PURPOSE: Numerous studies have been performed about the various safety consideration of magnetic resonance(MR). Multiple investigators have failed to reveal any deleterious defects of MR. On the other hand, several studies have demonstrated detectable biologic effects of high-field MR produces any morphologic changes on the cell membrane and intracellular ultrastructures in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of normal human adults by Ficoll-Hypaque density centrifugation. Exposure to MR was performed with 4.69T and 11.74T MR spectrometer with a radio frequency(RF) pulse of 200MHz and 500MHz. Exposure times varyed from 30 minutes to 3 hours. The cells were fixed immediately, 1, 3, 7 days after MR exposure. Morphologic evaluation was examined by transmission electron microscopy(TEM). RESULTS: Under TEM there was cell transformation including cellular membrane, nucleus and intracellular microorganelles on lymphocytes exposed to MR. The percentage of transformed lymphocytes was not significantly increased after 4.69T MR exposure, whereas the percentage of transformed lymphocytes was significant increased after 11.74T MR exposure(P<0.05) compared with that of control. The percentage of transformed lymphocytes was significantly increased at the long incubation period in control and MR exposure group(P<0.05). No change according to MR exposure time and RF pulse sequence was noted. CONCLUSION: Exposure to high-field MR induces morphologic transformations of lymphocytes in vitro. Additional studies have to be performed before definitive conclusion can be reached about the safety of high-field MR.
Adult ; Cell Membrane ; Centrifugation ; Hand ; Humans* ; Lymphocytes* ; Membranes ; Research Personnel

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to find correlation between the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (ECFR) and MR findings in the brain glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR features including edema, margin, necrosis, heterogeneity, hemorrhage and contrast enhancement were retrospectively analyzed with preoperative MR images in 41 patients with proven brain gliomas (8 low grade astrocytomas, 12 anaplastic astrocytomas, 21 glioblastoma multiformes). Immunohistochemical study of EGFR was done and their expressions were graded by both stained distribution and intensity. Correlation analysis between the MR features and EGFR expressions was done. RESULTS: Peritumoral edema was correlated with both distribution (r=0.71, p=0.00) and stain intensity (r=0.69, p=0.00) of EGFR expression. Other MR features showed no statistical correlation with EGFR expression. CONCLUSION: MRI is useful in evaluation of brain glioma, and peritumoral edema is useful findings that suggests EGFR expression as well as malignant histopathologic grade of the tumor.
Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Edema ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Population Characteristics ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Choledochal cyst is a rare malformation of the pancreatobiliary ductal system, manifested by dilatation of biliary tree with or without anomalous insertion of the common bile duct into pancreatic duct. The purpose of this study is to review the incidence of anomalous pancreatobiliary union(PBU) and the shape of common bile duct based on the angle of pancreatic duct and common bile duct union. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed cholangiopancreatographic findings of 21 patients with choledochal cyst, emphasizing PBU. The PBU was classified into acute-angled PBU, right-angled PBU, normal PBU, and unknown PBU on the basis of common bile duct insertion to pancreatic duct. The shape of common bile duct dilatation was evaluated with regard to angle of PBU. RESULTS: Fourteen of 21 patients had anomalous PBU with slender or ectatic form of common channels. Three patients had normal opening of common bile duct and pancreatic duct, and in remaining 4 patients the PBU was not visualized. Among 14 patients with PBU, 5 patients had right-angled PBU and 9 patients had acute-angled PBU. Cystic form of common bile duct dilatation was seen in 13 patients and cylindrical form was in 8 patients. Cystic dilatation of common bile duct was seen in 4 patients out of 5 right-angled PBU. CONCLUSION: Patients with choledochal cyst had high incidence of anomalous PBU with common channel (67%). The shape of common bile duct dilatation was cystic in 62% of patients, and the right-angled PBU was prone to be cystic dilatation (80%).
Biliary Tract ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Common Bile Duct ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pancreatic Ducts

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography(PTC) is of value in differential diagnosis of cholestatic diseases. Authors had performed PTC in 120 patients with flexible needle of 23 gauge at the Department of Radiology, KangNam St, Mary's Hospital and Myung Dong St. Mary's Hospital during the period from Jan. 1976 to April 1980. PTC was accomplished successfully in 112 of 120 patients. Diagnoses included cholangiocarcinomas (27 cases), arcinomas ofpancreas head (21 cases), ampullary carcinomas (4 cases), metastatic carcinomas(4 cases), metastatic carcinomas (5cases), bile duct stones(27 cases), sclerosing cholangitis(6 cases), hepatitis(6 cases), liver cirrhosis(6 cases), post operative adhesions(5 cases), chronic pancreatitis(3 cases), stomach carcinomas(3 cases), clonorchiasis(2cases), blood clot (1 case), and remaining normal 4 cases. Some characteristic PTC findings were (1) segmentalannular narrowing and abrupt complete obstruction and polypoid filling defects of the bile duct incholangiocarcinoma, (2) typical nipple or rat-tail appearance of the distal commmon bile duct in pancreatic headcarcinoma, (3) single or multiple sharply and smoothly outlined filling defects whthin bile duct in all cases ofstones, (4) complete obstruction with shallow concavity in ampullary carcinoma, (5) diffuse or segmental narrowingof the intrahepatic bile duct and common bile duct in sclerosing cholangitis, (6) multiple tiny polypoid fillingdefects of gallbladder, common hepatic duct, and common bile duct in clonorchiasis, (7) normal appearance inhepatitis. The overall diagnostic accuracy of PTC in 66 operated cases was 89.4%, and complications following the examination were signficantly reduced by using a fine flexible needle(23 gauge). From the present study it is concluded as follows; 1. To evaluate obstructed or stenosed site accurately, aspiration of bile juice must bepreceded by a 23 gauge needle connected to either 10mo or 5ml syringe. 2. To diagose carcinoma of hte ampullaryportion, serial spot filmings were indispensible ot demonstrated modified appearance of obstructive lesions due tocontraction of Oddi sphincter. 3. In contrast to other reports, the most common site of cholangiocarcinomas wasthe common hepatic duct (12 of 27 cases) in our series. Rat-tail appearance was seen in both pancreatic headcarcinoma and carcinoma involving the distal end of the common bile duct. 4. PTC was a more valuable method for diagnosis of clonorchiasis.
Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Cholangiography ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; Clonorchiasis ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gallbladder ; Head ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Liver ; Methods ; Needles ; Nipples ; Sphincter of Oddi ; Stomach ; Syringes

PURPOSE: To assess the value of MR imaging compared to CT for the staging of gastric carcinoma when body-wrap-around surface coil, intravenous glucagon, motion suppression technique and effervescent granules are used. MATERIAL AND METHOD: CT and MRI were performed for thirty-five patients with gastric carcinoma. Postcontrast CT scan was performed immediately after oral effervescent granules and Buscopan were given. Before MR imaging, BWA surface coil was wrapped around the upper abdomen. T1 coronal, sagittal and axial SE images (TRITE=400/15 msec) were obtained immediately after oral effervescent granules and glucagon were given. Respiratory compensation and presaturation techniques were used for each imaging. Three radiologists evaluated independently for randomly mixed 70 sets of CT and MR images. The signal intensity of gastric mass and enlarged lymph nodes were compared to the signal intensity of the adjacent pancreas, liver and spleen to evaluate any discriminating features between them. RESULTS: The accuracy in the diagnosis of pancreatic invasion was 83.8% on MRI and 74.3% on CT (p < 0.05). The accuracy of MRI and CT was 77.1% and 72.4% in detecting of gastric tumor respectively (p > 0.05), 73.3% and 68.6% in gastric serosal invasion (p> 0.05), 50.5% and 42.9% in lymph node metastasis (p > 0.05). The gastric mass and enlarged lymph nodes were hypointense to the intensity of pancreas and liver in more than 78% of cases. CONCLUSION: MRI was comparable to CT scan for the staging of gastric carcinoma. Therefore, MRI could be used as an alternative or adjunctive diagnostic modality in the staging of gastric carcinoma.
Abdomen ; Butylscopolammonium Bromide ; Compensation and Redress ; Diagnosis ; Glucagon ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Spleen ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The occurrence of traumatic aneurysm is rare in head injury, but this complication is important as it is a potentially treatable cause delayed onset of intracranial hemorrhage. Authors report one case of traumatic aneurysm involving A1 and A2 junction of anterior cerebral artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A-28-year-old man with traffic accident was examined with brain CT & cerebral angiography. RESULTS: l) Brain CT:lnitial scan shows multiple skull fractures involving right frontal bones with subarachnoid hemorrhage and pneumocephalus. Follow-up scan shows intracerebral hemorrhage at bilateral frontal lobes. 2) Cerebral angiography:A traumatic aneurysm which is slowly filling and delayed emptying is noted at the junctional portion of A1 and A2 segment of the anterior cerebral artery. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates radiologic findings of traumatic aneurysm at anterior cerebral artery with the brief review of the literatures.
Accidents, Traffic ; Aneurysm ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frontal Bone ; Frontal Lobe ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Pneumocephalus ; Skull Fractures ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

From March 1987 to July 1989, six patients (five dadults and one child) with lung abscess (size, 5-13cm in diameter) were treated with percutaneous aspiration and drainage. In each case, the puncture was made where the wall of the abscess was in contact with the pleural surface. An 8 to 10 Fr catheter was inserted for drainage. Five of 6 had a dramatic clinical response within 24 hours of the drainage. Percutaneous drainage was successful with complete abscess resolution in four and partial resolution in one patient. No response was seen in the rest one. The duration of drainage ranged from 7 to 18 days (average, 15.5days) in successful cases. One case of the failure in drainage was due to persistent aspiration of the neurologically impaired patient. In one patient, the abscess resolved after drainage but recurred after inadvertent removal of the catheter 7 days after insertion. In two patients, concurrent pleural empyema was resolved completely by the drainage. Computed tomography provided anatomic details necessary for choosing the puncture site and avoiding a puncture of the lung parenchyma. Percutaneous catheter drainage is a safe and effective method for treating patients with lung abscess.
Abscess ; Catheters* ; Drainage* ; Empyema, Pleural ; Humans ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Methods ; Punctures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the various phosphorus metabolism' of breast tumors with use of in vivo phosphorus-31 (31P) M R spectroscopy (MRS) MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients with breast tumor (benign in two, malignant in three) and three normal healthy volunteers participated in this study. All in vivo31P MRS examinations were performed on 1.5 Twhole-body MRI/MRS system by using a Free Induction Decay (FID) pulse sequence. Tl-weighted MR images were used for localization of tumors. Peak areas for each phosphorus metabolite were measured using a Marquart algorithm. RESULTS: Breast carcinoma had a substantially larger phosphomonoester (PME) and a smaller phosphocreatine (PCr) peak intensity than normal breast tissue. This was reflected in the relatively higher PME/PCr ratio of breast carcinomas as well as phosphodiester (PDE)/PCr, inorganic phosphate (Pi)/PCr, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/PCr ratios, compared with normal controls. The mean pH value of breast tumor demonstrating the alkaline nature was higher than that of normal controls. Spectral patterns between benign breast disease and normal breast tissue were quite similar, and differentiation was not established. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary study suggests that in vivo 31P MRS is a noninvasive examination which may be useful in the early differentiation of malignant breast tumors from normal and benign conditions. However, normal control and benign conditions could not be characterized on the basis of the phosphorus metabolite ratios.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Breast Diseases ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Phosphocreatine ; Phosphorus ; Spectrum Analysis

Emphysematous cystitis is a rare condition characterized by gas collection in the wall and lumen of the bladder. We experienced three cases of emphysematous cystiris. All patients were female; one was associated with a long term history of diabetes mellitus and another with urinary indwelling catheter. All of the cases were easily diagnosed on plain radiograph and CT scan, and were successfully treated with antibiotic therapy. In one of the cases, however, associated abscess due to perivesical extension of inflammation was treated by combined external drainage.
Abscess ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Cystitis* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinary Bladder

Extrathoracic metastasis of a thymoma is rare ; we report a case of metastasis to the liver of a large solitary thymoma. Biopsy of the mass showed it to be predominantly lymphocytic and histologically the same as a primary thymoma operated on four years previously. On ultrasound and CT scan, the majority of the metastatic tumor was hemorrhagic, necrotic and/or cystic, with a peripheral, irregularly thick solid component and rather thin, smooth encapsulation.
Biopsy ; Liver* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Thymoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography