Black adenoma is known to be a rare variant of adrenal cortical adenoma containing characteristic abundant lipofuscin pigments in the cytoplasm. Almost all of them are nonfunctioning and only occasionally they are associated with Cushing's syndrome or primary hyperaldosteronism. We present two cases of black cortical adenoma of the adrenal gland associated with Cushing's syndrome in a 24-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man. This report dealt with clinical and pathologic presentation including ultrastructural identification of lipofuscin pigment.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Adenoma

Meningiomas are usually thought of as firm solid tumors and most standard references make no mention of cystic meningiomas. Although several cases of cystic meningioma have been reported in the literature and their neuroradiological features discussed, the rarity of this entity makes its preoperative diagnosis difficult. Recently, the authors encountered a case of cystic meningioma, which was thought as ependymal cyst or infarction, preoperatively. In this report the authors discussed its clinical, neuroradiological and pathological characteristics with brief reviews of the literature.
Cysts ; Meningioma

No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal*

No abstract available.
Leukemia*

PURPOSE: Abnormal expression of E-cadherin has been shown to play a role in the progression and the metastasis of tumors. We investigated the correlation between the expressions of E-cadherin and the clinicopathologic factors and survival in pT2 gastric adenocarcinomas. METHODS: We examined formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissues from 100 surgically resected gastric adeno-carcinomas with pT2 lesion. Tissue preparations were stained with Zymed's monoclonal mouse anti-E-cadherin (clone: 4A2C7). We analyzed the correlation between the expressions of E-cadherin and clinicopathologic factors. RESULTS: Normal gastric mucosa was immunoreactive with anti-E-cadherin antibody. Among the 100 tumors examined, 73 tumors showed expression of E-cadherin. The gender, age, size, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, stage (UICC), lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion were not related with E-cadherin expression but Lauren classification and histologic type were strongly correlated with E-cadherin expression (P=0.000, P=0.006). Though patients with dec-rea-sed expression of E-cadherin showed a poorer median survival than normal expression (43.85+/-23.95 months vs. 61.27+/-33.47 months), expression of E-cadherin was not related with survival rate (P=0.668). CONCLUSION: In patients with gastric cancer, expressions of E-cadherin correlated with histologic type and Lauren classi-fication but not with survival.
Adenocarcinoma ; Animals ; Cadherins* ; Classification ; Gastric Mucosa ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

Unstable hemoglobins (Hb) are variants of adult Hb that tend to precipitate and form insoluble inclusions (Heinz bodies) within red blood cells (RBC) and RBC precursors. More than 100 structurally different unstable Hb variants showing broad spectrum of manifestations from asymptomatic to severe hemolytic anemia and dyserythropoiesis have been discovered. Hydroxyurea is a potent ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor and have been proposed as a new therapy for beta chain hemoglobinopathies through activation of gamma chain synthesis. We treated two patients (A : son, B : father) with highly unstable Hb diagnosed as Hb Madrid [Beta 115(G17)Ala->Pro] by direct DNA sequencing and restriction enzyme analysis. Our patients received hydroxyurea in dosages varying from 0.75g to 1.3g daily for 89 weeks. We could not show the clinical and hematological improvements after hydroxyurea therapy in thses patients. Optimization of dosage and long term side effects of hydroxyurea should be studied further.
Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Erythrocytes ; Hemoglobinopathies ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea* ; Restriction Mapping ; Ribonucleotide Reductases ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early tumor detection is crucial for the prevention of colon cancer. Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging using a target-activatable probe may permit earlier disease detection. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in tumorigenesis and tumor growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether NIRF imaging using an MMP-activatable probe can detect colon tumors at early stages. METHODS: We utilized two murine colon cancer models: a sporadic colon cancer model induced by azoxymethane (AOM), and a colitis-associated cancer model induced by a combination of AOM and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Colonic lesions were analyzed by histologic examination, Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and NIRF imaging using an MMP-activatable probe. RESULTS: Multiple variable-sized tumors developed in both models and progressed from adenomas to adenocarcinomas over time. At the early stage of the AOM/DSS model, diffuse inflammation was observed within the tumors. MMP expression increased progressively through normal, inflammation, adenoma, and adenocarcionoma stages. NIRF signal intensities were strongly correlated with each tumor stage from adenoma to adenocarcinoma. NIRF imaging also distinguished tumors from inflamed mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: NIRF imaging using a protease-activatable probe may be a useful tool for early tumor detection. This approach could translate to improve the endoscopic detection of colon tumors, especially in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Azoxymethane ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Dextrans ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Optical Imaging ; Sodium ; Sulfates

Congenital solitary nonparasitic cysts of the liver are rare condition in all age groups. Since 1856, only approximately 900 cases having been reported in the world literature. Epidermoid cysts of the liver are extremely rare type of congenital nonparasitic hepatic cysts, characterized by a fibrous wall entirely lined with stratified squamous epithelium, but lacking hair or skin appendages. This condition has yet to be reported in Korea. Because they have a potential for malignant transformation, it is important to totally resect the epidermoid cyst of the liver. Recently, we experienced a case of 44-year-old female patient with epidermoid cyst of the liver, which condition was complicated by a secondary infection. For this patient, an enucleation of entire cyst was performed. Given the rarity of this case, the following is a report of this case and a review of the relevant literature.
Adult ; Coinfection ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Epithelium ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver* ; Skin

INTRODUCTION: Transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy(TNAB) has shown to be a resonably safe, simple, and accurate procedure in diagnosis of intrathoracic lung lesions. We reviewed the results of 1,005 TNAB of chest lesions performed on 930 patients with 20 or 22-gauze needles over a period of 10 years. METHODS: From November 1983 to June 1995, 1,005 cases in 930 patients with an undiagnosed lung lesion underwent TNAB at the Hanyang University Hospital: 66% were men and 34% were women. Most of the patients were 40~60 years old and the youngest patient was 3 years of age. RESULT: 540 patients had various malignant chest lesions and 322 patients had benign pulmonary lesions. The diagnostic accuracy of TNAB was 96.1 percent in malignant diseases with one false positive result and 90.1% in benign diseases. A definitive diagnosis was not obtained in the remaining 68 patients. The most common diagnoses among 519 malignancy chest lesions with TNAB were the following: squamous cell lung carcinoma, 31.7%; adenocarcinoma, 24.7%; small cell lung carcinoma, 16.7%; metastatic cancer, 14.2%; large cell lung carcinoma, 6.2% and so on. Complications included pneumothorax in 12.3% necessitating chest tube drainage in 0.6%. Minor hemoptysis occurred in 3.6%. There was no death directly attributable to the procedure. CONCLUSION: We concluded that TNAB permits a direct approach to all kinds of localized lung lesions with a high degree of accuracy and without major complications.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Chest Tubes ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Female ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Needles ; Pneumothorax ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Thorax

PURPOSE: Allograft nephrectomy has been done in considerable proportion due to many reasons after kidney transplantation. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence, causes, and time of allograft nephrectomy after kidney transplantation. METHODS: A total 141 kidney transplantations were performed between 1993 and 2003 Kyung Hee University Hospital. We found 22 cases of allograft nephrectomy in the same period and a retrospective analysis was conducted on 22 allograft nephrectomy. The patients records were reviewed for age, causes, and time of allograft nephrectomy after kidney transplantation. RESULTS: The pathological causes of allograft nephrectomy were chronic rejection in 18 cases (81.8%), acute rejection in 3 cases (13.6%), accelerated rejection in 2 cases (9.1%) and allograft infection, renal vessel thrombosis, cyclosporin toxicity, GVHD in each one case (4.5%). Of 18 cases with chronic rejection, acute rejection episode was occurred in 12 cases (66.7%). The interval from kidney transplantation to allograft nephrectomy was more than 5 years in most patients (63.6%). CONCLUSION: In our studies, allograft nephrectomy was performed in 22 cases, chronic rejection was major cause of allograft nephrectomy, and acute rejection episide was occurred in most chronic rejection. We suggested that early detection and aggressive treatment of acute rejection might be considered to lower the incidence of allograft nephrectomy after kidney transplantation.
Allografts* ; Cyclosporine ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Nephrectomy* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thrombosis