Split hand malformation is a rare malformation with various presentations. The current report describes a case of split hand malformation detected using 2D and 3D ultrasonography at 16 weeks` gestation. 2D ultrasonographic findings were split hand malformation in the right hand and monodactyly in the left hand , and those findings were confirmed and further clarified using 3D imaging. Postmortem X ray findings were consistent with the ultrasonographic findings. We conclude that 3D ultrasonography can assist in clarifying 2D ultrasonography findings of hand malformations during the second trimester of pregnancy.
Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency of the measurement of fetal nuchal translucency (FNT) and ductus venosus Doppler examination (DV Doppler) as a screening tool for chromosomal abnormalities. METHODS: FNT measurement and DV Doppler wereperformed in 950 pregnancies between 11(+0)~13(+6) weeks' gestation. Chromosomal analysis was done when FNT was more than 3 mm and DV Doppler showed absent flow or reversed flow. The numbers of cases with increased FNT and abnormal DV Doppler were counted in the groups of abnormal and normal karyotype. RESULTS: Data were available in 912 pregnancies. 11 pregnancies showed abnormal karyotype (1.2%). In the 11 cases with abnormal karyotype,increased FNT was found in 8 cases with 72.7% sensitivity and abnormal DV Doppler was found in 5 cases with 45.4% sensitivity. In the 901 cases withnormal karyotype, increased FNT was found in 33 cases with 96.3% specificity and abnormal DV Doppler was found in 12 cases with 98.7% specificity. Positive predictive value was 19.5% in cases of increased FNT, 29.4% in cases of abnormal DV Doppler, and 44.4% in cases of increased FNT and abnormal DV Doppler both. CONCLUSION: There is no improvement in general screening for chromosomal abnormalities when FNT measurement and DV Doppler were performed together. But better specificity and positive predictive value for chromosomal abnormalities were found.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening ; Nuchal Translucency Measurement ; Pregnancy ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common kind of breast cancer. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) are functional modalities for presenting the biological characteristics of breast cancer. The purpose of this article is to study the relationship between DWI or PET/CT and ILC's prognostic factors. The relationship between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, standard uptake value (SUV)max and prognostic factors of ILC were statistically evaluated. The ADC values were lower in mass types of ILC. SUVmax was statistically higher in grade 3 and 4 background parenchymal enhancement and positive lymph node metastasis. ADC values of DWI and SUVmax of PET/CT can be helpful in the prediction of the prognosis of ILC.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Diffusion ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Electrons ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Population Characteristics ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Prognosis

When incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) based on medical big data into the clinical and research settings, it is important to consider the associated ethical philosophy in addition to medical behavior.Simply improving the processing speed and increasing the amount of data will not suffice. Instead, it is necessary to continuously provide a direction for AI progress in medical algorithms that are required in order to make use of medical big data. To integrate AI with healthcare research and medical practice, it is essential that AI algorithms are reviewed by experienced medical staff. Additionally, the question regarding which levels of data can or cannot be trusted by medical staff needs to be answered. AI algorithms are best suited to provide assistance (decision-supporting) during the decision-making process. Hence, if more AI algorithms are implemented through such a series of processes, skilled medical personnel can play large roles, and their roles can be subcategorized. Furthermore, based on the medical value of AI, health care providers should have a role in determining the reasonableness and suitability of AI algorithms.

When incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) based on medical big data into the clinical and research settings, it is important to consider the associated ethical philosophy in addition to medical behavior.Simply improving the processing speed and increasing the amount of data will not suffice. Instead, it is necessary to continuously provide a direction for AI progress in medical algorithms that are required in order to make use of medical big data. To integrate AI with healthcare research and medical practice, it is essential that AI algorithms are reviewed by experienced medical staff. Additionally, the question regarding which levels of data can or cannot be trusted by medical staff needs to be answered. AI algorithms are best suited to provide assistance (decision-supporting) during the decision-making process. Hence, if more AI algorithms are implemented through such a series of processes, skilled medical personnel can play large roles, and their roles can be subcategorized. Furthermore, based on the medical value of AI, health care providers should have a role in determining the reasonableness and suitability of AI algorithms.

BACKGROUND: For the early detection and prevention of diabetic neuropathy, it is important to identify subclinical diabetic neuropathies. A routine nerve conduction study often fails to detect the early stages of neuropathy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of electrophysiological indexes including the residual latency(RL), terminal latency index (TLI) and modified F ratio (MFR) in detecting early diabetic neuropathy with no objective clinical or electrophysiological abnormalities. METHODS: A nerve conduction study of the upper/lower limbs was investigated in 38 subclinical diabetic neuropathy patients with normal nerve conduction studies (group I), 35 clinical diabetic neuropathy patients with normal nerve conduction studies (group II) and 31 normal controls. RL, TLI and MFR were calculated and compared among the groups. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the MFR of the lower limbs and TLI of both the upper/lower limbs were significantly decreased in both group I and II (p<0.05). RL was increased in both groups, but the difference was not statistically significant. Comparing the indexes between group I and II, there was no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: RL, TLI and MFR are useful indexes for reflecting distal conduction slowing especially in slowly progressing polyneuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy. The results also suggest that electrophysiological changes veiled in a routine nerve conduction study were present before the clinical manifestations.
Diabetic Neuropathies* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Neural Conduction* ; Polyneuropathies

The purpose of this study is to compare the side-to-side thickness and asymmetry in the lateral abdominal (LAM) wall muscle group between fencing players and matched controls. Twenty fencing players (10 males and 10 females) and 20 matched controls participated in this study. The resting thicknesses of the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) of the LAM on both sides of the abdominal wall were measured in each group using 7.5 MHz linear array ultrasonography. Statistical analysis showed that the asymmetry of the fencers was 15% TrA, 13% IO, and 15% EO, whereas the control group showed 5% TrA, 5% IO, and 6% EO. The LAM was more asymmetric in the fencers than in the controls (p<0.05). The thickness of the right TrA was 0.37 cm in the controls, which was significantly greater than the 0.29 cm thickness in the fencers (p<0.05). The thicknesses of the left TrA and both IO and EO did not differ significantly between fencers and controls (p>0.05). The thickness of the TrA, IO, and EO of the side-to-side LAM wall was more asymmetric in the fencers than in the controls. This suggests that clinicians may find benefits in providing scientific baseline data on muscle asymmetry when treating and managing fencing athletes.
Abdominal Wall* ; Athletes ; Humans ; Jupiter ; Male ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of MRI performed after excisional biopsy to diagnose residual cancer and additional lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 16 patients who had breast cancer diagnosed by excisional biopsy underwent preoperative breast MRI between March 2005 and August 2007 were included. MRI findings were considered positive for residual cancer if focal, thick, or irregular rim enhancement or adjacent enhancing lesion was identified around the postoperative biopsy cavity. And additional lesions separated from biopsy cavity including multifocal, multicentric, or contralateral lesion were evaluated. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of MRI, comparing MRI with histopathologic finding, and the impact of MRI on surgical planning. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of MRI for detecting residual disease considering rim enhancement were 85.7%(6/7) and 55.6%(5/9). Additional lesions including multifocal, multicentric, or contralateral lesion were found in 6 patients. In 7 patients, results of MRI findings changed surgical treatment planning. CONCLUSION: The pattern of rim enhancement on MRI after excisional biopsy is not differential point to evaluate remnant lesion. But MRI has an important role to help the detection of multifocal or multicentric, or contralateral breast malignancies, resulting in beneficial change in surgical treatment planning.
Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Ambient air monitoring(environmental monitoring) and biological monitoring of mixed organic solvents exposure have been used in exposure assessment of these compounds in the work environment. Environmental monitoring is more useful when assessing low level exposure to these compounds. The specific objectives of this study were to measure air organic solvent levels in the work environment, to test the agreement of items measured in this study with items which have been reported to the administrative agency, and finally to evaluate the appropriateness of environmental monitoring items. The study subjects were 13 small companies in which less than 300 employees were working and presumably exposed to mixed organic solvents(e.g. automotive repair and painting, 6; textile dyeing, 2; printing, 2; electronics, etc, 3). Personal air samplings were performed by the flow-lite sampling pump(MSA) and the 600mg charcoal tube with air velocity of 100ml/min for qualitative analysis and 2l/min for quantitative analysis. Samples were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Hewlett-Packard 5890/5970). High levels of toluene, n-hexane, and MIBK were detected in most study companies and low levels of ethylbenzene, xylene, n-butylacetate were also detected. When these measured items were compared with those of reported items, only 6 of 13 companies showed relatively good agreement between them. Two companies failed to report items exceeding the limit value. In conclusion, qualitative analysis of ambient air organic solvents seemed to be as important as quantitative analysis of these compounds and a periodic evaluation of monitoring items reported to the administrative agency should be required.
Charcoal ; Environmental Monitoring* ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Paint ; Paintings ; Solvents* ; Textiles ; Toluene ; Workplace* ; Xylenes

No abstract available.