PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the reproducibility of the quantitative assessment of segmental wall motion and systolic thickening provided by an automatic quantitation algorithm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tc-99m-MIBI gated myocardial SPECT with dipyridamole stress was performed in 31 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (4 with single, 6 with two, 11 with triple vessel disease; ejection fraction 51+/-14%) twice consecutively in the same position. Myocardium was divided into 20 segments. Segmental wall motion and systolic thickening were calculated and expressed in mm and % increase respectively, using AutoQUANTTM software. The reproducibility of this quantitative measurement of wall motion and thickening was tested. RESULTS: Correlations between repeated measurements on consecutive gated SPECT were excellent for wall motion (r=0.95) and systolic thickening (r=0.88). On Bland-Altman analysis, two standard deviation was 2 mm for repeated measurement of segmental wall motion, and 20% for that of systolic thickening. The weighted kappa values of repeated measurements were 0.807 for wall motion and 0.708 for systolic thickening. Sex, perfusion, or segmental location had no influence on reproducibility. CONCLUSION: Segmental wall motion and systolic thickening quantified using AutoQUANTTM software on gated myocardial SPECT offers good reproducibility and is significantly different when the change is more than 2 mm for wall motion and more than 20% for systolic thickening.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Dipyridamole ; Humans ; Myocardium ; Perfusion ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Blastocyst* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Glucose* ; Mice*

The pubic louse, Pthirus pubis is a blood-sucking ectoparasite adapted to hold onto pubic, axillary and body hairs. It is usually confined to the pubic and inguinal region. However, it may also rarely involve the scalp and eyelashes. We report two cases of phthiriasis occurring on unusual sites, the first case occurring on the scalp of a 5 month-old male infant, and the second case on the eyelashes of a 49-year-old fe-male.
Eyelashes ; Hair ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phthiraptera ; Scalp

No abstract available.
Hypophysectomy*

OBJECTIVE: Electrodiagnostic test has shown diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS). This study was to evaluate the correlation between clinical outcome of endoscopic carpal tunnel ligament release(ECTR) and the predictive value of sensory nerve conduction. METHODS: From January 1998 to December 2004, 87 patients (44 right hand, 37 left hand, 6 bilateral hands) with CTS who underwent ECTR were followed up in our hospital for an average of 2.4 months. We retrospectively analyzed the results with previous medical records. All patients underwent electrodiagnostic test and ECTR. The patients were divided into three groups according to the electrodiagnostic test results. Group (A) was normal sensory nerve response, Group (B) was slowing sensory response and Group (C) was no sensory response. Improvement of the symptom after ECTR was assessed using a visual analogue scale(VAS) score. RESULTS: Differences between the three groups on the correlation of severity of sensory potential and duration of preoperative symptoms were significant. The mean value of improved VAS scores for the three groups were 6.0+/-0.96 in the Group A, 6.11+/-0.48 in the Group B and 6.14+/-0.53 in the Group C. There was no statistically significant difference between the severity of sensory nerve response and improvement in VAS score after ECTR. Complications included a wound infection, a case of skin necrosis, and two patients with persistent symptoms without any improvement. CONCLUSION: Although electrodiagnostic test has been known to be useful, sensory nerve response is considered not to be a good prognostic value for carpal tunnel syndrome after ECTR.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Hand ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Medical Records ; Necrosis ; Neural Conduction* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Wound Infection

OBJECTIVE: Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are two minimally invasive procedures for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the radiological findings and clinical outcomes between two procedures. METHODS: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures were treated in 76 vertebrae, using kyphoplasty (n=35 vertebrae) and using vertebroplasty (n=41 vertebrae). Fractured vertebral bodies were diagnosed by correlating the clinical symptoms with radiologic study. The responses of pain symptoms were measured by a self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score. Plain X-rays were checked preoperatively and postoperatively at admission and 6 months. The vertebral body height and kyphotic angle were measured to assess the reduction of the sagittal alignment. RESULTS: The mean pain scores were decreased significantly for both procedures postoperatively, but there were no significant differences between two groups. Kyphoplasty led to a significant reduction of the vertebral body height and improvement of kyphotic angle. There were no neurological deficits after kyphoplasty, but one patient experienced paraparesis after vertebroplasty. During the 6 months follow-up both procedures provided stabilization of the sagittal alignment. CONCLUSION: Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are considered effective minimally invasive techniques for the stabilization of osteoporotic vertebral body fractures, leading to a statistically significant reduction in pain. Kyphoplasty significantly restore sagittal alignment. Also, complications and the incidence of bone cement leakage are significantly lesser than vertebroplasty. Therefore, kyphoplasty seems to be reasonable procedure for osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures when medical treatment fail.
Body Height ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kyphoplasty* ; Kyphosis ; Osteoporosis ; Paraparesis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty* ; Visual Analog Scale

Leukotrienes (LTs) are known to act as a mediator provoking tissue response in inflammation. LTs, particularly type B4 (LTB4) as chemotactic factor of neutrophil are released from neutrophils and gastric mucosal cells when these cells are stimulated by Helicobacter pylori. The present study was performed to test a possibility that eupatilin may prevent the H. pylori-induced gastric cell damage by observing whether this chemical inhibit the release of LTB4 from H. pylori-stimulated gastric cells (Kato III) and neutrophils. As observed in the previous study, H. pylori induced the release of LTB4 from these cells and at the same influx of Ca2+ into the cells. In the presence of eupatilin, the release of LTB4 was inhibited whereas Ca2+ influx was not affected. Probably eupatilin may inhibit the release of LTB4 by preventing the synthesis of LTs. These results suggest that eupatilin can has a therapeutic effect on H. pylori-induced gasric cell damage.
Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Inflammation ; Leukotriene B4* ; Leukotrienes ; Neutrophils*

It has been implicated that leukotrienes play roles in the pathogenesis of gastritis and gastric ulceration associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Rebamipide is being used as an antiulcer drug but it's mechanism of action has not been understood well. One possible mechanism of action of this drug is to inhibit the cellular release of leukotrienes by various stimuli, particularly H. pylori. In the present study, attempts were made to test this possibility and the results are as follows. When Kato III cells (gastric adenoma cells) were stimulated by H. pylori, leukotriene D4 (LTD4) was released and rebamipide inhibited this release dose-dependently. Similar experiment was performed on neutrophils because the infilteration of neutrophils is a common phenomenon in H. pylori-infected gasrtric tissues. Neutrophils released LTD4 when these cells were stimulated by H. pylori and rebamipide also inhibited this release. Furthermore, rebamipide inhibited the release of LTD from neutrophils induced by calcium ionophore A23187 and arachidonic acid. The results suggest that rebamipide has the action to inhibit the release of LTD4 from various cells and this action may contribute in part to prevent the ulcerogenesis induced by H. pylori.
Adenoma ; Arachidonic Acid ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Leukotriene D4* ; Leukotrienes ; Neutrophils ; Stomach Ulcer

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infertility* ; Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of a method of assigning patients to a vaginal or laparoscopically assisted vaginal approach to hysterectomy. METHOD: Hysterectomy is the most common gynecologic operation. A clinical evaluation was attempted to analyze 100 cases of LAVH which was performed at St. Paul hospital from May 1997 to March 2000, and to compare them with 100 cases of vaginal hysterectomy at the same hospital. we used simple electrosurgical technique without using the disposable staples and other instruments. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients for LAVH was 46.18 years and that of VTH was 50.23 years. The most common indication for LAVH and VTH was Myoma uteri. The mean Hb change in LAVH was 2.15 and the Hb change of VTH was 2.17. The mean operative time of LAVH was 142.96 minutes and that of VTH was 77.06 minutes. The mean weight of uterus for LAVH was 221g and the mean weight of VTH was 182 g. The total percentage of urinary tract injury for LAVH was 3 % and that for VTH was 2 %. CONCLUSION: VTH, if possible, must be considered as a primary choice since it is were efficient than LAVH in cost, cosmetic aspects and complications. Further LAVH may be replaced with a laparotomy for hysterectomy in case of an insufficient operational experience, a previous abdominal operation hystory and the incapability of being indicated for VTH.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Laparotomy ; Myoma ; Operative Time ; Urinary Tract ; Uterus