Recently, medical image processing systems which take advantages of computer information technology have been used usefully in the hospitals. In particular, the 3D volume rendering technique with a sets of 2D medical images can visualize the organs of human body into 3D image virtually and such systems have started to be used widely to find diseases and to build up the plan of treatment. In this paper, we introduce a medical image processing system which uses a public graphic library VTK so that the system can be developed in the low price with the same power compared to other commercial systems. The system supports 2D and 3D image processing such as image editing, filtering, 3D image reconstruction and etc. by accepting multiple 2D original medical images.
Human Body ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of microincision pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and intravitreal torsional phacoemulsification in eyes with dropped nuclear fragments following complicated cataract surgery. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 22 eyes of 22 patients who underwent microincison PPV for lens fragments dropped into the vitreous cavity during cataract surgery between January 2014 and December 2017 with a minimum 6-month follow-up was performed. Pre- and postoperative visual acuity, and intra- and postoperative complications (retinal detachment, retinal tear, cystoid macular edema, and thermal burns of the sclerotomy site) were recorded. Results: The study included 17 males and 5 females. The mean age of patients was 71.3 ± 8.2 years. The mean interval between cataract surgery and PPV was 0.4 ± 0.8 days, and all PPV procedures were performed within 3 days after cataract surgery. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (LogMAR) was 1.37 ± 0.79 in the preoperative state, which improved significantly to 0.21 ± 0.15 in the postoperative state (p < 0.001). No complication such as thermal burns of the sclerotomy site and retinal damage due to lens fragments occurred during intravitreal torsional phacoemulsification. Postoperative cystoid macular edema occurred in two eyes, which was managed medically. No retinal detachment was noted. Conclusions Microincision PPV and intravitreal phacoemulsification using a torsional phacoemulsification probe for lens fragments dropped into the vitreous cavity during cataract surgery was a safe and effective method, which resulted in visual improvement without any complication directly attributable to the probe.

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral corneal opacities and rare spinal muscular atrophy type III (Kugelberg-Welander disease) in a galactokinase-deficiency patient.CASE SUMMARY: A 6-year-old female presented with bilateral ground glass-like superficial stromal corneal opacities in the corneal center. The patient exhibited developmental motor delay. On muscle biopsy, skeletal muscle neurogenic atrophy consistent with spinal muscular atrophy type III, i.e., Kugelberg-Welander disease, was diagnosed, as well as galactokinase deficiency. On genetic examination, mutation analysis showed an A198V mutation of galactokinase in chromosome 17q24 (“Osaka” variant). CONCLUSIONS Bilateral corneal opacities and spinal muscular atrophy type III was found in a galactokinase-deficiency patient.

Purpose: To report a case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recoverd from oral supplementation with folic acid.Case summary: A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of visual disturbance and color vision on the both eye without pain. There were no abnormal findings in the anterior segment and retina. An afferent pupillary defect was found in the left eye. Visual field examination showed central scotoma in both eyes and total color blindness on Hahn color vision test. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism and had not eaten often recently. The folic acid level was decreased in the blood and after oral folic acid supplementation, visual acuity and visual field recovered after 6 weeks. Conclusions We report a new case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recovered from oral supplementation with folic acid.

Purpose: To report a case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recoverd from oral supplementation with folic acid.Case summary: A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of visual disturbance and color vision on the both eye without pain. There were no abnormal findings in the anterior segment and retina. An afferent pupillary defect was found in the left eye. Visual field examination showed central scotoma in both eyes and total color blindness on Hahn color vision test. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism and had not eaten often recently. The folic acid level was decreased in the blood and after oral folic acid supplementation, visual acuity and visual field recovered after 6 weeks. Conclusions We report a new case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recovered from oral supplementation with folic acid.

PURPOSE: We explored the mydriatic effects of injected intracameral epinephrine after phacoemulsification (PE) combined with phacovitrectomy to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: We enrolled 96 patients (96 eyes) who underwent phacovitrectomy to treat PDR; we used ImageJ software to measure pupil sizes and the ratios of pupil to cornea area (PCA) before and after PE and after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). We compared pupil sizes between those who received intracameral epinephrine (0.001% w/v) after PE but before PPV (study group, 46 eyes) and patients not so treated (control group, 50 eyes). RESULTS: The PCA ratios of the study group were 0.52 ± 0.11 before PE, 0.43 ± 0.12 after PE, and 0.51 ± 0.11 after PPV, respectively. Changes in pupil size were significant (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 respectively). The PCA ratios of the control group were 0.52 ± 0.10 before PE, 0.39 ± 0.15 after PE, and 0.43 ± 0.15 after PPV, respectively. Changes in pupil size after PE were significant (p = 0.011) but the change after PPV was not (p = 0.056). CONCLUSIONS: Intracameral epinephrine given after PE but before PPV effectively dilates the pupils during phacovitrectomy to treat PDR.
Cornea ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Mydriatics ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Phacoemulsification ; Pupil ; Vitrectomy

Dental implants have become a popular and rapidly advancing technique to replace missing teeth. They have increasingly been used in the past few decades and have been associated with an increasing number of complications. There may be mechanical side effects, such as implant fracture while chewing, but side effects related to general procedures, such as bleeding and inflammation, may occur. Here, we report an autopsy case of death from pulmonary abscess and pneumonia due to septic emboli from gingival inflammation and sinusitis associated with dental implant surgery.

The multiple layers of the skin cover and protect our entire body. Among the skin layers, the epidermis is in direct contact with the outer environment and serves as the first line of defense. The epidermis functions as a physical and immunological barrier. To maintain barrier function, the epidermis continually regenerates and repairs itself when injured. Interactions between tissue-resident immune cells and epithelial cells are essential to sustain epidermal regeneration and repair. In this review, we will dissect the crosstalk between epithelial cells and specific immune cell populations located in the epidermis during homeostasis and wound repair. In addition, we will analyze the contribution of dysregulated immune-epithelial interactions in chronic inflammatory diseases.

The multiple layers of the skin cover and protect our entire body. Among the skin layers, the epidermis is in direct contact with the outer environment and serves as the first line of defense. The epidermis functions as a physical and immunological barrier. To maintain barrier function, the epidermis continually regenerates and repairs itself when injured. Interactions between tissue-resident immune cells and epithelial cells are essential to sustain epidermal regeneration and repair. In this review, we will dissect the crosstalk between epithelial cells and specific immune cell populations located in the epidermis during homeostasis and wound repair. In addition, we will analyze the contribution of dysregulated immune-epithelial interactions in chronic inflammatory diseases.

The multiple layers of the skin cover and protect our entire body. Among the skin layers, the epidermis is in direct contact with the outer environment and serves as the first line of defense. The epidermis functions as a physical and immunological barrier. To maintain barrier function, the epidermis continually regenerates and repairs itself when injured. Interactions between tissue-resident immune cells and epithelial cells are essential to sustain epidermal regeneration and repair. In this review, we will dissect the crosstalk between epithelial cells and specific immune cell populations located in the epidermis during homeostasis and wound repair. In addition, we will analyze the contribution of dysregulated immune-epithelial interactions in chronic inflammatory diseases.