MRI (magnetic resonance imaging ) had been the most up-to-dated modality in evaluating white matter disease in recent years, whereas US (ultrasonogram) has been used extensively in diagnosis of neonatal PVL(periventricular leukomalacia) conventionally. We evaluated the diagnostic value of MRI by reviewing the MR findings and correlation of MR and US of PVL in II preterm infants. Evaluation criteria were MR signal intensity and discrimination of PVL on each pulse sequences land comparision between MR and US findings performed simultaneously, on the extent of PVL, size of the largest cyst and detectability of hemorrhagic lesion. MR findings of 11 cases of PVL were of low signal patterns on T1WI (T1weighted image) in 7, low signal patterns of PDWI (proton density weighted image) in 9, iso signal patterns on T2WI(T2weighted image) in 8 and low signal patterns on STIR(short time inversion recovery) in 7 cases. The lesions of 11 PVL were well discriminated in all 11 cases of T1WI, 7 cases of STR, 5 case of PDWE and 2 cases of T2WI. The lateral ventricle was diffuse dilated (n=1) and focally dilated (n=3) in atrial area. In the comparative study, MR presented more extensive lesions in 7 cases, larger cysts in 6 cases out of 7 PVL and more definitive hemorrhage in 3 cases out of 4 cases than sonography. In conclusion MR was more valuable than sonography in evaluating the extent of lesions, size of the largest cystic lesion and detetion of hemorrhage. TIWI and STIR images were more useful in detection of PVL than T2WI and PDWI.
Diagnosis ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Lateral Ventricles ; Leukoencephalopathies ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND: Current status of external quality assessment (EQA) of laboratory tests for syphilis in Korea was analyzed to find out the problems that should be improved in the future. METHODS: Based on the data from the external quality assessment program performed twice a year by the Immunoserology Subcommittee of the Korean Association of Quality Assurance for Clinical Laboratory from the year 2004 to 2006, discordance rates were analyzed according to the test method and commercial kit used. RESULTS: Among the laboratories participating in the EQA program for syphilis test, about 90% of them used non-treponemal tests and about 55% treponemal tests. The non-treponemal tests included RPR (rapid plasma reagin) and VDRL tests used in 88% (363/412) and 11% (45/412), respectively, of the laboratories. The discordance rates were 2.2% for RPR test and 3.6% for VDRL. For the treponemal tests, Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) was used in 60-76% and Immunochromatography assay (ICA) in about 30% of the laboratories in 2006. A high discordance rate of over 10% was reported in both TPHA and in ICA methods, possibly due to a low titer (1:1 in VDRL) of EQA samples in 2005. Analysis of the accumulated data from year 2004 to 2006 showed that the discordance rates of TPHA, ICA, and FTA-ABS were 4.6%, 3.7%, and 2.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For syphilis tests, RPR test, TPHA, and ICA are mainly used in Korea. A high discordance rate is still reported in TPHA and ICA, especially when testing samples with a low titer. Further analysis of data and education of laboratory personnel are needed for the improvement of the EQA program.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; False Positive Reactions ; Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality Control ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Syphilis/*diagnosis ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis/methods/*standards ; Treponema Immobilization Test

BACKGROUND: Maternal serum triple marker screening has become standard in prenatal care to help identify women at risk for neural tube defects (NTDs), trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards' syndrome). This study was undertaken to evaluate the results of maternal serum triplemarker screening performed in pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital and to assess the effectiveness of prenatal triple-marker screening. METHODS: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and unconjugated estriol (uE3) were measured by radioimmunoassay (Amerlex-M 2nd Trimester Kit, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Amersham, Aylesbury, UK) in 506 pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital. Women at risk for NTDs, trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 were identified using the computer program (HIT Program). Amniocentesis with chromosome analysis was performed in women who had positive screening results. RESULTS: Positive screening results were found in 41 (8.1%) women among 506 pregnant women who had undergone prenatal triple-marker screening between 14 and 22 weeks of gestation. Of these 41 women, 39 (7.7%) had a positive screening results for Down syndrome and 2 (0.4%) for NTDs. Thirty-two women with positive screening results for Down syndrome chose amniocentesis for chromosomal analysis, of which the results showed normal in 28 (87.5%), inv(9) in 3 (9.4%) and 48, XXY, +18 in 1 (3.1%). Although all but one of the fetuses with normal karyotypes and inv(9) were born with normal phenotypes, one pregnancy with 48, XXY, +18 was terminated due to fetal death in-utero. One of 2 pregnancies affected with NTDs was correctly identified, showing meningocele, abdominal wall defect and scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm chromosome abnormalities or congenital anomalies in about 5% of the pregnancies with positive triple-marker screening results, suggesting an effective prenatal screening test. It has been found that the presence of inv(9) in fetuses might be accompanied by false-positive results for Down syndrome.
Abdominal Wall ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Amniocentesis ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Estriol ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetus ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening* ; Meningocele ; Neural Tube Defects ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Radioimmunoassay ; Scoliosis ; Trisomy

No abstract available.

Juvenile granulosa cell tumor is rare but one of the common congenital testicular neoplasms. Although histological features are typical of its ovarian counterpart, testicular juvenile granulosa cell tumor has a distinctly different clinical presentation. We report a case of juvenile granulosa cell tumor arising in the cryptochid testis of a 4-day-old newborn. A 6 5 5 cm sized multilocular cyst containing thick, mucinous fluid was found in the peritoneal cavity. The external surface of the cyst was smooth and the septae were relatively thin. The cyst consisted of numerous mucin-filled, cystic follicles lined by cells having vacuolated cytoplasm and round to oval dark nuclei without grooves. Cells resembling granulosa cells of an ovarian follicle were also observed in the intervening stroma forming irregular solid nests.
Cryptorchidism* ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Granulosa Cell Tumor* ; Granulosa Cells* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mucins ; Ovarian Follicle ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis

Eczema herpeticum is a herpes simplex virus infection with disseminated skin involvement superimposed on a pre-existing dermatosis. Dariers disease has been reported to be among the dermatoses susceptible to the sudden onset of a widespread vesicular eruption accompanied by high fever known as Kaposis varicelliform eruption. We report a case of eczema herpeticum in a 46-year-old woman associated with Dariers disease.
Darier Disease* ; Eczema* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption* ; Middle Aged ; Simplexvirus ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

In order to study the clinical characteristics of primary acute angle closure glaucoma, we analyzed the data of 72 eyes from 63 patients with the disease from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1993 to the Department of Ophthalmology of Chonnam University Hospital. The mean age of the patients was 63.3 years and female and male ratio was 5.9:1. And the mean IOP at first visit was 53.2 mmHg. There was no significant difference of rop between right and left eyes, and 11 patients had the disease in both eyes. 38% of the patients developed the disease in winter time. The development of the disease was closely associated with physical illness and emotional stress. 39 eyes(49.3%) of them was required filtering surgery because medication and laser treatment was insufficient to lower IOP.
Female ; Filtering Surgery ; Glaucoma, Angle-Closure* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Ophthalmology ; Stress, Psychological ; Trabeculectomy

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

No abstract available.
Hypoglycemia*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patency, procedure related complications and effectiveness of Wallstent application to the malignant biliary obstruction as a palliative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical results, duration of survival, patency rate and complication of the Wallstent application on 33 patients who had had obstructive jaundice by the malignant lesion in recent 3 years. One or two step procedures. were mainly taken with 10mm diameter Wallstents. Grouping according to place the stent at the hilum or not, and grouping according to place the stent through the ampulla or not were done to evaluate the difference of the patency and survival rate between the groups. RESULTS: Biliary endoprosthesis with Wallstent were successfully placed in all patients without difficulty. Procedure related short-term complication rate was about 18.1% (n=6/33). Complications were fever(n=4), cholecystitis(n=1) and sepsis(n=l). Long-term complications were mainly obstruction(n=9/31) of the Wallstent during the follow-up period. Also cholecystitis occurred in one patient 3 months later. Mean survival duration was 139.72 (46-237)days ormong those who expired. Mean patency duration of stents was 139.67 (26-310) days. Survival rates were 93.5% at the second month, 68.8% at the third month, 61.2% at the 4th month, 53.5% at the 5th month, 49.1% at the 7th month and 35.7% at the 9th month. Patency rates were 93.7% at the second month, 84.2% at the 4th month, 66.9% at the 5th month, 59.5% at the 7th month and 39.6% at the 10th month. The application was repeated in the 6 patients with stent occlusion. Significant statistical difference could not be found between the groups according to placing the stent at the hilum and according to placing the stent through the ampulla. Patency rates were higher than survival rates in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Wallstent application provides good palliation with little discomfort and few complications in the patients with malignant obstructive jaundice.
Cholecystitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Palliative Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Survival Rate