In this report we describe twenty-two cases of intracranial tumors studied with an MR imager operating at a field strength of 0.064 T for evaluation of the clinical utility of low tesla MRI. The comfirmed diagnoses were meningioma(9 cases), astrocytoma(4 cases), glioblastoma multiforme(1 case), craniopharyngioma(2 cases), intracranial metastasis(1 case). pituitary microadenoma (1 case), hemangioblastoma (1 case), and trigerminal neurilemmoma(1 case). Meningiomas appeared as well-marginated, homogenous signal intensity masses(67%) in most cases. Most meningiomas showed iso-signal intensity(78%) on T1-weighted images, and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. After Gd-DTPA enhancement, diffuse homogeneous contrast enhancement(75%) was well see. The multiple hemorrhagic foci within the glioblastoma multiforme were identified, which shoed high signal intensity on T1-weighted images and low signal intensity on T2-weighted images(intracellular methemoglobin), or high signal intensity on both T1 and T2-weighted images(extracellular methemoglobin). One case of cerebellar hemangioblastoma was a well-defined cystic mass with contrast enhanced mural nodule but no identification of characteristic signal void vessels. The remianing tumors showed low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Gd-DTPA enhancement was helpful in separating the lesion from the surrounding edema or normal tissue, but had limited diagnostic value in characterizing the nature of the mass. The advantages of low tesla MRI are as follows on requirement of cooling water or electricity, open design, shorter T1 relaxation time compared with high tesla unit that increases the difference of T1-relaxation time between tissues, ease of installation, and cost effectiveness. In conclusion, the low tesla MRI is useful for the detection and evaluation of the brain tumors.
Brain Neoplasms ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Electricity ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glioblastoma ; Hemangioblastoma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Relaxation ; Water

PURPOSE: This study is for the evaluation of low tesla(0.064T) MR imaging diagnostic accuracy in the internal derangement of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the MR images of 36 injured knees of 35 patients. The presence of tear was determined by arthroscopy or surgery in all cases. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of low tesla MRI for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament injury were 83%, 88%, 86%, 77%, 91%, for the posterior cruciate ligament 75%, 95%, 86%, 92%, 83%, for the medial collateral ligament 83%, 96%, 92%, 91%, 92%, for the lateral collateral ligament 67%, 97%, 94%, 67%, 97%, for the menisci 75%, 93%, 89%, 75%, 93%. CONCLUSION: The low tesla MRI is an accurate method in detection and evaluation of the internal derangement of the knee.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Collateral Ligaments ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee* ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

No abstract available.

No Abstract Available.
Knee* ; Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects and usefulness of fiuroscopy guided celiac ganglion block after marking of needle path with CT scan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Celiac ganglion block with 100% ethyl alcohol was performed in 50 cancer patients who were inoperable and had intractable abdominal pain. Duration and degree of pain relief after the procedure and its complication were analyzed. RESULTS: Early pain relief was observed in 98% and long term relief in 68% without serious complication. CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopy guided celiac ganglion block after marking of needle path with CT scan was a safe and valuable procedure in relieving intractable pain in terminal cancer patients and reduced the time in the CT room.
Abdominal Pain ; Ethanol ; Fluoroscopy* ; Ganglia, Sympathetic* ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain, Intractable ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis*

BACKGROUND: Calcium disturbance may clinically produce diaphragmatic weakness. Extracellular calcium is necessary for diaphragmatic contraction, suggesting that the diaphragm behaves more like cardiac muscle. The effect of extracellular Ca2 concentrations on the relaxation action of vecuronium was studied in rat hemidiaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations. METHODS: Hemidiaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations were obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats (200 300 g). Preparations were bathed in Kreb's solution of (mM): NaCl 118, KCl 5, CaCl2 2.5, NaHCO3 30, KH2PO4 1, MgCl2 1 and glucose 11, then maitained at 37oC when aspirated with a mixture of 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Isometric forces generated in response to 0.1 Hz, 2 Hz for 2 seconds and, 50 Hz for 2 seconds with supramaximal electrical stimulation (0.2 msec, rectangular) to the phrenic nerve, were measured with a force transducer. Single twitch tension and peak tetanic tension were calculated as a percentage of control. TOF fade was calculated as (1-(T4/T1))x100. Each preparation was exposed to the alterations in calcium concentrations of the Kreb's solution (3.75, 3.125, 1.5, 1.25, 0.625, 0.3125 (mM)), and the adequate volume of vecuronium stock solution was added to the tissue bath for desired bath concentration. The effects of calcium and vecuronium were allowed to reach a steady state before measurement of tension parameters was done. Single twitch tensions or peak tetanic tensions, which were measured at each calcium concentration, were compared respectively. EC5, EC25, EC50, EC75, and EC95 of vecuronium for a single twitch tension, TOF fade, and peak tetanic tension at each calcium concentration, were calculated using a sigmoid Emax model. We compared the EC50 of vecuronium according to calcium concentrations. Data was compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test with a post hoc Wilcoxon rank sum test. A p-value of below 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The range of calcium concentration studied didn't produce differences among single or tetanictensions respectively. The EC50's of vecuronium decreased as calcium concentration decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of calcium concentration can augment the action of vecuronium on the diaphragm.
Animals ; Baths ; Calcium* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Diaphragm ; Electric Stimulation ; Glucose ; Humans ; Magnesium Chloride ; Male ; Myocardium ; Neuromuscular Agents* ; Paralysis ; Phrenic Nerve ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Relaxation ; Transducers ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Bipotent progenitors for T and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are thought to exist among early precursor thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. The identification of such a progenitor population or mature NK cells in such organs remains undefined. Here we report the identification of a novel receptor of NK cells, p58 (HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors), in fetal thymocytes and fetal liver lymphocytes. Our finding suggests the NK cells mature in the developmental stage during feta1 ontogeny. Flow cytometric analysis revealed p58 positive cells in thymocytes or in fetal liver lymphocytes and reverse transcription PCR also showed amplification of p58 RNA. The result of single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) showed it discriminates one or two base pair differences of the p58 gene. Although the question still remains as to whether the expression of p58 is due to the NK cells or natural T cells, it is clear the p58 is expressed in fetal thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. And SSCP analysis using appropriate sets of primers used in this study, is helpful to study the diversity of p58.
Base Pairing ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymocytes*