OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the significance of an apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) study for diagnosis of ventriculitis. METHODS: Seven patients with ventriculitis were enrolled in this study. Diffusion-weighted(DW) magnetic resonance images(MRI) and ADC maps in the dependent intraventricular collection, periventricular white matter and non-dependent cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) were obtained. The images and ADC data from the different lesions were compared. RESULTS: The DW MRI showed marked hyperintensity in the purulent pus lesion, and the corresponding ADC maps revealed prominent hypointensity and restricted ADC values compared with the non-dependent CSF and normal white matter. CONCLUSION: The decreased ADC value and increased signal intensity of the dependent intraventricular fluid on the DW MRI show restricted water diffusion in the purulent fluid, which is indicative of a pyogenic ventriculitis diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Diffusion* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Suppuration

The most common cause of chronic cutaneous sinus tract in the face and neck is chronically draining dental infection. The diagnosis is easily confirmed by dental examination and dental roentgenogram of the involved area, but this disease is frequently misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated in dermatologic department. We report four cases of cutaneous sinus tract of dental origin. First patient had a painful nodule with chronically draining pus and a dimple on the left cheek. Second patient had a dimple with draining bloody fluid on the right chin. Third patient had a pea-sized papule with draining serous fluid on the left chin. Fourth patient had a fluctuant erythematous plaque with draining pus and a dimple on the left buccal area. In all four patients radiologic examination of the maxillary and mandibular regions demonstrated radioluency at the apex of tooth consistent with periapical abscess.
Cheek ; Chin ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Neck ; Periapical Abscess ; Suppuration ; Tooth

STUDY DESIGN: Infectious spondylitis patients were classified according to their cause in pyogenic and tuberculous and compared by each. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Tuberculous spondylitis shows chronic clinical course and disc space sparing with much pus formation in radiologic finding compared to pyogenic spondylits. PURPOSE: To compare pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis in clinical, radiological, pathological difference for appropriate management of infectious spondylitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed sixty two cases of infectious spondylitis confirmed by culture and pathologic findings of specimens which obtained by surgical method at the orthopaedic department of the Dong-A university hospital between June 1990 and November 1998. RESULTS: There were 18 cases of pyogenic and 44 cases of tuberculous spondylitis, and combined infection case was absent. Average period between beginning of symptom and diagnosis was 6.4 months in pyogenic spondylitis(4-11 months), 3.9 months in tuberculous spondylitis(3-39 months). The average number of affected vertebra was 2.3 in pyogenic spondylitis and 3.9 in tuberculous spondylitis. 6 cases of pyogenic spondylitis(33%) showed high fever(above 38degree C) which not presented in tuberculous spondylitis. We could not find considerable difference in leukocyte count, ESR, CRP level and simple radiologic finding, MRI finding between pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, most pyogenic spondylitis shows chronic and inactive feature, so clinical, radiological, laboratory findings are not appropriate guide to differentiate between pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis. Culture growth of infecting agent and histologic examination are reliable and essential diagnostic method for pyogenic and tuberculous spondylitis.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spine ; Spondylitis* ; Suppuration

Although the ultrasonography has been regarded as a main procedure in the diagnosis of gallbladder diseases, no many papers concerning the ultrasonographic findings of gallbladder empyema appeared in the literature. Twenty-four cases of surgically proven gallbladder empyema were studied by ultrasonography in our hospital during last 15 months. The results were as follows; 1. The size of gallbladder was enlarged in 18 cases. 2. The thicknessof gallbladder wall was more than 3mm in 16 cases. 3. The echogenicity of gallbladder wall was diminished in all cases. the inner margin of gallblaldder wall was also ill-defined in all cases. These findings are considered to be important in the diagnosis of gallbladder empyema. 4. The internal echogenicity of gallbladder (diffuse or localized) was positive in 16 cases and negative in the remainders. The echo genility was thought to beproportional to the amount of pus in gallbladder. 5. The 7 cases presented periocholecystic sonolucent area hadperforation of gallbladder and pericholecystic abscess. 6. Gallstone was found in 17 cases.
Abscess ; Cholecystitis ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Suppuration ; Ultrasonography

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infectious Mononucleosis ; diagnosis ; Male ; Suppuration ; diagnosis ; Tonsillitis ; diagnosis

Child ; Humans ; Tuberculosis, Spinal/diagnosis* ; Spondylitis/diagnosis* ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Suppuration/diagnosis* ; Diagnostic Errors

Adult ; Diagnostic Errors ; Femur ; Humans ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; diagnosis ; Suppuration ; Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular ; diagnosis

Acute infections of bone and joints is a curable condition and the chance of cure is related to a number of factors like type and virulence of the organism, resistance of the host, choice of antibiotics, early drainage of the joint in septic arthritis and appropriate treatment after early diagnosis with adequate dosage and duration of antibiotic therapy. Late diagnosis and inadequate treatment can often lead to high mortality and morbidity and leave the patient with crippling sequelae like chronic osteomyelitis, joint destruction, pain, shortening, deformity and limp.
Acute Disease ; Arthritis, Infectious ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Osteomyelitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Suppuration

Bone imagings have played important role in early detection of acute osteomyelitis. In acute osteomylitis, bone scan findings precede the appearance of bone change on radiograph. Also, recent studies have reported accuracies of bone scan in diagnosis of osteomyelitis ranging from 84% to 100%. But, in above datas, bone scan reading were only qualitative studies. So we have reviewed Technetium-99m labelled methylen dipho sphonate(99mTc-MDP) scan on 21 patients who had been diagnosed acute osteomyelitis by clinical symptoms, blood culture, pus culture and operative findings from January, 1984 to September, 1985. The purpose of this study is to establish the quantitative study of bone scan using computed pixel counting method. The 21 cases were classified into group I and group II according to initial radiographic findihgs. The group I showed normal radiographic finding or soft tissue swelling without osseous change. The group II showed osseous change. The results obtained were as follows: 1. We obtained positive bone scans in the all cases which were confirmed acute osteomyelitis. 2. We experienced diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis by bone scan which was confirmed as early as 48 hours after onset of clinical symptom. 3, In group I, the average uptake ratio of 99mTc-MDP was 3.22±0.82 ranging from 2.20 to 4.80. 4. In group II, the average uptake ratio of 99mTc-MDT was 6.20±2.27 ranging from 4.00 to 9.40. (p <0.001).
Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Methods ; Osteomyelitis ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Suppuration ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate

The authors have experienced with a case of orbital abscess that was thought to be an orbital tumor. The patient was a 5 year old Korean boy who had exophthalmos in the right eye, but he did not have definite signs of inflammation. On the orbital venogram, there was a space occupying lesion in the lateral and posterior portion of the right eye. To obtain the precise diagnosis of the lesion, we made a surgical approach and drainage of the pus was performed. The pus culture yielded coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. The literature relating to orbital abscess was briefly reviewed.
Abscess* ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Exophthalmos ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Orbit* ; Staphylococcus ; Suppuration