PURPOSE: To assess the value of MR imaging compared to CT for the staging of gastric carcinoma when body-wrap-around surface coil, intravenous glucagon, motion suppression technique and effervescent granules are used. MATERIAL AND METHOD: CT and MRI were performed for thirty-five patients with gastric carcinoma. Postcontrast CT scan was performed immediately after oral effervescent granules and Buscopan were given. Before MR imaging, BWA surface coil was wrapped around the upper abdomen. T1 coronal, sagittal and axial SE images (TRITE=400/15 msec) were obtained immediately after oral effervescent granules and glucagon were given. Respiratory compensation and presaturation techniques were used for each imaging. Three radiologists evaluated independently for randomly mixed 70 sets of CT and MR images. The signal intensity of gastric mass and enlarged lymph nodes were compared to the signal intensity of the adjacent pancreas, liver and spleen to evaluate any discriminating features between them. RESULTS: The accuracy in the diagnosis of pancreatic invasion was 83.8% on MRI and 74.3% on CT (p < 0.05). The accuracy of MRI and CT was 77.1% and 72.4% in detecting of gastric tumor respectively (p > 0.05), 73.3% and 68.6% in gastric serosal invasion (p> 0.05), 50.5% and 42.9% in lymph node metastasis (p > 0.05). The gastric mass and enlarged lymph nodes were hypointense to the intensity of pancreas and liver in more than 78% of cases. CONCLUSION: MRI was comparable to CT scan for the staging of gastric carcinoma. Therefore, MRI could be used as an alternative or adjunctive diagnostic modality in the staging of gastric carcinoma.
Abdomen ; Butylscopolammonium Bromide ; Compensation and Redress ; Diagnosis ; Glucagon ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Spleen ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The surgical efficacy of probing with silicone tube intubation for congenital and acquired lacrimal obstruction was investigated. METHODS: Medical records of 51 children (55 eyes) with lacrimal obstruction were reviewed. Twentyfive children (28 eyes) had congenital obstruction and 26 children (27 eyes) had acquired lacrimal obstruction. Age ranged from 13 to 78 months (mean 29.8 months). All of the children were examined preoperatively by dacryocystography and treated with probing and silicone tube intubation with or without inferior turbinate fracture. RESULTS: After the follow-up period of 6~41 months (mean 13.2 months), primary success rate of probing and silicone tube intubation was 88.1% (30/37 cases) : 88.9% (16/18 cases) in congenital obstruction and 73.3% (14/19 cases) in acquired obstruction. After combined inferior turbinate fracture and silicone tube intubation, success rate noted 100% in both congenital and acquired cases. The success rates showed 100% in the cases with maintenance period of silicone intubation over 16 weeks and 65.0% in the cases with maintenance period of silicone intubation under 16 weeks. The success rates revealed no statistical significance in etiology, age, obstruction site and lacrimal sac size. CONCLUSIONS: For congenital and acquired lacrimal apparatus obstruction in children, dacryocystography, probing, internal fracture of the inferior turbinate and silicone intubation should be maintained more than 16 weeks.
Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Lacrimal Apparatus* ; Medical Records ; Silicones* ; Turbinates

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scans in children upper urinary tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed diuretic renal scans of 14 pediatric patients (age range: 3 days to 4 years) with unilateral hydronephrosis diagnosed by ultrasonography. Diuretic renal scan was done using Tc-99m DTPA and standardized protocol. In 3 neonates, diuretic renal scans were performed within 1 week and 3-7 months after birth. RESULTS: Six patients required pyeloplasty and eight were managed conservatively. All 6 patients requiring pyeloplasty were diagnosed as having ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the diuretic renal scan. In these 6 patients, post-operative renal scans at 3-12 months after surgery were converted to nonobstructive pattern in 5 and a nonobstructive patterns in 1. In 3 patients who underwent diuretic renal scan within 1 week after birth., nonobstructive patterns of initial scan were coverted to obstructive patterns in the follow-up scan. However, all patients with nonobstructive diuretic renal scans performed after the neonatal period did well on serial ultrasonography and showed favorable clinical outcome without progression to obstruction. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scan with standarized protocol is useful in assessing suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children as an initial diagnostic or post-operative follow-up modality. Nonobstructive or indeterminate scan RESULTS in the neonatal period requires follow-up scan to monitor development of the obstructive pattern.
Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney Pelvis ; Parturition ; Pentetic Acid* ; Radioisotope Renography* ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract*

Systolic time interval measurements were made sequentially during second, third trimesters and postpartum period. Recordings were made in the supine position after bed rest for at least five minutes in order to obtain a steady state. In second trimester, pre-ejection period index (PEPI) was significantly shortened and left ventricular ejection period index(LVETI) remained normal while PEP/LVET decreased. Four possible mechanisms may be involved to account for the alterations in hemodynamic changes during this period(late stage of second trimester) : (1) increased metabolic demands of pregnancy: (2) hemodynamic effects of hypervolemia: (3) circulatory adjustments secondary to an arteriovenous shunt-like effect of the placental circulation: (4) cardiovascular effect of steroid hormone. The third trimester was characterized-by a markedly shortened LVETI, a prolonged PEPI and PEP/LVET. This findings are consistent with impaired left ventricular performance and are probably due to decreased left ventricular preload resulting from diminished venous return secondary to inferior vena caval obstruction by the large gravid uterus. In the postpartum period, the PEPI and PEP/LVET remained elevated and the LVETI shortened in the supine position. It is concluded that alterations in systolic time intervals occur normally during the course of uncomplicated pregnancy and persist into the postpartum period.
Bed Rest ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Placental Circulation ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third* ; Supine Position ; Systole* ; Uterus

Schizencephaly, first described by Yakovlev and Wadsworth in 1946, is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by gray matter-lined clefts that extend through the entire cerebral hemisphere, from the ependymal lining of the lateral ventricle to the subarachnoid space. Clinically, patients with schizencephaly present motor dysfunction such as hemiparesis, seizures, and variable developmental delay. Absence of septum pellucidum, gray matter heterotopia, polymicrogyria, and hypoplasia of optic nerves were also frequently found to be associated with schizencephaly. We experienced a case of open-lip schizencephaly in a one-day-old male infant with wide, tense fontanel, which was confirmed by MRI.
Cerebrum ; Humans ; Infant ; Lateral Ventricles ; Lip* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Optic Nerve ; Paresis ; Seizures ; Septum Pellucidum ; Subarachnoid Space ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

No abstract available.
Autoantibodies*

Twenty-six patients with chief complaint of shoulder pain who underwent both ultrasonographic examination and arthrography of the shoulder were analyzed. Ten out of 12 cases with clinical impression of frozen shoulder, showed normal findings on the ultrasonographic examination of the shoulder. Among these ten cases, nine cases showed abhesive capsulitis and one case showed rotator cuff tear on arthrography. Among six cases with the clinical impression of rotator cuff tear, five cases showed rotator cuff tear and one case showed combined calcific tendinitis and adhesive capsulitis on ultrasonographic examination. In arthrography, four cases of rotator cuff tear, one case of calcific tendinitis and biceps tendinitis and one case of normal findings were diagnosed. For the remaining eight cases in the ultrasonographic examination, normal finding or biceps tendinitis were found and for the remaning of the cases in arthrography adhesive capsulitis were found. With the above results, we recommend that the shoulder ultrasonography as the first line diagnostic modality for a patients with chief complaint of shoulder pain.
Arthrography* ; Bursitis ; Humans ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Tears ; Tendinopathy ; Ultrasonography*

Background/Aims: Bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are commonly associated with various biological activities and functions. Helicobacter pylori-derived OMVs are thought to contribute to pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of H. pylori-derived OMVs. Methods: H. pylori strains were isolated from patients with gastritis, gastric ulcer, or gastric cancer using endoscopic biopsy. The U-937, AGS, and MKN-45 cell lines were exposed to H. pylori and H. pylori-derived OMVs. The expression of interleukin 8 (IL-8) messenger RNA (mRNA) was assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR, and IL-8 secretion was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation was evaluated by Western blotting. Results: H. pylori and H. pylori-derived OMVs induced the expression of IL-8 mRNA and protein. Importantly, the bacteria induced higher IL-8 mRNA and protein expression than the OMVs. IL-8 expression was induced to different levels in response to H. pylori-derived OMVs from hosts with different gastric diseases. Western blotting revealed the increased phosphorylation and reduced degradation of inhibitor of NF-κB alpha in cells exposed to OMVs. Conclusions H. pylori-derived OMVs may aid the development of various gastric diseases by inducing IL-8 production and NF-κB activation.

Background/Aims: Bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are commonly associated with various biological activities and functions. Helicobacter pylori-derived OMVs are thought to contribute to pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of H. pylori-derived OMVs. Methods: H. pylori strains were isolated from patients with gastritis, gastric ulcer, or gastric cancer using endoscopic biopsy. The U-937, AGS, and MKN-45 cell lines were exposed to H. pylori and H. pylori-derived OMVs. The expression of interleukin 8 (IL-8) messenger RNA (mRNA) was assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR, and IL-8 secretion was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation was evaluated by Western blotting. Results: H. pylori and H. pylori-derived OMVs induced the expression of IL-8 mRNA and protein. Importantly, the bacteria induced higher IL-8 mRNA and protein expression than the OMVs. IL-8 expression was induced to different levels in response to H. pylori-derived OMVs from hosts with different gastric diseases. Western blotting revealed the increased phosphorylation and reduced degradation of inhibitor of NF-κB alpha in cells exposed to OMVs. Conclusions H. pylori-derived OMVs may aid the development of various gastric diseases by inducing IL-8 production and NF-κB activation.

We saw a case of minoxidil induced pericardial effusion in a 36 years old female who developed generalized edema, weakness and hypertrichosis after taking minoxidil for 1 year. Her chest PA showed globular shaped cardiac enlargement and pulmonary congestion. Echocardiography of the heart showed moderate amount of pericardial effusion. 10 days later after cessation of the drug administration and conservative managements, her chest PA showed marked improvement of heart size and pulmonary congestion. 20 days later her blood pressure became normal with the continued use of other antihypertensive drugs.
Adult ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertrichosis ; Minoxidil* ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Thorax