No abstract available.
Hemangioma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristic MR findings of childhood metachromatic leukodystrophy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five female patients (10--29 months old;mean age, 21.8 months) of biochemically confirmed metachromatic leukodystrophy were included in this study. We evaluated the extent of white matter degeneration, which was shown as high signal intensity on T2-weighted image, and the presence or absence of the enhancement. Result.' All 5 cases showed high signal intensity in periventricular deep white matter and centrum semiovale which were bilateral, symmetric and confluent. Posterior predominace, sparing of subcortical U fibers and immediate periventricular white matter, and the involvement of splenium of corpus callosum were also noted in all cases. There were other manifestations, such as 'tigroid pattern' in centrum semiovale (n=4), the involvement of genu of corpus callosum(n=4), posterior limb of internal capsule(n=4), descending pyramidal tracts (n=3), deep cerebellar white matter(n=1), claustrum(n=2), and diffuse brain atrophy(n=1). In three cases with Gd-infusion, contrast enhancement of the lesion was not seen. CONCLUSION: In childhood metachromatic leukodystrophy, MRI can clearly demonstrate the chracteristic extent of the white matter lesion and other associated findings, facilitating the differential diagnosis from other similar leukodystrophies.
Brain ; Corpus Callosum ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pyramidal Tracts

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma(UES) is an uncommon malignant hepatic tumor that occurs in older children and young adults. Six cases of UES were reviewed to determine their characterisfic findings on sonography (US) (n=5), computed tomography (CT) (n=6), and angiography (n=2) US demonstrated a single large, echogenic mass with some anechoic spaces in each case. CT revealed a well demarcated hypodense mass with hyperdense septa of variable shape and thickness. Four cases showed enhancing peripheral rim and some solid portions at the periphery or adjacent to the septa. Follow-up CT scan in one case who had not been treated showed enhancing solid portion changed to hypodense areas. Angiography showed hypovascular or avascular mass. Familiarity with these radiological findings of UES of liver will be helpful in differential diagnosis of primary hepatic tumors of childhood.
Angiography ; Child* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Sarcoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Heart Diseases* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Heart*

Local excision and axillary dissection followed by radiation therapy to the breast has been shown to achieve equivalent local control and survival as mastectomy in an prospective randomized trials. We analyzed 28 cases of early breast cancer in order to evaluate the therapeutic effects of conservative f surgery and definitive radiotherapy in the management of early breast cancer as possible alternative of simple mastectomy, retrospectively. Obtained results were as follows 1. Treatment related acute side reactions are more prominant in the case of chemoradiotherapy group than radiotherapy alone group. 2. There were no cases of primary, regional or systemic failures on the last follow up examination. 3. Cosmetic results after treatment were satisfactory in 26 cases out of 28 cases on the last follow up examination. 4. There were no demonstrable differences of tumor control and cosmetic results between the treatment groups. Although, these results suggested that definitive radiotherapy after local excision would be a possible and desirable alternative instead of total mastectomy in the management of early breast cancers, analyzed cases were too small and follow up period was too short to evaluate the therapeutic effect of primary radiotherapy after local excision, exactly.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Mastectomy ; Mastectomy, Simple ; Prospective Studies ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Cord*

No abstract available.
Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*

No abstract available.
Angioplasty* ; Child* ; Humans ; Takayasu Arteritis*

Hepatoblastoma is a rare pediatric malignancy which frequently presents at an advanced unresectable stage, but improved resectability and survival is being reported with the help of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty biopsy proven hepatoblastoma patients were diagnosed and managed during the period between January, 1987 and June, 1995. Median age at diagnosis was 13 months (2mo~7yr 10mo) with M : F = 13 : 7. The histologic profile included 13 epithelial (5 fetal, 4 mixed, 1 embryonal, 3 undetermined), and 5 mixed mesenchymal and epithelial types. Chemotherapy effectively reduced the tumor volume with statistical significance (p=0.008) and was able to convert 7 out of 9 initially unresectable cases (78%) to resectable ones. Fourteen operations were done, 12 radical and 2 palliative with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. The whole population was followed with a median duration of 33 months and the median survival in the whole group was 26 months. The curative resection group displayed a 5 year survival rate of 61.1% and none in the non-curative group survived for more than 13 months (p=0.0001). In univariate analysis for prognostic factors, large tumor size at diagnosis and absence of thrombocytopenia was associated with poor survival, but these differences were not statistically significant. Pure fetal histology was not associated with better prognosis and this may be due to a different histologic classification. In this new era of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the optimal management strategy for hepatoblastoma is still debated with radical surgical resection at earliest possible time being the final goal. For now, individualized approach appears to be the choice.
Biopsy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hepatoblastoma* ; Humans ; Prognosis* ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia ; Tumor Burden

BACKGROUND: Data on the natural history and prognostic variables of chronic urticaria (CU) are rare and information about spontaneous remission of CU is limited. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the natural history of CU and identified predictors for remission. METHODS: Total 329 Korean patients with CU, who had follow-ups more than 6 months after diagnosis during a 7-year period in the department of dermatology in three university hospitals were enrolled. Clinical data and laboratory findings obtained by medical records and telephone interviews were analyzed, retrospectively. RESULTS: The proportion recovered in 1, 3, and 5 years after the onset of CU was 10.8%, 18.8%, and 32.9%, respectively. The mean duration of CU was 6.3 years. There were no significant differences in median recovery time depending on sex, age group, severity of CU, and type of CU. The presence of angioedema was significantly related to CU severity. There were no differences in prognosis with respect to the presence of dermographism or angioedema. Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) had a significantly worse prognosis than patients without a history of AD; but not in patients with the history of allergic rhinitis or asthma. Patients with abnormal laboratory findings did not differ significantly in prognosis. CONCLUSION CU remission rate significantly differ according to the presence of AD. This study provides information about the natural course of CU of Korean patients.