The characteristics of radionuclide brain scan imaging of intracranial lesion are determined, in part, by the rate and quantity of radioactive material in the region of involvement, which is associated with alterations in the blood brain barrier. Findings, noted on the blood flow studies, often serve to direct attention to forthcoming imaging of specific pathological change on the status studies, e.g, carotid artery occlusion and cerebral infarction. We have seen that the 62 year old woman with left side hemiparesis shows typical "Flip-Flap" pattern in brain scan imaging, thought to be due to carotid artery occlusion.
Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; Carotid Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Paresis

BACKGROUND: Scabies is an ectoparasite caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, an obligate human parasite. Although its incidence has been decreasing, it is not a rare dermatologic disease and is difficult to diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of scabies patients and find out etiologic factors in transmission. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-five patients who were diagnosed with scabies at the Dermatologic Department, Myongji Hospital, Goyang city, Korea were enrolled. Medical records were evaluated in a retrospective manner. RESULTS: We studied 295 scabies patients who were diagnosed by the mineral oil test or skin biopsy. The mean age of the patients was 58.2 (male: 56.7/female: 61.2), and 74% of patients were over 60 years. There was seasonal variation in occurrence, and scabies was found to be most common in winter. The majority of suspected routes of infection were transmission through convalescent hospitals (38.1%) and caregivers (15.2%). Nosocomial infection and communal living were the major causes. 73.8% of scabies patients had underlying medical disease, such as hypertension (32.2%) and dementia (11.9%). CONCLUSION: Currently, scabies prevalence is still increasing in Goyang city, because of the increased number of convalescent hospitals.
Biopsy ; Caregivers ; Cross Infection ; Dementia ; Hospitals, Convalescent ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mineral Oil ; Mites ; Parasites ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoptes scabiei ; Scabies ; Seasons ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Viral warts are common viral infections and are usually self-limiting. However, there have been few studies assessing the characteristics of patients with viral warts. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of viral warts during a five-year-period. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of patients with viral warts who had been diagnosed in the Myongji hospital from January 2007 to December 2011. RESULTS: One thousand seven hundred and ninety patients with viral warts were assessed. A group of patients aged under 10 years had the highest occurrence of common warts (46.8%). The mean age was 16.9 years. Hands (47.7%) were more commonly involved than feet (36.4%). Cryotherapy was used to treat most of the patients. One thousand and sixty-one patients (59.3%) showed complete resolution of the wart lesion in the clinical ground. CONCLUSION: The number of patients with viral warts is currently increasing. This study provides useful data on the prevalence and characteristics of viral warts.
Aged ; Cryotherapy ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Warts

Transcervical resection of endometrium is under-utilized in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, uterine myoma and menorrhagia. The procedure is similar to transurethral resection of prostate in men with a possibility of substantial absorption of irrigation fluid. Absorption of a large volume of fluid can cause excessive intravascular volume, hyponatremia, cerebral edema and death. Severe hyponatremia leading to extrapontine myelinolysis is an extremely rare complication of this procedure. So, We report a case of developed extrapontine myelinolysis after hysteroscopic myomectomy which, however, showed complete recovery.
Absorption ; Brain Edema ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Leiomyoma ; Male ; Menorrhagia ; Metrorrhagia ; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate

The gastric marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a rare disease. Helicobacter pylori infection is known as an important etiologic factor of the pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma. H. pylori colonization at the epithelium of gastric mucosa induces T cell and B cell recruitment. T cell induced B cell proliferation develops the MALT in the gastric mucosa. Monoclonal proliferation of B cell in the MALT transform into MALT lymphoma. The eradication of H. pylori is known to induce remission of the disease in more than 80% of patients. But there is no report on progression and development of MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication. We experienced two cases of gastric B cell MALT lymphoma diagnosed at long last, after the successful eradication of H. pylori.
Cell Proliferation ; Colon ; Epithelium ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Rare Diseases

The gastric marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a rare disease. Helicobacter pylori infection is known as an important etiologic factor of the pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma. H. pylori colonization at the epithelium of gastric mucosa induces T cell and B cell recruitment. T cell induced B cell proliferation develops the MALT in the gastric mucosa. Monoclonal proliferation of B cell in the MALT transform into MALT lymphoma. The eradication of H. pylori is known to induce remission of the disease in more than 80% of patients. But there is no report on progression and development of MALT lymphoma after H. pylori eradication. We experienced two cases of gastric B cell MALT lymphoma diagnosed at long last, after the successful eradication of H. pylori.
Cell Proliferation ; Colon ; Epithelium ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Rare Diseases

The intrauterine device (IUD) is a widely used contraceptive method. One of the most serious and rare complications of using an IUD is colon perforation. We report a case of colonoscopic removal of an IUD that had perforated into the rectosigmoid colon in a 42-year-old woman who presented with no symptoms. Colonoscopy showed that the IUD had penetrated into rectosigmoid colon wall and that an arm of the IUD was embedded in the colon wall. We were able to remove the IUD easily by using colonoscopy. The endoscopic approach may be considered the first choice therapy for selected patients.
Adult ; Arm ; Colon* ; Colonoscopy ; Contraception ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Antibiotic skin testing is a useful procedure for identifying patients with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to antibiotics. The procedures, however, have not been standardized, and the testing is performed with diverse protocols in Korean hospitals wards. Thus, we examined the current practice of antibiotic skin testing in Korea. METHODS: We sent questionnaires to 12 allergists working in secondary or tertiary referral hospitals and collected them by e-mail or fax. The questionnaire included items such as the types and concentrations of the tested antibiotics, the methods of antibiotic skin testing, and the interpretation of the results. RESULTS: All hospitals responded to the questionnaire. The antibiotic skin testing protocols were variable, inconsistent, and differed with regard to the type and concentrations of antibiotics, the volume injected, and the interpretation of the results. Moreover, the protocols differed from the commonly recommended procedures in the medical literature. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized guidelines for antibiotic skin testing are needed for the safe and effective use of antibiotics in Korea.
Allergy and Immunology/*statistics & numerical data ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*adverse effects ; Drug Hypersensitivity/*diagnosis ; *Health Care Surveys ; Humans ; Medical Staff, Hospital/statistics & numerical data ; Professional Practice/statistics & numerical data ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Skin Tests/*utilization

BACKGROUND: Reoperation for recurrent bile duct cancer is almost impossible. We report here on a successfully managed case of recurrent Klatskin tumor. METHODS: A 45-year-old male was referred to our hospital with a relapsed Klatskin tumor 7 months after performing resection of his extrahepatic bile duct for Bismuth type I Klatskin tumor. The CT scan showed type IV Klatskin tumor with peritoneal dissemination. However, the PETCT scan didn't find any evidence of tumor. We decided to perform exploratory laparotomy to check the operability and confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: No peritoneal dissemination was found during the first operation. After massive adhesiolysis, the jejunum was detached from the hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) site, and frozen biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma at the strictured HJ site. The preoperatively measured left lateral sector was too small. Therefore, right trisectionectomy and caudate lobectomy were performed with keeping intact the right and left side inflow and outflow. HJ was performed in the normal B2 and B3 segments. Portal vein embolization (PVE) was done one week after the first operation. The volume of the left lateral sector increased three weeks after PVE. We safely and completely removed the right trisector and caudate lobe one month after the first operation. He recovered well and was discharged 4 weeks after the operation. No evidence of recurrence was found 14 months after the last operation. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is a possibility of severe adhesion and tumor spreading due to two-staged operation, this procedure may be one of the alternative methods to prevent liver failure that is due to an inadequate liver volume in the case of performing unexpected, extended liver resection. The authors also confirmed that curative resection was feasible to perform in selected cases of recurrent bile duct cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Biopsy ; Bismuth ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Jejunum ; Klatskin's Tumor* ; Laparotomy ; Liver ; Liver Failure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Atopy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) which are characteristics of asthma, are strongly correlated but independently inherited traits. The relative contribution of maternal and paternal condition to the risk of offspring's condition is not certain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal or paternal contribution to childhood atopy and BHR in a population-based sample of 140 Korean nuclear families. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 486 subjects (133 mothers, 132 fathers and 221 offsprings) participated in this study. All subjects provided questionnaire data and 483 subjects underwent allergy skin prick test with 13 inhalant allergens. Total serum IgE levels were determined in 444 subjects and methacholine bronchial provocation test were performed in 483 subjects. RESULTS: Serum total IgE level in the offspring was correlated with both maternal and paternal total IgE (mother: R=0.273, p<0.01; father: R=0.200, p<0.01). Bronchial hyperres ponsiveness was associated with parental atopy index (mother: R=0.175, p<0.01; father: R=0.205, p<0.01) and maternal BHR(R=0.201, p<0.01). The development of wheezing in the offspring was significantly associated with maternal BHR, but not paternal. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that maternal BHR does confer more risk than paternal BHR to risk of offspring's BHR.
Allergens ; Asthma ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Fathers ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Methacholine Chloride ; Mothers ; Nuclear Family ; Parents* ; Respiratory Sounds ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires