PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the scintigraphic findings and diagnostic accuracy of double-phase Tc-99m sestamibi scan in primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 16 cases of primary (18 lesions) and 11 cases of secondary HPT (44 lesions) who underwent Tc-99m-sestamibi scan before the surgical intervention. Scan was performed using LEM camera (Siemens, Germany) after the injection of 740MBq of Tc-99m sestamibi. Routine image consisted of baseline and 3-hour delayed images and each image was obtained using both parallel and pine hole collimator. The study population was 27 patients (male/female=5/22, age: 49.1+/-10.8). RESULTS: Eighteen lesions of primary HPT consisted of 13 adenomas and 5 hyperplasias, while all lesions of secondary HPT were hyperplasias. Among the case of primary HPT, we could detect all the lesions of 13 adenomas but only 2 lesions of 5 hyperplasias (40%) could be detected by double phase scintigraphy. Three cases of primary lesion showed decreased uptake in delayed images compared with baseline. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and accuracy of primary and secondary HPT were 58.8% (10/17), 83.3% (10/12), 83.3% (10/12), 75.9% (22/29), and 37.5% (15/40), 50% (2/4), 88.2% (15/17), 38.6% (17/44), respectively. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and accuracy were 43.9% (25/57), 75% (12/16), 86.2% (25/29), and 53.4% (39/73). There were no statistical difference between the weight of primary and secondary HPT lesion (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Tc-99m sestamibi scan is fairly good modality to detect parathyroid lesion in patient with primary HPT before the surgical intervention. However, since some of cases may reveal decreased uptake in delayed image, a careful attention to the findings of baseline images may be helpful. Still the low accuracy of sestamibi scan in diagnosis of secondary HPT prohibits routine use of it for this disease.
Adenoma ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary* ; Hyperplasia ; Parathyroid Glands ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The final degrees of education for the third and fourth authors were mutually misplaced.

PURPOSE: Suicide is a major concern for increasing mortality in bipolar patients, but risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder remain complex, including Korean patients. Medical records of bipolar patients were retrospectively reviewed to detect significant clinical characteristics associated with suicide attempts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 579 medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Bipolar patients were divided into two groups with the presence of a history of suicide attempts. We compared demographic characteristics and clinical features between the two groups using an analysis of covariance and chi-square tests. Finally, logistic regression was performed to evaluate significant risk factors associated with suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. RESULTS: The prevalence of suicide attempt was 13.1% in our patient group. The presence of a depressive first episode was significantly different between attempters and nonattempters. Logistic regression analysis revealed that depressive first episodes and bipolar II disorder were significantly associated with suicide attempts in those patients. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider the polarity of the first mood episode when evaluating suicide risk in bipolar patients. This study has some limitations as a retrospective study and further studies with a prospective design are needed to replicate and evaluate risk factors for suicide in patients with bipolar disorder.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bipolar Disorder/*complications/*psychology ; Depressive Disorder/complications/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Suicide, Attempted/*psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The development of androgenetic alopecia is thought to be caused by increased androgen action on the hair follicles in the genetically predisposed person. Although most reports about dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEA-S) and total testosterone in female androgenetic patients are within normal limits, there are some controversies about comparing the mean values of the patients with those of the normal control group. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the mean value of plasma DHEA-S and total testosterone of the patients with those of normal controls according to their ages, and evaluate relations between hormone levels and clinical type and hyperandrogenic symptoms(HAS). METHOD: We examined 60 female patients with androgenetic alopecia for clinical types, symptoms, family histories, and other systemic diseases. The mean value of the patients were compared with those of 42 normal controls according to ages, clinical types, and HAS. RESULTS: 1. Forty two cases(70.0%) were Ludwig type I, 16 cases(26.7%) were type II, 2 cases(3.3%) were type III. 26 cases(43.3%) were between 20-29 years, 19 cases(31.7%) were between 30-39 years. 2. Common age of onset was between 20-29years(23 cases, 38.3%) and below 19 years old(21 cases, 35.0%). 3. There were 32 cases(53.3%) who showed HAS and seborrhea was the most common symptom (20 cases). 4. There were 33 cases(55.0%) who showed a family history and the father was the most common relative(19 cases). Family history of first degree relative was 31 cases(51.7%). 5. Plasma DHEA-S levels of both patients and control group were all within normal limits, and there were no significant differences in the mean values between the patients ( 1633.03+/-736.31 ng/ml) and normal controls(1764.72+/-690.94 ng/ml). There were also no difference between the patients and controls according to their ages. 6. In total testosterone, 7 out of 60 patients and 3 out of 42 normal controls were beyond the normal limit and there were no significant differences in the mean values between the patients(0.548+/-0.386 ng/ml) and normal controls(0.563+/-0.501 ng/ml). There were also no differences between the patients and controls according to their ages. 7. There was no significant difference in the mean value of DHEA-S and total testosterone among type I, types II & III, and normal controls. 8. There was no significant difference in the mean value of DHEA-S and total testosterone among patients with HAS, without HAS, and normal controls. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in the mean values of plasma DHEA-S and total testosterone between the patients and normal controls and no significant differences in the mean values of hormone levels according to clinical type and HAS.
Age of Onset ; Alopecia* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Fathers ; Female* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Plasma ; Testosterone*

BACKGROUND: Periampullary cancer is a relatively common malignancy, and its incidence is increasing. Prognosis in these patients depends upon resection of the tumor because surgery is the only effective treatment for irradicating the disease. There has, therefore, been a renewed interest in the role of serological markers early diagnostic tools for periampullary cancer. The potential role of serological markers is not limited only to early detection, but may also be of assistance in the difficult clinical dilemma of differentiating periampullary cancer from other diseases. Furthermore, serological markers of periampullary cancer might be used in follow-up patients after treatment, particularly after surgical resection, in order to select those with minimal disease likely to respond better to adjuvant treatment and/or radiotherapy. METHODS: From March 1989 to May 1997, 54 patients were admitted to Sanggye Paik Hospital, InJe University, and had pathologically confirmed periampullary cancer. Of those, 28 patients underwent a biliary bypass or a drainage procedure [Group I], and the others received resection procedures (Whipple's operation or pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy)[Group II]. Preoperative and postoperative serum levels of bilirubin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9) were measured in all patients. We evaluated the relation of the postoperative increase or decrease in those tumor markers to survival, and we discuss the usefulness of those markers as prognostic indicators in periampullary cancer. In this study, we focused on the changes in the CEA and the CA19-9 levels as function of the serum bilirubin concentration change. RESULTS: The bilirubin, CEA, and CA19-9 concentrations decreased significantly in Groups I and II after operation. The correlation between the decreases of the bilirubin and the CEA levels was statistically significant, but that between the bilirubin and CA19-9 had no statistical significance, in spite of the fact that the preoperative and the postoperative tumor marker concentrations had changed markedly. The reason for the statistical insignificance of the CA19-9 result may be the its relatively small sample size and the wide standard variation. The overall median and mean survival time of Group I were 4 months and 11 months, respectively, and those of Group II were 17 months and 21 months. CONCLUSION: We found that the serum the CEA and the CA19-9 levels could be used as a useful prognostic indicator change according to the serum bilirubin concentration even after a biliary drainage procedure and a biliary bypass. We conclude that various biliary bypass and drainage procedures can be effective treatments in periampullary cancer. However, because it is thought that many tumor markers are greatly affected by hyperbilirubinemia, liver dysfunction or cholestasis, further studies of the exact mechanism for the decrease or the increase in the tumor marker level as a function of the serum bilirubin concentration are mandatory. Precise information obtained by using multivariate analysis of large samples is essential for more accurate evaluation.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Bilirubin* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Cholestasis ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Prognosis ; Pylorus* ; Radiotherapy ; Sample Size ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to define the role of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2i) in reducing hepatic fibrosis in pediatric patients with chronic liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2009 to September 2010, patients over 2 years old who visited our outpatient clinic for follow-up to manage their chronic liver disease after Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia, were included in this study. Volunteers were assigned to the study or control groups, according to their preference. A COX-2i was given to only the study group after obtaining consent. The degree of hepatic fibrosis (liver stiffness score, LSS) was prospectively measured using FibroScan, and liver function was examined using serum analysis before and after treatment. After 1 year, changes in LSSs and liver function were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (18 females and 7 males) were enrolled in the study group. The control group included 44 patients (26 females and 18 males). After 1 year, the least square mean values for the LSSs were significantly decreased by 3.91±0.98 kPa (p=0.004) only in the study group. Serum total bilirubin did not decrease significantly in either group. CONCLUSION: COX-2i treatment improved the LSS in patients with chronic liver disease after Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia.
Biliary Atresia/complications/enzymology/*surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology/pathology/*prevention & control ; Male ; *Portoenterostomy, Hepatic ; Thiazines/*therapeutic use ; Thiazoles/*therapeutic use

There are many kinds of treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) such as surgical resection, liver transplantation, chemotherapy, interventional therapy [TACE, ethanol embolization, Immuno -chemoembolization, I131 -lipiodol embolization], thermal therapy, cryotherapy, and radiation therapy. Generally spontaneous remission is not common in HCC, however underlying mechanism of spontaneous remission is uncertain. We report a case of complete remission after one time TACE in ruptured HCC with review of literature about the effect of TACE and spontaneous remission. We conclude that arterial embolization is an effective alternative to surgery for hepatic hemostasis in patients with spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cryotherapy ; Drug Therapy ; Ethanol ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Rupture, Spontaneous

Choriocarcinoma is a relatively rare malignancy of which characteristic is rapid metastasis to the other organs. It is related to the previous gestation or originated from the teratoma. Choriocarcinoma is mostly originated from the intrauterine chorionic villi, but it is rarely originated from the utreine cervix, fallopian tube, ovary, vagina and pelvic cavity. Primary choriocarcinoma of the fallopian tube is exceedingly rare and it is originated from ectopic tubal pregnancy, tubal migration from the intrauterine pregnancy or intratubal teratoma. 9 Symptoms and signs of the choriocarcinoma originated from the ectopic pregnancy are abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, palpable adnexal mass, positive pregnancy test and amenorrhea. Thus it is difficult to distinguish choriocarcinoma from ectopic pregnancy on the basis of symptoms before the microscopic diagnosis presented.20 Effective treatment of choriocarcinoma is chemotherapy. Additional operation is possible. B-HCG is a useful measure for the follow up. We experienced a 36-year-old multigravida Korean woman who was diagnosed as the rupture of ectopic pregnancy after left salpingectomy in our hospital and then confirmed primary choriocarcinoma of the fallopian tube without metastasis on microscopic finding. Postoperative chemotherapy was performed with methotrexate. The follow up of disease is still on going at two month intervals and she has remained healthy, We report this case with review of literatures.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Cervix Uteri ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Chorionic Villi ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methotrexate ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Tests ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Rupture ; Salpingectomy ; Teratoma ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Vagina

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological differences between T1N1M0 and T2N0M0, particularly the survival rates, and the role of chemotherapy in the stage Ib gastric cancer. METHODS: From January 1992 to December 1999, 118 cases were confirmed as having stage Ib gastric cancer in the Korea University Medical Center. Among them 31 patients were classified as being T1N1M0 and the other 87 cases were T2N0M0. The clinicopathological features and the prognosis were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate of the stage Ib gastric cancer patients was 94%. Overall 5-year survival rates in T1N1M0 and T2N0M0 were 100% and 91%, respectively. Though T1N1M0 group showed better prognosis, there was no significant difference between two groups (P=0.14). D1, D2, and D2+alpha resections were performed in 28 cases (23.7%), 81 (68.6%), and 9 (7.6%), respectively, and there was no difference in the survival rate (P>0.05). The 5-year survival rates were analyzed according to whether or not they had received chemotherapy. There was a 98% 5-year survival rate with those who had chemotherapy and a 90% 5-year survival rate with those who had not had chemotherapy, but there was no significant difference between them (P=0.18). In the T2N0M0 group, the 5 year survival rates of patients with or without chemotherapy were 97% and 86%, respectively, but there was no significant difference (P=0.16). CONCLUSION: Though T1N1M0 group showed a better prognosis than the T2N0M0 group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.14). There was no significant survival difference between D1, D2, or D2+alpha procedures. It appears that post operative intravenous chemotherapy does not affect the prognosis of stage Ib gastric cancer, and the role of the chemotherapy in patients with T2N0M0 diseases is minimal.
Academic Medical Centers ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Korea ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Direct puncture by a needle is a risk factor for nerve damage. This study was designed to demonstrate nerve damage caused by a needle using the synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. METHODS: A 15 mm section of rat (Male Spargue-Dawley, about 250 grams) sciatic nerves were involved in this study. The nerve specimen for the experiment (N = 5) was punctured 5 times by a needle (25 G, 100 beveled) under general anesthesia with enflurane. The needle was placed perpendicular to the nerve and the needle bevel was placed parallel to the nerve. The SAXS patterns of the punctured nerves, extracted about 15 min prior to the experiment, were acquired after 1 week. The SAXS patterns of a normal sciatic nerve (N = 5), extracted about 15 min prior to the experiment, were measured in order to provide a comparison. Experiments were carried out at 4C1 beamline at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory in Korea. Incoming X-rays were monochromatized at 11 keV using a double multilayer (WB4C) monochromator; the beam size was around 0.5 (V) x 0.8 (H) mm2. The exposure time was 60 sec, and 8 to 12 images were acquired per sample with a 0.5 mm interval. RESULTS: In the punctured group, the periodic peaks of myelin sheath and collagen fiber were not changed. However, the periodic peaks of interfibrillar distance of collagen were greatly changed. CONCLUSIONS: Direct needle-nerve impalement did not cause damages in myelin sheath and collagen fibers when the needle was placed perpendicular and the needle bevel paralleled to the nerve fiber. This result can imply that the needle slipped into the interfibrillar packing of collagen fibrils.
Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Collagen ; Enflurane ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Korea ; Myelin Sheath ; Needles* ; Nerve Fibers ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries* ; Punctures ; Rats* ; Risk Factors ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Synchrotrons*