PURPOSE: It is difficult to determine the activity of tuberculosis radiologically. Therefore there have been efforts to assess the activity using radiopharmaceuticals such as 67Ga, 99mTc-tetrofosmin, and 99mTc-MIBI. But there may be some discrepancy in defining the term 'activity' between clinicians and nuclear physicians. While negative conversion of sputum acid fast bacilli (AFB) is defined as 'disappearance of activity' by clinicians, a loss of uptake in previously positive lesion is accepted as 'disappearance of activity' by nuclear physicians. We designed a prospective study to see if the negative conversion of sputum AFB could directly match the disappearance of radioactivity of the lesion. MATERALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with bacteriologically confirmed active localized pulmonary tuberculosis were scanned 10 and 60 min after intravenous injection of 550 MBq 99mTc-MIBI. In 6 patients, who showed negative conversion of sputum AFB after 3-7 months of chemotherapy, 99mTc-MIBI scan was repeated. For the purpose of comparison, target/nontarget ratios of the lesions were determined. RESULTS: 12/15 (80%) patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis showed increased uptake of 99mTc-MIBI in tuberculous lesion. After negative conversion of sputum AFB, 5/6 (83%) patients still showed increased uptake, although the intensity of uptake decreased. CONCLUSION: Uptake of radioactivity decreased but did not disappear after negative conversion of sputum AFB. 99mTc-MIBI scan may be useful to address the degree of inflammation of pulmonary tuberculous lesion, but the uptake did not directly match the activity defined by positivity of sputum AFB. We nuclear physicians might have used the term 'activity' somewhat differently from clinicians who treat patients with tuberculosis.
Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intravenous ; Prospective Studies ; Radioactivity ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Strikes, Employee*

Although cerebrospinal fluid leakage is suggested as one of the causes of spontaneous intracranial hypotension, on]y a few cases with direct evidence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage on radionuclide cisternography have been reported in the literature Indirect evidences of cerebrospinal fluid leakage such as early visualization of the soft tissue and bladder or delayed migration of radiotracer have been observed in most patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. We report a case of spontaneous intracranial hypotension in which cerebrospinal fluid leakage was directly demonstrated by early dynamic imaging of spine on radionuclide cisternography. We suggest that early dynamic imaging of spine is an important adjunctive procedure in detecting cerebrospinal fluid leakage in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypotension* ; Spine ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: To evaluate dysphagia objectively and quantitatively, and ta clarify the effect of neck position and viscosity changes in patients with aspiration and laryngeal penetration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 35 patients with dysphagia and 21 normal controls using videofluoroscopy and scintigraphy. Videofluoroscopy was performed with barium with three different viscosity, and scintigraphy was done, with water, yogurt, and steamed egg mixed with Tc-99m tin colloid. 1f aspiration was found during videofluoroscopic examination, patients neck position was changed and study repeated. Videofluoroscopy was analyzed qualitatively. We calculated 7 quantitative parameters from scintigraphy. According to the videofluoroscopic findings, we divided patients into 3 subgroups; aspiration, laryngeal penetration, and no-aspiration group. RESULTS: The result of videofluoroscopy revealed that the most cornmon finding was the delay in triggering pharyngeal swallow. Pharyrigeal transit time (PTT) and pharyngeal swallowing efficiency(PSE) in patients with aspiration were significantly different from other groups. After neck position change, aspiration could be reduced in all of 7 patients, and laryngeal penetration reduced hy about 82%. PTT ancl PSE were also improved after position change. Aspiration and laryngeal penetration occurred more frequently in thin liquid swallowing than in thick liquid and solid swallowing. CONCLUSION: PTT and PSE were useful for the evaluation of dysphagia. Aspiration and laryngeal penetration could be reduced when appropriate position assumed, We could decrease the chance of aspiration by changing the patient diet consisIency. Scintigraphy might be useful tool to quantitate and follow up these changes.
Barium ; Colloids ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Diet ; Evaluation Studies as Topic* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck ; Ovum ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Steam ; Tin ; Viscosity ; Water ; Yogurt

No abstract available.

The oropharyngeal swallow of 26 patients with dysphagia was studied quantitatively and qualitatively using videofluoroscope. Videofluoroscopic examination was done with head in neutral position, and with three different c onsistency of test meals; thin liquid, thick liquid, and solid, When aspiration or laryngeal penetration was noted in neutral position, the study was repeated with different head positions, We compared them with each other and with 25 normal subject(previously presented). 11/26(42%) patients revealed laryngeal penetration or aspiration at least with one consistency of test meal. Aspiration occurred more frequently in thin liquid than thick liquid or solid, Head position change successfully eliminated aspiration in 10/10 patients(100%). Other one patient could not change his head position. 9 numerical parameters were derived and calculated for quantitative examination, Liquid meal oral discharge time, pharyngeal delay time, and pharyngeal transit time were significantly increased in patients with aspiration than in patients without aspiration. Also significantly increased than those of normal controls. Because different test meal consistency gave different values, direct comparison of values regardless of meal consistency was fruitless. And because all the process of swallowing cannot be expressed as numerical parameters qualitative examination of videofluoroscopic result was essential. In conclusion, liquid meal oral discharge time, pharyngeal delay time, and pharyngeal transit time were useful parameters in differentiating and quantifying dysphagia. Aspiration can be reduced when appropriate position assumed. Calculated values were different a according to the consistency of the test meal. Quantitative analysis was helpful, but qualitative examination of videofluoroscopy was essential.
Deglutition Disorders* ; Deglutition* ; Head ; Humans ; Meals ; Posture* ; Viscosity*

PURPOSE: Bile acids (especially deoxycholate) was known to be toxic and mutagenic on colon epithelium. They proposed at least four mechanisms for the bile acid toxicity. It is the one of these mechanisms that bile acid inhibits the xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activity (esp glutathione S-transferase, GST). So we measured the cytosolic GST level of colon carcinoma cell lines after deoxycholate exposure whether or not the deoxycholate lowered the cytosolic GST activity. METHODS: Three colon cancer cell lines (LoVo, SW480, HT29) were used for this study. We calculated the cellular toxicity by MTS method. And cytosolic GST activity was measured according to the method as Habig described. For total GST activity, 2.5 mM 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene was used for substrate, and measured as absorbance in 340 nm. RESULTS: Basal cytosolic GST level for LoVo, SW480, HT29 cell line was 514.59+/-27.01, 291.63+/-38.44 and 344.58+/-47.92 nmol/min/mg cytosol protein. GST level did not changed significantly after 5 days culture without DCA. But GST level was decreased significantly to 128.63+/-21.35, 134.33+/-41.76 and 163.10+/-22.73 nmol/min/mg cytosol protein each cell line after 5 days deoxycholate exposure (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Cytosolic GST level was lowered significantly after deoxycholate exposure for 5 days. One of the mechanisms of bile acid toxicity for colon cancer cell is proposed to inhibit cytosolic GST activity.
Bile ; Bile Acids and Salts ; Cell Line* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Cytosol* ; Deoxycholic Acid* ; Dinitrochlorobenzene ; Epithelium ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; HT29 Cells ; Humans

The clinical signs of acquired hypothyroidism are usually manifested insidiously over several months to years. The incidence increases after 6 years of age and peaks at 11 to 18 years of age. The clinical symptoms and signs are fatigue, constipation, decreased growth velocity and delayed bone age, compromised intellectual performance, obesity, myxedema, hyperlipidemia, peripheral neuropathy and delayed or precocious puberty. Two children were referred to our hospital for the evaluation of severe obesity and short stature. During the evaluation we found they also had hyperlipidemia, cardiomegaly with or without pericardial effusion. Thyroid function test revealed decreased serum thyroid hormone levels with positive anti- microsome and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies consistent with long-standing acquired hypothyroidism. After the supplement of L-thyroxine, both of them showed rapid improvement of above symptoms, except for the incomplete catch-up growth. We herein report two cases of acquired hypothyroidism with severe obesity, short stature, hyperlipidemia and cardiomegaly with review of literatures.
Antibodies ; Cardiomegaly* ; Child ; Constipation ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypothyroidism* ; Incidence ; Microsomes ; Myxedema ; Obesity ; Obesity, Morbid* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Puberty, Precocious ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroxine

The clinical signs of acquired hypothyroidism are usually manifested insidiously over several months to years. The incidence increases after 6 years of age and peaks at 11 to 18 years of age. The clinical symptoms and signs are fatigue, constipation, decreased growth velocity and delayed bone age, compromised intellectual performance, obesity, myxedema, hyperlipidemia, peripheral neuropathy and delayed or precocious puberty. Two children were referred to our hospital for the evaluation of severe obesity and short stature. During the evaluation we found they also had hyperlipidemia, cardiomegaly with or without pericardial effusion. Thyroid function test revealed decreased serum thyroid hormone levels with positive anti- microsome and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies consistent with long-standing acquired hypothyroidism. After the supplement of L-thyroxine, both of them showed rapid improvement of above symptoms, except for the incomplete catch-up growth. We herein report two cases of acquired hypothyroidism with severe obesity, short stature, hyperlipidemia and cardiomegaly with review of literatures.
Antibodies ; Cardiomegaly* ; Child ; Constipation ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypothyroidism* ; Incidence ; Microsomes ; Myxedema ; Obesity ; Obesity, Morbid* ; Pericardial Effusion ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Puberty, Precocious ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroxine

PURPOSE: To know the current status and to improve the internal medicine clinical clerkship in one medical school, the author performed a mid-term survey of the students. METHODS: Questions were given to 48 students at the midpoint of their internal medicine clinical clerkship. Questions were about understanding the of purpose of the rotation, ability to do physical examination and procedures, bedside teaching experience and conferences, and support during clinical clerkship. Questions used 5-point Likert scale. 48 of 48 students responded. Average points for each question were calculated, and similar free answers were categorized together. RESULTS: Students began their clinical clerkship with high expectations, but soon fell into a 'busy but know-nothing' state. The purpose of the clinical clerkship was not clearly outlined. Students learned physical examination skills and procedures not directly from instructors but by watching over-the-shoulder. Bedside teaching was, in fact, 'table side' teaching. Instructors did not provide immediate feedback at the bedside on how the student gathered information from patients, Students attended conferences targeted towards residents, and they could not understand the ensuing discussions. Students had no sense of belonging to the ward team. This result was reported during a medical grand round with simple short-term strategies, which could be performed easily, and with longer-term strategies requiring more resources. CONCLUSION: The author did a mid-term survey of a clinical clerkship and reported the result with suggested strategies for improvement. The result was distributed to the faculty at other departments as well. Although there was resistance to the suggestions from the internal medicine department, this report was used to initiate clinical clerkship improvement to the clerkship in other departments. The author discusses this result along with a literature review. This paper can be a good resource for medical schools wanting to evaluate and improve their clinical clerkship.
Clinical Clerkship* ; Congresses as Topic ; Humans ; Internal Medicine* ; Physical Examination ; Schools, Medical*