We investigate the serial change of the bone density of the lengthening sites in distraction osteogenesis in long bone lengthening of the lower extremity by measuring the pixel value of the PACS(Picture Archiving Communication System). The purpose of this study was to find the clinical implication of the pixel value in PACS in the distraction osteogenesis. The number of the distraction sites were 22 in tibia and 16 in femur. The average distraction length was 4.5cm ranged between 2.1cm and 7.0cm in femur, 4.1cm ranged hetween 1.9cm and 6.8cm in tibia. When the image were sent to the PACS workstations, they were directly interfaced to the workstation without any processing. The absolute and the relati ve pixel values of cortical bones of the original and the lengthening sites repr sented in workstation of PACS were obtained by average value measuring 3 times by 3 different persons. The average absoiute pixel value of the original cortical bone near distraction site was not significantly changed, maintaining 575+/-6 in femur, and 570+/-7 in tibia. The absolute pixel vaIues in AP and lateral view were not significantly changed until 6 week/cm, but rapidly increased after 7 week/cm hoth in the tibia and the femur. The relative pixel value of the lengthening sites were more than 95% in three of the four cortices at the time of the removal of the external fixators. in conclusion, the pixel value of the PACS can be a rapid, simple and easy method for detection of the change of the bone density in distraction osteogenesis.
Bone Density* ; Bone Lengthening* ; External Fixators ; Femur ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Tibia

Intrathoracic teratoma is mainly found on the anterior mediastinum. For teratoma of the pleura, one case was described. We have presented what we believe to be the first report of a teraroma of the pleura, which was mainly composed of neuroglial cells and was accompanied with lymph node metastasis.
Lymph Nodes ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroglia ; Pleura* ; Teratoma*

Sometimes physicians and clinical pathologists find very high levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in their patients. This condition is associated with transient, marked increase in serum ALP in healthy infants and children. It has also been described in adults. Clinical and biochemical features of transient hyperphosphatasemia in infancy and early childhood are reviewed in six patients that we have studied. The diagnosis is suggested by findings of increased activity of alkaline phosphatase in plasma, typically more than fivefold the upper reference value for adult, in a child under five years of age, without evidence of liver or bone disease. The condition is confirmed by the presence of a characteristic pattern of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes and by the normalization of enzyme activity in plasma within approximately six months after the original observation. The etiology of the condition and possible mechanism of the elevated ALP is discussed.
Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Diseases ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Isoenzymes ; Liver ; Plasma ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: Mirror movement is common in young children, and it could be seen in normal adults. Several mechanisms including motor pathway reorganization involved in motor recovery after stroke. Motor pathway reorganization has been reported to be a mechanism in several studies of patients with mirror movement. However, the correlation of motor recovery and mirror movement has been debated. We studied the degree of mirror movement in stroke patients compared with a controlled group to look into their relationship. METHODS: Our controls were 50 adults without neurologic symptoms and signs. The hemiparetic group was comprised 94 patients who had incurred unilateral brain lesion: 36 patients were acute stroke patients, 58 patients were chronic stroke patients. Mirror movements were assessed by three different tasks: abduction of thumb, sequential finger tapping, and grasping. We analyzed mirror movements in controls and patients, and tried to find a correlation between the degree of mirror movement and the recovery of motor power in chronic stroke patients. RESULTS: In controls, male exhibited more frequent mirror movement than female at specific tasks, and there was no difference between tasks of right or left hand. In stroke patients, there was more mirror movement in the nonparetic hand than in the paretic one during the movement of contralateral hand. In acute stroke, the frequency of mirror movement had no variability according to the degree of motor power. The recovery of motor power at a late stage was not correlated with the degree of mirror movement. Consclusions: Motor pathway reorganization seems to be insignificant for motor recovery because the degree of mirror movement was not correlated with the recovery of motor power in this study.
Adult ; Brain ; Child ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Stroke* ; Thumb

We report a case of a resection of very large intracavitary metastatic malanoma causing obstruction of the right ventricular inflow and outflow tract of the heart. A 49-year-old woman with dyspnea and generalized edema was seen. Echocardiography reveal an intra cavitary mass occupying the entire right ventricle and pericardial effusion. The lesion was palliatively resected using a cardiopulmonary bypass and was confirmed as a malignant melanoma. The patient is alive and improved symptomatically 30days after the operation.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Neoplasms ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Melanoma* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pericardial Effusion

Focal ventricular dilatation of the temporal horn caused by an occlusion of the cerebrospinal fluid pathway at the atrium of the lateral ventricle is a form of non communicating hydrocephalus, and this condition is termed as "entrapment of the temporal horn". The choroid plexus is important central nervous system(CNS) structure, but it is often neglected in pathologic and clinical studies of intracranial diseases. Even though choroid plexitis is very rare, it may be occurred as the resultant of CNS infections and primary choroid plexitis can be associated with bacterial, viral, and parasitic etiologies. Some aspects of the neuroimaging findings of this infection mimick those of a intraventricular neoplasms. The most important neoplasms which should be differentiated, are choroid plexus papilloma and carcinoma. Wherem primary neoplasms of the choroid plexus are well known, but primary infections of the choroid plexus (such as choroid plexitis) are not commonly encountered. Pseudomonas stutzeri infections are especially rare as the causative organism of the choroid plexitis and often have serious underlying disease but generally respond well to treatment with antibiotics. We report a 65-year-old female patient with primary choroid plexitis due to Pseudomonas stutzeri and the findings of her brain computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In conclusion, our case revealed that choroid plexitis may result in ventricular entrapment and mimick intraventricular tumors. Although it is very rare, when a intraventricular mass was observed in imaging studies and combined with signs and symptoms suggesting CNS infection, choroid plexitis should be considered.
Aged ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Brain ; Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Choroid Plexus ; Choroid* ; Dilatation ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Lateral Ventricles* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging ; Papilloma, Choroid Plexus ; Pseudomonas stutzeri* ; Pseudomonas*

Apraxia of lid opening is a nonparalytic motor abnormality characterized by difficulty in initiating the act of lid elevation. It has been reported in various extrapyramidal disorders(Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, progressive supranuclear palsy), right middle cerebral infarction and Wilson's disease. We report a case of apraxia of opening in Wilson's disease, 34-year-old man was noted to have resting tremor and voluntary eye opening difficulty. Wilson's disease without Kayser-Fleisher ring was diagnosed by serum Cu, serum ceruloplasmin and liver biopsy. He was treated with D-penicillamine anticholinergics, amantadine, and levodopa.
Adult ; Amantadine ; Apraxias* ; Biopsy ; Cerebral Infarction ; Ceruloplasmin ; Cholinergic Antagonists ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration* ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; Levodopa ; Liver ; Penicillamine ; Tremor

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: It is widely believed that the post-lumbar puncture headache(PLPH) is related to CSF leakage through the dural hole made by needle tract. So it is accepted that PLPH is prevented by at least 4 hour bed rest after lumbar puncture (LP). If bed rest was unneccessary, the administrative and nursing advantages would be obvious,, especially in neurologic units, whereLP has been done frequently. Therefore, we evaluate the incidence of PLPH in the ambulant and bed-rest patients prospectively and compared the incidence difference between two group. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients without preceding headache who were done lumbar puncture for diagnostic purpose were selected prospectively. We compared the incidence of PLPH between the ambulant (50 patients) and bed-rest group (38 patient,) at 6 hour and 24 hours. We also evaluated the effect of the CSF profile (count of RBC and WBC, protein level and opening pressure) on PLPH. RESULTS: The PLPH was found in 11 cases(12.5%) among bed-rest and ambulant groups. The frequency of each group was 8% (3/38) in bed-rest group and 16%(8/50) in ambulant group, but there is no significant difference between two groups (p-vaIue = 0.26). The frequency of PLPH is also not correlated to the CSF profiles; count of RBC and WBC, protein level, and opening pressure. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference between the ambulant and bed rest group in the frequency of the PLPH. We conclude that the bed rest after LP is unnecessary for the prevention of the PLPH.
Bed Rest* ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Needles ; Nursing ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache* ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Spinal Puncture

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 50 years. Digital rectal examination (DRE) and measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations are standard screening methods for detecting prostate cancer. We retrospectively investigated the risks and benefits of repeated transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate needle biopsies in relation to the follow-up status of men younger than 50 years with a consistently high PSA concentration (>3.0 ng/mL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the period from January 2000 through February 2013, we reviewed patient's ages, dates of procedures, DRE results, frequencies of biopsies, results of the biopsies, periods of follow-up, PSA concentrations, and prostate volumes in Chonbuk National University Hospital records. We conducted telephone interviews in patients who did not undergo regular follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 44.7 years, and the mean PSA concentration was 8.59 ng/mL (range, 3.04-131 ng/mL) before biopsy. The PSA concentration was significantly different (p<0.001) between the patients with prostate cancer and those with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Nineteen patients underwent repeated prostate biopsy; however, in only one patient did the pathologic findings indicate a change from BPH to prostate cancer. We identified several complications after transrectal biopsy through an evaluation of follow-up data. CONCLUSIONS: All patients with benign prostatic disease based on their first biopsy were shown to have benign disease based on all repeated biopsies (15.83%), except for one patient; however, several complications were noted after biopsy. Therefore, the risks and benefits of repeated biopsy in young patients should be considered because of the low rate of change from benign to malignant disease despite continuously high PSA concentrations (>3.0 ng/mL).
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Jeollabuk-do ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Diseases ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment* ; Young Adult

We have experienced two cases of coronary revascularization without extracorporeal circulation in a 63 year old female patient and a 75 year old male patient. The first patient had the lesion which was the nearly total occulusion of mid-LAD, about 90% luminal narrowing of second diagonal branch and less than 50% stenosis of proximal RCA. The other male patient had a single vessel disease involving about 95% stenosis of proximal LAD and 1st diagonal branch. PTCA failed in the first patient because of relatively long sinus pause during procedure. In both of the patients, the coronary revascularizations were done at distal LAD and diagonal branch using left internal mammary artery and saphenous vein graft under the beating state, respectively. The postoperative courses were uneventful and the patients were discharged without any complications.
Aged ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Extracorporeal Circulation* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mammary Arteries ; Middle Aged ; Phenobarbital ; Saphenous Vein ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Transplants