PURPOSE: To determine the necessity of site-specific bone mineral density(BMD) measurement and the difference between the BMD of the two femora using DXA in the evaluation of osteoporosis. MATERIALS & METHODS: Total BMD and regional BMD(Lumbar spine, femoral neck, Ward's area, intertrochanter area) were measured on seventy-eight healthy persons without previons diseases, and the statistical significance analyzed. RESULTS: Total BMD did not reliably reflect the site-specific BMD. There was a high correlation between BMD in opposing femora. Correlation coefficients between the femoral neck, Ward's area, trochanter area were 0. 939, 0.874 and 0.916 respectively. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a measuremnt of site-specific BMD is necessory because the total BMD can not reliably predict the regional BMD. The measurement of BMD in one femur can predict the BMD of the contralateral femur. If there is no history of femoral neck disease, unilateral BMD measurement is recommended for femoral evaluation.
Absorptiometry, Photon* ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Spine

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate differentiating features of spinal compression fractures between benign and metastatic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed MR imaging in 52 patients (benign 38, metastasis 14) with vertebral compression fracture. Signal intensity of fracture and uninvolved areas, presence of contrast enhancement, fragmentation, and paravertebral mass were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Signal intensity of fracture site was variable in benign lesions, but low signal intensity on T1-weighted image and high on T2*-weighted image were seen in all cases of metastasis. Signal intensity of uninvolved area was high on T1-weighted image and low on T2*-weighted image in 84% of benign lesions. On the contrary, normal marrow signal intensity was not seen in the uninvolved areas of all metastatic fractures. Contrast enhancement were observed in all cases of benign & metastatic compression fractures. Fragmentation were seen in 1 case of metastasis(7%) and in 11 cases of benign lesions(29%). Paravertebral mass were seen in 5 cases of metastasis(36%) and in 7 cases of benign lesions(18%). CONCLUSION: Presence of normal marrow signal intensity in the uninvolved area of fracture site could be the most useful sign for differentiating benign causes from metastasis.
Bone Marrow ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To assess the characteristic features of MR imaging in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed MR imaging of 27 cases with pathologically-proven spinal tuberculosis and analyzed the MR findings including the extent of the lesions on non-contrast T1, proton density, and T2*VI, and the specific contrast enhancement patterns of the lesion on Gd-DTPA enhnced TIWI. RESULTS: The inflammatory lesions showed low signal intensity on T1WI in 25 patients(93%) and high signal intensity on T2*gradient echo image in 25 patients(93%). Bone destruction was noted in 15 patients(55%), disc-space narrowing in 21 patients(77%), paravertebral abscess in 16 patients(59%), subligamentous extension in 23 patients(85%), kyphosis in 8 patients(29%), and spinal canal narrowing in 19 patients(70%). After Gd-DTPA was administrated, rim-enhancement was noted in all patients(100%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MR imaging is an excellent imaging modality for establishing the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis as well as delineating the extent of soft tissue involvement. Characteristic peripheral rim enhancement after injection of Gd-DTPA may provide rather specific diagnosis in spinal tuberculosis.
Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Kyphosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Tuberculosis, Spinal*

No abstract available.
Rhinoplasty*

The AO internal fixation system(the Fixateur Interne) is effective in reducing and stablizing a variety of unstable thoracolumbar fracture patterns. It is relatively effective in decompressing the canal of retropulsed bony fragments associated with burst fracture. Sixty-Two patients with unstable thoracolumbar spine fractures were treated with the AO internal fixator. They were followed for an average of 21 months(range 15-29 months). A compartive radiographic analysis of kyphosis and vertebral height was made using pre-operative, post-operative and follow-up radiogram. Changes in neural canal compromise were measured in 18 cases of burst fractures. Failure of instrumentation occured in 9 cases which were carefully analyzed. Recently, we've constructed the system of which the Schanz screws would be directed divergently in sagittal plane in the hope that the load to the screws might be reduced, thus the failure rate.
Follow-Up Studies ; Hope ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Kyphosis ; Neural Tube ; Spine

No abstract available.
Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of residual amniotic fluid volume, as measured by the amniotic fluid index(AFI), on the prediction of latency period and perinatal outcomes in patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes(PPROM). METHODS: Study population consisted of 103 singleton pregnancies with PPROM between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation. Amniotic fluid index was determined using transabdominal ultrasound at admission. Latency period was defined as time interval in hours between admission and delivery. All medical records of mothers and neonates were reviewed. Spearman's rho rank correlation, receiver-operator characteristic(ROC) curve analysis, survival analysis and Cox's proportional hazard model were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant correlation between latency period and AFI at admission. ROC curve analysis showed that AFI at admission had a significant predictive value in the prediction of latency period < 48 hours. Survival analysis demonstrated that AFI < 5.0 was strongly associated with the likelihood of shorter latency period, Cox's proportional hazard model indicated that AFI < 5.0 was a significant independent predictor for the occurrence of latency period < 48 hours even after adjustment of other independent variables. The patients with AFI <5.0 had a higher rate of cesarean section due to fetal distress than those with AFI > 5.0 but the incidence of chorioamnionitis was not significantly different between two groups. Comparing the perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity including infectious morbidity between the neonates born to mothers with AFI <5.0 and those with AFI > 5.0, there was no significance after adjustment of gestational age at birth. CONCLUSION: AFI at admission has a significant correlation with latency period and predictive value in prediction of latency period in the patients with PPROM. AFI <5.0 is a independent predictor for the shorter latency period.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Latency Period (Psychology)* ; Medical Records ; Membranes* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Proportional Hazards Models ; ROC Curve ; Rupture* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal*

The computed tomography (CT) number is closely related to hematocrit level according to many of the previous reports. We measured the CT number in various organs, such as the frontal white matter, basal ganglia, occipital white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, liver, abdominal aorta, spleen, kidney, and psoas muscle. We correlated the CT numbers of the organs with hematocrit levels which were graded into 10% increments (20.0-29.9%, 30.0-39.9%, 40.0-49.9%). Thus the change of CT numbers in various organs according to the hematocrit level was analyzed. The increased CT numbers according to the 10% increment of hematocrit in the frontal white matter, basal ganglia, occipital white matter, liver, abdominal aorta, spleen, and psoas muscle were 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 3.3, 5.3, 3.8, 2.4 respectively. Even though the CT numbers of the cerebrospinal fluid and kidney were not influenced by hematocrit level the CT numbers in most of the there organs postitively correlated with hematocrit level. Therefore, it was concluded that in the differential diagnosis using CT numbers, the hematocrit level of patient must be taken into consideration.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Basal Ganglia ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematocrit* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Psoas Muscles ; Spleen ; White Matter

No abstract available.