BACKGROUND: Several methods have been developed to measure skin thickness, including the use of the radiography, micrometer screw gauge, Harpenden's caliper, and ultrasound, but there are no reports to measure skin thickness using computed tomography. OBJECTIVE: We measured skin thickness on the CT films retrospectively. This study was to investigaste variations of skin thickness by age, gender, and different sites. METHODS: Skin thickness was measured on the CT films of 562 patients, including 357 males and 205 females who had undergone brain, chest, and abdominal CT in our hospital. Patients with endocrinologic, malignant, or collagen disease and those on antimetabolite or steroid therapy were excluded. Comparisons of histometric and computed tomographic methods weremade in 5 skin tumors and 1 localized lipodystrophy. Results: 1. The measurements of the skin thickness(mean) in examined sites varied from 0.84 to 3.07 milimeters : the posterior part at the level of the chest(aortic arch level) was the thickest and the anterior part at the level of the forehead(aortic arch level) was the thickest and the anterior part at the level of the forehead(frontal sinus level) was the thinnest. 2. Skin thickness in males wal generally thicker than in females : the anterior and lateral part at the level of the forehead(P<0.0001), the posterior part at the level of the bladder(P<0.2) were thicker in males than in females. 3. In each gender, the thickness of the skin increased with age of 40 or 60, and then decreased with age at every level. 4. Skin on posterior parts of the body was thicker than on other parts. 5. Unlike other levels, skin was thicker on the lateral parts than on the anterior parts at the levels of the forehead and bladder. 6. The measured skin thickness in about 7% greater in formalin fixed tissues than on CT films. CONCLUSION; Computed tomographic measurement of the skin thickness in a reliable method in the aquisition of normal values and their individual variations during cutaneous aging. Moreover, this method is useful in evaluating skin tumors and monitoring the response to therapy of inflammatory conditions.
Aging ; Brain ; Collagen Diseases ; Female ; Forehead ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Lipodystrophy ; Male ; Radiography ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin* ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Thorax*

Although rare spontaneous regression of either primary or metastatic malignant tumor in the absence of inadequate therapy has been well documented. Since the earliest day of this century various malignant tumors havebeen reported to spontaneously disappear or to be arrested of their growth, but the cases of hepatocarcinoma has been very rare. From the literature, we were able to find out 5 previously reported cases of hepatocarcinoma which showed spontaneous regression at the primary site. Recently we have seen a case of multiple pulmonary metastaticnodules of hepatocarcinoma which completely regressed spontaneously and this forms the basis of the present casereport. The patient was 55-year-old male admitted to St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College because of ahard palpable mass in the epigastrium on April 26, 1978. The adimssion PA chest roentgenogram revealed multiplesmall nodular densities scattered throughout both lung field especially in lower zones and toward the peripheralportion . A hepatoscintigram revealed a large cold area involving the left lobe and inermediate zone of the liver. Alfa-fetoprotein and hepatitis B serum antigen test were positive whereas many other standard liver function teststurned out to be negative. A needle biopsy of the tumor revealed well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient was put under chemotherapy which consisted of 5 FU 500 mg intravenously for 6 days form April 28 to May 3,1978. The patient was discharged after this single course of 5 FU treatment and was on a herb medicine, the nature and quantity of which obscure. No other specific treatment was given. The second admission took place on Dec. 3, 1980 because of irregularity in bowel habits and dyspepsia. A follow up PA chest roentgenogram obtained on the second admission revealed disappearance of previously noted multiple pulmonary nodular lesions. Follow up liverscan revealed persistence of the cold area in the left lobe with slight decreased in size. The patient was discharged again without any specific prescription after confirming negative resuls of various clinical studies including upper GI series and colon study. At the time of finishing this paper the patient is doing well without apparent medical problems.
Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Colon ; Drug Therapy ; Dyspepsia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prescriptions ; Thorax

There are many established roentgen signs of ascites such as hepatic angle sign, generalized graying of the abdomen, frog belly appearance and Hellmer's sign. These signs are easily recognized in the standard flat abdomen film. It is however hardly possible to recognize such signs in small films of double contrasted upper GI series. By a retrospectroscopical observation we were able to find some interesting signs of massive ascites in small size films of double contrasted stomach and duodenum of upper GI series. The clinical materials consisted of 27patients with massive ascites and 30 normal subjects. The signs we observed were ;(1) Constriction deformity of the junction of the fundus and body of the stomach. We named this "waist" sign. This constriction was attended by convergence of mucosal folds. We called this "converging folds" sign. (2) The fundus assumed electric bulbappearance with its long axis directed vertically. We called this "electric bulb" sign. In normal subjects the fundus assumed beret-cap like appearance. These signs were only appreciated in the supine and RAO views and not in other views. Of these new signs of massive ascites where fundic view was obtained in supine or RAO position.
Abdomen ; Ascites ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Constriction ; Duodenum ; Stomach

The coracoclavicular joint is a rare genetical anatomic variants. The joint occurs at the junction of a bony projection extending inferiorly form the outer third of the clavicle at the site of the conoid tubercle and a bony projection extending superiorly form the coracoid process of the scapula. In our study we reviewed the radiological incidence of the coracoclavicular joint in Korean adults. The materials consist of 4,625 routine chest films, 9,250 sides. Sex distribution were 3,000 males and 1,625 females. The authors observed coracoclavicular joint on 17 persons (0.37%) and 25 sides (0.26%) and among them, 8 persons (47%) were bilateral and in 9 (53%) it was unilateral. The joint when unilateral occures frequently on left side, and there was no significant sex difference. There were statistically significant differences in the incidence of coracoclavicular joints among Korean, Japanese and Chinese.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Clavicle ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Male ; Scapula ; Sex Characteristics ; Sex Distribution ; Thorax

The majority of injections intended to be intramuscular are actually delivered into fat in the area of thebuttock in most of the patients having a thick gluteal fat layer. Injections of some drugs can cause tissuenecrosis that ensues in scar formation and often in dystrophic calcifiation giving rise to ring-like densities inantero-posterior radiographs of the pelvis. We studied the incidence and characteristics of calcifications in thebuttocks frequently noted in pelvic radiographs and whether they have any relationship with thickness anddistribution pattern of the fat layer in the buttocks. Pelvic radiograms of 220 consecutive patients (110 malesand 110 females) with the age ranging from 16 to 76 years(average 39) were reviewed. The area of buttock was divided arbitrarily into four quadrants by the vertical line crossing the center of the head of each femur and thehorizontal line connecting the summit of each femoral head, and the upper outer quadrant was further divided into four quadrants(Fig. 1). We measured the thickness of the extraperitoneal fat layer at the level where it cross theiliac crest bilaterally. The results were as follows; 1. Thirty out of 220 cases(14%) showed calcifications in thebuttock. 2. Calcifications in the buttock were much more frequent in female than in male (p<0.01). 3. Theincidence of calcifications increased with age(P<0.01) and with increase in fat layer thickness(P<0.01). 4,Calcifications in the buttock were mostly located at the upper outer quadrant of the buttock (78%). 5. Inconclusion, we assume that calcifications in the buttock are result of fat necrosis after injection into fatinstead of muscle.
Buttocks ; Cicatrix ; Fat Necrosis ; Female ; Femur ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Pelvis

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a distinct pathologic entity, characterized by the accumulation of pigmented macrophages within respiratory bronchioles and adjacent to air spaces, and thickening of the peribronchial interstitium. It has been reported to be associated with viral infection, drug, toxic fume, bone marrow transplantation, and connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. The etiology of bronchiolitis obliterans in the post-renal transplantation state is not yet clear, although several possibilities such as drug toxicity, graft-versus-host disease or postinfectious condition have been postulated. We presented three patient who had bronchiolitis obliterans, as a complication following renal transplantation. Chest radiograph showed bilateral perihilar reticular infiltration or ground glass appearances that progressed to either diffuse alveolar consolidations or solitary nodule. The main finding in each lung biopsy was the presence of macrophages within respiratory bronchioles as well as in the neighboring alveolar ducts and alveoli. Alveolar septa in these areas often showed nonspecific thickening by fibrosis, mild chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate, and hyperplasia of alveolar lining cells and type II pneumocytes.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bronchioles ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans* ; Bronchiolitis* ; Connective Tissue ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Fibrosis ; Glass ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Pneumocytes ; Radiography, Thoracic

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of percutaneous ethanol ablation in the treatment of benign cysts of the liver and kidney, and to decide the need and the time of retreatment when the cysts remain on the follow-up ultrasonogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty benign cysts(8 hepatic and 12 renal cysts) in 18 patients diagnosed or confirmed either by ultrasound, CT or cytology were treated with percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI). After evacuation of cystic fluid, 15-900ml(amount corresponding to 40-50% of the volume of aspirated fluid) of absolute ethanol(99.9%) was injected into the cysts through the aspiration catheter. rln large cysts, two or more PEIs were done in one session. Follow-up ultrasonographic studies during the period of 12 months with 1-2 months interval after PEI were performed for evaluation of the therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Nine cysts(45%) disappeared completely within 2 months after initial PEI. Although 11 cysts(55.5%) recurred 2 months after initial PEI, 8 of them disappeared within 6 months and one within 8 months after inital PEI without additional PEI. As a result, 18 of 20 cysts(90%) disappeared within 8 months after initial PEI and most of the recurrent cysts disappeared within 6 months without additional PEI. No major complications were encountered concerning PEI, although transient abdominal pain, elevation of body temperature, and drowsiness were noted in 8 patients. CONCLUSION: PEI is an effective and safe modality for the treatment of benign hepatic or renal cysts and the apparent recurrence within 6 months after initial PEI might be mostly a transient, reactive or inflammatory fluid collection rather than real recurrence.
Abdominal Pain ; Ameloblastoma* ; Ameloblasts ; Body Temperature ; Catheters ; Dentigerous Cyst ; Ethanol* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Sleep Stages ; Tooth, Unerupted ; Ultrasonography

Although many approaches have been attempted in the evaluation of liver size such as measurement of length,area and volume, the linear measurements have been used most frequently because of simplicity. We measured theliver size using 4 linear measurements for evaluation of hepatic pliability on plain abdominal film in the erectand the supine position. Our cases consisted of 125 persons who have no symptom or signs clinically and havenormal liver function test. The results were as follows: 1. The measurements of the liver size using diagonaldiameter(DD), oblique diameter of right lobe(OD), midline vertical diameter(MD) and height of right dome of theliver(HD) were ; 19.6+-1.8cm, 13.7+-1.6cm, 2.03+-0.4cm in the supine position; and 20.5+-2.1cm, 21.9+-2.1cm,15.4+-2.1cm, 1.87+-0.4cm in the erect position, respectively. 2. The differences of each diameter between erectand supine position were 0.9+-1.0cm in DD, 0.9+-1.0cm in OD and 1.7+-1.4cm in MD, and they were longer in thesupine position (p<0.001). 3. The HD was slinghtly longer in the supine position than in the erect position(p<0.001). 4. Among the 4 measurements, the largest difference of linear diameter between the erect and the supineposition was by MD. 5. We found the change or size and shape of the normal liver in the different position.
Humans ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Pliability ; Supine Position

We reviewed the computed tomography (CT) of 32 patients with upper lobe collapse to assess the significance of small atypically redistributed pleural effusion (ARPE) in distinguishing the bronchogenic carcinoma (BC) form tuberculosis (TB). Upper lobe collapse was caused by BC in 21 and by TB in 11 of the 32 patients. Small ARPE was Present in 14 of 21 patients with BC and two of the 11 patients with TB, Among 16 patients with small ARPE, CT showd mediastinal invasion in 11 (69%) patients and mediastinal lymphadenopathyn 6 (38%). Our results suggest that small ARPE associated with upper lobe collapse can be used a an auxiliary sign in the differential diagnosis between BC and TB.
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Pleural Effusion* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*