PURPOSE: In children disorders affecting brain white matter are not uncommon and MRI has high sensitivity to detect white matter lesions. We performed this study to find out the distribution of underlying diseases that show abnormal white matter image findings on brain MRI and the relationship between the underlying diseases and some particular patterns of MR imaging abnormalities. METHODS: Out of 1477 pediatric patients who visited the department of pediatrics of Yeungnam University Medical Hospital and took brain MRIs from January 1995 to June 2001, ninety five patients with white matter abnormalities on T2 MR images were evaluated retrospectively. This study excluded the patients with brain tumor, brain abscess, trauma, secondary white matter abnormalities due to hydrocephalus, cerebral infarct, and those whose main lesions were gray matter. RESULTS: The most common underlying disease was cerebral palsy(50 cases, 52.6%), followed by acute disseminated encephalitis(10 cases, 10.5%), intrauterine CMV infections (9 cases, 9.5%), inherited neurometabolic disorders(7 cases, 7.4%). In 12 patients(12.6%) with some neurological problems such as afebrile seizures and developmental delay, no underlying disease were found. The most common pattern of abnormal image findings was periventricular white matter lesions(45.3%) strongly related with cerebral palsy. The pattern of peritrigonal deep white matter lesions was found in 19 patients(20.0%), in 10 patients of whom no underlying diseases were found. The pattern of multiple round margined scattered lesions was found in all the 10 patients(10.5%) of acute disseminated encephalitis. CONCLUSION: There are diverse underlying diseases showing abnormal white matter image findings on MR in pediatric patients and particular patterns of abnormal image findings may serve to make a specific diagnosis possible. But not in a small group of children no diagnosis was established. Further studies regarding the underlying diseases affecting white matter lesions and more detailed knowledge of abnormal MR image findings are needed.
Brain ; Brain Abscess ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Encephalitis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Leukoencephalopathies* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pediatrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*

To maintain an adequate airway in a patient with tracheobronchial narrowing coming from various causes, prosthetic tracheobronchial stents provide palliative treatment for narrowed airways where surgical resection is inadvisable. After insertion, precious reported complications were granuloma formation, dysphagia, suction catheter entrapment and fatal massive hemoptysis. We report a case of complication associated with expandible metallic scent with endobronchial stenosis due to tuberculosis.
Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Granuloma ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Stents* ; Suction ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Preleukemia*

PURPOSE: To assess the signal enhancement by gadolinium-DTPA-polylysine (Gd-polylysine) as compared to gadopentetate (Gd-DTPA) in MR imaging of heart that have undergone ischemia-reperfusion, and to estimate the extent of myocardial damage covered bythe MR signal enhancement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A series of contrast enhanced cardiac MR images were obtained from 17 cats subjected to a 90 minutes of occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) followed by a 90 minutes of raperfusion. Time courses of changes in the signal intensity (Sl) of the ischemic area were measu red in Gd-polylysine group (8 cats) and Gd- DTPA group (9 cats). The size of U R signal enhanced area was then compared to the sizes of infarction and the area at risk revealed byTTC histochemical staining. RESULTS: Maximum Sis were obtained at 60 minutes and 30 minutes after injection of the contrast material, respectively for Gd-polylysine group and Gd-DTPA group. Signal enhancement was stronger and persistent for a longer period in Gd-polylysine group than in GD-DTPA group. Sizes of the enhanced area, the infarction, and the area at risk were about 30%, 15%, and 50% of the total left ventricle (LV) area; the difference between the groups was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: Gd-polylysine can be used better for a blood pool marker than Gd-DTPA in MR imaging of myocardial ischemia, due to its strong and persistent signal enhancement. The MR signal enhanced area includes both the infarcted area and a portion of the area at risk.
Animals ; Cats* ; Coronary Vessels ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Gadolinium* ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pentetic Acid ; Polylysine*

No abstract available.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal* ; Plasma*

Purpura fulminans is one of rare consumptive coagulopathy in children. The most common predisposing conditions of purpura fulminans are infectious disease like streptococcal infection and chickenpox. This disease is characterized by ecchymotic lesions that are usually distributed symmetrically on the lower extremities and buttocks. These ecchymotic lesions undergo necrosis, unless there is effective treatment. We experienced 3 cases of purpura fulminans which improved almost completely after early heparin administration. In the case 1, a 12 month old girl, purpura fulminans developed during sepsis and gastroenteritis. In the case 2, a 4 month old boy, purpura fulminans developed during acute sepsis. We reported 3 cases with a brief review of related literature.
Buttocks ; Chickenpox ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Dacarbazine ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; Heparin ; Humans ; Infant ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Necrosis ; Purpura Fulminans* ; Purpura* ; Sepsis ; Streptococcal Infections

No abstract available.
Acyclovir* ; Necrosis*

No abstract available.
Hemochromatosis* ; Spleen*

Achondroplasia is a rare disease and characterized by the combination of short extremities with an enlarged head and a trunk approximating normal size. We had experienced 4 cases of achondroplasia; they all showed stunted growth, short arms and legs, prominent forehead, flattening of the bridge of the nose and moderate degree of kyphcsis and one case was associated with hydrocephalus. X-ray showed the thickness of the bones and their irregular epiphyseal ends such as cupping, flaring and spurs. Intelligence seemed to be normal except one case. We had seen those patients at the age of 8 months, 6 months and 1year, 7months and 2 years, confirming achodroplasia by clinical, X-ray survey and biochemical study. Review of the references concerning achondroplasia was made briefly.
Achondroplasia* ; Arm ; Extremities ; Forehead ; Head ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Intelligence ; Leg ; Nose ; Rare Diseases