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*

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

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

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

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*

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*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to review the outcome of local control after the local excision for T1/T2 rectal cancers and, thus, to assess its effectiveness as an alternative to a more radical resection. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 23 patients with T1/T2 rectal cancer treated by local excision (LE), and their results were compared with the results for 22 patients with rectal cancer of the same stage treated by a radical resection (RR). All patients with pT2 lesions in the LE group received postoperative adjuvant chemoradiation. The outcomes were defined as 5-year local-recurrence-free survival (LRFS). The median follow-up was 72 (range, 40~92) months. RESULTS: Recurrence occurred in 4 patients (pT1, 1; pT2, 3) in the LE group and in 3 patients (all pT2) in the the RR group. One patient with vascular invasion (T2N1M0) in the RR group showed multiple liver metastases at 23 months postoperatively. The difference in 5-year LRFS was not statistically significant between the two groups. In the LE group, the 5-year LRFS for pT2 lesions was significantly less favorable than that for pT1 lesions (40% vs. 94%; P= 0.005). The 5-year LRFS for pT2 in the RR group was more favorable than that in the LE group, although the difference was not statistically significant (76.9% vs. 40%, P=0.138). CONSLUSIONS: Local excision provides a favorable local control for pT1 rectal cancers. A more radical resection, however, remains an effective surgical option for pT2 lesions because local excision, even combined with adjuvant chemoradiation, showed substantial local recurrences.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the normal morphogenesis, maintenance, and repair of matrix and also have important functions in pathologic conditions characterized by excessive degradation of extracellular matrix, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontitis and in tumor invasion and metastasis. In this study, expression of MMP-1 and -2 mRNA in retrodiscal tissue of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was examined and compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surgical findings. MMP mRNAs in the retrodiscal tissue samples were detected by reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction. TMJ internal derangement (ID) was categorized as normal disc position, disc displacement with reduction, early stage of disc displacement without reduction (DDsR) and late stage of DDsR. TMJ osteoarthrosis (OA) was classified with normal, mild and advanced OA. The amount of synovial fluid collection was divided into not detected, small, large and extremely large amount on MR T2-weighted imaging. Perforation and adhesion were examined during open surgery of the TMJ. Six out of 37 samples were excluded because of little amount of extracted total mRNA. MMP-2 mRNA was detected whole joints, and so the MMP-2 mRNA seems to be expressed normally in retrodiscal tissue. However, MMP-1 mRNA was expressed in 8 of 31 joints. Frequencies of MMP-1 mRNA expression according to the TMJ IDs, amount of synovial fluid and surgical findings made no significant difference. MMP-1 mRNA was detected more frequently in OA groups (7/16 joints, 43.8%) than in normal bony structure group (1/15,joints, 6.7%). Expression of MMP-1 mRNA in retrodiscal tissue might be related with OA of the TMJ.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Collagenases ; Extracellular Matrix ; Gelatinases ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Morphogenesis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoarthritis ; Periodontitis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger* ; Synovial Fluid ; Temporomandibular Joint*