Isolated heaptic tuberculous granuloma with no coexistent tuberculosis elsewhere in the body is extremely rare. We report a case of pathologically proven tuberculous granuloma in the liver followed with both IV bolus and portal CT scans. The lesion on preenhanced CT scan showed undefinable isodensity. After IV bolus injection, it showed poor enhancement with central low-density and surrounding hyperdenity due to compensatory hypervascularity of the left lobe of liver in early phase. It showed peripheral rim enhancement in late phase and in delayed phase showed relatively homogeneous but slightly decreased contract enhancement. On portal CT scan, it showed a hypodense portal defect similar to other hepatic mass lesions. During follow-up studies, it was a slowly growing mass which was more easily detectable by prtal CT scans than bolus CT scans.
Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma* ; Liver ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: The high concentration of plasma total homocysteine is recently considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to provide reference ranges for plasma homocysteine levels and to investigate the relationship between plasma homocysteine and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy Korean men. METHODS: Anthropometric parameters, alcohol intake, cigarette use and nutrient intake were determined in 166 healthy men within a wide age range(30-69 yr). Serum levels of lipids, glucose and insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), plasma amino acid concentrations and levels of antioxidant nutrients and enzymes were also measured. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as plasma homocysteine levels above the 90th percentile(> or =15micromol/L) of respective plasma homocysteine distribution in study subjects. Characteristics of hyperhomocysteinemic men(n=16) were compared to normohomocys- teinemic men(n=16) matched for age and body mass index. RESULTS: Plasma total homocysteine values ranged from 2.4 to 38.1micromol/L, a skewed, right-tailed distribution. The homocysteine levels of 25th, 50th and 75th percentile were 7.02, 9.61 and 12.4micromol/L, respectively. The mean concentration of plasma total homocysteine was 10.7micromol/L. Plasma total homocysteine level was positively correlated to body mass index, serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and alcohol intake, but negatively correlated to serum bata-carotene concentration. In multivariate analysis, serum triglyceride level was the strongest determinant of plasma total homocysteine concentration. There were no significant differences between two groups in waist to hip ratio, alcohol intake, cigarette use, blood pressure and serum levels of glucose and insulin during OGTT. Hyperhomocysteinemic men had significantly higher mean values of serum triglyceride(258mg/dl), total cholesterol(226mg/dl), and LDL-cholesterol(140mg/dl) than normohomocysteinemic men. Hyperhomocysteinemic men showed a decrease in lipid corrected values of serum bata-carotene and alpha-tocopherol and plasma concentrations of serine and taurine, when compared to normohomocysteinemic men. The mean intakes of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12 and bata-carotene tended to decline by 25-30% in hyper- homocysteinemic group, when compared to normohomocysteinemic group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that healthy Korean men with hyperhomocys- teinemia show signs of hyperlipidemia and decreased antioxidants nutrients and these factors increase risk for coronary artery disease. In addition, hyperhomocysteinemia may affect amino acid metabolism related to homocysteine.
alpha-Tocopherol ; Antioxidants ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Folic Acid ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Insulin ; Male ; Metabolism ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasma* ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors* ; Serine ; Taurine ; Tobacco Products ; Triglycerides ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 6 ; Waist-Hip Ratio

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Rhabdomyosarcoma*

No abstract available.
Nasal Bone*

Owing to the advancement of imaging techniques which include the CT scan, it became easier to evaluate fracture patterns of calcaneal fractures accurately. Moreover, it is possible to obtain good results with operative treatment as a consequence of the development of good operative equipment and new operative technique. In 1988, Regazzoni and Benirschke in 1990, recommended L-shaped extensive lateral approach for calcaneus which provide extensive exposure of calcaneus and so allow easier reduction and fixation. We carried out L-shaped extensive lateral approach in 11 cases from June, 1993 to April, 1994. This approach did not produce any skin problems and allowed excellent anatomical reduction and fixation. But we experienced some severe causalgia on the heel region in several cases. We tried to analyse the cause of pain and concluded that it was the damage to the lateral calcaneal branch of the sural nerve. We are reporting the problems of tbis approach.
Calcaneus ; Causalgia ; Heel ; Skin ; Sural Nerve ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Reperfusion*

We evaluated the effectiveness of Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy in differentiating the causes of vertebral compression fracture. This study involved 16 patients with vertebral compression fracture; 8 were due to trauma or osteoporosis, 3 were due to metastasis and 5 were due to tuberculous spondylitis. We retrospectively analyzed the location and the extent of decreased tracer uptake in tomographic images of Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy. Eight patients had a 16 vertebral compression fractures due to trauma or osteoporosis , three patients had a 3 vertebral compression fractures due to metastasis and 5 patients had a 6 vertebral compression fractures due to tuberculous spondylitis. Sixteen vertebral compression fractures by trauma or osteoporosis showed a normal tracer uptake in pedicle, laminar and spinous process, but there was noted with 6 decreased uptake, 8 absence of tracer uptake and 2 normal tracer uptake in the vertebral body. Two vertebral compression fractures by metastasis showed the absence of uptake in vertebral body, pedicle, laminar and spinous process, and one showed an absence of vertebral body and spinous process. Six vertebral compression fractures by tuberculous spondylitis showed the absence of uptake in six compression fractures, the absence of pedicle in five compression fractures. We concluded Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy may be helpful to differentiate the causes of vertebral compression fractures.
Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylitis

Authors analyzed the post-operative subdural hygroma using radioisotope(RI) cisternography in 30 cases following aneurysmal surgery with pterional approach from October, 1995 to March, 1996. Age, CSF flow from basal cisterns, and etent of opening of Liliequist's membrane during operation were significantly related to the development of post-operative subdural hygroma. Computed tomography(CT) scan of brain and RI cisternography were performed in all patients at three weeks following operations. RI diffusion time from the interpeduncular cistern to the cerebral convexity of ipsilateral side with surgically opened Liliequist's membrane was compared with contralateral nonoperated normal side. Diffusion time of ipsilateral side(mean 5.2+/-8.4hr) was faster than that of contralateral one. Age, cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) from basal cistern, and extent of opening of Liliequist's membrane during operation were significantly related to development of post-operative subdural hygroma. Development of subdural hygroma after pterional approach for aneurysmal operations in our series is believed to be caused by stagnation of CSF in the convexity until its absorption into the arachnoid villi. Increased CSF flow from the infratentorial space to the supratentorial space through extensively opened Liliequist's membrane is considered to contribute development of its formation.
Absorption ; Aneurysm* ; Arachnoid ; Brain ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Membranes ; Subdural Effusion*

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between air pollution exposure and mortality in Seoul for the years of 1991-1995. METHODS: Daily counts of death were analyzed by general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for effects of secular trend, seasonal factor, day of the week, heat wave, temperature, and humidity. Pollution variables were ozone, nitrogen dioxide, total suspended particles(TSP), and sulfur dioxide. RESULTS: Daily death counts were associated with ozone(1 day before), nitrogen dioxide(1 day before), TSP(2 days before), sulfur dioxide(2 days before). The association with ozone was most statistically significant and independent of other air pollutants. Increase of 100 ppb in ozone was associated with 6%(95% CI= 2%-10%) increase in the daily number of death. This effect was greater in persons aged 65 and older. The relative risks of death from respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease were greater than for all-cause mortality in each pollutant. After ozone level exceeds 25 ppb, the dose-response relationship between mortality and ozone was almost linear. However, the effect of TSP, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide on mortality might be confounded with each other. CONCLUSION: Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in Seoul might have an adverse effect on daily mortality.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Humidity ; Infrared Rays ; Mortality* ; Nitrogen ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; Ozone ; Seasons ; Seoul* ; Sulfur ; Sulfur Dioxide