PURPOSE: The prognosis for primary gallbladder cancer is very poor. Because of the lack of specific symptoms, late diagnosis, advanced stage, and ineffective treatment are typical. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the early diagnostic factors that improve the survival rate, by comparing a preoperatively diagnosed group with a postoperatively diagnosed group. METHODS: This study was a clinical analysis of our surgical experience with primary gallbladder carcinomas during the 6 years from 1992 to 1997 at Chung-Ang University in Korea. RESULTS: The incidence of gallbladder carcinomas was 0.6% of the 6132 biliary-tract operations performed during the 6 years (suspected group: unsuspected group=15:23). The sex ratio of males to females was 1 to 2.46 with female predominance. Primary GB cancer was seen most commonly in patients in their 50s and 60s, and this group accounted for 68.4% of the entire group and had a median age of 65 years. The most common clinical manifestation was right upper abdominal pain in 27 cases (71.1%). The duration of the illness in preoperatively suspected patients was much shorter than that for intraoperatively or only pathologically diagnosed patients (p=0.046) As for diagnostic methods, ultrasound and abdominal CT scans were performed, and the preoperative diagnostic accuracies were 31.6% and 69.3%, respectively. The patients were grouped according to the staging system of Nevin et al. The five stages were classified as follows: stage I (suspected group-0 cases; unsuspected group-2 cases), stage II (1 case; 5 cases), stage III (1 case; 2 cases), stage IV (7 cases; 9 cases), and stage V (6 cases; 5 cases). Adenocarcinoma was the most common type of gallbladder cancer (32 cases: suspected group-10 cases; unsuspected group-22 cases), followed by squamoadenocarcinoma (3 cases: 2 cases/1 case), neurogenic carcinoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases), histiocytoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases), and papillary carcinoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases). The total cumulative 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 67.7%, 37.6%, and 12.1%, respectively (suspected: 46.2%, 15.4%, and 0%; unsuspected: 71.4%, 52.9%, and 23.2%). The cumulative survival rates for patients in the unsuspected group were higher than those for patients in the suspected group (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: The survival rate of the preoperatively unsuspected group was better than that of the suspected group. The survival improvement depended the invasion by the gallbladder carcinoma. We suggest that the survival rate should be improved by early detection of the gallbladder carcinoma and on extended operation. Conclusively, further evaluation of patients with etiologic factors should be done, more specific exams (CT or MRI) should be evaluated, and an acceptable operation should be done.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallbladder* ; Histiocytoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Prognosis ; Sex Ratio ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The prognosis for primary gallbladder cancer is very poor. Because of the lack of specific symptoms, late diagnosis, advanced stage, and ineffective treatment are typical. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the early diagnostic factors that improve the survival rate, by comparing a preoperatively diagnosed group with a postoperatively diagnosed group. METHODS: This study was a clinical analysis of our surgical experience with primary gallbladder carcinomas during the 6 years from 1992 to 1997 at Chung-Ang University in Korea. RESULTS: The incidence of gallbladder carcinomas was 0.6% of the 6132 biliary-tract operations performed during the 6 years (suspected group: unsuspected group=15:23). The sex ratio of males to females was 1 to 2.46 with female predominance. Primary GB cancer was seen most commonly in patients in their 50s and 60s, and this group accounted for 68.4% of the entire group and had a median age of 65 years. The most common clinical manifestation was right upper abdominal pain in 27 cases (71.1%). The duration of the illness in preoperatively suspected patients was much shorter than that for intraoperatively or only pathologically diagnosed patients (p=0.046) As for diagnostic methods, ultrasound and abdominal CT scans were performed, and the preoperative diagnostic accuracies were 31.6% and 69.3%, respectively. The patients were grouped according to the staging system of Nevin et al. The five stages were classified as follows: stage I (suspected group-0 cases; unsuspected group-2 cases), stage II (1 case; 5 cases), stage III (1 case; 2 cases), stage IV (7 cases; 9 cases), and stage V (6 cases; 5 cases). Adenocarcinoma was the most common type of gallbladder cancer (32 cases: suspected group-10 cases; unsuspected group-22 cases), followed by squamoadenocarcinoma (3 cases: 2 cases/1 case), neurogenic carcinoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases), histiocytoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases), and papillary carcinoma (1 case: 1 case/0 cases). The total cumulative 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 67.7%, 37.6%, and 12.1%, respectively (suspected: 46.2%, 15.4%, and 0%; unsuspected: 71.4%, 52.9%, and 23.2%). The cumulative survival rates for patients in the unsuspected group were higher than those for patients in the suspected group (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: The survival rate of the preoperatively unsuspected group was better than that of the suspected group. The survival improvement depended the invasion by the gallbladder carcinoma. We suggest that the survival rate should be improved by early detection of the gallbladder carcinoma and on extended operation. Conclusively, further evaluation of patients with etiologic factors should be done, more specific exams (CT or MRI) should be evaluated, and an acceptable operation should be done.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallbladder* ; Histiocytoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Prognosis ; Sex Ratio ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a proliferative disease that shares phenotypic characteristics with Langerhans cells (LCs) and involves multiple organs. Here, we report a case of LCH in a 36-year-old male simultaneously involving the lungs and thoracic spine. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed multifocal thin-walled cysts and ill-defined nodular opacities primarily in the bilateral upper and middle lung lobes that fluctuated with smoking. Despite improvement of pulmonary lesions after smoking cessation, osteolytic lesion of thoracic vertebra was aggravated. Symptoms were not improved after nerve block, suggesting vertebral instability that necessitated surgical mass removal and posterior fusion. Microscopically diffuse proliferation of immature, rounded LCs and inflammatory cell infiltration was noted. Although pulmonary LCH in an adult is a benign disease that is usually resolved spontaneously after smoking cessation, surgical treatment should be considered in a case of spinal LCH.
Adult ; Histiocytosis ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans ; Langerhans Cells ; Lung ; Male ; Nerve Block ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Spine ; Thorax

We report a patient developed neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) with myoglobulinemic acute renal failure and lithium intoxication due to lithium-olanzapine combination, who was successfully treated by hemodiafiltration. A 34-year-old woman with a 14-year history of bipolar disorder had been treated with lithium-olanzapine during last four days. She was admitted to our hospital for muscular rigidity, hyperthermia and altered consciousness. On admission, rhabdomyolsis was demonstratd by biochemical methods and serum level of lithium was 3.78 mEq/L which was far above toxic level. After the diagnosis of NMS with acute renal failure and lithium intoxication, olanzapine and lithium were discontinued and conservative measures and continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration were instituted. She recovered without any neurologic sequelae.
Female ; Humans ; Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

PURPOSE: Tourette's disorder (TD), which is characterized by multiple waxing and waning motor tics and one or more vocal tics, is known to be associated with abnormalities in the dopaminergic system. To testify our hypothesis that risperidone would improve tic symptoms of TD patients through the change of the dopaminergic system, we measured the dopamine transporter (DAT) densities between drug-naive children with TD and normal children, and investigated the DAT density before and after treatment with risperidone in drug-naive children with TD, using iodine-123 labelled N- (3-iodopropen-2-yl) -2beta-carbomethoxy -3beta- (4-chlorophenyl) tropane ([123I]IPT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: [123I]IPT SPECT imaging and Yale Global Tic Severity Scale-Korean version (YGTSS-K) for assessing the tic symptom severity were carried out before and after treatment with risperidone for 8 weeks in nine drug-naive children with TD. Eleven normal children also underwent SPECT imaging 2 hours after an intravenous administration of [123I]IPT. RESULTS: Drug-naive children with TD had a significantly greater increase in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of both basal ganglia compared with the normal children. However, no significant difference in the specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio of the basal ganglia before and after treatment with risperidone in children with TD was found, although tic symptoms were significantly improved with risperidone. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that DAT densities are directly associated with the pathophysiology of TD, however, that the effect of risperidone on tic symptoms in children with TD is not attributed to the change of dopaminergic system.
Administration, Intravenous ; Basal Ganglia ; Child* ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Humans ; Risperidone* ; Tics ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Tourette Syndrome*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of lossy image compression on skeletal images and to determine the compression ratio which does not lead to difficulties when images are interpreted for diagnostic purposes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two computed radiographs (CR) of osteolytic bone tumors were obtained from Picture Archiving and Communication System. They were compressed to three different levels (Q factor 30, 70, 120) using the JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) technique. Ninety-six pairs of uncompressed and compressed images were randomly ordered and then serially displayed on two high-resolution monitors. During a side-by-side review, three radiologists independently compared each pair of uncompressed and compressed images, and these were rated once using a five-category ordinal scale for tumor-related findings, linear structures, and soft tissues. The reviewers were then obliged to decide which image in each pair was of better quality, and finally, they were asked to evaluate the influence of image compression on diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: The reviewers found no significant difference in image quality between uncompressed and compressed images with a Q factor 30. Compressed images with a Q factor of 70 or 120, however, revealed clinically relevant degradation. Among 96 observations of compressed images, 15 with a Q factor of 70 and 35 with a Q factor of 120 were considered inadequate for clinical purposes. CONCLUSION: If the JPEG technique is used, compressed CR skeletal images with a Q factor of 30 are acceptable for clinical application. Compressed images with a Q factor of 70 or 120 may, however, cause diagnostic difficulty and thus cannot be used for clinical purposes.
Data Compression ; Radiographic Image Enhancement

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is widely used. However, CE has limitations including incomplete examination, inadequate bowel preparation, and retention. The aim of this study was to estimate the indications for and detection, completion, and retention rates of small intestine CE based on the 10-year data from the Korean Capsule Endoscopy Registry. METHODS: Twenty-four hospitals participated in this study. Clinical information, such as reasons for CE, method and quality of bowel preparation, and incomplete examination and capsule retention rates, was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2,914 CEs were registered. The most common reason for CE was obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (59%). Significant lesions were detected in 66% of cases. Positive CE diagnosis occurred in 63% of cases. The preparation method did not significantly affect the quality of bowel preparation for CE. The overall incomplete rate was 33%, and was high in the elderly and those with poor bowel preparation. Capsule retention was 3% and high in patients with small bowel tumors and Crohn's disease and in children under 10 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: CE is a valuable technique; while the overall detection rate is high, incompletion and retention rates are also relatively high. CE should be carefully considered in the elderly and children less than 10 years of age, as well as in patients with small bowel tumors and Crohn's disease.
Aged ; Capsule Endoscopy* ; Child ; Crohn Disease ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intestine, Small