PURPOSE: To clarify the chracteristic sonographic features of benign soft tissue tumors and to evaluate the usefulness of sonographic imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed ultrasonographic images of 70 cases in 68 patients with histologically proved benign soft tissue tumors. RESULTS: The tumors included 33 lipomas, 11 hemangiomas. 11 lymphangiomas, 7 neurilemmomas, 4 epidermold cysts, 2 fibromas, 1 mesenchymoma, and 1 myxoma. The SOhographic appearances of the lesions were mainly solid in 53 cases(33 lipomas, 8 hemangiomas, 2 lymphangiomas, 7 neurilemmomas, 2 fibromas and 1 mesenchymoma), mainly cystic in 14 cases(1 hemangioma, 8 lymphangiomas, 4 epidermoid cysts, and 1 myxoma), and mixed in 3 cases(2 hemangiomas and 1 lymphangioma). Although an accurate histologic prediction could not be made in most cases, certain patterns appeared to be characteristic of specific tumor types. 26 cases(78%) of lipoma were seen as lentiform, iso- or hyperechoic, solid mass. Hemangioma had variable appearance and chacteristic calcifications were seen in 3 cases. Unicameral or multiseptated cystic mass with variable thickness of echogenic septa and solid portion was the characteristic finding of lymphangioma. Neurilemmoma showed Iobulated, oval to round, relatively hypoechoic mass with or without internal cystic portion. CONCLUSION: Sonographic evaluation of benign soft tissue tumros is useful in demonstrating the location, size, extent, and internal characteristics of the mass. A relatively confident diagnosis can be made when the characteristic features of the benign soft tissue tumor are present on sonographic imaging.
Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst ; Fibroma ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Lymphangioma ; Mesenchymoma ; Myxoma ; Neurilemmoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To evaluate injury patterns of facet joints and associated soft tissue injuries in patients withacute traumatic cervical facet joint injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From among patients with cervical spinetrauma, 27 with facet joint injuries, as seen on CT and MRI, were chosen for this study. CT scans were analyzedwith regard to the location of facet joint injury, the presence or absence of facet dislocation or fracture, andother associated fractures. MR images were analyzed with regard to ligament injury, intervertebral disc injury,intervertebral disc herniation, and spinal cord injury. RESULTS: The most common location of facet joint injurywas C6-7 level(n=10), followed by C5-6(n=8). Among these 27 patients with facet joint injuries, 12(44%) hadbilateral injuries and 15(56%) unilateral injuries. Facet fractures were present in 17 cases(63%) and the fractureof inferior facet was more frequent than superi-or. Patterns of fracture were vertical, transverse, or comminuted,but vertical fracture was the most common. Various degrees of dislocation were observed in patients with facetfractures. Fractures other than facet includ-ed pillar(n=11), lamina(n=6), transverse process(n=14), body(n=13),and spinous process(n=3). On MR im-ages, anterior longitudinal ligament injury was found in 8 patients(30%),posterior longitudinal ligament injury in 4(15%), and interspinous ligament injury in 20(74%). Twelvepatients(44%) had spinal cord injuries includ-ing edema(n=8) and hemorrhage(n=4). Among patients with discabnormalities, 11(41%) had intervertebral disc injuries, and traumatic disc herniations were found in nine. CONCLUSION: Traumatic cervical facet joint injuries were manifested as various patterns and frequentlyassoci-ated with other fractures or soft tissue injuries. Analysis of CT and MR findings of these injury patternshelped formulate a therapeutic plan and determine of prognosis.
Dislocations ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Ligaments ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Prognosis ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spine* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Zygapophyseal Joint*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing fracture types and soft tissue injuries associated with tibial plateau fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI was performed in 38 patients with tibial plateau fractures, each of which was classified according to the Schatzker system. We evaluated MR images and assessed the prevalence of each fracture type and accompanying soft tissue injuries. We also assessed whether ligamentous injury correlated with the extent of articular depression, splitting, and comminution. In 24 patients, diagnosis was based on MRI and operative or arthroscopic findings, and in 14 patients, on MRI alone. RESULTS: The totals of fracture types I, II, III, IV, V and VI were 4 (11 %), 15 (39 %), 6 (16 %), 4 (11 %), 4 (11%), and 5 cases (13 %), respectively. In 30 cases (79 %), there were associated ligamentous or meniscal injuries. Medial collateral ligaments and lateral menisci were injured in 17 (45 %) and 14 cases (37 %), respectively. Type II and IV fracture patterns were associated with soft tissue injuries in 14 of 15 cases (93 %) and 4 of 4 cases(100 %), respectively. As the extent of articular depression increased and the extent of bony comminution decreased, there was an increased prevalence of accompanying ligamentous injuries. CONCLUSION: In tibial plateau fractures, MR imaging is a useful diagnostic modality for the evaluation of both fracture type and accompanying ligamentous or meniscal injuries.
Collateral Ligaments ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Prevalence ; Soft Tissue Injuries*

Intussusception is the most common cause of acquired intestinal obstructions during infancy and early childhood. Barium reduction and pneumoreduction have been sued widely as nonsugical method of treatment in radiologic department. In the past, attempts at barium reduction of intussusception were contraindicated in the presence of frank intestinal obstruction, shock, fever, dehydration, bowel perforation, peritonitis and longstanding symptoms. At present, however, there is no agreement on the contraindications, except for shock, peritonitis and bowel perforation. Especially, there is no consensus regarding its application on patient presenting with sign of frank intestinal obstruction. The authors analyzed the effect of pneumoreduction in the intussusception with sign of frank intestinal obstruction. Pneumoreduction was attempted in 53 cases of intussusception with sign of frank intestinal obstruction. Reduction was successful in 43 cases(81%). The mean fluroscopic time was 15.1 minutes and mean maximal pressure was 121.8mmHg in successful reduction. As complications, two cases of bowel perforation were observed, but could be treated surgically without any significant problem. In conclusion, pneumoreduction is a useful substitute for barium reduction in the management of pediatric intussusception with sign of frank intestinal obstruction.
Barium ; Consensus ; Dehydration ; Fever ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction* ; Intussusception* ; Methods ; Peritonitis ; Shock

Scrub typhus (Tsutsugamushi disease)is an acute febrile systemic illness caused by Rickettsia tsutsugamushi that is transmitted to humans by the bite of larval-stage trombiculid mites (chiggers). The authors analyzed chest radiographic findings of scrub typhus in 160 patients in Ulsan area. One hundred and eight (67.5%) of160 patients showed abnormal findings which included lung lesions in 108 patients (67.5%), cardiomegaly in 37 patients (23.1%), lymphadenopathy in 25 patients (15.6%) and pleural effusion in 11 patients (6.9%). Among the lung lesions, interstitial patterns were seen in 107 patients (66.9%), mostly fine or medium reticulonodular, and air-space patterns in 14 patients(8.8%) and combined interstitial and air-space patterns in 13 patients (8.1%). Sixty-four patients(40%) had combined chest radiographic findings. The typical chest radiographic findings of scrub typhus would be helpful in evaluation of the causes of acute febrile illness that occur during late fall in the endemic area.
Cardiomegaly ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Scrub Typhus* ; Thorax* ; Trombiculidae ; Ulsan*

PURPOSE: To analyze gray-scale US, color and duplex Doppler US, and angiographic findings in patients with acquired uterine arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and to evaluate the usefulness of these modalities in the diagnosis of this disease and the effect of transcatheter arterial embolization in its treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a recent seven-year period, we diagnosed 21 cases of acquired uterine AVM. Nineteen of these patients had a history of causative D&C (between one and seven D&C procedures per patient), one had a history of causative cesarean section, and one had cervical conization. All patients underwent transabdominal and endovaginal gray-scale, color Doppler, and duplex Doppler US and angiography, with therapeutic embolization of bilateral uterine arteries. The majority underwent follow-up Doppler US after embolization. RESULTS: The gray-scale US morphology of uterine AVMs included subtle myometrial inhomogeneity and multiple distinct, small anechoic spaces in the thickened myometrium or endometrium. Color Doppler US showed a tangle of tortuous vessels with multidirectional, high-velocity arterial flow, which was focally or asymmetrically distributed. Duplex Doppler US depicted a waveform of fast arterial flow with low resistance, while angiography demonstrated a complex tangle of vessels supplied by enlarged uterine arteries, in association with early venous drainage during the arterial phase, and stasis of contrast medium within abnormal vasculature. Where AVMs were combined with a pseudoaneurysm, this finding was observed. Transcatheter arterial embolization provided a complete cure, without recurrence. CONCLUSION: Color and duplex Doppler US is an appropriate modality for the detection and diagnosis of uterine AVMs and for follow-up after embolization. Transcatheter arterial embolization is a safe and effective method of treating this disease.
Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Animals ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Cesarean Section ; Conization ; Diagnosis* ; Dilatation and Curettage ; Drainage ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Endometrium ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Pregnancy ; Recurrence ; Uterine Artery

Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) therapy has been replaced by more-effective thermal ablation techniques that have lower local recurrence rates. However, PEI therapy remains useful in certain settings. Since PEI can be performed in any portion of the liver, PEI therapy can be valuable when tumors are located in close proximity to intestinal loops or other positions that are risky for thermal local ablative techniques. PEI therapy is also valuable in other situations where radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is difficult, including technically difficult masses that are not detected with ultrasound (US), are located in the hepatic dome, in the subcapsular area, and exophytically, or are surrounded by large vessels. PEI therapy contributes to combination therapy with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization or RFA in advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and also to the treatment of large HCC or extrahepatic metastasis from HCC. These roles of PEI therapy should be stressed for the treatment of HCCs in appropriate clinical situations. This comprehensive review of articles related to PEI therapy illustrates the recent role and indications of this therapy, which is currently valuable for HCC in the era of RFA.
Ablation Techniques ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Ethanol ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease. Studies have focused on eosinophils for their significant role in the pathogenesis of BP, as they not only secrete proteases and proinflammatory cytokines but also recruit other inflammatory cells. Objective: To investigate the correlation among peripheral eosinophil count, clinical severity, and laboratory findings in patients with BP. Methods: A total of 59 patients with BP were included in this study. Correlation analyses between peripheral eosinophil count and bullous pemphigoid disease activity index (BPDAI) score, duration of hospitalization, anti-bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 (anti-BP180) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, anti-bullous pemphigoid antigen 230 (anti-BP230) IgG antibody, immunoglobulin E (IgE), C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels were performed. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate whether peripheral eosinophil counts could independently affect the BPDAI score and hospitalization duration. Results: The peripheral eosinophil count was positively correlated with the initial skin, mucosa, total BPDAI score (p＜0.001, p=0.027, and p＜0.001, respectively), hospitalization days (p=0.032), anti-BP180 IgG antibody (p ＜0.001), anti-BP230 IgG antibody (p＜0.001), and IgE (p＜0.001). Furthermore, not only peripheral eosinophil count but also anti-BP180 IgG antibody, anti-BP230 IgG antibody, and IgE levels independently affected both the initial total BPDAI score (p＜0.05) and hospitalization duration (p＜0.05). Conclusion Based on our results, the peripheral eosinophil count can influence both clinical severity and laboratory findings. Additionally, it can indicate the clinical severity and prognosis of BP. Therefore, we suggest that the peripheral eosinophil count could be a useful marker for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with BP.

PURPOSE: We attempted to evaluate the usefulness of Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of uterine vascular abnormality caused by previous D&E, and to report that transarterial embolization is an exceelent treatment modality. MATERIALS & METHODS: We analyzed gray-scale US, color/duplex Doppler US and angiographic findings inseven patients with radiologically proven uterine vascular abnormality. Two of the seven cases were pseudoaneurysms and five of the seven cases were AVMs. In one of the AVMs, two small pseudoaneurysms were combined. In all cases, transarterial embolizations using 3mm coil or/and gelfoam particles were performed. Follow-up US studies, including color Doppler US, were performed. RESULTS: On color/duplex Doppler sonography, two cases of pseudoaneurysm showed blood pools with turbulent arterial flow, and five cases of AVM showed asymmetrically increased vascularity, with variable high velocities composed of the pulsatie arterial flow, with ahigh diastoic component. On angiography, the former showed pseudoaneurysmal sacs, and the latter densely opacified vascular tangles. No more abnormal uterine bleeding was shown, following transarterial embolization in all cases. CONCLUSION: Color/duplex Doppler sonography was valuable in the diagnosis or treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding caused by uterine vascular abnormality such as acquired AVM or pseudoaneurysm.
Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Diagnosis* ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Humans ; Uterine Artery ; Uterine Hemorrhage*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the abdominal uttrasonographic findings of Salmonellosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 64 patients who were confirmed as salmonellosis by blood culture. We retrospectively analyzed the abdominal ultrasonographic findings with particular attention to enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes(mesenteric lymphadenitis), thickening of bowel wall, especially terminal ileum and cecum(ileocecitis), hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, gallbladder wall thickening, and enlarged lymph nodes in porta hepatis. RESULTS: The 64 cases were observed as mesenteric lymph node enlargement(44 cases), wall thickening of the terminal ileum and cecum(36 cases), hepatomegaly and/or splenomegaly(42 cases), minimal ascites(8 cases), gallbladder wall thickening(6 cases), and enlarged lymph nodes in porta hepatis(4 cases). No abnormal finding was seen in 10 patients. CONCLUSION: The mesenteric lymph node enlargement, wall thickening of the terminal ileum and cecum, hepatomegaly and/or splenomegaly, minimal ascites, gallbladder wall thickening, and enlarged lymph nodes in porta hepatis are suggestive findings of salmonellosis on abdominal ultrasonography in patients with fever and acute abdomen.
Abdomen, Acute ; Ascites ; Cecum ; Fever ; Gallbladder ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Ileum ; Lymph Nodes ; Retrospective Studies ; Salmonella Infections* ; Splenomegaly ; Ultrasonography