BACKGROUND: Mycobacterial culture is a confirmatory test to detect M.tuberculosis, but it takes at least 6 weeks to diagnose. PCR is a rapid and sensitive method, but it is known that PCR has a high false positive rate due to contamination, and a high false negative rate due to inhibitors. It is also known that LCR and PCR-Hybridization, recently developed methods, are more specific methods than PCR in terms of detection M.tuberculosis. In this study, we estimated the clinical utility of in house PCR, LCR and PCR-Hybridization for the detection of M.tuberculosis. METHODS: We evaluated 75 specimens, upon which M.tuberculosis culture based testing was requested, by PCR LCR, and PCR-Hybridization and compared results. Mycobacterial culture was performed on 3% Ogawa media for 8 weeks, and an in house PCR, LCx Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay kit(Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, III) and the AMPLICOR M.tuberculosis test kit(Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. Branchburg, NJ, USA). RESULTS: In the view of the culture results, the sensitivities of the three tests were 40%, 80%, and 100% and their specificities were 98.6%, 94.3%, and 94.3%. CONCLUSION: LCR and PCR-Hybridization and rapid and sensitive methods for detecting M.tuberculosis in clinical laboratories.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Tuberculosis*

No abstract available.
Coronary Vessels* ; Mammary Arteries* ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: The relationship between type II diabetes and congnitive function has been explored in several studies. But the result was controversial. The purpose of the study was to determine whether diabetes mellitus in older patients(>or=65 years) is assiciated with cognitive dysfunction and to discover the related factors with th cognitive dysfunction. METHOD: Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes and twenty subjects with non-diabetes are studied with cognitive function test at Hwachun health center and county hospital. Cognitive function was assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination and Clock Drawing test and the score was analyzed. The diabetes groups were subdivided with duration of diabetes, HbAlc, chronic diabetic complications and then analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 6(30%) diabetic subjects scored below 24 on mini-mental state examination, compared with 3(15%) of controls(p=0.2560). The mean socres were 20.1+/-2.7 and 19.0+/-3.5 respectively. Clock drawing test demonstrated that 13(65%) diabetic subjects inconectly placed the numbers and hands, compared with 7(35%) of controls(p=0.0578>0.05). The duration of diabetes mellitus, HbAlc, chronic diabetic com- plications were not associated with cognitive dysfun- ction among diabetic subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly is not associated with cognitive dysfunction, but further study should be done.
Aged ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Hand ; Hospitals, County ; Humans

We report a case of kerion celsi caused by Trichophyton verrucosum in a 4-year-old male. He presented painful, tender, indurated, boggy masses discharing pus on the vertex and occiput. Kerion celsi caued by T. verrucosum was diagnosed by the characteristic gross and microscopic findings of the colony on the Sabourauds glucose. agar. The possible source of infection was searched and wq found that he raised the cattles in his house. They had multiple, scaly, whitish plaques on the skin and T. verrucosum was identified from the hairs of the lesions. He had been treated with griseofulvin and prednisolone, and all lesions were cleared leaving partial alopecia in 2 months.
Agar ; Alopecia ; Child, Preschool ; Glucose ; Griseofulvin ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Prednisolone ; Skin ; Suppuration ; Tinea Capitis* ; Trichophyton*

The term "pineal anlage tumor" has been recently proposed and few cases have been reported. We report the first Korean case of pineal anlage tumor in a 6-year-old girl who complained of headache and vomiting for 2 months. Brain MRI revealed a well defined, lobulated, calcifying mass in the pineal region. Tumor was totally removed. Pathological examination revealed a primitive pineal parenchymal tumor with melanotic epithelial component that was similar to histologic findings of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, so-called retinal anlage tumor and of the developing pineal gland. The tumor was composed mostly of small, undifferentiated cells, Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes, and ganglionic differentiation. The tumor also contained the cartilage and skeletal muscle cells.
Brain ; Cartilage ; Child ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic ; Pineal Gland ; Pinealoma ; Vomiting

We analysed the ultrasonographic findings in 46 cases of PID, examined atYyonsei Universtiy Severance Yondong Hospital from June 1983 to Dec. 1984. Among them, 29 cases of PID were well correlated with pathologic findings bysurgery or laparascopy. The results were as follows; 1. The age was ranged from 14 years to 57 years of age andthe majority was between 21 years and 50 years of age. 2. We evaluated the ultrasonographic findings of 46 casesunder the criteria of Swayne's classification. They are 67% in type II, 17% in type III and 4% in type I. Theremained is 11% in normal finding. 3. Among 29 cases pathologically proven,the ultrasonographic findings areclassifed to be 66% in type II, 21% in type III, 3% in type I and the remained is normal. Among type II PIDcases, tubo-ovarian abscess is 32%, pelvic abscess is 26% and pyosalphinx is 16%. The pelvic-peritoneal adhesionis demonstrated in 83% of 6 cases of type II lesion. 4. In 36 cases of PID, uterine mass formation is demonstrated and located unilaterally in 64%, associated fluid collection in 47% and bladder indentation in 36% was noted. The diameter of mass shadow is about 4.4cm of average, ranged between 2-9cm. The echogenecity was mixed in 64%, cysticin 31% and solid in 5% of mass lesion.
Abscess ; Classification ; Female ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Urinary Bladder

CT findings of twenty-four patients with adrenal gland tumors were analyzed to evaluate their location, size,shape, density etc. The post-surgical confirmation was made in 17 cases. The findings were as follows: 1. 4-10cmsized tumor messes were most common (42%). 2. Round or oval shaped forme were most common (59%). 3. Functionaltomors were 71% (17/24) including Cushing's syndrome of 10 cases, pheochromocytomas of 6 cases and aldosteronismof 1 case. 4. Abnormal adrenal glands were delineated in 88%(21/24), most effectively by CT. We concluded that CTwas the valuable study in the evaluation of the adrenal gland tumors and in the determination of surgicaloperation.
Adrenal Glands ; Cushing Syndrome ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

BACKGROUND: Skin thickness for parameter of skin aging has been analysed with various methods. Skin thickness variations between the young and the old has been studied with various methods such as biopsies, calipers, micrometers, computer tomography, ultrsonography. But none of these methods evaluates skin thickness exactly. OBJECTIVE: For the evaluation of age-dependent skin thickness changes, we compared the skin thickness of an old-aged group and a young group with 20MHz-ultrasonography. METHODS: In order to identify the skin thickness variation between different age groups, 60 subjects, 30 aged 23-33, and 30 over 60, were studied with 20MHz-high frequency ultrasonogrphy (Dermascan C, Cortex Technology, Hadsund, Denmark) on fourteen skin sites. This machine was designed to measure the thickness from the top of the epidermis to the bottom of the dermis. After storage of cross-sectional skin imaging, skin thickness was calculated with a computer assisted image-analysis program. Skin thickness of the old was analysed by age, sex, height and weight.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Skin Aging ; Skin* ; Ultrasonography*

We have effectively used AVS-Penogram as the primary diagnostic method for impotence. In this study, we classified the types of curve on AVS-Penogram in detail and evaluated the origin of each of the classified types for 308 patients who were finally diagnosed by comprehensive diagnostic methods. Also we divided the unstable type into the multi-peak type and the one-peak type based on the number of peaks in the curve. and the delay type into the simple-delay type and the unstable-delay type based on whether there were fluctuations or not. After evaluating and considering the clinical significance of each of the curve type. we have reached the following conclusion. I. Type I group which is similar to normal control group was proved as psychogenic impotence in 86% of the patients. 2. The impossible type II A group was proved as organic impotence in 97% of the patients and most or them had neurogenic and arteriogenic impotence. 3. The unstable type II B group was proved as psychogenic impotence in 52% of the patients ;61% in the case of the multi-peak type, and 15% in the case of the one-peak type. The difference between both types were statistically significant. We think the one-peak type is more strongly related to organic cause, and in the case of the multi-peak type. further studies are needed for differential diagnosis between psychogenic and vasculogenic impotence, which were the most frequent types. 4. The delay type II C group was proved as psychogenic impotence in 4l% of the patients; 44% in the case of the simple-delay type, and 39% in the case of the unstable-delay type. There was no significant difference between these two types. In the case of the delay type, further studies are needed for differential diagnosis between psychogenic and arteriogenic impotence, which were the most frequent types. In conclusion, AVS-Penogram is a useful method in measurement of natural erotic erection and a primary diagnostic method in impotence, and it is an important differential diagnostic parameter to divide the unstable type into the multi-peak type and the one-peak type. Also in the case of the patient classified as multi-peak type, if more studies about neurotransmitter can be done, diagnostic methods from these studies can be developed. and the objective analysis of nocturnal penile enlargement can be achieved. new organic factor will be found in the patients proved to be psychogenic impotence.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Female ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; Male ; Neurotransmitter Agents