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*

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

A rat model of focal cerebral ischelma has been established by mhe tecbnique of elecvrocamtery for me middle oerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). We investigated mhe effect of naloxone pretreatment on the size of infarction and the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) Another purpose of this study was to determine the effecbve dose (high-or lowdose) in focal cerebral ischemia. The rats were given Img/Kg I.v. (low-dose), 4mg/Kg I.v. (high-dose) of naloxone 30 min before MCAO and infused continuously with 0.5mg/Kg/hr (low dose) or 2mg/Kg/hr (high-dose) over next I hour by am infusion pump. The control group was given normal salin of the same amount by the same method. Dunng the peDod of saline amd naloxone infusion, mean arterial blood pressure was monitored. Arterial blood gas analysis and blood glucose measuremert were performed just after MCAO. The rectal temperature of rat was maintained within 37)0.5C by a heating lamp. Twenty-fow hours after MCAO, eight 2mm-thick coronal sections of one rat brain were stained by TTC solution and the size of infarction was described as the percentage of ipsilateral hemisphere. The rCBFs were measured by an autoradiography using 14C-iodoantipyrine and the chamges of rCBFs were analyzed by three methods of (1) rCBF ratio, (2) 1 mm-serial rCBF measurement of cerebral cortex, and (3) areas of rCBF below critical values(<25, 25-50, <50ml/100g/min). The results were as follows; 1. There was no significamt chamge of blood pressure during the infusion of saline. Iow-dose and high-dose naloxones 2. Arterial blood gas amalysis amd blood glucose measurement showed that there were no significant differences of pH, PC02, PO2 and blood glucose between saline and low dose and high-dose naloxone groups 3. High-dose naloxone pretreatment reduced significantly the size of infarction(p<0.05 vs saline-treated group by Mann-Whitney U test). 4. High-dose naloxone pretreatment improved significantly the rCBF ratios of caudate head and CA 3 area (p<0.05 vs. saline-treated group by Mann-Whitney U test) There was no significant improvement of rCBF ratios in the low-dose naloxone treated group. 5. One-mm serial rCBF measurement of cerebral cortex indicated that while low-dose naloxone group showed no improvement of rCBF of cerebral cortex, high-dose nalox one pretreatment produced an improvement of rCBF in penumbra and its neighboring area 6. The area below 25ml/100g/min or rCBF was reduced significantly by high-dose naloxone pretreatment(high-dose naloxone group: 15.0+4.1mm2, saline group:23.3)5.3 mm2, p <0.05). In summary these results indicate that high-dose naloxone pretreatment reduced the size of infarction and improved the rCBFs in the focal cerebral ischemia of rats.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Arteries ; Autoradiography ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Cerebral Cortex ; Head ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Infarction* ; Infusion Pumps ; Models, Animal ; Naloxone* ; Rats*