STUDY DESIGN: This biomechanical study was designed to perform flexibility tests in multiple loading directions to compare the stabilizing effects of supplemental hook or pedicle screw fixation on short segment pedicle instrumentation system. OBJECTIVE: To compare biomechanical flexibilities of short segment pedicle instrumentation constructs added by hook or pedicle screw fixation in an unstable calf spine model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Short segment pedicle instrumentation is using recently for the surgical treatment of the unstable burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine, but a high incidence of early screw tai lure in short segment pedicle instrumentation has reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten fresh frozen calf spines (T10-L3) were loaded with pure uncosstrained moments in flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending directions. A maximum moment of 6.4 Nm was achieved in 5 steps using dead weights. After removal of L1 vertebral body, testing was performed on intact specimens first and then each specimen after laminar hook or pedicle screw insertion on the short segment pedicle instrumentation of ISOLA implant. Any kinds of graft material or transfixation device were not used to make the worst possible case of instability of an injured spine. Three different fixation methods were instrumented. These included: (1) one level aboye and one level below with pedicle screw, (2) 2 levels above with pedicle screw and hook and one level below with pedicle screw, and (3) 2 levels abode and one level below with pedicle screws. RESULTS: At the level of corpectomy, all fixation methods significantly reduced motions in flexion, extension, and lateral bending as compared to the intact motion (P<0.001). The differences between all constructs were not statistically significant. The addition of a hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct was not significantly reduced the flexibi lite as compared to the short segment pedicle screw construct. Axial rotational motions in groups I, II, and III were similar with each other and with intact motion as well and there were no significant statistical difference. The addition of the hook or screw on the short segment pedicle construct showed more stability as compared to the pedicle screw construct, but statistical difference was not. The addition of hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct showed similar stability in all motions with each other. At the level above corpectomyl all tested fixation methods did not improve the axial rotational stability beyond the intact case, but reduced flexion, extension, and lateral bending motions significantly (p<0.001). The addition of hook or screw on the short segment pedicle screw construct showed significant stability in all motions (p<0.001) as compared to the short segment pedicle screw construct and their stabilities were similar with each other. CONCLUSIONS: All fixation methods showed more stabilities in all motions than normal specimen. The addition of pedicle screw on the short segment pedicle screw constructs are more stable than the addition of hook, but there was no statistical difference. Adding one level of fixation cranial to the fracture using pedicle screws or hooks may be necessary to decrease the rate of clinical failure and to enhance the stability of the construct with short segment pedicle instrumentation
Incidence ; Pliability ; Spine ; Transplants ; Weights and Measures

Syphilitic involvement of the stomach often takes the appearance of neoplastic conditions. We describe the radiological findings of syphilitic gastritis. A 36-year-old man was diagnosed with gastric cancer by upper GI and CT, but syphilitic gastritis was confirmed by endoscopy and upper GI series performed after penicillin therapy, We report a case of syphilitic gastritis presented as advanced stomach cancer by clinical, endoscopic and radiological study.
Adult ; Endoscopy ; Gastritis* ; Humans ; Penicillins ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

Two patients with clinical and biochemical evidences of islet cell hyperfunction underwent percutaneous transhepatic portal and pancreatic vein catheterization and hormone assays. Local step-ups of insulin level in the protal venous system, found in two patients with insulinoma, corresponded to tumor sites at surgery. One patients had single insulinoma and the other had malignant insulinoma and liver metastasis. Percutaneous transhepatic protal and pancreatic vein catheterization with measurement of radioimmunoactive insulin concentration is a safe and reliable method, and may play an important role in the localization of adenoma in patients with hyperinsulinism.
Adenoma ; Adenoma, Islet Cell* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; Insulin ; Insulinoma ; Islets of Langerhans* ; Liver ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Veins

Two patients with clinical and biochemical evidences of islet cell hyperfunction underwent percutaneous transhepatic portal and pancreatic vein catheterization and hormone assays. Local step-ups of insulin level in the protal venous system, found in two patients with insulinoma, corresponded to tumor sites at surgery. One patients had single insulinoma and the other had malignant insulinoma and liver metastasis. Percutaneous transhepatic protal and pancreatic vein catheterization with measurement of radioimmunoactive insulin concentration is a safe and reliable method, and may play an important role in the localization of adenoma in patients with hyperinsulinism.
Adenoma ; Adenoma, Islet Cell* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; Insulin ; Insulinoma ; Islets of Langerhans* ; Liver ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Veins

Membranous obstruction of the hepatic inferior vena cava(MOVC)is one of the common causes of Budd-Chiari syndrome. The aim of this study is to ascertain and compare the characteristic sonographic and CT findings of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by MOVC. We studied 10 patients of Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by MOVC through sonography and CT. MOVC was confirmed by operation and/or inferior vena cavography. The cases included 9 men and one woman. With sonography. IVC obstruction was diagnosed in 9 cases. The cause of IVC obstruction was web in 5 cases and fibrous cord in 3 cases. The cause was unspecified in on case. Obliteration of the hepatic veins and intrahepatic collateral vessels were delineated in 9 cases. With color doppler sonography, the directions of blood flow of the hepatic veins through the intervenous communication were fairly well demonstrated in all 5 cases. With CT, IVC obstruction was diagnosed in 7 cases. The obliteration of the hepatic segment of the IVC were segmental in 6 cases and diffuse in one case. Ct demonstrated communicating vessels between the hepatic veins in 3 cases. Furthermore. Systemic collateral vessls(azygos and hemiazygos veins. Veins along the abdominal wall, and internal mammary veins)were demonstrated in all cases. Liver cirrhosis was combined in all cases and hepatoma developed in 4 cases. Sonography is useful to detect the MOVC and to demonstrate hepatic venous obstruction and intrahepatic collateral vessels. Color doppler sonography is easily performed to show the direction of the blood flow through interconnecting vessels. CT shows the obliterated segment of the IVC clearly and multiple prominent systemic coliaterals. In conclusion, and Budd-Chiai syndrome caused by MOVC is accurately diagnosed by combined color doppler sonography and CT.
Abdominal Wall ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Ultrasonography ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

PURPOSE: To verify the value of CT in the diagnosis of cirrhosis, CRL ratio was measured in 225 Koreans who had and evidence of cirrhosis both clinically and radiologically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mean value of CRL ratio was 0.68+/-0.21 which was significant difterent from the published value of normal person(0.45+/-0.07). The difference of CRL ratio between men and women and that among different age groups were found to be not statistically signficant. RESULTS: CRL ratio of virus- related group(N:149) was 0.64+/-0.18, whereas that of virus-nonrelated group (N=76) was 0.76+/-0.23. There was a statistically significant difference of CRL ratio between virus-related group and virus-nonrelated group. CRL ratio of hepatoma-related group(N:113) was 0.71+/-0.22 whereas that of heparoma-nonrelated group(N:112) was 0.66+/-0.19. There was no statistically significant difference of CRL ratio between hepatoma-related group and hepatoma-nonrelated group. CONCLUSION: Measurement of CRL ratio by CT is a useful method in assessing cirrhosis of the liver.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Male

PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness and clinical usefulness of prostate biopsy by automated gun biopsy device under the transrectal ultrasonographic guidance, authors analysed the result of biopsy and the patients status after biopsy procedure. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The subjects consisted of 24 patients with prostatic disease. Biopsy instrument was an automated gun biopsy device loaded with an 18 gauze biopsy needle. All the patients were admitted to the hospital. No analgesics was given. All the procedure was performed with the patient in left lateral decubitus. Biopsy was performed at 2-4 different points of the prostate in 22 cases, but recently, six different points were targeted in two patients. RESULTS: Biopsy specimens were sufficient in 21 cases but insufficient in three cases. Histologic examination of biopsy specimens showed that 13 cases were nodular hyperplasia, eight cases were cancerous and three cases were inflammation. There was no clinically significant complication. There was mild to moderate degree of pain in all patients. CONCLUSION: Tansrectal biopsy of the prostate with an automated gun biopsy device under ultrasonographic guidance is considered relatively easy, handy and useful procedure in patients with prostatic disease. The procedure may be performed on the outpatient basis.
Analgesics ; Biopsy* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Inflammation ; Needles ; Outpatients ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Diseases ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: Authors retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of superselective renal arterial emboliation in 5 patients with symptomatic renal angiomyolipoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five Patients with renal angiomyolipoma who had been treated with superselective renal arterial embolization were analysed retrospectively. Two patients who had multiple bilateral lesions were associated with tuberous sclerosis. The mbolic materials used were absolute alcohol in 6 sessions, absolute alcohol mixed with lipiodol in one session, and polyvinyl alcohol in one session. RESULTS: We could observe devascularization of the tumor on the post-embolization arteriograms. The symptoms such as flank pain were improved in all patients during the follow-up period of 3 months to 3years. CONCLUSION: Superselective renal arterial embolization is an effective and safe procedure in the management of renal angiomyolipomas.
Angiomyolipoma* ; Ethanol ; Ethiodized Oil ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberous Sclerosis

The findings of upper gastrointestinal series(UGI), computed tomography (CT), and sonography(US) of ten duodenal adenocarcinoma confirmed by surgery (n=7) and endoscopic biopsy (n=3) were retrospectively analyzed. We performed US in all cases, CT and UGI in 8 out of 10 cases. UGI showed 4 cases of ulcerating type, 3 of stenotic type, and one failed to visualize duodenum due to previous gastrojejunostomy. UGI was more accurate in depicting the mucosal changes such as ulcer, however, it played a limited role in the evaluation of extraluminal extension. US showed 4 cases of hypocchoic wall thickening, 3 of hypoechoic extraluminal mass, and one of polypoid intraluminal mass but 2 were not detected on US. US accurately detected hepatic and pancreatic metastasis, however, it played a limited role in the evaluation of direct colonic invasion. CT showed was eccentric wall thickening in 4 cases, large extraluminal mass in 2, and low density intraluminal mass in but one was missed on CT. CT was the most accurate modality to determine the extent of the lesion and adjacent or distant metastasis but it could be misdiagnosed as submucosal tumor if the extraluminal component is large. UGI, CT and US can be used complementary for accurate diagnosis of a duodenal cancer. US may be used as a screening tool for detecting duodenal cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; Duodenum* ; Gastric Bypass ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To determine the significance of anomalous position of the gallbladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with anomalous position of the gallbladder were evaluated for analysis. The diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography(15 patients) and oral cholecystography(1patient). Among those, six patients underwent CT scan and a patient had 99mTc-DISIDA scan. The images were analysed with respect to the location of the GB and configuration and associated abnormality of the liver and hepatobiliary systems. Medical records of each patient were also reviewed. RESULTS: Among 16 patients having an anomalous position of the gallbladder, nine had retrodisplaced gallbladder, four had left-sided gallbaldder, two had suprahepatic gallbladder, and one had floating gallbladder. Except for one patient, fifteen had abnormality in the liver such as focal atrophic or hypoplastic change and liver cirrhosis. Intrahepatic stones were demonstrated in 6 patients. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that anomalous position of the gallbladder was commonly associated with atrophy or hypoplasia of the liver rather than congenital in origin. The possiblity of an anomalous location of gallbladder should be kept in mind when GB is not in its normal location.
Atrophy ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Medical Records ; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed