No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Small breast cysts, which can be resolved by fine-needle aspiration, are often presented as hypoechoic masses on ultrasound examinations. They can be misinterpreted as benign tumors and cause unnecessary follow-ups or biopsies. The aim of this study was to find out the proportion of atypical breast cysts, which can be resolved by needle aspiration, among hypoechoic masses less than 1 cm in size and to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of a mass and its probability of being cystic. METHODS: Between March 2003 and May 2003, we found and aspirated 119 hypoechoic masses less than 1 cm in size from 104 consecutive patients. RESULTS: Mass size ranged from 2.5 mm to 9.8 mm, with a median size of 5.5 mm. Among the 119 hypoechoic masses, 40 masses (33.6%) were cystic and 79 masses (66.4%) were solid. Among the 40 cystic masses, 37 were completely resolved by needle aspiration, one mass was reduced to half, and the 2 remaining masses were reduced to a third of their sizes. In patients in their 20's, 11.1% of the hypoechoic masses were cystic masses, the ratios for patients in their 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's were 11.4%, 32.0%, 76.2%, and 75%, respectively (P<0.001). With decreasing internal echo of mass, the likelihood of being a cyst increased (P=0.026). However predicting the probability of being a cyst by the margin, the degree of posterior acoustic enhancement, and the location of the mass was difficult (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Needle aspiration must be considered in small hypoechoic masses not speculated as definite solid masses.
Acoustics ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast Cyst ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Mammary

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia is a rare genetic bone disorder characterized by cranial hyperostosis, sclerosis, and failure of normal modeling of the tubular bones. Both autosomal dominant and recessive forms have been described. Diagnosis of the craniometaphyseal dysplasia is mode on the basis of characteristic radiographic findings. Radiologic findings are thickening and hyperostosis of the skull, and Erlenmeyer flask deformity of the metaphysis on the long bones. We report a case of the craniometaphyseal dysplasia.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis ; Hyperostosis ; Sclerosis ; Skull

Medial meniscal root tears have been repaired using various methods. Arthroscopic all-inside repair using a suture anchor is one of the popular methods. However, insertion of the suture anchor into the proper position at the posterior root of the medial meniscus is technically difficult. Some methods have been reported to facilitate suture anchor insertion through a high posteromedial portal, a posterior trans-septal portal, or a medial quadriceptal portal. Nevertheless, many surgeons still have difficulty during anchor insertion. We introduce a technical tip for easy suture anchor insertion using a 25° curved guide and a soft suture anchor through a routine posteromedial portal.
Menisci, Tibial ; Surgeons ; Suture Anchors* ; Sutures* ; Tears

Purpose: Granular corneal dystrophy type 1 (GCD1) is a genetic disorder characterized by grayish-white granular deposits in the corneal stroma, typically manifesting before age 10. The specific characteristics of GCD1 in the Korea population remain insufficiently described. This study investigated the morphological features of GCD1 corneas with confirmed genetic mutations in this population. Methods: Medical records of GCD1 patients with the R555W mutation confirmed through transforming growth factor β induced (TGFBI) gene testing on oral epithelium or blood samples from 2005-2022, were analyzed. Corneal photographs obtained using a slit lamp biomicroscope were also examined. Results: The study group included 11 males and 19 females with an average age of 35.7 years, ranging from 3-70 years. All participants were heterozygotes. In 28 individuals (56 eyes, representing 93.3% of the total), there were signs of corneal deposit detachments, known as “drop-off”, observed in patients aged 6 years and above. Surface deposits reemerged at the peripheral margin of previous locations and expanded toward the center. The number and shape of opacities significantly changed with age, showing cycles of deposition and shedding. There were variations in the severity of opacities within the same family, particularly with advancing age, and distinct opacities extending into deeper stromal layers. Conclusions This study outlines the morphological characteristics of corneas in Korean GCD1 patients, based on corneal photograph analysis. These findings provide a basis for future comparative studies with GCD2 and may aid rapid clinical diagnosis based on clinical findings, prior to genetic testing confirmation.

PURPOSE:Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and stomach is the major site of ghrelin secretion. The purpose of this study is to compare the serum ghrelin concentrations between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal adults. We studied also whether serum ghrelin levels in the patients with type 2 DM are correlated with body mass index (BMI), serum insulin, lipid profiles, and creatinine levels. METHODS:Forty patients with type 2 DM and forty normal adults were included in this study. We measured heights and weights of the subjects and calculated their BMIs. Blood samples were obtained to measure the ghrelin concentration and their sera were stored at -20degreeC until used. In all subjects, serum ghrelin levels were measured using the commercially available Ghrelin(human) EIA kit. RESULTS:No differences of mean values were detected between the control group and the type 2 diabetic group for age, body weight, BMI, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and creatinine. But ghrelin level of the type 2 diabetic group (71.1+/-30.5 ng/L) was significantly lower than the control group (139.7+/-36.9 ng/L). In the control group, the ghrelin level showed positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (Pearson's correlation coefficient=0.37, P<0.05). In the diabetic group, the ghrelin level showed weakly positive correlation with insulin concentration. However, there was no significant relationship between serum ghrelin and various parameters in the diabetic patients group. CONCLUSION: In this study, ghrelin concentration in type 2 diabetic patients was lower than that in the control group. In the control group, serum ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol. In the type 2 diabetic group, there was no significant correlation between insulin and ghrelin concentrations.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; Stomach ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

Parosteal lipoma is a rare and generally asymptomatic benign tumor of mature adipose tissue that is located in direct apposition to the external surface of the bone. These tumors are occasionally associated with reactive changes in the underlying bone. The reactive bone formation is generally restricted to the base of the tumor, that is, near the periosteum. We recently experienced a case of parosteal lipoma in the proximal femur, which displayed exuberant bone and cartilage formation, and this led us to a misdiagnosis of chondroblastic osteosarcoma on the initial biopsy. We report here on this case with a special emphasis on making the differential diagnosis from osteosarcoma.
Adipose Tissue ; Biopsy ; Cartilage ; Chondrocytes ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Femur* ; Lipoma* ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma ; Osteosarcoma, Juxtacortical ; Periosteum

Highly cohesive, form-stable cohesive gel implants were introduced in 1993. This resulted in a paradigm shift in breast augmentation surgery. With the introduction of shaped textured implants, surgeon started to think in terms of shape and dimensions rather than volume and cup size. Basically most aspects of such breast augmentations are different. The way of selecting implants is different. Patient preoperative markings, surgical techniques, postoperative recommendations and results also differ. These are not mere new types of implant, but they represent a new concept in breast augmentation surgery. Surgeons who believe that form stable implants behave in the same way as non-form stable implants will tend to plan, select implants and perform surgery in traditional ways. Unfortunately, they are bound to encounter significantly more complications and problems. These implants are recently available in Korea since 2012 and will provide patients and surgeons with the ability of enhanced outcome and results if used properly; however there needs to be a transition from round cohesive gel implant thought process to a more comprehensive approach for the typical Korean plastic surgeon.
Breast ; Breast Implants ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mammaplasty ; Models, Anatomic ; Silicone Gels

Trichoblastic fibroma is a benign trichogenic tumor that has both epithelial and mesenchymal components and exhibits partial follicular induction. We studied 4 cases of trichoblastic fibroma and reviewed their clinical and histologic features. Two tumors were present in the face. The remaining two were in the vulva and perianal area, respectively. The age of the patients ranged from 53 to 68 years, with an average age of 62. All were female. Histologically, the lesions showed a well circumscribed mass, located at dermo-subcutaneous junction in three patients and subcutaneous in one. They demonstrated mesenchymal induction evidenced by hair germ-like structure and perifollicular sheath. There was no connection between the tumor and epidermis. Differentiation toward hair structure led to the formation of the infundibulum through inner root sheath. Trichoblastic fibroma may be confused clinically and/or histologically with basal cell carcinoma. Identification of the mixed epithelial and mesenchymal components, and the absence of epidermal connection and cleft within the stroma are important in differentiating this benign neoplasm from basal cell carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fibroma* ; Hair ; Humans ; Vulva

BACKGROUND: The claudins are a family of transmembrane proteins associated with tight junctions and they are critical for maintaining cell-to-cell adhesion in sheets of epithelial cells. However, their role in the progression of cancer remains largely unexplored. The aims of this study were to evaluate the expression patterns of claudin-1 and -4 in benign lesions and invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) of the breast, and relationships between the expression of these markers and the clinicopathological characteristics in IDC patients. METHODS: We examined the claudin-1 and -4 protein expressions by performing immunohistochemical stainings in 54 benign lesions and 120 IDCs via the tissue microarray method. We evaluated the correlation between the expression of these markers and the clinicopathological characteristics of IDC. RESULTS: The expressions of claudin-1 (p=0.099) and -4 (p=0.000) were up-regulated in IDCs as compared with benign lesions. The claudin-1 expression correlated with the loss of estrogen receptor (p=0.036) and progesterone receptor (p=0.011). The claudin-4 expression correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.043), the nuclear grade (p=0.030), the histologic grade (p=0.007), and the loss of estrogen receptor (p=0.001) and progesterone receptor (p= 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that claudin-1 and -4 may play a significant role in the carcinogenesis of IDC of the breast and these may represent novel markers for this disease.
Breast* ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Claudin-1* ; Claudin-4 ; Claudins ; Epithelial Cells ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Tight Junctions