The ligamentum nuchae is a midline structure extending from the occiput to the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra. Radio-opaque formations in the soft tissues behind the processes of the cervical spine has been known to radiologists since Barsony's description in 1929. It may actually be a normal sesamoid, or it may have developed as a result of previous trauma. But this remains hypothetical in that histological endochondral ossification sequence has not yet been demonstrated. These are generally asymptomatic and of clinical significance only in so far as they may be confused with fracture or tumors. Two patients who had clinical symptoms with or without previous trauma visited and they were relieved of their clinical symptoms by surgical excision. Then, we report on two unusual cases which were symptomatic.
Humans ; Spine

Thanatophoric dysplasia is the most common lethal congenital chondrodysplasia with characteristic features of narrow thorax, short rib, severe platyspondyly, short bowed limbs and skull deformity, etc. It is not a hereditary disorder and there is usually no family history of dysplasia. We experienced a case of thanatophoric dysplasia at 38 weeks of gestation with antenatal sonographic and abdominal radiographic findings of small thorax, short bowed extremities with surrounding thickened soft tissues and marked platyspondyly. Soon atter delivery, the baby died and post-mortem radiographs showed the characteristic findings of thanatophoric dysplasia.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Ribs ; Skull ; Thanatophoric Dysplasia* ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography

Lipoma is one of the unusual benign breast neoplasms and usually manifests at fatty breast of women at the age of 40 to 60. We experienced a case of large breast lipoma nearly replacing the whole left breast parenchymal tissue with mammographic finding of well-defined radiolucent mass, sonographic finding of hyperechoic mass with disorganized echopattern and computerized tomographic finding of very low attenuation mass, characteristic to adipose tissue, in a young woman of her dense breast.
Adipose Tissue ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Ultrasonography

Male Breast cancer is an uncommon disease with an incidence of I per cent of all breast cancers. Male breast cancer usually appears as a small mass with well-defined contour which is eccentrically located in relation to the nipple on mammogram. We report a case of breast cancer in a 51-year-old man with mammographic appearance of large hyperdense mass with nipple inversion and axillary lymphadenopathy, gray-scale sonographic finding of homogeneous solid mass and mu Itiple tumor vessels with in the mass on color Doppler ultrasound.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Male* ; Middle Aged ; Nipples ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal*

PURPOSE: The criteria for Suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer(Suspected HNPCC) has been devised by the Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry for families who do not fulfill Amsterdam criteria, but hereditary background is strongly suggested. This study was performed to define the clinical characteristics of 'Suspected HNPCC'. METHODS: The 'Suspected HNPCC' criteria include the followings: a) vertical transmission of colorectal cancer or at least two siblings affected with colorectal cancer in a family and b) development of multiple colorectal tumors (including adenoma) or at least one colorectal cancer case diagnosed before the age of 50 years or development of extracolonic cancers (endometrium, urinary tract, small intestine, stomach, hepatobiliary system, ovary) in family members. We analysed the clinical characteristics of 93 patients from 39 Suspected HNPCC families and compared these characteristics with 176 HNPCC familes and with 1,204 non-hereditary colorectal cancer patients. RESULTS: The mean age of Suspected HNPCC patients at the time of diagnosis (49.0 years) was significantly lower than that of non-hereditary colorectal cancer patients (56.1 years), but higher than that of the HNPCC patients (44.5 years). Tumors were more frequently located in the right colon (34%) in Suspected HNPCC compared to non-hereditary colorectal cancer (23%). Dukes' A and B cancers were more frequent in the Suspected HNPCC as compared to non-hereditary colorectal cancer (55% vs. 48%, p<0.05), but tumor differentiation was not statistically different between the two groups. Among the Suspected HNPCC, 24.0% of the patients had synchronous adenomatous polyps and 20.0% had synchronous colorectal cancers and 15.6% had metachronous polyps or cancers. These findings were similar to HNPCC, but significantly higher than non-hereditary colorectal cancers (p<0.05). In Suspected HNPCC families, 42 patients had extracolonic malignancies with the stomach cancer being the most common (n=22). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the clinical characteristics of Suspected HNPCC are similar to those of HNPCC and may suggest that the management principles of the HNPCC should also be applied to the Suspected HNPCC.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Korea* ; Polyps ; Siblings ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Both atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia may progress to gastric dysplasia. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing progression of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia to dysplasia. METHODS: People diagnosed with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia for the first time received a follow-up endoscopy and were investigated for the cumulative incidence rate of gastric dysplasia by age, gender, smoking habit, alcohol intake, rice consumption and family history of stomach cancer. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence rate increased with age, consuming > or =3 bowls of rice per day and family history of stomach cancer. Multivariate analysis showed that the cumulative incidence rate of gastric dysplasia increased in subjects >61 years (RR=2.54, P=0.014), in those consuming > or =3 bowls of rice per day (RR=1.46, P=0.021) and in those with a family history of stomach cancer (RR=1.31, P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: More active management, such as intensive endoscopic follow-up examinations, lifestyle change and education regarding gastric dysplasia, are required in those older than 61 years, having a higher intake of grain or with a family history of stomach cancer.
Edible Grain ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Life Style ; Metaplasia ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Trimetazidine(Vastinan(R)) is a new antianginal agent of different action mechanism specifically targeted at the metabolic cellular consequences of myocardial ischemia. The clinical efficacy of the Trimetazidine in angina pectoris is still to be defined. METHOD: To determine the antianginal effect of trimetazidine in the treatment of ischemic heart disease, 15 patients with stable angina(12 male, 3 female, mean age : 59.3 years) were studied. In 6 cases as a single agent and in 9 cases as an additive regimen to conventional antianginal medications. Trimetazidine(20mg 3 times daily) was given for 30 days or more to evaluate the clinical effect. Graded exercise tests were carried out before the trial of Trimetazidine and on the 30th day of the treatment period. RESULTS: 1) The number of episodes of anginal attacks decreased from 4.2+/-2.7 to 2.0+/-0.5 a week(p<0.05) after treatment with Trimetazidine. 2) Trimetazidine also significantly increased the duration of total exercise from 12.1+/-4.7 min to 14.5+/-3.3 min(p<0.05), and the time to 1mm ST segment depression from 7.7+/-5.9 min to 11.7+/-5.2 min(p<0.05) on treadmill exercise by modified Bruce protocol. 3) Total workload (METs) and rate pressure double product(heart rate x systolic blood pressure) slightly increased, but the differences were not significant statistically. 4) No serious clinical side effects were observed during the treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the Trimetazidine is an effective and safe as an antianginal drug in the treatment of stable angina patients as a single agent and as an additive regimen when the patients are refractory to conventional drugs.
Angina Pectoris ; Angina, Stable* ; Depression ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Trimetazidine

BACKGROUND: Reciprocal ST-segment depression in precordial leads is a common finding in acute inferior myocardial infarction. The responsible mechanism and the significance of this finding, however, are still controversial. METHODS: Clinical characteristics, serial eletrocardiograms, angiographic findings of coronary artery and left ventricle were reviewed in 33 patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction. Reciprocal ST-segment depression was defined as ST-segment depression > or =1.0mm in two or more adjacent chest leads, I and aVL in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction showing ST-segment elevation in II, III, aVF. Coronary angiography and left ventriculography were performed 15,2+/-16.9 hours after arrival. RESULTS: Eleven patients did not have reciprocal ST-segment depression(group A) and 22 patients had reciprocal ST-segment depression(group B). There was no significant difference in the demographic data of the patients except age and peak CK-MB, which were significantly higher in group B than group A. Left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD) stenosis was significantly more frequent in group B than group A(54.5% vs 18.2%, p<0.05). However the distribution of left ventricular regional wall motion abnormality and global ejection fraction showed no difference between two groups. In addition, there was no difference in in-hospital complications. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that reciprocal ST-segment depression in acute inferior myocardial infarction can be explained by anterior ischemia due to concomitant LAD stenosis in some cases, but its clinical significance is limited at least in terms of in-hospital complications.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Depression* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction* ; Ischemia ; Thorax