There has been no adequate diagnostic method for the diagnosis of intrascrotal lesions until recent days. Butafter the development of radionuclide testicular scan, early and relatively accurate diagnosis of the testicularlesions are possible. So the authors analyzed the 32 cases of patients who were examined by testicular scan andconfirmed by follow up study or operation, and the results are as follows; 1. These 32 cases consists of 13 casesod epididymitis, 7 cases of testicular torsion, 4 of cryptorchism, 2 of testicular tumor and etc. The over alldiagnostic accuracy is about 69%. 2. In epididymitis, the diagnostic accuracy is 85%(11/13) and the findings ofscan are increased perfusion in radionuclide angiogram and hot activity noted mainly in peripheral portion of thetesticle in static image. 3. In cases o testicular torsion, diagnostic accuracy is 86%(6/7). Acute torsion showsnormal perfusion in angiogram and round cold area instatic image. But in missed torsion, perfusion is increasedand round cold area wit surrounding hyperemia is noted in static image. Radionuclide testicular scan seems to benoninvasive, inexpensive, easily available and simple to perform with low gonadal radiation dose. So it can bevery useful as the first study in patients with acute testicular symptoms.
Cryptorchidism ; Diagnosis ; Epididymitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gonads ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Male ; Methods ; Perfusion ; Spermatic Cord Torsion

It is well known that halogenated anesthetics have been mainly used for inhalation anesthesia these days. However many controversies still exist concerning hepatic cellular damage after halothane anesthesia. Although several articles have been issued concerning the effects of halogenated anesthetics for hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients, a study of frequent research and strict case collections is meaningful. The authors observed the effects of enflurane anesthesia on 15 HBsAg positive patients who had not recognized themselves whether they had hepatitis symptoms or were carriers. During the period of study, all groups(enflurane study group and enflurane and halothane control groups) did not experience any difficulty with the anesthesia, blood transfusion, and jaundice, etc. The comparative data of liver function tests did not show great differences during the convalescent period. According to this and other recent studies, we can positively conclude that halogenated anesthetics, especially enflurane, may favorably be used to administer HBsAg positive patients, unless any undesirable problems related to anesthesia exist.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Blood Transfusion ; Enflurane* ; Halothane ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver Function Tests

PURPOSE: To evaluate the response and survival rate after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) of patients with a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients between May 1996 and June 2005 were evaluated with the salvage 3D-CRT treatment of a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. The treatment fields included the gross tumor volume with 2 cm margins. The total radiation dose was 35.0~61.5 Gy (biologic effective dose of 43.7 ~76.9 Gy(10) using an alpha/beta ratio of 10 Gy), with a daily dose of 1.8~3.0 Gy. The tumor response was evaluated by the change in maximum tumor size via follow up CT scans 1~3 months after the completion of treatment. RESULTS: An objective tumor response was achieved in all patients, with a complete response in 5 patients and a partial response in 12 patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 51.9% (median survival time: 27 months), and the most important factor affecting overall survival was the disease-free interval (interval from primary surgery of breast cancer to the development of sternal metastasis): The 5-year overall survival rate was 61.8% for patients with a disease-free interval > or =12 months and 0.0% for patients with disease-free interval <12 months (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The response to 3D-CRT was good in patients with solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. Particularly, patients with long disease-free interval from primary surgery survived significantly longer than patients with short disease-free interval from primary surgery.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden

We describe two cases of post-radiation sarcoma after breast cancer treatment. The first patient was a 61-year-old woman who underwent partial mastectomy of the right breast and adjuvant whole breast irradiation 7 years previously. Subsequently, a rapidly growing mass from the anterior arc of the right fifth rib was incidentally detected on an abdomino-pelvic computed tomography scan. The second patient was a 70-year-old woman who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and a partial mastectomy of the left breast 9 years ago. Adjuvant irradiation was delivered to the whole breast and supraclavicular region. Subsequently, an approximate 8 cm mass developed in the left axillary area. Both patients received wide excision of the tumor with negative resection margins. The pathological diagnoses were osteosarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, respectively. Although post-radiation sarcomas are rare complications with a poor prognosis, enhanced awareness and early detection by clinicians are essential to improve outcomes via curative surgical resection.
Aged ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis ; Ribs ; Sarcoma

Classification ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hematology ; Lymphoid Tissue

Since the epidural catheterization has been widely used for the purpose of anesthesia, diagnosis and pain control, there are various undesirable complications and hazards through the technical procedure or catheterization itself. Authors have experienced several hazards of location of the epidural catheter tip which were detected by epidurography performed the 1st. or 2nd. postoperative day with 50% Angiograffin. Hazards were as follows; 1) Single air bubble in the epidural space. 2) Inappropriate placement of the catheter tip. 3) Kinking of catheter in the epidural space. 4) Intravascular placement of the catheter.
Anesthesia ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Diagnosis ; Epidural Space

Clinical manifestations of hypothyroidism are very various and these degree are related to the severity and duration of the disease. Pericardial effusions, one of the manifestations of hypothy-roidism, were relatively common in the past. However, recently they may not be so frequent representative of hypothyroid subjects. The higher frequency of Hashimotos thyroiditis in Turners syndrome, especially those with an X-isochromosome, compared with the general population is well known. The pathophysiological process of autoimmunity is thought to be linked with the presence of an abnormal X-chromosome. Recently we experienced a case of X-isochromosome Turners syndrome with hypothyroidism and pericardial effusion and report it with reviews of the literatures.
Autoimmunity ; Hypothyroidism* ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis ; Turner Syndrome*

Neurofibromatosis 1(NF-1, Von Recklinghausen disease) and Neurofibromatosis 2(NF-2, bilateral acoustic neurinoma) have been established as distinct disorders by the National Institutes of Health(NIH) Consensus Development Conference in 1988. We recently have encountered a patient of NF-2 who develop multiple intracranial and spinal tumors 12 years after the surgical treatment of Schwannoma of lumbar nerve roots. The tumors were right acoustic neurinoma, left cerebellopontine angle(CPA) meningioma, multiple intracranial meningiomas, intraorbital glioma, multiple ependymomas of the brain stem and cervical spinal cord, and meningiomas of cervical nerve roots. We present this case with a review of reported cases of neurofibromatosis.
Academies and Institutes ; Acoustics ; Brain Stem ; Ependymoma ; Glioma ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 2* ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Spinal Cord

BACKGROUND: The Korean Red Cross blood laboratory centers have been performing comparative tests for NAT reactive specimens since February 2005. However, five discrepant specimens were found in HCV-diluted specimens between 2007 and 2008 and the reasons for this has been investigated. METHODS: For the five discrepant specimens, the HCV RNA concentration was measured in 5 tubes for each speciment. Subsequently, in order to compare the sensitivity of the low titer specimens measured by RT-PCR and TMA, comparative tests of diluted samples were examined six times per sample. Finally, the genotype was tested in order to determine the characteristics of the discrepant samples. RESULTS: Result of the quantitative tests for HCV RNA demonstrated that aliquots of the plasma bag were homogenous in term of viral load quantitation. As a result of the comparative test, all samples were found to contain over 1.0x10(1) IU/mL as detected by the two analytical systems. In contrast, those less than 1.0x10(1) IU/mL were not entirely detected by the two systems. CONCLUSION: It was impossible to completely detect using the two NAT system and the detection rates for both systems were equivalent for the samples examined. In particular, with respect to HCV, it may be undetectable on the NAT test because viral load decreases rapidly before and after sero-conversion. This result indicates that anti-HCV and NAT should be performed together as an HCV screening test prior to blood donation.
Blood Donors ; Genotype ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Plasma ; Red Cross ; RNA ; Uronic Acids ; Viral Load

OBJECTIVE: The precise intra- vs. extradural localization of aneurysms involving the paraclinoid internal carotid artery is critical for the evaluation of patients being considered for aneurysm surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical usefulness of T2-weighted three-dimensional (3-D) fast spin-echo (FSE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the evaluation of unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms in their paraclinoid regions were prospectively evaluated using a T2-weighted 3-D FSE MR imaging technique with oblique coronal sections. The MR images were assessed for the location of the cerebral aneurysm in relation to the dural ring and other surrounding anatomic compartments, and were also compared with the surgical or angiographic findings. RESULTS: All 28 aneurysms were identified by T2-weighted 3D FSE MR imaging, which showed the precise anatomic relationships in regards to the subarachnoid space and the surrounding anatomic structures. Consequently, 13 aneurysms were determined to be intradural and the other 15 were deemed extradural as they were confined to the cavernous sinus. Of the 13 aneurysms with intradural locations, three superior hypophyseal artery aneurysms were found to be situated intradurally upon operation. CONCLUSION: High-resolution T2-weighted 3-D FSE MR imaging is capable of confirming whether a cerebral aneurysm at the paraclinoid region is intradural or extradural, because of the MR imaging's high spatial resolution. The images may help in identifying patients with intradural aneurysms who require treatment, and they also can provide valuable information in the treatment plan for paraclinoid aneurysms.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cavernous Sinus ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Prospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Space