No abstract available.

No anstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mice* ; Spleen*

No abstract available.
Panax*

Purpose: In acute acetaminophen poisoning, the administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can effectively treat the main complications, such as kidney injury and liver failure. In the current situation, measurements of the acetaminophen concentration are not checked in the usual medical facilities. Therefore, this study examined the factors of determining the administration of NAC in addition to the stated amount of intake. Methods: The medical records of patients who visited Ajou University Hospital emergency center with acetaminophen poisoning from January 2015 to December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. One hundred and seventy-nine patients were initially included. Among these patients, 82 patients were finally selected according to the inclusion criteria in the study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: patients who were 15 years of age or older; those whose ingested dose, ingested time, and body weight were clearly identified; and patients whose acetaminophen sampling time was within 24 hours. Patients were divided into two groups: NAC administered vs. non-NAC administered. The following variables were compared in these two groups: ingested dose, ingested dose per body weight, hospital arrival time after ingestion, suicide attempt history, psychiatric disease history, classification of toxicon-toxic groups, duration of hospitalization, and laboratory results. Results: Univariate analysis revealed the ingested dose per body weight, hospital arrival time after ingestion, suicide attempt history, and psychiatric disease history to be the determining factors in administering NAC. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that the ingested dose per body weight was the only significant factor leading to an NAC treatment decision. (Odds ratio=1.039, 95% Confidential interval=1.009-1.070, p=0.009) Conclusion The ingested dose per body weight was the only determining factor for administering NAC in patients with acute acetaminophen poisoning. On the other hand, additional criteria or indicators for the NAC administration decision will be necessary considering the inaccuracy of the ingested dose per body weight and the efficiency of NAC administration.

Purpose: In acute acetaminophen poisoning, the administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can effectively treat the main complications, such as kidney injury and liver failure. In the current situation, measurements of the acetaminophen concentration are not checked in the usual medical facilities. Therefore, this study examined the factors of determining the administration of NAC in addition to the stated amount of intake. Methods: The medical records of patients who visited Ajou University Hospital emergency center with acetaminophen poisoning from January 2015 to December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. One hundred and seventy-nine patients were initially included. Among these patients, 82 patients were finally selected according to the inclusion criteria in the study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: patients who were 15 years of age or older; those whose ingested dose, ingested time, and body weight were clearly identified; and patients whose acetaminophen sampling time was within 24 hours. Patients were divided into two groups: NAC administered vs. non-NAC administered. The following variables were compared in these two groups: ingested dose, ingested dose per body weight, hospital arrival time after ingestion, suicide attempt history, psychiatric disease history, classification of toxicon-toxic groups, duration of hospitalization, and laboratory results. Results: Univariate analysis revealed the ingested dose per body weight, hospital arrival time after ingestion, suicide attempt history, and psychiatric disease history to be the determining factors in administering NAC. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that the ingested dose per body weight was the only significant factor leading to an NAC treatment decision. (Odds ratio=1.039, 95% Confidential interval=1.009-1.070, p=0.009) Conclusion The ingested dose per body weight was the only determining factor for administering NAC in patients with acute acetaminophen poisoning. On the other hand, additional criteria or indicators for the NAC administration decision will be necessary considering the inaccuracy of the ingested dose per body weight and the efficiency of NAC administration.

Three cases of giant pituitray adenoma are reported. Two cases were operated by transsphenoidal approach and a case by transcranial approach. Transsphenoidal approach showed satisfactory results despite of marked suprasellar extension of tumors. We report rare giant pituitary adenomas with review of relevant literatures.
Adenoma ; Pituitary Neoplasms*

The relationship between lead related subject symptoms and lead exposure indices was studied in 435 male lead workers in thirteen lead using industries. 212 male office workers who were not exposed to lead occupationally were also studied as a control group. Fourteen lead related symptoms were selected. They were further subdivided into 4 sub-symptom groups such as 1) gastrointestinal, 2) neuromuscular and joint 3) constitutional, and 4) psychological symptoms. Symptom questionnaires were provided to the workers and filled up by themselves and reconfirmed by interviewer(doctor). The test used for the evaluation of lead exposure were blood lead (PbB), zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP), hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit(Hct), delta-aminolevulinic acid in urine(DALA). The results obtained were as follows; 1. The higher prevalence rate in the sub-group of neuromuscular and joint symptoms was observed in occupationally lead exposed subjects than non-exposed subjects. Among the sub-groups, the most frequent symptom was "numbness of finger, hands of feet", and the prevalence of the symptom of "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia" were higher in order. 2. While the symptom which showed the biggest difference of prevalence rate among the 14 symptoms between exposed and non-exposed subjects was "numbness of fingers, hands or feet" , the symptom which showed the highest prevalence rate was "feeling tired generally" in exposed and non-exposed subjects, but no statistical difference of symptom prevalence were observed. 3. In total study population, PbB and ZPP had dose-response relationship with 4 symptoms of neuromuscular and joint symptoms ("numbness of finger, hands or feet", "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia") and one symptom of gastrointestinal group("intermittent pains in lower abdomen"). 4. In lead exposed workers, only neuromuscular and joint symptoms group showed dose-response relationship with PbB and ZPP. 5. In lead exposed workers, the prevalence rate of overall symptoms of lead workers with age below 39 years was higher than that of lead workers with age above 40. While neuromuscular and joint symptoms group had a dose-response relationship with PbB in former group, it had a dose-response relationship with ZPP in latter group. 6. Age adjusted odds ratios of symptoms of non-exposed with exposed and odds ratios of low exposed with high exposed workers showed the dose-response relationship of lead exposure with neuromuscular and joint symptoms group("numbness of fingers, hands or feet", "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia") and gastrointestinal symptoms group("intermittent pains in lower abdoman").
Aminolevulinic Acid ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Zinc

PURPOSE: To evaluate MRI findings of Guillain-Barre syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In six patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome diagnosed by clinical, cerebrospinal fluid and electrophysiologic findings, a retrospective review of MR findings was conducted. Follow-up MRI scans were carried out in two patients showing minimal clinical improvement. RESULTS: Marked or moderate enhancement of thickened nerve roots was seen in all cases on gadopentetate dimeglumine enhanced axial T1-weighted images. Two patterns were seen ; one was even enhancement of both anterior and posterior nerve roots (n=1) and the other was enhancement of anterior nerve roots only (n=5). Enhancement and thickness of nerve roots was seen to have slightly decreased on MRI follow-up at 32 and 50 days ; clinical and electrophysiologic examination showed minimal improvement. CONCLUSION: Although MRI findings of nerve root enhancement are nonspecific and can be seen in neoplastic and other inflammatory diseases, the enhancement of thickened anterior nerve roots within thecal sac suggests Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To elucidate the pitfalls of Tc-99m RBC liver SPECT in the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma, and to compare this modality with two-phase dynmic CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with 48 liver masses, suspected on ultrasonography to be hemangiomas, underwent two-phase dynamic CT scanning and SPECT within a two week period. All masses were diagnosed through pathologic and follow up radiologic studies. The final diagnoses were hemangioma (n=42), metastasis (n=2), abscess (n=2), hepatocellular carcinoma (n=1), and cholangiocarcinoma (n=1). Sensitivities and specificities of CT and Spect for the diagnosis of hemangioma and the relationship between false positives or false negatives seen on SPECT and the Pattern of contrast enhancement seen on CT were investigated. RESULTS: The sensitivities of CT and SPECT for the diagnosis of hemangioma were 95.2 (40/42) and 76.2% (32/42), respectively. The false-negative rate of SPECT was significantly higher in the early enhancing (54.5%, 6/11) than in the late enhancing type (13.8%, 4/29) and in the 'less than 1cm' group, false-negatives (70%, 7/10) were more common than in the 'more than 1cm' group (9.4%, 3/32). for the two lesions with false-positive findings on SPECT, the final diagnosis was metastasis, and two false-negative lesion, seen on CT, were misread as metastases. Four other lesions were negative in both studies. CONCLUSION: For the detection of hepatic hemangioma, two-phase dynamic CT is a better modality than SPECT. False positives on SPECT occurred in metastasis, and false negatives are more common in the small lesion and early enhancing group than in the late enhancing group. Between the two groups, there is a difference in hemodynamics, and considerable further pathological investigation is needed.
Abscess ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography