PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of the arterial phase of dynamic spiral CT in the detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared with the late phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two phase spiral CT images of seventeen patients with pathologically proven pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas were compared retrospectively. CT scans were performed with 5mm collimation at 1:1 pitch table speed. Images of arterial and late phases were obtained at 35 seconds and 180 seconds after initiation of administration of 100mL of contrast material(3mL/sec), respectively. Images of the arterial phase were compared with those of the late phase. RESULTS: Images of the arterial phase showed sufficient contrast between the tumor and adjacent pancreatic parenchyma in 12 cases, insufficient in four cases, and no significant contrast in one case. Images of the late phase showed sufficient contrast in five cases, insufficient in five cases, and no significant contrast in seven cases. Images of the arterial phase was superior to that of the late phase in 12 patients(70.6%). In six of the 12 patients, only the images of the arterial phase showed contrast between the tumor and the adjacent parenchyma. The images of late phase showed only one case of three metastasis detected on the images of the arterial phase. CONCLUSION: The arterial phase of spiral CT is superior to the late phase that is comparable with conventional CT in the detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Decompression* ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament*

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to evaluate the expression of p53 and bcl-2 protein in the adenocarcinoma of gallbladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three cases of adenocarcinoma of gallbladder were immunohistochemically stained for p53 and bcl-2 protein. RESULTS: p53 protein was expressed in 51.5%(17/33) of adenocarcinoma. p53 protein expression was not significantly correlated with histologic grade of adenocarcinoma, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and TNM stage, respectively(p>0.05). bcl-2 protein was expressed in 12.1%(4/33) of adenocarcinoma. bcl-2 protein expression was not significantly correlated with tumor size, histologic grade, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and TNM stage, respectively(p>0.05). There is no correlation between expression of p53 and bcl-2 in gallbladder adenocarcioma(p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggest that p53 gene mutation plays an important role in carcinogenesis of gallbladder adenocarcinoma. The role of bcl-2 protein in gallbladder adenocarcinoma may be not significant.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Gallbladder* ; Genes, p53 ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis

In man the epiglottis is a thin lamella of yellow elastic cartilage. The upper part is free and is known asleaf and lower part participates in the formation of the anterior wall of the vestibule of the larynx. Theipithelial covering extends forwards onto the base of the tongue over the medial glossoepiglottic folds. The sidesof epiglottis are connected with the cartilages of Wrisberg and arytenoid cartilage by the aryepiglottic fold. Inview of these anatomical complexities, the function and physiology of the epiglottis have been debated sinceMagendi(1815), who proposed the theory that the epiglottis acts as a flap valve to prevent food entering thewindpipe, and who found that he could remove the free part of the epiglottis in dog without spoiling the dog.Follwoing the introduction of laryngoscopy(Garcia, 1815; Liston, 1840; Czermark, 1861) and modern cineradiographicequipments in 1950's, the anatomy and physiology of epiglottis has become much clearrer. Age as it is seen on thelateral x-ray of the neck. In the present study we have made an attempt to systematically analyze aging changes ofthe epiglottis in the lateral x-ray of the neck in 245 healthy adults. The age ranged from 16 to 65 years old.Based on our observation the epiglottis was classified into type A, B, and C according to their curvatures. Thus,type A represented those with posterior curvature, type B those with straight epiglottis and type C anteriorcurvature. Type C was sudivided into I, II and III according to the degree of curvature. Thus, type C-I, C-II andC-III represented mild, moderated and marked anterior curvature, respectively. Type A epiglottis was found in thesecond, third and fourth decades and type C-III in the older age group. Type A was least comon and type C mostprevalent. It seems that the epiglottis inclines anteriorly with backward curvature with age (p<0.0001).
Adult ; Aging ; Animals ; Arytenoid Cartilage ; Cartilage ; Dogs ; Elastic Cartilage ; Epiglottis ; Humans ; Larynx ; Neck ; Physiology ; Tongue

Hydroxychloroquine, an 4-amino-quinoline, has been used widely for the treatment of lupus erythematosus due to its anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory activities, as well as for the treatment of malaria. A 37-year-old woman who was suspected as lupus erythematosus and treated with hydroxychloroquine for 3 weeks was seen with exfoliated annular patches and pustules on the trunk, neck, and extremities. Histological examination showed subcorneal and spongiform neutrophilic pustules with perivascular lymphocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils infiltrations. The patient had been treated with systemic steroid and antihistamine. The pustular lesions had improved 2 weeks later without recurrence. The causative drug was confirmed by a positive patch test.
Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis ; Adult ; Eosinophils ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Lymphocytes ; Malaria ; Neck ; Neutrophils ; Patch Tests ; Recurrence

PURPOSES: Radiologic findings of hands in Turner syndrome(TS) which have been reported were metacarpal sign(MS), carpal sign(CS), phalangeal sign(PS), osteopenia, and delayed bone maturation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the difference of radiologic findings in TS, idiopathic short stature(ISS), and growth hormone deficiency(GHD). METHODS: Sixty girls with short stature were studied for chromosome analysis, and growth hormone provocation test. Simple radiography of hands was also used in this study. They were divided into three groups; 25 cases of TS(45, XO, 13 cases; variants, 12 cases), 24 cases of ISS, and 11 cases of GHD. MS was the distance between the line drawn tangential to the heads of the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones and the distal end of the third metacarpal head. CS was the angle between the line tangential to scaphoid and lunate and the line tangential to lunate and triquetrum. PS was the difference between the sum of the length of distal and proximal phalanges of the fourth finger and the length of the fourth metacarpus. Frequency of osteopenia and the shortening of the fifth middle phalanx among three groups were compared. RESULTS: MS was 0.06+/-4.66 mm in TS, -1.96+/-1.83 mm in ISS, and -2.63+/-30 mm in GHD. CS was 116.54+/-11.52degreein TS, 129.42+/-5.52degreein ISS, and 125.54+/-7.22degreein GHD. PS was 0.52+/-0.34 mm in TS, 0.38+/-0.20 mm in ISS, and 0.33+/-0.20 mm in GHD. There were statistically significant differences between TS and ISS, between TS and GHD, respectively in MS, CS, and PS(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in MS, CS, and PS between 45, XO and variants of TS. Osteopenia was observed in 92.3% of TS, and 54.2% of ISS, and 81.8% of GHD. Shortening of the fifth middle phalanx was observed in 56.0% of TS, 25.0% of ISS, and 45.5% of GHD. CONCLUSION: Simple radiologic findings of hands are helpful in differential diagnosis of TS and other short stature children.
Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fingers ; Growth Hormone ; Hand* ; Head ; Humans ; Metacarpal Bones ; Metacarpus ; Radiography ; Turner Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Movement Disorders* ; Radiosurgery*

Cushing's disease is an ACTH-producing pituitary corticotrope adenoma. This pituitary adenoma exhibits an unrestrained ACTH secretion resulting in hypercortisolemia. A 27-year-old female visited us with a 3-year history of diffuse hair loss on the scalp. Her past medical history included recently-developed hypertension and 10 years of increased weight gain and oligomenorrhea. Central obesity, hirsutism, acne, violet striae on the abdomen, lower and upper extremities, and christmas tree-shaped alopecia on the scalp were observed upon physical examination. The secretion of cortisol was not suppressed in both a low and high dose dexamethasone suppression test. A brain MRI detected a pituitary microadenoma in the sella turcica. Based on the clinical and laboratory findings, we diagnosed androgenetic alopecia associated with Cushing's disease. After surgical removal of the pituitary adenoma, the alopecia showed a remarkable improvement. We report a case of Cushing's disease found in a patient with androgenetic alopecia.
Abdomen ; Acne Vulgaris ; Adenoma ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Adult ; Alopecia* ; Brain ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Hair ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Oligomenorrhea ; Physical Examination ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Scalp ; Sella Turcica ; Upper Extremity ; Viola ; Weight Gain

An in-house prepared M. furfur antigen was used to carry out a seroprevalence study in an urban population in Malaysia by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 800 serum samples from all ages screened, 738 samples were positive for M. furfur specific IgG, giving an overall seropositive rate of 92.3%. There was no significant difference in the seropositive rates among the different gender group and races. However, there was a statistical significant difference in the seropositive rate among different age groups with a lower rate (73%) for the age group 5 years old and below, which increased rapidly to 99% for the 16 to 20 years old age group but declined slightly for the oldest age group. The degree of seropositivity, which semi-quantitatively reflect the anti-M. furfur specific IgG titre, did not show any significant difference among the gender and racial groups. On the other hand, there was a significant difference in the degree of seropositivity among the various age groups, with the 16 to 20 years old age group having the highest antibody titre and the extreme of age groups having the lower antibody titre.
Age Group Unspecified ; seconds ; Upper case emm ; Malaysia ; Old-age

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to examine the healthy lifestyle influenced on the metabolic syndrome among the elderly in the rural area. We examined the changes of risk factors of metabolic syndrome after two years. METHOD: Out of 134 who did health screening at the J county health center from July 1 to August 31, 2006, 65 aged people confirmed to metabolism syndrome were selected as subjects. For the final analysis, 62 aged people who revisited after two years were selected our subjects. The data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12.0 program for descriptive, Chi-square test, t-test and ANOVA analysis. RESULT: The result of this study indicated that 62 metabolic syndrome patients in 2006 decreased into 53, and women were higher than men. The difference in the metabolic syndrome came from level of education, smoking, health practices, and past illness history. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the change of lifestyle needs to be induced by the level of education, and for the group of smoking, non-exercise, and past illness history not only regular checkups to prevent metabolic syndrome but also education to have interest on themselves may need intensively.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Porphyrins ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking