Between Aug. 1982 and Aug. 1983, computed tomographies of 52 patients with low back pain or low back pain with sciatica were performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Korea University Medical College Hospital. All scans for patients were done on the Siemens Somatom II in the supine position. The auther studied level of hemiated disc, the measurement of herniation of the nucleus pulposus and buldging of the annulus fibrous in the midsagittal line. The results obtained are as follows: 1. Of all 52 patients with low back pain, 34 patients(65.4%) are interpreted as revealing herniated nucleus pulposus or buldging of the annulus, and the others demonstrated the different abnormality of lumbar spine. 2. Among 34'patients with buldging or herniated nucleus pulposus, 16 cases are noted at L4-L5, 12 at L5-S1, 6 at L4-L5 and L5-S1, respectively. 3. Mean size of herniated nucleus pulposus or buldging annulus in patients diagnosed as HNP are 1.04±0. 600 mm at L3-L4, 2.83±1.345 mm at L4-L5, 2.32±1.207 mm at L5±S1 and in patients diagnosed as other different diseases are 0.98±0.668 mm at L4-L5 1 .04+ 0.689 mm at L4-L5,1.03±0.489 mm at L5-S1.
Humans ; Korea ; Low Back Pain ; Sciatica ; Spine ; Supine Position

With the rapid development of MS technologiesy, the demands for a more sophisticated MS interpretation algorithm haves grown as well. We have developed a new protein fingerprinting method using a binomial distribution, (fBIND). With the fBIND, we improved the performance accuracy of protein fingerprinting up to the maximum 49% (more than MOWSE) and 2% than(at a previous binomial distribution approach studied by of Wool et al.) as compared to the established algorithms. Moreover, we also suggest a the statistical approach to define the significance of transcription factors and motifs in the identified proteins based on the Gene Ontology (GO).
Binomial Distribution ; Fungal Proteins* ; Gene Ontology ; Peptide Mapping ; Transcription Factors* ; Wool ; Yeasts*

BACKGROUND: Post-pneumonectomy empyema(PPE) is an uncommon but a serious complication. The management remains as challenge for general thoracic surgeons. MATERIAL AND METHOD: During the period of January 1990 to December 1996, we evaluated the results of 20 patients with post-pneumonectomy empyema. RESULT: Sex ratio were 15 male and 5 female patients with mean age of 41.5+/-21.5 yrs. The occurrence ratio of left to right side was 8:12. The most common disease for prior pneumonectomy was pulmonary tuberculosis. The duration between pneumonectomy and PPE was variable in 1 month to 6yrs. Fever was the most frequent symptom and S. aureus was the most frequent pathogen. In 13 cases, there were combined with BPF. Four patients underwent trans-sternal closure, and Clagett procedure was performed. There was one recurrence that later underwent muscle plombage and omentopexy later. Nine patients underwent omentopexy, muscle plombage and thoracoplasty. There were 7 cases that were not combined with BPF. All 7 patients underwent thoracoplasty, and two of them were combined with muscle plombage. Mean follow-up duration is 40+/-32.3 months. There were no late deaths nor recurrences of PPE. CONCLUSION: We conclude that early diagnosis and proper drainage in PPE patients are important in its initial stage of management, and also management is completely achieved in thoracoplasty with muscle plombage or omentopexy.
Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Empyema* ; Female ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pneumonectomy ; Recurrence ; Sex Ratio ; Thoracoplasty ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the use of contrast enhancement (especially its extent) predicts malignant brain edema after intra-arterial thrombectomy (IAT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We reviewed the records of patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent IAT for occlusion of the internal carotid artery or the middle cerebral artery between January 2012 and March 2015. To estimate the extent of contrast enhancement (CE), we used the contrast enhancement area ratio (CEAR)-i.e., the ratio of the CE to the area of the hemisphere, as noted on immediate non-enhanced brain computed tomography (NECT) post-IAT. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the CEAR values being either greater than or less than 0.2. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were included. Contrast enhancement was found in 26 patients (66.7%). In this subgroup, the CEAR was greater than 0.2 in 7 patients (18%) and less than 0.2 in the other 19 patients (48.7%). On univariate analysis, both CEAR > or =0.2 and the presence of subarachnoid hemorrhage were significantly associated with progression to malignant brain edema (p<0.001 and p=0.004), but on multivariate analysis, only CEAR > or =0.2 showed a statistically significant association (p=0.019). In the group with CEAR > or =0.2, the time to malignant brain edema was shorter (p=0.039) than in the group with CEAR <0.2. Clinical functional outcomes, based on the modified Rankin scale, were also significantly worse in patients with CEAR > or =0.2 (p=0.003) CONCLUSION: The extent of contrast enhancement as noted on NECT scans obtained immediately after IAT could be predictive of malignant brain edema and a poor clinical outcome.
Brain Edema* ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Multivariate Analysis ; Stroke ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thrombectomy*

Calcifying psuedoneoplasm of the spine is a rare non-neoplastic lesion of unknown origin. Radiologic and histologic manifestations are very variable and clinical symptoms include isolated pain, myelopathy, and radiculopathy. Surgical resection is the preferred option of treatment. This report describes three cases of calcifying pseudoneoplasm in the spine. The first case is a 77-year-old female with pain in both legs. The second case is a 67-year-old woman who presented as right leg pain. The third case is a 78-year-old woman with isolated back pain. The involved sites of each of cases were T12, L2-3, and L1, respectively. Surgical resection of the involved masses relieved symptoms.
Aged ; Back Pain ; Epidural Space* ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine*

BACKGROUND: Various combinations of treatment modalities have been reported in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the standard treatment modality has not established yet. Recently, the efficacy of concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been reported in locally advanced lung cancer. We evaluate the response rate, toxicity, arid survival of concurrent chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin(EP) arid radiation therapy for unresectable stage III NSCLC. METHODS: Between October 1995 and December 1996, 32 patients with histologically proven unresectable stage III NSCLC without, malignant pleural effusion were entered into this study. Twenty-nine patients were eligible for the response, survival, and toxicity analysis. Induction was two cycles of chemotherapy with etoposide arid cisplatin plus concurrent chest RT to 4500cGy. Resection was attempted if the clinical response offered surgical resectability. Boost radiation therapy upto 5940cGy and one cycle of EP were performed if the disease were stable or responsive but still unresectable. RESULTS: Of 29 eligible patients, 22(75.9%) showed partial response(PR). The progression free interval was 6.3months(range 1.1 to 19.5months). Surgical resection was performed in one patient The median survival was l2.1months and one-year survival rate was 50.6%. The major toxicity was leukopenia(> or = grade 3,46%) Thrombocytopenia over grade 3 was found in 1%. Radiation pneumonitis occurred in 13 patients(46%). CONCLUSION: Concurrent chemotherapy(EP) pins radiotherapy was effective and tolerable in the treatment of unresectable stage III NSCLC.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Etoposide* ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate ; Thorax ; Thrombocytopenia

Development of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in patients receiving chemotherapy is a major diagnostic challenge. Diffuse pulmonary infiltrates may be due to infection, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary edema or drug-induced lung injury. Among these, pulmonary toxicity caused by antineoplastic agent is being recognized more frequently. Cyclophosphamide, an alkylating cytotoxic drug, is used widely in the treatment of malignancies including lymphoma. The incidence of pulmonary toxicity is probably less than 1 percent, and its relation with total dosages and schedule of the drug is not yet defined. The typical pictures of cyclophosphamide-induced pulmonary toxicity are non-productive cough, dyspnea, fever, hypoxemia with respiratory alkalosis and interstitial pneumonitis. However, relatively infrequent pulmonary toxicity of cyclophosphamide and frequent development of infectious pulmonary infiltrate in the patients treated with chemotherapy may hamper the early diagnosis of cyclophosphamide toxicity. Interstitial pattern and unresponsiveness to antibiotics of the pneumonitis might be the clues of suspicion. The best ways to treat the patients with cyclophosphamide toxicity are early diagnosis, discontinuation of the drug and early corticosteroid trial, although usefulness of steroid has not been firmly established. Recently, we experienced three cases of interstitial pneumonitis developing during cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the absence of neutropenia or thrombocytopenia. Early use of corticosteroid in later two cases could resolve the pulmonary complication completely, whereas the pneumonitis failed to improve in spite of the massive use of multiple antibiotics in the first case.
Alkalosis, Respiratory ; Anoxia ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Appointments and Schedules ; Cough ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Drug Therapy* ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Lung Injury ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Neutropenia ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Thrombocytopenia

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer patients with liver-confined metastases are classified as stage IV, but their prognoses can differ from metastases at other sites. In this study, we suggest a novel method for risk stratification using clinically effective factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 566 consecutive patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CLM) between 1989 and 2010 were analyzed. This analysis was based on principal component analysis (PCA). RESULTS: The survival rate was affected by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (p < 0.001; risk ratio, 1.90), distribution of liver metastasis (p=0.014; risk ratio, 1.46), and disease-free interval (DFI; p < 0.001; risk ratio, 1.98). When patients were divided into three groups according to PCA score using significantly affected factors, they showed significantly different survival patterns (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The PCA scoring system based on CEA level, distribution of liver metastasis, and DFI may be useful for preoperatively determining prognoses in order to assist in clinical decisionmaking and designing future clinical trials for CLM treatment.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Liver* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Odds Ratio ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate