not show any significant correlation with prognostic factors such as tumor size (p value 0.25), histologic grade (p value 0.75), and positive lymph node status (p value 0.26). Rb protein was detected in 57.9% (33/57) of cases. Rb protein also did not show any significant correlation with prognostic factors such as tumor size (p value 0.56), histologic grade (p value 0.71), and positive lymph node status (p value 0.98). There was no significant correlation between p53 expression and Rb protein expression (p value 0.80).
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retinoblastoma Protein*

No abstract available.
Behcet Syndrome*

In order to evaluate the ability of spin-echo MR imaging to differentiate slow flow from mural thrombus in aortic diseases, we reviewed the spin-echo MR images of 13 patients with intraaortic thrombus documented by CT (N=11) or aortography (N=2). Six patients had aortic aneurysms and seven had aortic dissection. Intraaortic mural thrombi were accompanied by flow-related intraluminal signal of various patterns and extents in all 13 patients. On 10 gated MR studies, slow flow regions showed even-echo rephasing phenomenon (N=8), interslice variation of signal intensities of the intraluminal signal (N=7) and flow-related ghost artifact (N=2). However, these MR flow phenomena were obscured on two of three non-gated studies. Seven of 13 intraaortic thrombi remained hyperintense on T2-weighted second-echo images. In these circumstances, a hypointense boundary layer between slow flow and mural thrombus, which was caused by either 'boundary layer dephasing phenomenon' of slow flow or 'paramagnetic T2 shortening' of fresh clot at the edge of mural thrombus, was useful in discriminating the area of slow flow from that of mural thrombus. Proper interpretation of spin-echo MR images may obviate the need for phase display imaging or gradientecho imaging in differentiating slow flow and mural thrombus.
Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Diseases* ; Aortography ; Artifacts ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Thrombosis*

In order to evaluate the ability of spin-echo MR imaging to differentiate slow flow from mural thrombus in aortic diseases, we reviewed the spin-echo MR images of 13 patients with intraaortic thrombus documented by CT (N=11) or aortography (N=2). Six patients had aortic aneurysms and seven had aortic dissection. Intraaortic mural thrombi were accompanied by flow-related intraluminal signal of various patterns and extents in all 13 patients. On 10 gated MR studies, slow flow regions showed even-echo rephasing phenomenon (N=8), interslice variation of signal intensities of the intraluminal signal (N=7) and flow-related ghost artifact (N=2). However, these MR flow phenomena were obscured on two of three non-gated studies. Seven of 13 intraaortic thrombi remained hyperintense on T2-weighted second-echo images. In these circumstances, a hypointense boundary layer between slow flow and mural thrombus, which was caused by either 'boundary layer dephasing phenomenon' of slow flow or 'paramagnetic T2 shortening' of fresh clot at the edge of mural thrombus, was useful in discriminating the area of slow flow from that of mural thrombus. Proper interpretation of spin-echo MR images may obviate the need for phase display imaging or gradientecho imaging in differentiating slow flow and mural thrombus.
Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Diseases* ; Aortography ; Artifacts ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Thrombosis*

No abstract available.
Hemangioma* ; Knee*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Tibial Nerve*

No abstract available.
Colorectal Neoplasms*

As a new interventional procedure for the control of variceal bleeding, a portosystemic shunt can be established with the installment of metallic stent through the transjugular approach. In order to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the procedure, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic chunt procedure were performed in 5 patients with variceal bleeding due to liver cirrhosis. The metallic stents were mainly a self expandable Wallstent(Schneider, Switzerland). An 8 to 10 mm shunt was formed by the insertion of the stent and balloon dilatation after puncture of the proximal portal vein from the right or middle hepatic vein. The patency of the shunt was proven by portography after the procedure. The portal pressure measured in 3 patients before and after the procedure improved with decrease from 31 mmHg to 25 mmHg. The procedure failed in 1 patient due to preexsisting portal vein thrombosis. During the follow-up period from 1 month to 4 months, shunts were patent in all 4 patients. However, hepatic encephalopathy occured in one patient one week following the procedure. Though the follow-up period was not long enough for full evaluation. We found the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was a safe and effective procedure for the control of variceal bleeding by lowering the portal pressure. For the appropriate application for this procedure, the optimal size of the shunt and optimal degree of the resultant decompression are yet to be determined in the future.
Decompression ; Dilatation ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Portal Pressure ; Portal Vein ; Portasystemic Shunt, Surgical ; Portography ; Punctures ; Stents ; Venous Thrombosis