PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to illustrate MR patterns of bone marrow of calvarium and vertebral body in normal subjects according the age distribution and to understand the course of the fatty replacement from red marrow. METHODS AND MATERIAL: We retrospectively evaluated MR examinations of the calvaria(n=71), cervical spine(n=71), thoracic spine(n=65), Imbar spine(n =68) in subjects without bone marrow abnormality whose age ranged 3 weeks to 74 years. Three distinctive patterns were categorized on Tl-weighted images of the skull. In pattern 1, uniformly low signal intensity with or without very small areas of high intensity in frontal and occipital bones is noted. In pattern 2, frontal and occipital bones have uniformly high signal intensity, and patchy area of high intensity appears in parietal bone. In pattern 3, the entire skull has uniformly high signal intensity. In the spine, four patterns were categorized on Tl-weighted MR images. In pattern 1, the vertebral body has uniformly low signal intensity except for linear areas of high intensity superior and inferior to basivertebral vein. In pattern 2, bandlike and triangular areas of high signal intensity are found in the periphery. Pattern 3 and 4 have diffusely distributed areas of high signal intensity; pattern 3 consist of numerous indistinct dots measuring a few millimeter or less, and pattern 4 consist of fairly well marginated areas ranging in size from 5 to 1.5cm. RESULT:In the calvaria, 73% of pattern 1 were younger than 20 years, pattern 2 were evenly distributed, and 86% of pattern 3 were older than 40 years. In the spine, 87% of pattern 1 were younger than 40 years, 72% of pattern 3 were in 40 to 50 years, and 87% of pattern 4 were older than 50 years. Pattern 2 were evenly distributed in the cervical and thoracic spine, but in the thoracic spine 62% were younger than 30 years. CONCLUSION:It is concluded that younger age group shows mainly pattern 1, whereas elderly group has pattern 3 or 4 in the calvarial and vertebral body marrow. This suggests that conversion to fatty marrow begin locally and progress diffusely with age.
Age Distribution* ; Aged ; Bone Marrow* ; Humans ; Occipital Bone ; Parietal Bone ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull* ; Spine ; Veins

No abstract available.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Spinal Fractures*

In this report we describe twenty-two cases of intracranial tumors studied with an MR imager operating at a field strength of 0.064 T for evaluation of the clinical utility of low tesla MRI. The comfirmed diagnoses were meningioma(9 cases), astrocytoma(4 cases), glioblastoma multiforme(1 case), craniopharyngioma(2 cases), intracranial metastasis(1 case). pituitary microadenoma (1 case), hemangioblastoma (1 case), and trigerminal neurilemmoma(1 case). Meningiomas appeared as well-marginated, homogenous signal intensity masses(67%) in most cases. Most meningiomas showed iso-signal intensity(78%) on T1-weighted images, and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. After Gd-DTPA enhancement, diffuse homogeneous contrast enhancement(75%) was well see. The multiple hemorrhagic foci within the glioblastoma multiforme were identified, which shoed high signal intensity on T1-weighted images and low signal intensity on T2-weighted images(intracellular methemoglobin), or high signal intensity on both T1 and T2-weighted images(extracellular methemoglobin). One case of cerebellar hemangioblastoma was a well-defined cystic mass with contrast enhanced mural nodule but no identification of characteristic signal void vessels. The remianing tumors showed low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Gd-DTPA enhancement was helpful in separating the lesion from the surrounding edema or normal tissue, but had limited diagnostic value in characterizing the nature of the mass. The advantages of low tesla MRI are as follows on requirement of cooling water or electricity, open design, shorter T1 relaxation time compared with high tesla unit that increases the difference of T1-relaxation time between tissues, ease of installation, and cost effectiveness. In conclusion, the low tesla MRI is useful for the detection and evaluation of the brain tumors.
Brain Neoplasms ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Electricity ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glioblastoma ; Hemangioblastoma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Relaxation ; Water

Fifteen patients with 38 compression fractures of the spine underwent magnetic resonance(MR) imaging. We retrospectively evaluated MR images in these benign compression fractures. MR images showed four patterns in T1-weighted images. MR imaging patterns were normal signal(21), band like low signal(8), low signal with preservation of peripheral portion of the body(8), and diffuse low signal through the vertebral body(1). The low signal portions were changed to high signal intensities in T2-weighted images. In 7 of 15 patients(11 compression fractures). There was a history of trauma, and the remaining 8 patients(27 compression fractures) had no history of trauma. Benign compression fractures of trauma, remained 8 patients(27 compression fractures) were non-traumatic. Benign compression fractures of the spine reveal variable signal intensities in MR imagings. These patterns of benign compression fractures may be useful in interpretation of MR imagings of the spine.
Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine*

Aortopulmonary septal defect is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. A 15 year old boy was admitted to Department of Internal Medicine of Seoul National University Hospital because of exertional dyspnea. Aortopulmonary septal defect was confirmed by cardiac catheterization demonstrating severe pulmonary hypertension and patent foramen ovale, and retrograde aortogram showing contrast material passing from the ascending aorta just above the aortic valve into the pulmonary trunk. We present a case of aortopulmonary septal defect with a review of literatures.
Adolescent ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve ; Aortopulmonary Septal Defect* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Dyspnea ; Foramen Ovale, Patent ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Internal Medicine ; Male ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Acyclovir* ; Necrosis*

Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenstrom is characterized by recurrent episodes of petechiae, hypergammaglobulinemia, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the presence of rheumatoid factor, and leukocytoclastic vasculitis or mild lymphocytic perivasculitis. There is a primary type and a secondary type which is associated with other autoimmune diseases. We present a csae of a 48 year-old female with hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenstrom. She showed characteristic clinical, histopathological and laboratory findings consistent with hypergammaglobulinema purpura of Waldenstrom. Although there was a decrease in the Schimer test, we couldt den ostrate an association with Sjogrens syndrome. We think that this case may be a secondary type and needs a follow-up study.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Blood Sedimentation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; Middle Aged ; Purpura ; Purpura, Hyperglobulinemic* ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Angiography* ; Head* ; Necrosis*

No abstract available.
Candidiasis, Cutaneous*