The great chain of sympathetic ganglia which extends from the base of the skull to the pelvis, including the suprarenal medulla, accounts for the origin of the ganglioneuroma which compound with the matured ganglion cells and neural elements. The ganglioneuroma is non-functioning tumor, but occasionally this tumor accompanies with hypertension and diarrhea and increased excretion of vanilmandelic acid in urine. Recently we experienced a housewife with the bilateral ganglioma which developed at both suprarenal medulla and after successful removal of the tumors hypertension was controlled.
Diarrhea ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Ganglion Cysts ; Ganglioneuroma* ; Hypertension ; Pelvis ; Skull ; Vanilmandelic Acid

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a very rare malignant neoplasm which originates from the soft tissue. The common site is lower extremity and it is especially rare to occur primarily in the orbit. It is characterized that tumor shows organoid arrangement of lobules separated by numerous delicate vascular septa and individual tumor cell contained PAS positive crystalline granules in the cytoplasm. Moreover, because of hypervascular tumor, it is easy to misdiagnosed as a cavernous hemangioma which commonly occurs in the orbit. We experienced a 29-year-old male who had suffered from unilateral proptosis.Before operation, ultrasonography, MRI and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were performed and we suspected that the retro-orbital mass was a cavernous hemangioma. Using Kr onlein method,lateral orbitotomy was performed and large well encapsulated tumor mass (2.5 x2.5 x2.0 cm)was excised. On histopathological examination the tumor was confirmed as an alveolar soft part sarcoma. Therefore, we report this interesting case with review of the literature.
Adult ; Crystallins ; Cytoplasm ; Hemangioma* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Orbit* ; Organoids ; Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ultrasonography

There have been many theories for pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. However,no one theory can explain all of the pathogenesis. That means many factors contribute to the pathogenesis of the diabetic retinopathy. Many studies have shown the retinal changes in long-term hyperglycemia, yet relatively few in short-term hyperglycemia. To study the changes of the retinal capillary and retinal pigment epithelium in diabetic retinopathy, we measured the thickness of the basement membrane of the retinal capil-lary endothelial cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. An morphological alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium were also examined on the 2 month-old diabetic rats. The measurement was made using 0.1 mm calibrated ruler overlaying the electron micrograph with a transparent plastic sheet on which 20 radiating lines were etched exactly 18 .apart. The SPSS and Instat program were used for statistical evaluation of the data. Comparing with the control, the increase of the thickness of the endothelial basement membrane at the 2 month-old diabetic rats was statistically significant (p<0.05). Cytoplasmic alterations such as vacuolization of capillary endothelium, changes in mitochondria and increasement of capillary endothelialcytoplasm were more prominent in diabetic rats than in control rats. Basal infoldings of retinal pigment epithelium appeared to be more frequent and deeper in diabetic rats than in control rats.
Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Capillaries ; Cytoplasm ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Infant ; Mitochondria ; Plastics ; Rats* ; Retina* ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Retinaldehyde

Orbital abscess is an inflammatory disease of the orbit which usually aries in children or adults. However, it also arises in infants and an appropriate treatment is needed because it often accompanies more severe symptoms, complications, and permanent sequales. Systemic administration of antibiotics and surgical therapy can be enployed as means of treatment. When one uses surgical therapy in addition to using systemic antibiotics, one can obtain good results with rapid improvement of symptoms and prevention of complications. Surgical aspiration and antibiotic treatment showed good results in an infant who was admitted due to proptosis, chemosis, eyelid edema, and drythema.
Abscess* ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Edema ; Exophthalmos ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Orbit*

Orbital abscess is an inflammatory disease of the orbit which usually aries in children or adults. However, it also arises in infants and an appropriate treatment is needed because it often accompanies more severe symptoms, complications, and permanent sequales. Systemic administration of antibiotics and surgical therapy can be enployed as means of treatment. When one uses surgical therapy in addition to using systemic antibiotics, one can obtain good results with rapid improvement of symptoms and prevention of complications. Surgical aspiration and antibiotic treatment showed good results in an infant who was admitted due to proptosis, chemosis, eyelid edema, and drythema.
Abscess* ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Edema ; Exophthalmos ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Orbit*

PURPOSE: To describe MR findngs of the seminal tract using endorectal surface coil(ECMR) in patients with hemospermia and to compare them with transrectal ultrasonography(TRU TR US). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-fourpatients with hemospermia underwent MR imaging using a 1. 5T unit. T2-weighted fast spin echo axial, sagittal and coronal images, and T1-weighted spin echo axial images were obtained using on endorectal surface coil. MR finding sin 17 patients were compared with TRUS performed by urologist. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients(92%) demonstrated morphological abnormalities in the prostate and the seminal tract. On ECMR, 16 hemorrhagic foci were seen in 13patients. Prostatic cysts were seen in 14 patients(8 m llerian and 6 wolffian). These cysts showed high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. On T1-weighted images, m llerian duct cysts showed low signal intensity and wolffian duct cysts showed high signal intensity. On ECMR, calculi were seen in 18 patients. Of 17 cases who had both ECMR and TRUS, prostatic cysts were seen in 11 on ECMR and 5 cases on TRUS (p<0.05). No hemorrhage in theseminal tract was detected on TRUS. In is cases, calculi were clearly defined on ECMR, and in 11 cases on TRUS(p<0.1). CONCLUSIONS: ECMR demonstrated various lesions in patients with hemospermia and was superior to TRUS inthe localization of hemorrhage and detection of prostatic cysts and calculi.
Calculi ; Hemorrhage ; Hemospermia* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Prostate ; Ultrasonography*

Congenital toxoplasmosis is caused by vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii from the mother during pregnancy. The road clinical spectrum of congenital toxoplasmosis ranges from stillbirth or death shortly after birth to survival with either cerebral damage or mild or subclinical disease, consisting usually of ocular involvement. Recently we experienced a neonate with congenital toxoplasmosis. The diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis was confirmed on the basis of clinical findings such as chorioretinitis, CT findings of multiple cerebral calcifications calcifications, hydrocephalus, and positive serologic test for toxoplasma IgM anti body. Therefore, we report our case with a review of related literature.
Chorioretinitis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant, Newborn* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Serologic Tests ; Stillbirth ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis, Congenital*

Neuromyelitis optica is a rare demyelinating disorder of unknown etiology in which unilateral or bilateral optic neuritis and transverse myelitis occur within few days or weeks time interval.It is a disorder that occurs more commonly in children than in adult. The authors experienced a case of neuromyelitis optica in a 10-year-old male who developed acute visual loss of both eyes, pain and sensory loss of both legs, paraplegia, and urinary difficulty. We confirmed this case by neurologic feature, magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid findings, and visual evoked potential.His symptoms improved with systemic corticosteroid therapy. Therefore, we report our case with a review of related literature.
Adult ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Humans ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Myelitis, Transverse ; Neuromyelitis Optica* ; Optic Neuritis ; Paraplegia

OBJECTIVE: Heart rate variability(HRV) is helpful to diagnosis autonomic disturbance and sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance in patients with myocardial infarction and diabetes mellitus. Patients with liver cirrhosis demonstrate reduced blood pressure despite increased heart rate and increased cardiac output, indicating a fall in peripheral vascular resistance. Autonomic disturbance may contribute to this phenomenon. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the degree of autonomic disturbance and the circadian rhythm of autonomic nervous system by estimating HRV with 24 hour-Holter recorder, METHODS: 24 hour-HRV with Del Mar Avionics 563 Holter recorder and cardiovascular reflex tests were carried out on 32 patients with liver cirrhosis and 20 control subjects. We evaluated the presence of autonomic disturbance, and assessed quantitatively the autonomic disturbance. RESULTS: 1) Among cardiovascular reflex tests, Valsalva test, standing test and deep breathing test were showed a significantly decreased response in liver cirrhosis compared with control groups. 2) The standard deviation of 24hours average R-R intervals were showed a significantly decrease in liver cirrhosis than control groups(P<0.0001). The HRV of low frequency(LF. P<.D.001), high frequency(HF, P<0.0001) and total power spectral density (P<0.0001) in liver cirrhosis were statistically lower than control. 3) The LF/HF ratio of patients with liver cirrhosis was showed higher than control at night CONCLUSION: Non-invasive assessment of 24 hour-HRV has a few advantages in the diagnosis and degree of autonomic disturbance, evaluation of diurnal variation of autonomic tone.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Circadian Rhythm ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Reflex ; Respiration ; Vascular Resistance

Although it has been known that seminal plasma (SP) modulates immune responses, the morphologic and functional effects of SP on mast cells have not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to determine the morphologic and functional effects of SP from the azoospermic (ASP), oligozoospermic (OSP) and normozoospermic (NSP) men on rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC). By inverted microscopy, degranulation of RPMC occurred by treatment of OSP, NSP or compound 48/80. Treatment of RPMC with OSP and NSP resulted in increase in size and decrease in surface folds and bulged granules from the cell surface indicating that degranulating processes took place. Irregular cell surface with few microvilli and large degranulation channels filled with altered granules of various sizes were observed in OSP or NSP-treated RMPC. The degranulation index (DI) of RPMC treated with HBSS was 8.8+/-5.0. SP-induced DI was 11.9+/-6.2, 57.1+/-16.9 and 61.9+/-15.8, in ASP, OSP and NSP, respectively. The DI of RPMC treated with compound 48/80 (1 microgram/ml) was 83.5+/-21.4. These results indicated that the OSP, NSP but not ASP, induced the degranulation of RPMC. OSP and NSP induced histamine release (HR) from RPMC (4.5x105 cells). The HR of RPMC treated with HBSS was 1,030+/-196.6ng/ml, whereas ASP, OSP and NSP-induced HR was 1,010+/-204.7, 2,794+/-453.3 and 2,899 +/-366.7 ng/ml, respectively. The HR of RPMC treated with compound 48/80 was 6,300+/-476.2 ng/ml. Intracellular calcium level(ICL) of RPMC was also increased by OSP and NSP. The ICL of RPMC treated with HBSS was 6.1+/-1.0 pmole. ASP, OSP and NSP-induced ICL was 9.0+/-1.1, 81.2+/-18.5 and 76.6+/-18.0 pmole, respectively. The ICL of RPMC treated with compound 48/80 was 102.9+/-22.2 pmole. From the above results, it is suggested that OSP and NSP contain some factors to degranulate RPMC by the increase of intracellular calcium level.
Animals ; Calcium ; Histamine Release* ; Histamine* ; Humans ; Male ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Microvilli ; Rats* ; Semen* ; Viperidae