Parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands that regulate calcium metabolism by producing parathyroid hormone (PTH). These are located at the back of the thyroid gland. Typically, four glands comprise the parathyroid glands, although their numbers may vary among individuals.Parathyroid diseases are related to parathyroid gland dysfunction and can be caused by problems with the parathyroid gland itself or abnormal serum calcium levels arising from renal disease. In recent years, as comprehensive health checkups have become more common, abnormal serum calcium levels are often found incidentally in blood tests, after which several additional tests, including a PTH test, ultrasonography (US), technetium-99m sestamibi parathyroid scan, single-photon-emission CT (SPECT)/CT, four-dimensional CT (4D-CT), and PET/CT, are performed for further evaluation. However, the parathyroid gland remains an organ less familiar to radiologists. Therefore, the normal anatomy, pathophysiology, imaging, and clinical findings of the parathyroid gland and its associated diseases are discussed here.

Parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands that regulate calcium metabolism by producing parathyroid hormone (PTH). These are located at the back of the thyroid gland. Typically, four glands comprise the parathyroid glands, although their numbers may vary among individuals.Parathyroid diseases are related to parathyroid gland dysfunction and can be caused by problems with the parathyroid gland itself or abnormal serum calcium levels arising from renal disease. In recent years, as comprehensive health checkups have become more common, abnormal serum calcium levels are often found incidentally in blood tests, after which several additional tests, including a PTH test, ultrasonography (US), technetium-99m sestamibi parathyroid scan, single-photon-emission CT (SPECT)/CT, four-dimensional CT (4D-CT), and PET/CT, are performed for further evaluation. However, the parathyroid gland remains an organ less familiar to radiologists. Therefore, the normal anatomy, pathophysiology, imaging, and clinical findings of the parathyroid gland and its associated diseases are discussed here.

Parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands that regulate calcium metabolism by producing parathyroid hormone (PTH). These are located at the back of the thyroid gland. Typically, four glands comprise the parathyroid glands, although their numbers may vary among individuals.Parathyroid diseases are related to parathyroid gland dysfunction and can be caused by problems with the parathyroid gland itself or abnormal serum calcium levels arising from renal disease. In recent years, as comprehensive health checkups have become more common, abnormal serum calcium levels are often found incidentally in blood tests, after which several additional tests, including a PTH test, ultrasonography (US), technetium-99m sestamibi parathyroid scan, single-photon-emission CT (SPECT)/CT, four-dimensional CT (4D-CT), and PET/CT, are performed for further evaluation. However, the parathyroid gland remains an organ less familiar to radiologists. Therefore, the normal anatomy, pathophysiology, imaging, and clinical findings of the parathyroid gland and its associated diseases are discussed here.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of radiographic and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) and hand OA among community dwellers in a Korean rural area and to elucidate its risk factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional population based study was conducted on residents over 40 years of age in Ansung, Gyeonggi Province. Subjects completed an interview based on a standardized questionnaire and clinical evaluation including knee and hand radiographs. We defined a subject with the Kellgren and Lawrence grade > or =2 as having radiographic OA (ROA). Symptomatic OA (SOA) was defined by the presence of both radiographic OA and self-reported pain. RESULTS: We obtained both symptom information and radiographs from 3,876 subjects. The prevalence of radiographic and symptomatic knee OA was 14.9% and 5.4%, respectively. The prevalence of radiographic and symptomatic hand OA was 13.4% and 8.0%, respectively. The prevalence of knee and hand OA (ROA & SOA) was higher among women than men. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association of age and female sex with both knee and hand OA (ROA & SOA), of body mass index (BMI) with knee OA (ROA & SOA) and hand ROA. CONCLUSION: Both symptomatic and radiographic knee OA and hand OA is common in the general adult population of Korea, with preponderance for women. Age and female sex are common risk factors for knee and hand OA. Weight control is necessary for prevention of knee OA. Other factors might also contribute to the development of OA, but further study is needed to elucidate the role of these factors.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hand* ; Humans ; Knee* ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors*

Subacute combined degeneration (SCD) is a metabolic disease caused by deficiency of vitamin B12. Rarely, it could be associated with genetic problem. An old male presented with progressive both hands weakness. Laboratory study showed deficiency of vitamin B12, but the cause was not clear. We performed a genetic study and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T homozygous polymorphism with 30% of normal enzyme activity was confirmed. This case suggests SCD may occur in association with a genetic problem with MTHFR C677T polymorphism.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common inflammatory arthritis that affects the axial skeleton, causing characteristic inflammatory back pain, which can lead to structural and functional impairments and a decrease in quality of life. The disease can be accompanied by extraskeletal manifestations, such as acute anterior uveitis, inflammation in the colon or ileum, aortic insufficiency, cardiac conduction defects, fibrosis of the upper lobes of the lungs, neurologic involvement, or renal (secondary) amyloidosis. We report the case of a 19 year-old man who developed Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) and subsequently AS. It has been recognized that AS may be associated with cutaneous vasculitis and IgA nephropathy, but the association of HSP with AS has not been reported. This association of IgA nephropathy or HSP with AS raises the possibility of a common or related pathogenesis.
Male ; Humans

Hemarthrosis can occur in patients with a predisposition to hemorrhage such as hemophilia or anticoagulant therapy. A 72-year-old man presented with an acute painful swelling in the right knee. He was on anticoagulant therapy after a mechanical aortic valve replacement due to aortic valve insufficiency. There was no history of trauma and international normalized ratio (INR) was maintained at 3.76. On arthrocentesis of the knee, bloody synovial fluid was obtained. With the diagnosis of hemarthrosis, INR was maintained at 2. With immobilization, the knee pain gradually improved. Three weeks after discharge, right knee painful swelling was exacerbated, and arthrocentesis again revealed bloody synovial fluid. After magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, pseudoaneurysm of the right lateral superior genicular artery was diagnosed. The angiographic embolization was performed after which, he showed marked improvement. Knee MRI should be considered in hemarthrosis with atypical clinical progress, because it can detect lesions amenable to therapeutic intervention as in this case.
Acute Pain ; Aged ; Aneurysm, False* ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Arteries ; Diagnosis ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Hemarthrosis* ; Hemophilia A ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immobilization ; International Normalized Ratio ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Synovial Fluid

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a small-vessel vasculitis involving skin, gut, and kidney associated with arthralgia, arthritis and characterized by immunoglobulin A (IgA)-dominant immune deposits in target organs. This vasculitis is common in children and rarely reported to be associated with other autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroiditis. We report the case of 72 year-old man who developed adult-onset HSP and also had rheumatoid arthritis and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. This is the first report in South Korea.
Aged ; Arthralgia ; Arthritis* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Child ; Hashimoto Disease* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Kidney ; Korea ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Skin ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune ; Vasculitis