The computed tomography (CT) number is closely related to hematocrit level according to many of the previous reports. We measured the CT number in various organs, such as the frontal white matter, basal ganglia, occipital white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, liver, abdominal aorta, spleen, kidney, and psoas muscle. We correlated the CT numbers of the organs with hematocrit levels which were graded into 10% increments (20.0-29.9%, 30.0-39.9%, 40.0-49.9%). Thus the change of CT numbers in various organs according to the hematocrit level was analyzed. The increased CT numbers according to the 10% increment of hematocrit in the frontal white matter, basal ganglia, occipital white matter, liver, abdominal aorta, spleen, and psoas muscle were 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 3.3, 5.3, 3.8, 2.4 respectively. Even though the CT numbers of the cerebrospinal fluid and kidney were not influenced by hematocrit level the CT numbers in most of the there organs postitively correlated with hematocrit level. Therefore, it was concluded that in the differential diagnosis using CT numbers, the hematocrit level of patient must be taken into consideration.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Basal Ganglia ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematocrit* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Psoas Muscles ; Spleen ; White Matter

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate differentiating features of spinal compression fractures between benign and metastatic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed MR imaging in 52 patients (benign 38, metastasis 14) with vertebral compression fracture. Signal intensity of fracture and uninvolved areas, presence of contrast enhancement, fragmentation, and paravertebral mass were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Signal intensity of fracture site was variable in benign lesions, but low signal intensity on T1-weighted image and high on T2*-weighted image were seen in all cases of metastasis. Signal intensity of uninvolved area was high on T1-weighted image and low on T2*-weighted image in 84% of benign lesions. On the contrary, normal marrow signal intensity was not seen in the uninvolved areas of all metastatic fractures. Contrast enhancement were observed in all cases of benign & metastatic compression fractures. Fragmentation were seen in 1 case of metastasis(7%) and in 11 cases of benign lesions(29%). Paravertebral mass were seen in 5 cases of metastasis(36%) and in 7 cases of benign lesions(18%). CONCLUSION: Presence of normal marrow signal intensity in the uninvolved area of fracture site could be the most useful sign for differentiating benign causes from metastasis.
Bone Marrow ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell*

Percutaneous nephrostomy for relief of obstruction and functional preservation of the kidney was effectivelyperformed 19 times in 14 patients for recent 1 year since July 1982 at Departement of Radiology in Seoul NationalUniversity Hospital. The etiologies of the total 14 obstructive uropathies were metastatic cervix cancer in 6-cases, metastatic rectal cancer in 2 cases, and metastatic bladder cancer, malignant mixed mesodermal tumor operimetrium, pyonephrosis, bilateral staghorn stone, UVJ obstruction of undertermined cause, congenital UPJobstruction in 1 case respectively. Percutaneous nephrostomy was done bilaterally in 1 case of congenital UPJobstruction and unilaterally in 13 cases. We used ultrasound as puncture guide in 13 cases and CT in 1 case. Majorcomplication was absent, but minor complications occured in 4 patients; gross hematuria persisting 24 hours (1case), catheter dislodgment after several seeks (2 cases ) and luminal narrowing after 3 months(1 case).Satisfactory outcomes were made in 13 patients except 1 patient who succumbed one day after the procedure due topreexisting severe sepsis. The procedure proved to be safe and effective alternative to operative nephrostomy insome patients with urinary obstruction.
Catheters ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Mesoderm ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Phenobarbital ; Punctures ; Pyonephrosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Seoul ; Sepsis ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Malignant gastric lymphoma is an uncommon but important lesion with a more favorable prognosis than that ofgastric carcinoma. A total of 16 cases of gastric malignant lymphoma examined during a period from Jan. 1980 toSept. 1983 at Seoul National University Hospital were subjected to the radiological and pathologic correlations.In all cases, the diagnosis was established by histopathology of the resected specimens (9 cases) or endoscopicbiopsy specimesn ( 7 cases). Based on the comparative study of upper G-I series and macroscopic findings of thesurgically resected specimen, the authors investigated the reliable radiographic findings which can be valuable indifferentiation of gastric lymphoma from other gastric lesions, especailly carcinoma, and suggested the followingdiagnostic criteria for the malignant lymphoma of the stomach. 1. Discrete multiple polypoid lesions with orwithout central umbilication. 2. Geographic ulcer, deviated from center of the mass. 3. Irregular thickness ofelevated rim of the mass. 4. Diffuse giant gastric rugae. 5. Giant gastric rugae, mixed with other lesion.
Diagnosis ; Lymphoma ; Prognosis ; Seoul ; Stomach ; Ulcer

Twenty patients with congenital aortic stenosis excluding valvular stenosis were studied beween April 1980 and April 1984 at Seoul National University Hospital. The clinical and radiologic findings with the emphasis on the cineangiographies were analyzed separately according to the type of aortic stenosis as subaortic and supravalvular aortic stenosis. The summaries of the analysis are as follows: 1. Among the 20 cases, 12 cases were subaorticstenosis and 8 cases were supravalvular stenosis. 2. The anatomic types of subaoritc stenosis were the discrete membranous type (8 cases), the fibromuscular type (2 cases) and the tunnel type (2 cases). 3. The obstruction of subaoritic types was usually severe, and the median left ventricular to aortic systolic pressure gradient was 60mmHg, and associated cardiac defects were found in 10 cases (84%), an incidence greater than that reported in mostother large series. 4. The anatomic types of 8 cases of supravalvular aortic stenosis were mainly focal type (7cases ) and 1 case of diffuse hypoplastic type. 5. The median left ventricular to aortic systolic pressure gradient of supravalvular stenosis was 75mmHg, and associated anomalies were seen in 6 cases(75%) with 3 cases of suspected mental retardation and facial abnormalities without definite hypercalcemia. 6. For accurate diagnosis of congenital aortic stenosis, retrograde left ventricular angiograms obtainend in axial pojections are of crucial importance in demonstration of anatomic types of stenosis and associated anomalies. And supravalvular aortic injection is sometimes helpful to outline the anatomy of the valve and to evaluate the degree of aortic regurgitation.
Aortic Stenosis, Supravalvular ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Blood Pressure ; Cineangiography ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Incidence ; Intellectual Disability ; Seoul

Smooth muscle tumors of stomach are unusual tumors, accounting for 1-3% of primary gastric malignancies. Diagnosis of these tumors is important because of the more favorable prognosis of this tumor than that of gastric carcinoma. A retrospective study was made in 18 patients who had pathology-proven gastric leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma to identify radiologic characteristics for recent 6 years from Jan. 1978 to July. 1984 at department of radiology, Seoul National University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1. Age of 13 cases of gastric leiomyosarcoma ranged from 36 to 70 with average of 51 and the male to female ratio was 10:3. Age of 5 cases of gastric leiomyoma ranged from 24 to 67 with average of 44 and the male to female ratio was 3:2. 2. Clinically, gastric leiomyosarcoma had epigastric pain in 7 cases, palpable mass in 4 cases, melena in 3 cases, hematemesis in 2 cases, 5 cases of gastric leiomyoma also had above symptoms respectively. 3. Of the 13 cases of gastric leiomyosarcoma studied by upper gastrointestinal examination, 6 cases (32%) involved the fundus, 10 cases (50%) in the body, 3 cases (18%) in the antrum . Of the 5 cases of gastric leiomyoma, 4 cases were confined to the fundus and 1 case in the body. 4. The size of the 13 gastric leiomyosarcomas ranged from 5 to more than 20cm in diameter. The size of the 5 gastric leiomyomas ranged from 3 to 9cm in diameter. 5. The growth type of gastric leiomyosarcoma was exophytic in 8 cases, endogastric in 1 case and mixed pattern in 4 cases. The growth type of gastric leiomyoma were exophytic in 1 case, endogastric in 2 cases and mixed in 2 cases. 6. Mucosal pattern of gastric leiomyosarcoma were mainly effaced pattern in 10 cases (77%), but 3 cases (23%) showed irregular destructioñ. 1 case of gastric leiomyoma showed mucosal irregularity. 7. Ulceration was present in 10 cases of gastric leiomyosarcoma either single or multiple. 2 cases of gastric leiomyoma showed small ulcerations. Calcifiation was seen in one case of cellular leiomyoma. 8. Diagnostic accuracy of gastric leiomyosarcoma and gastric leiomyoma by U.G. 1. study was 90% and 80% respectively. One case of gastric leiomyosarcoma arose from the fundus of stomach was diffcult to difficu ltiate from advanced atomach cancer, Borrmann type 1.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Male ; Melena ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Smooth Muscle Tumor ; Stomach ; Ulcer

Neurilemmomas are benign tumors of the nerve sheaths. They are usually painless and are most common in the upper extremities. Pathologically, neurilemmoma is encapsulated and made up of organized element: the Antoni A cells, the Antoni B cells and the Verocay bodies. According to Stout, neurilemmomas never become malignant. Two cases of neurilemmoma of tibial nerve and One case of neurilemmoma of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve are presented with a review of the literature. Tumors were enucleated and confirmed by pathological examination.
B-Lymphocytes ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma ; Tibial Nerve ; Upper Extremity

PURPOSE: To assess the characteristic features of MR imaging in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed MR imaging of 27 cases with pathologically-proven spinal tuberculosis and analyzed the MR findings including the extent of the lesions on non-contrast T1, proton density, and T2*VI, and the specific contrast enhancement patterns of the lesion on Gd-DTPA enhnced TIWI. RESULTS: The inflammatory lesions showed low signal intensity on T1WI in 25 patients(93%) and high signal intensity on T2*gradient echo image in 25 patients(93%). Bone destruction was noted in 15 patients(55%), disc-space narrowing in 21 patients(77%), paravertebral abscess in 16 patients(59%), subligamentous extension in 23 patients(85%), kyphosis in 8 patients(29%), and spinal canal narrowing in 19 patients(70%). After Gd-DTPA was administrated, rim-enhancement was noted in all patients(100%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MR imaging is an excellent imaging modality for establishing the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis as well as delineating the extent of soft tissue involvement. Characteristic peripheral rim enhancement after injection of Gd-DTPA may provide rather specific diagnosis in spinal tuberculosis.
Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Kyphosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Tuberculosis, Spinal*

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of major blood components on the CT number. The CT numbers according to the various levels of hematocrit, total protein and cholesterol were checked and analysed by the dilution of pack cell, plasma and 184 complete blood cell count samples under same scanning conditions. In case of normal protein and cholesterol level(33 samples), the CT number was increased about 5.5 hounsfield unit according to 10% increase of hematocrit level: and In case of normal hematocrit and cholesterol level(39 samles), the CT number was increased about 3.5 hounsfield unit according to 1gm% increase of protein level. CT number changes were not predictable according to the changes of cholesterol level(34 samples). From these results, we concluded that major blood components should be considered in the CT number analysis of tissue.
Blood Cell Count ; Cholesterol ; Hematocrit ; Plasma Cells