PURPOSE: To evaluate the MR image in the differentiation of benign and malignant lesion in compression of the vertebral body. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 47 benign(acute traumatic within one month:19, chronic traumatic longer than one month or nontraumatic:28) and 21 metastatic compression fractures were respectively reviewed in terms of margin of lesions, signal intensity, paraspinal mass formation, soft tissue change, and involvement of posterior element of vertebra. MR images of TI-(T1WI) and T2*-weighted gradient echo (GE T2WI) sequences were obtained on 0.5T unit in sagittal and axial orientation with 5mm section thickness. RESULTS: The margin of benign compression fracture was usually indistinct (acute fracture:90% (17/19), chronic fracture:68% (19/28)), whereas it was sharply delineated in metastatic compression fracture (92%, (12/13) (p<0.001). Paraspinal mass was seen in both acute traumatic and metastatic compression fractures (acute fracture :26% (5/19), metastatic fracture: 52% (11/21). Soft tissue change was seen only in acute cornpression fractures (58%, 11/19). Involvement of posterior element of vertebra was noted in metastatic fracture (71%, 15/21), acute fracture (32%, 6/19) and chronic fracture (7%, 2/28) CONCLUSION: On MR imaging, involvement of entire portion of a given vertebral body, sharp margin between normal and abnormal areas in partially involved cases, paraspinal mass formation, and posterior element involvement are more frequently seen in metastatic compression fractures, which are considered to be useful in differentiation between benign and malignant causes of compression fracture.
Fractures, Compression* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine

Most insects including the honeybee cause erythema and edema at the site of a sting in non-allergic individuals. This reaction usually resolves within a few days. However, in certain cases, the persistence of inciting materials in the cutaneous tissue may promote a local inflammatory foreign body reaction. Localized nodular lesions were seen in our two patients and erythemstous patches were present in one patient due to rarely encountered complications induced by retained sting materials. In these cases histopathology showed multiple foci of foreign body granuloma containing yellow refraetile material in the center surrounded by histiocytes and foreign body giant cells. The granulomatous skin lesions in these patients were treated with intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide and partial excisions of the nodular masses were performed.
Bites and Stings ; Edema ; Erythema ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Granuloma* ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Insects ; Skin ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

Obesity is a leading risk factor for insulin resistance, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular complications, collectively referred to as metabolic diseases. Given the prevalence of obesity and its associated medical problems, new strategies are required to prevent or treat obesity and obesity-related metabolic effects. Here we summarize contributors of obesity, and molecular mechanisms controlling adipogenesis from studies in mammalian systems. We also discuss the possibilities of using Drosophila as a genetic model system to advance our understanding of players in fat biology.
Animals ; Drosophila/*physiology ; Humans ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*etiology/metabolism/prevention & control ; Obesity/*complications/metabolism/prevention & control ; PPAR gamma/metabolism/physiology

The immature teratoma is extremely rare tumor consisting of mature tissues and immature embryonal tissues. The immature teratoma in children occurs more frequently at the sacrococcygeal bone, testis and ovary. Only 9.5 percent of immature teratomas occur in retroperitoneum. Often the presenting manifestation is asymptomatic with increasing abdominal distention or mass discovered during physical examination. We report a case of congenital retroperitoneal immature teratoma in 3-week-old boy who was treated by surgical excision.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ovary ; Physical Examination ; Teratoma* ; Testis

To investigate long term effects of CAPD on the left ventricular function in end-stage renal disease patients, M-mode echocardiographic studies and measurement o fsystolic time intervals were performed in 20 CAPD cases, 28 hemodialysis cases and 29 uremic controls. Compared to the uremic control grup, the patients on CAPD treatment revealed significant improvement of ventricular contractility and reduction of volume. On the other hand in hemodialysis group, even though there was improvement of ventricular contractility, volume control was not adequate. In the systolic time interval measurement, it is postulated that increase of PEP/LVET ratio in CAPD group probably results from reduction of volume(preload) rather than from deranged ventricular function.
Echocardiography ; Hand ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Systole ; Ventricular Function ; Ventricular Function, Left

PURPOSE: We investigated the clinical results and MRI findings follow up after meniscal transplantation using fresh frozen meniscal allograft. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From Dec. 1999 to Dec. 2001, we evaluated 17 patients (12 cases: male, 5 cases: female) after meniscal transplantation using fresh frozen meniscal allograft. The patients performed the lateral meniscal transplantation were 12cases, the medial were 5cases. The average age was 32 years old (ranging from 19 to 50 years old), and was follow up period 18 months (ranging from 12 to 26 months). Among them we studied MRI findings in 16 patients and the postop-period was 16.9 months (ranging from 5 to 26 months). We analyzed the clinical data by applying KASS(knee assessment scoring system) & Lysholm knee score, and rehabilitation ability using of Tegner activity scale. It investigated the retrogressive changes of joint effusion, misfortune degree of meniscal location, intensity, tear and degenerative change which was made from the MRI. RESULTS: The follow up mean KASS score and Lysholm score were 84.3 (ranging from 61 to 94), and 81.1 (ranging from 63 to 90). Among the 17 patients, 15 patients showed good results. But painful swellings were 2 cases and intermitent locking symtom was 1 case. The MRI findings were 14 cases increasing signal intensity, 2 cases peripheral displacement, 2 cases partial meniscal tear and some degree effusions of 13 cases. CONCLUSION: The meniscal transplantation using fresh frozen allogrft came to be thought with the surgical method which improved the function of knee joint after operating it brought a successful result from the MRI.
Adult ; Allografts* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Rehabilitation

No abstract available.
Embryonic Development* ; Female ; Humans* ; Pregnancy ; Serum Albumin*

BACKGROUND: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common etiologic factor of cervical cancer. It was reported that the incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma was increased when normal women was infected with HPV. To date, for detection and classification of HPV, it were used by hybridization method using the DNA probe specific for HPV and in situ hybridization method for fixed paraffinized tissue, but reported that these methods were inadequate for detection of HPV DNA because of low sensitivity and complex procedure. Compared with these methods, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was reported as a highly sensitive molecular biologic technique which could detect the HPV DNA in the cervical epithelial cell of women. Thus we used PCR for the investigation of detection rate of HPV 16 and 18, and its relationship with Pap smear class in normal women. METHODS: In 86 normal women, we had extracted the HPV DNA from cervical swab samples and then detected the presence of HPV DNA by nested PCR. RESULTS: In the cases of 86 normal women, the detection rate for HPV DNA was about 7.0%. In the cases of 26 women with Pap smear class I, the HPV DNA was not detected. And in the cases of 60 women with Pap smear class II, the detection rate for HPV DNA was about 10.0%; HPV subtype 16 about 6.7%; HPV subtype 18 about 1.7%; and the coinfection rate of HPV subtype 16 and 18 about 1.7%. CONCLUSIONS: We think that women who was previously infected with high-risk HPV should be examined for Pap smear test in regular time interval, and if the result of Pap smear was abnormal, then should be examined for the presence of the HPV DNA.
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Classification ; Coinfection ; DNA ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Humans* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Incidence ; Papillomavirus Infections* ; Paraffin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

A small number of patients have been described in whom normal male development of the external genitalia has occurred but whom the Mullerian ducts persist. The retention of Mullerian structures can be ascribed to the failure of the Sertoli cells to synthesize Mullerian duct inhibitory factor or to a defect in the response of the duct to that factor. We experienced a case of persistent Mullerian duct syndrome. which is phenotypically normal male with bilateral undescended testes, bilateral fallopian tubes and a uterus. Herein we report a case with brief review of the literatures.
Cryptorchidism ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Male ; Mullerian Ducts ; Sertoli Cells ; Uterus

A small number of patients have been described in whom normal male development of the external genitalia has occurred but whom the Mullerian ducts persist. The retention of Mullerian structures can be ascribed to the failure of the Sertoli cells to synthesize Mullerian duct inhibitory factor or to a defect in the response of the duct to that factor. We experienced a case of persistent Mullerian duct syndrome. which is phenotypically normal male with bilateral undescended testes, bilateral fallopian tubes and a uterus. Herein we report a case with brief review of the literatures.
Cryptorchidism ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Male ; Mullerian Ducts ; Sertoli Cells ; Uterus