PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness, patterns and appearances of false positive lesions, and technical problems of CTAP(CT Arterioportography). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTAP was done in 45 patients in whom hepatic lesions were suggested on other radiologic studies. CTAP findings were compared with the informations obtained by operations, biopsies, and follow-up imagings. Additional findings, which were not detected in other radiologic studies, false positive manifestations, and technical errors were analyzed. RESULTS: CTAP detected 51 additional hepatic lesions which are not detected in other imaging studies. Of the 51 lesions, ten were true positive hepatic tumors, 2 were inflammatory lesions and 39 were false positive .lesions. False positive lesions included perfusion defects of periportal and perifissural areas, subcapsular perfusion defects and nonlobar, nonsegmental geographic perfusion defects. In 2 cases, CTAP aided in deciding the surgical strategy. On the other hand, there were 4 cases causing interpretational confusion and 6 cases of improper imaging due to technical errors. CONCLUSION: CTAP was valuable in detection of additional hepatic cancer lesion as well as in making the treatment plan. However, since many false positive lesions and improper imaging due to technical error occur during the examination, the understanding of such problems is essential for correct interpretation of CTAP.
Biopsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Perfusion

OBJECTIVE: To compare the scar formation and hand function between moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) treatment and conventional skin graft in full thickness hand burns. METHOD: Prospective comparative study was done between MEBO treatment group and conventional skin graft group. Full thickness burn wound scars on dorsal hand were compared. Scars were assessed with the Vancouver scar scale and other objective measurement tools such as pigmentation, erythema, pliability, transepideramal water loss, thickness and perfusion. Hand function was evaluated by the Jebsen hand function test and Michigan Hand Function Questionnaire. RESULTS: Vancouver Scar scale showed significantly better scores in the MEBO group than in the conventional skin graft group. Scar thickness and transepidermal water loss were greater in the MEBO treatment group whereas pigmentation value was greater in the conventional skin graft group. There was no significant difference in the hand function between the two groups. CONCLUSION: MEBO application could be an alternative treatment to conventional skin graft treatment in full thickness hand burn wounds. In the future, more studies are yet to come how MEBO treatment may affect the skin condition of the burn injuries.
Burns* ; Cicatrix* ; Erythema ; Hand* ; Michigan ; Perfusion ; Pigmentation ; Pliability ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Skin* ; Transplants* ; Wounds and Injuries

Common iliac artery aneurysm (CIA) often occurs in conjunction with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which extends into one or both CIAs in 20% to 30% of patients. Conventional endovascular treatment includes coil embolization of the internal iliac artery (IIA), followed by extension of the main bifurcated AAA stent-graft into the external iliac artery. However, complications from intentional occlusion of unilateral or bilateral IIAs are frequent and sometimes serious. Several methods try to preserve the unilateral or bilateral IIA. Here we report a case of concomitant bilateral CIA and AAA successfully treated with bilateral branched iliac stent-grafts.
Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Endovascular Procedures ; Humans ; Iliac Aneurysm ; Iliac Artery

BACKGROUND: Pilomatricoma(Benign calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe) is a uncommon benign tumor with differentiation toward hair cortex cells. It commonly manifests itself as a firm, deep seated nodule with normal Overlying skin, However, anetodermic cutaneous changes have also been described in the literature since 1943. Although the authors hypothesized this phenomenon as a chronic mechanical irritation or a step of transepidermal elimination of the tumoral mass, distinctive elucidation of pathomechanism of it remained. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical and histopathologic features of 25 cases with pilomatricoma and to elucidate pathomechanism of the anetodermic cutaneous changes through the comparison of the anetodermic pattern of overlying skin with the changes of the tumoral mass or collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis. METHODS: Twenty-five cases with pilomatricoa have been collected at Chunganam National University Hospital and Kongju Medical Center during 15 years and 5 years, respectively, And we studied the clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients and tried to reveal the relationship between the cutaneous manifestations and the histologic changes through the test for independence. RESULTS: 1. In the age distribution, the patients lesser than 30 years old was 23 cases(92%). The mean age was 18.9 years old. The ratio of males to females was 1 : 2.6. 2. The duration of lesions was from 2 months to 7 years, with the mean duration of 11 months. The predilection sites were arm(40%), face(28%), neck(12%), shoulder(8%), scalp(4%) and back(4%) in order. All lesions were hard in consistency, and were from bean to walnut sized. Clinically, 10 cases (40%) showed reddish discoloration and/or anetodermic cutaneous changes. 3. Histopathologically, the typical patterns of pilomatricoma were commonly located at the dermis (23 cases) and consisted of the shadow cells predominantly(21 cases). Calcium deposits(21 cases, 84%) were noted within the shadow cells. Eight cases(32%) had the tumoral maese demarcated with fibrous capsules, and the foreign body reaction with giant cells and chronic mononuclear cell infiltrations around the shadow cells ruptured the fibrous capsules in 17 cases(68%). 4. When we compared the relationship between the inflammatory cell infiltrations around the tumoral mass and the changes of dermal collagen and elastic fibers, we observed that the changes of dermal fibers and foreign body reaction and mononuolear cell infiltrations were statistically co-related. When compared the cutaneous changes with the inflammatory cell infiltrations of the tumoral masses, we could also reveal that the anetodermic cutaneous changes of the overlying skin might be influenced by the foreign body reactions with chronic mononulcer cell. Based on the status of foreing body reaction, the average of onset was inversely proportional to the average of age. CONCLUSION: Pilomatricomas are slowly growing, firm, deep seated benign tumor which occurs commonly on the arm, face and neck. However, they often showed the anetodermic changes on the overlying skin. Anetodermic cutaneous changes or discoloration may be correlated with the degree of foreign body reactions without the evidences of transepidermal elimination histopathologically.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Arm ; Calcium ; Capsules ; Carcinoma ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Hair ; Humans ; Juglans ; Male ; Neck ; Pilomatrixoma* ; Skin

We report a case of rosacea in a 65 year old female with a 14 year history of polycythemia vera. The patient suffered from several constitutional symptoms and signs suggestive of polycythemia vera. Six years prior to our initial examination, erythematous lesions were first noted on the center of the face. These lesions exhibited periodic improvement and exacerbation without specific treatment. Histopathologic examination of the facial lesions showed nodular infiltration of lymphocytes and histiocytes and dilation of blood vessels. On the basis of laboratory examination, the patient was diagnosed as polycythemia vera. The patient has received metronidazole, tetracycline, and topical steroids to control rosacea-like facial lesions. The treatment results were not significant. However, phlebotomy markedly improved the skin lesion. To our knowledge, there are no reports describing the clinical course of rosacea lesions following the treatment with phlebotomy.
Blood Vessels ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Metronidazole ; Phlebotomy ; Polycythemia Vera* ; Polycythemia* ; Rosacea* ; Skin ; Steroids ; Tetracycline

We report a case of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis on the left knee of a 67 year-old woman. She had a large ulcerated and indurated plaque with yellowish purulent exudates on her left knee. A histopathological examination from the lesion showed numerous encapsulated, round spores. Cultures from the lesion showed the presence of Cryptococcus neoforrnans. This may have resulted from an immunosuppressive state due to long-term use of oral corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Spores ; Ulcer

An echogenic lobulated round mass in the head of pancreas was found during abdominal ultrasonography for routine checkup on a 34 year-old man. CT and MRI showed characteristic findings of lipoma. Clinical followup confirmed intrapnacreatic lipoma, which had been reported only once proviously. This lesion should be added to the list of benign connective tissue tumor of the pancreas.
Connective Tissue ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Lipoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Retroperitoneal paraganglioma is a relatively uncommon neurogenic tumor, arising from paraganglial tissue. In our knowledge, there is few report about the radiologic findings of extraadrenal paraganglioma, therefore, here we document the adiologic findings of retroperitoneal paraganglioma with pathologic correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 5 patients with surgicopathologically confirmed extraadrenal paraganglioma and 1 clinjcolaboratorily confirmed case, we analyzed the ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and MRI findings, and correlated them with gross pathologic specimen. RESULTS: The location of the tumors was medial aspect of left kindey(n=2), superomedial aspect of right kidney hilum(n=2), and organ of Zuckerkandl area(n=2), UItrasonoram showed well-marginated mass(n=5), occasionally with irregular central necrosis with or without partially echogenic area suggesting hemorrhage(n=2). CT scan also showed well-marginated mass(n=6) with hemorrhagic necrosis(n--3) and contrast enhancement. One showed are shaped calcification along the capsule, and another case showed adhesion with aorta. In MRI, solid portion of the mass showed relatively low signal intensity on T1WI, increased signal on T2WI, and enhancement with gadolinium. Necrotic portion showed increased signal intensity on T1WI, and also showed increased signal intensity on T2WI, without contrast enhancement. Grossly the mass showed internal hemorrhagic necrosis of variable degree(n=6). CONCLUSION: If well-marginated mass is noted around the area of paraganglial distribution including organ of Zuckerkandl, especially with evidence of hemorrhagic necrosis and contrast enhancement, we must consider the possibility of paraganglioma despite no characteristic symptoms.
Aorta ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Kidney ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Para-Aortic Bodies ; Paraganglioma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Ulcerative colitis, one of the inflammatory bowel disease, is primarily managed medically with combinations of 5-ASA and steroids. However, this chronic disease requires surgical management if symptoms persist or complications develop despite medical management. The clinical course, the indications and outcome for surgical management of pediatric ulcerative colitis patients were studied from medical records retrospectively. Twenty-one patients under the age of 15 who were endoscopically diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January, 1988 and January, 2003 were subjected to the study. Mean follow up period was 3 years and 10 months. The mean age was 10.3 years old. All patients received medical management primarily after diagnosis and 8 patients (38%) eventually required surgical management. Of 13 patients who received medical management only, 7 patients (53%) showed remission, 4 patients are still on medical management, and 2 patients expired due to congenital immune deficiency and hepatic failure owing to sclerosing cholangitis respectively. In 8 patients who received surgical management, 1 patient underwent surgery due to sigmoid colon perforation and 7 patients due to intractability of medical management. The perforated case received colon segmental resection and the other 7 patients recieved total protocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. One patient expired postoperatively due to pneumonia and sepsis. One patient is still on medical management because of mild persistent hematochezia after surgery. The other operated patients are showing good prognosis without any management. Pediatric ulcerative colitis patients can be surgically managed if the patient is intractable to medical management or if complications such as perforation is present. Total protocolectomy & ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is thought to be the adequate surgical method.
Child* ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; Chronic Disease ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Liver Failure ; Medical Records ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sepsis ; Steroids ; Ulcer*

PURPOSE: Defecography is a technique of examining the rectum and anal canal by using fluoroscopy during defecation. This study was done to determine the range of normal findings of defecography in young asymptomatic Korean volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine asymptomatic young volunteers underwent defecography. Anorectal angle, perineal descent, length and width of anal, rectocele, rectal intussusception and incontience were evaluated. RESULTS: The range of anorectal angle was 82 degrees-149 degrees in resting state, compared to the 63 degrees -116 degrees in squeezing state, and 95 degrees -116 degrees in straining state respectively. The pelvic floor in straining state descended on average of 1.62cm from the inferior margin of ischial tuberosity that its broad range of position from --5.2cm to 0.8 cm implies a wide variation of anorectal angle and periheal descent. Mild degree of rectocele with less than 2cm of depth was found in 12 out of 29 cases. Rectal intussusception was noted in six and rectal incontinence was seen in one case. Formation of rectocele and intussusception during defecation was common in asymptomatic young volunteers. CONCLUSION: The wide range of defecographic measurements warrants the necessity of other complementary studies on anorectal function to improve the diagnostic accuracy. The interpretation of defecographic measurement should therefore be made with caution and should not be used as the sole criteria for seliction of treatment modality.
Anal Canal ; Defecation ; Defecography ; Fluoroscopy ; Intussusception ; Pelvic Floor ; Rectocele ; Rectum ; Volunteers*