No abstract available.
Chylothorax* ; Lymphangiectasis*

OBJECTIVE: Use of quantitative computed tomography (CT) to evaluate bone mineral density was suggested in the 1970s. Despite its reliability and accuracy, technical shortcomings restricted its usage, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) became the gold standard evaluation method. Advances in CT technology have reduced its previous limitations, and CT evaluation of bone quality may now be applicable in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine if the Hounsfield unit (HU) values obtained from CT correlate with patient age and bone mineral density. METHODS: A total of 128 female patients who underwent lumbar CT for back pain were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 66.4 years. Among them, 70 patients also underwent DXA. The patients were stratified by decade of life, forming five age groups. Lumbar vertebrae L1-4 were analyzed. The HU value of each vertebra was determined by averaging three measurements of the vertebra's trabecular portion, as shown in consecutive axial CT images. The HU values were compared between age groups, and correlations of HU value with bone mineral density and T-scores were determined. RESULTS: The HU values consistently decreased with increasing age with significant differences between age groups (p<0.001). There were significant positive correlations (p<0.001) of HU value with bone mineral density and T-score. CONCLUSION: The trabecular area HU value consistently decreases with age. Based on the strong positive correlation between HU value and bone mineral density, CT-based HU values might be useful in detecting bone mineral diseases, such as osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon* ; Back Pain ; Bone Density* ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Methods ; Osteoporosis ; Spine*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Evoked Potentials* ; Rats*

IPS-empress system is one of widely used all ceramic system. The purpose of this study was to determine the pressing accuracy of refused IPS%Empress ingot. 10 specimens were made using new ingot first, and using the rests of the specimen the another group of specimens were made next. Finally, the third group of specimens were made with same procedure mentioned above. The results obtained in this study were as follows ; 1. The pressing accuracy of the first group of specimen was 96.1%, that of the second group was 95.4%, and that of the third group was 95.4%. There was no statistical signifcance among them, that is, the reuse of the IPS-Empress ingot did not influence on the pressing accuracy. 2. the common site of the defect in pressed ingot was central area at the margin opposite of sprue hole.
Celiac Disease ; Ceramics

Menetrier's disease is a rare disease characterized by the presence of large rugal folds involving part or all of the stomach. Patients with hypertrophic gastropathy often have distressing abdominal symptoms, weight loss and edema due to gastric protein loss. The 48-year-old male patient was admitted to the Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital with cheif complaints of indigestion and epigastric pain. The diagnosis of Menetriers disease is established by radiologic, endoscopic, and pathologic examination. He was treated with soft diet, antacid, H2- receptor antagonist, and IV albumin. We report a case of Menetriers disease with brief review of literatures.
Diagnosis ; Diet ; Dyspepsia ; Edema ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic* ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rare Diseases ; Stomach ; Weight Loss

Blunt abdominal trauma may cause peripheral vascular injuries. However, blunt abdominal trauma rarely results in injuries to the external iliac and common femoral arteries, which often stem from regional bone fractures. Here, we present the case of a patient who had experienced trauma in the lower abdominal and groin area three months before presenting to the hospital, but these injuries did not involve bone fractures and had been managed conservatively. The patient came to the hospital because of left lower leg claudication that gradually became severe. Computed tomography angiography confirmed total occlusion of the external iliac and common femoral arteries. The patient underwent femorofemoral bypass grafting and was discharged uneventfully.
Angiography ; Femoral Artery* ; Fractures, Bone ; Groin ; Humans ; Leg ; Transplants ; Vascular System Injuries

PURPOSE: To describe the two-phase spiral CT findings of acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTscans of nine patients with surgically-proven acute cholecystitis were retrospectively reviewed for wallthickening, enhancement pattern of the wall, attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder, gallstones,gallbladder distention, gas collection within the gallbladder, pericholecystic fluid and infiltration ofpericholecystic fat. RESULT: In all cases, wall thickening of the gallbladder was seen, though this was moredistinct on delayed images, Using high-low-high attenuation, one layer was seen in five cases, nd three layers infour. On arterial images, eight cases showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to thegall bladder;four of these showed curvilinear attenuation and four showed subsegmental attenuation. One caseshowed curvilinear decreased attenuation between increased attenuation of the liver and the gallbladder, andduring surgery, severe adhesion between the liver and gallbladder was confirmed. Additional CT findings wereinfiltration of pericholecystic fat (n=9), gallstones (n=7), gallbladder distension (n=6), pericholecystic fluid(n=3), and gas collection within the gallbladder (n=2). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute cholecystisis,two-phase spiral CT revealed wall thickening in one or three layers ; on delayed images this was more distint. Inmany cases, arterial images showed transient focal increased attenuation of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder.
Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Liver ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

PURPOSE: Irinotecan (CPT-11) is hydrolyzed to an active SN-38, which is further detoxicated to SN-38G through conjugation by uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) enzymes. There are many reports that UGT1A1 polymorphisms are associated with irinotecan related dose-limiting toxicity. The aim of the present study is to determine whether UGT1A1 polymorphisms affect individual variations of the toxicity due to and the tumor response to irinotecan via the alteration of bioavailability of SN-38 in Korean patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: Twenty patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, who had received surgery after irinotecan-containing chemoradiation from 2003 to 2006, were enrolled. We analyzed the association of UGT1A1 genotypes with toxicity and tumor response to chemoradiation therapy. A tumor response was assumed when a tumor regression grade I or II was obtained. Toxicity was graded in accordance with the NCI common toxicity criteria. RESULTS: The frequence of square53(TA)6>7 (UGT1A1*28), 211G>A (UGT1A1*6), 686C>A (UGT1A1*27), square3279T>G (UGT1A1*60), and square3156G>A were 25% (5/20), 25% (5/20), 0% (0/20), 55% (11/20), and 20% (4/20), respectively. There were five grade III neutropenia and one severe diarrhea. Patients with UGT1A1*28 and square3156G>A showed higher complete tumor response rates (40% vs. 6.7%, P=0.07; 50% vs. 6.3%, P=0.08), but there was no differences in toxicity and tumor response between responders and non-responders. Patients with square3279T>G (UGT1A1*60) showed a tendency for lower tumor response in tumor responders, but there was no statistically significant difference (P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that square3279T>G (UGT1A1*60) may be useful in predicting tumor response of irinotecan. In the future, further study is warranted using large numbers of cases to reach statistical significance.
Biological Availability ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diarrhea ; Genotype ; Glucuronosyltransferase ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Uridine Diphosphate

This report is concerned with our clinical experience of 40 cases of anesthesia for open heart surgery at the Department of Anesthesiology, Seoul Adventist hospital during the period between July, 1988 and May, 1990. The results were as follows: 1) Among the 40 cases, 16 cases were congenital heart disease and 24 cases were acguired heart disease. 13 cases were male and 27 were female, Age was varied from 4 years to 71 years and mean was 33.2 years. 2) Morphine and glycopyrrolate were used as premedicants. 3) Thiopental, morphine and fentanly were used as induction agents, were injected singly or in combination. 4) Morphine, fentanyl and N2O were used as anesthetic agents in conjunction with halothane or enflurane. 5) Succinylcholine, vecuronium and pancuronium were used for intubation and maintenance of muscle relaxation. 6) The duration of eardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross clamp, surgery and anesthesia in acquired heart disease were longer than in congenital heart disease, 7) Overall the mortality rate was 5% and the cause of death were air embolism and respiratory failue.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesiology ; Anesthetics ; Cause of Death ; Embolism, Air ; Enflurane ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Glycopyrrolate ; Halothane ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Diseases ; Heart* ; Humans ; Intubation ; Male ; Morphine ; Mortality ; Muscle Relaxation ; Pancuronium ; Seoul ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Vecuronium Bromide

This study refers to the problem of long-term inpatient flow in a general hospital. In this study, a queueing simulation model was developed for the two departments in the hospital with a homogenous case mix and relatively many long-term inpatients in order to increase the tumover rate and hospital charges. Before the simulation run, the model was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirmov test. The following results were generated by three alternative models of the special bed policies. 1. Alternative I: When long term inpatients were admitted to the wards belonging to departments A and B without transfer to other departments and special beds, the average turn-over rate decreased by 2-4% and the average hospital charges decreased by 70 million won. 2. Alternative II: When long-term inpatients were transferred to department C but the transfer of wards was determined by department C in order of clinical need, the average turnover rate increased by 4-13% but the average hospital charges decreased by 30 million won. This result was not greatly different from the present state. 3. Alternative III: When long-term inpatients were transferred to the special wards and department C simultaneously, the increase in the average turnover rate and hospital charges was equivalent to the increase of two beds in the special wards. When the special wards were allocated 16 beds, the average turnover rate of departments A and B increased by about 55% and 20% respectively. Also, the hospital charges increased by about 0.44 billion won. As a result, trasfer to department C and the use of 16 beds in the special wards for long-term inpatients of departments A and B is expected to maximize the hospital revenue. However, as the above special bed policy can not increase the turnover rate above 60%, there is a need for a more comprehensive policy to further increase the rate. The development of an elaborate model should include the number of long-term inpatients in all clinical departments, the special wards system or an increase of hospital beds to handle admission needs, and the resources of the hospital by department. When the alternative are evaluated, a cost-benefit analysis in addition to the turnover rate and the hospital charges should be considered.
Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Hospital Charges ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Inpatients*