Gastritis is a common but a serious disease with a potential risk of developing carcinoma. Helicobacter pylori infection is reported as the most common cause of gastritis, but other genetic and genomic factors exist, especially single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Association studies between SNPs and gastritis disease are important, but results on epistatic interactions from multiple SNPs are rarely found in previous genome-wide association (GWA) studies. In this study, we performed computational GWA case-control studies for gastritis in Korea Associated Resource (KARE) data. By transforming the resulting SNP epistasis network into a gene-gene epistasis network, we also identified potential gene-gene interaction factors that affect the susceptibility to gastritis.
Case-Control Studies ; Cohort Studies* ; Gastritis* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Helicobacter pylori ; Korea ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to identify the CT findings that help detect pleural dissemination from lung cancer and to evaluate the usefulness of selected diagnostic criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After a computerized database search of 606 patients who had undergone thoracotomy for primary lung cancer, 23 patients were identified as h aving surgically documented pleural dissemination. From the same database, 50 patients without pleural dissemination during thoracotomy were randomly selected as controls. Preoperative CT scans and medical records were rev i ewed retrospectively, and findings were compared between the two groups. RESULT: One or more of three types of pleural thickening (plaque-like, nodular, and fissural) were identified on CT as the most discriminating finding (sensitivity, 74 % ; specificity, 60 %; p = 0.007). The following findings were also significantly discriminating (p<0.05): contiguity of primary tumor with the pleural surface as seen on CT; adenocarcinoma in cell type; and a peripheral tumor defined as one in which bronchoscopy revealed no endobronchial lesion. The use of combinations of these findings in addition to pleural thickening rendered diagnostic criteria more specific at the cost of the sensitivity. CONCLUSION: During preoperative CT evaluation of lung cancer, the recognition of subtle pleural thickening helps detect pleural dissemination. The likelihood that subtle pleural thickening represents pleural dissemination is increased when a primary tumor is contiguous with the pleural surface, is an adenocarcinoma, or is peripherally located.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bronchoscopy ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thoracotomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 44-year-old female underwent three-phase bone scintigraphy for an evaluation of right hip joint pain. The blood-flow and blood-pool images show a pelvic blush with a photopenic center (doughnut) prior to bladder filling. On the three hour delayed image, the pelvic uptake disappeared. The scintigraphic findings indicated the possibility of an early pregnancy. However, plain radiography demonstrated an intrauterine device. A uterine doughnut developed as a result of photon attenuation of intrauterine device.
Adult ; Artifacts* ; Female ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Pregnancy ; Radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Urinary Bladder

A 49-year-old woman with invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast underwent Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy for an evaluation of skeletal metastases. Multiple focal hot spots in the midline and left frontoparietal skull region were observed. The plain radiographs revealed the typical findings of the calcification of the falx cerebri and dura. These findings might be mistaken for metastases of the skull in cancer patients. Therefore, a radiographic correlation is essential when multifocal hot spots in the skull are observed in cancer patients.
Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Skull* ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate

A 20-year-old man underwent a Tc-99m HMPAO labeled leukocyte scan for the evaluation of an infection at the stump of an AK amputation, which was conducted due to an open communicated fracture of the left lower leg. Blood-flow and blood-pool images demonstrated a pseudoaneurysm with a focus of intense activity medial to the stump, and centered within a large photopenic defect by surrounding hematoma. Delayed image obtained at 3 hours post-injection showed persistent intense and slight increased activity. Contrast angiography confirmed the presence of a pseudoaneurysm arising from a branch of the left superficial femoral artery.
Amputation Stumps* ; Amputation* ; Aneurysm, False* ; Angiography ; Femoral Artery ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Leg ; Leukocytes* ; Radionuclide Angiography ; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime* ; Young Adult

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) consists of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and localized consumption coagulopathy that develops within vascular hemangioma. This syndrome may also be associated with occult hemangiomas located at various sites. Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy and SPECT have proven to be reliable for confirming or excluding hemangioma. Total body blood pool imaging study during the scintigraphy also provides a means of screening for occult lesions. The authors report the case of a 29-year-old man who presented with a giant hepatic hemangioma complicated by KMS, and underwent Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy and SPECT including a total body blood pool imaging study.
Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome ; Mass Screening ; Thrombocytopenia ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the normal values of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) in normal children to aged volunteers using Tc-99m HMPAO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty four right-handed normal volunteers (20 males, 14 females, mean age 40.3+/-24.9 years, range 4 to 82 years) were underwent rest/acetazolamide (ACZ) brain SPECT using Tc-99m HMPAO and the sequential injection and subtraction method. rCBF was estimated on the basis of a semiquantitative approach by means of right/left ratio, region/cerebellum and region to whole brain ratios in frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes, basal ganglia, thalami, and cerebellum. CVR was measured by means of % perfusion increase calculated as % mean count change compared to rest rCBF in each regions. RESULTS: Mean values of right to left ratios range from 1.004 to 1.018. rCBF was highest in cerebellum and lowest in basal ganglia and thalami. Frontal and temporal rCBF decreased while occipital and thalamic rCBF increased according to age. No sexual difference of rCBF was noted. Mean CVR was 29.9+/-12.9%. Mean CVR significantly increased to late teens, and declined thereafter. After 6th decade, CVR in both frontal lobes, left parietal lobe and right basal ganglia decreased significantly with advancing age. There was no sexual difference of CVR. CONCLUSION:: Quantitative assessment of CVR was possible by ACZ Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT. It revealed that rCBF and CVR changed according to age in normal Korean volunteers. There was no sexual difference.
Acetazolamide ; Adolescent ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain* ; Cerebellum ; Child ; Female ; Frontal Lobe ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Occipital Lobe ; Parietal Lobe ; Perfusion ; Rabeprazole ; Reference Values ; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Volunteers

A 68-year-old man with small cell carcinoma of the lung and adenocarcinoma of the prostate underwent Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy for the evaluation of skeletal metastases. Bilateral symmetrical photon defects in both parietal bones of the skull were observed. The radiographs of the skull demonstrates biparietal thinning in the same area of the abnormality identified on bone scintigraphy. Although these findings in cancer patients can be mistaken for skeletal metastases, the symmetry and location of the photon defects are generally indicative of biparietal thinning.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Humans ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Parietal Bone ; Prostate ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Skull ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

A 59-year-old man with thymic carcinoma underwent Tc-99m MIBI myocardial SPECT, and Tc-99m MIBI uptake in the mass was unexpectedly found in a planar image. SPECT images of the thorax showed an increased uptake area with central photon deficiency (a ring-like appearance), which reflected central tumor irreversible ischemia or progressing necrosis with peripheral viable tumor tissue.
Humans ; Ischemia ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Thorax ; Thymoma* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

A 61-year-old man had a F-18 FDG PET/CT scan for evaluation of a common bile duct cancer identified on CT. The PET/CT image showed a hypermetabolic mass in the common bile duct, and a focal area of increased F-18 FDG uptake in segment IV of the liver, which corresponded to a hypoattenuated lesion on non-enhanced CT, and was consistent with hepatic metastasis. The patient underwent choledochojejunostomy with hepatic resection, and pathologic findings were compatible with an eosinophilic abscess in the liver. This case demonstrates that F-18 FDG uptake by an eosinophilic abscess can mimic hepatic metastasis in a patient with a malignancy.
Abscess ; Choledochostomy ; Common Bile Duct ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Liver ; Liver Abscess ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis