A 79-year-old man with balanitis circumscripta plasmacellularis(BCP), presenting as an erythematous constricting band of the inner surface of the prepuce encircling the penile shaft is described. The biopsy specimen of the lesion showed, in addition to the typical histologic findings of BCP, increased fibrosis and decreased amount of elastic fibers which correlate well with our clinical observations. Electron microscopic examination revelaed no viral particles or elastic fibers. Immunohistologically, IgG was found to be the major immunoglobulin class in the plasma cellular inf iltrate.
Aged ; Balanitis* ; Biopsy ; Elastic Tissue ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Male ; Plasma ; Virion

No abstract available.
Cross Infection*

No abstract available.
Thrombocytosis*

PURPOSE: We performed the study prospectively to evaluate the advantage of fat suppression MR in the diagnosis of rotator cuff injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten symptomatic patients were studied with both conventional T2WI and FST2WI using chemical shift technique. Each image was analyzed for the assessnent of injuries, conspicuity of the lesion, the presence of effusion in subacromial bursae and joint space, and presence of humeral head injury. Arthroscopy was done in 4 patients following MRI. RESULTS: We could made presumptive diagnoses on FSMR as identical as on conventional MR in six cases(1 normal, 2 tendinitis, 2 partial thickness tear, 1 full thickness tear), two of them were confirmed by arthroscopic procedures. Two cases of partial thickness tear proved by arthroscopy were detected on FST2WI, whereas they were considered tendinitis on conventional T2Wl. There were another 2 cases who showed tendinitis on FSMR, but normal on conventional T2Wl. They, however, were not confirmed by either arthroscopy or surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: We found the FSMR were superior to conventional T2Wl in the conspicuity of lesions and detection of joint effusion and abnormalities on the humeral head. We think FSMR of the shoulder could have significant diagnostic advantages over the conventional spin-echo MR imaging.
Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Tendinopathy

The long term administration of anti-convulsants on children with convulsive disorders may cause osteomalacia, depending on the dosage, duration, type and combination of anti-convulsants administred. Fifteen children, comprising 10 male and 5 female, dignosed with convulsive disorders and administered with phenobarbital for a long term period of more than 9 months but less than 84 months and 15 healthy children of a similar age-group were selected for the investigation the density of she spinal backbone of each individual was measured by means of the "QDR-2000 X-ray bone densitometer's (made by Hologic company) which uses the double energy X-ray absorption technique. The levels of serum calcium, phosphrus and alkaline phosphatase for each child were also measured for comparative analysis. The results were as follows: 1) The mean bone density for the healthy group of chlidren was 0.69+/-0.09g/cm(2) and that for the group of children administered with phenobarbital was 0.59+/-0.07cm(2) indicating a significant decrease in density for the latter group (p<0.05). 2) As for the relationship between the duration of phenonbarbital and the decrease in bone mineral density, 5 of 6 patients(83%) administered with phenobarbital for more than 4 years showed a decrease in bone mineral density and 5 of 9 patients (56%) administered with phenobarbital for less than 4 years showed a decrease in bone mineral density. 3) the mean vitamin D level for the healthy group of chlidren was 26.8+/-2.5pg/ml indicating a significant decrease in vitamin D3 level for this group(p<0.05). 4) The mean serum alkaline phospatase evel for the health group of children was 240+/-50u/L and 462+/-110u/L for those administered with phenobarbital. This indicate a significant increase in ALP for phenobarbital group(p<0.05). 5) The posphorus and calcium levels were within the normal range for all the groups of children.
Absorption ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Density* ; Calcium ; Child* ; Cholecalciferol ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Osteomalacia ; Phenobarbital* ; Reference Values ; Vitamin D

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the fetal doppler flow velocimetry and birth weight in low risk pregnancy population. METHODS: From December 1995 to May 1996, We prospectively performed doppler study in 254 uncomplicated, term pregnant women, who visited Pohang Hospital, Dongguk University. Using pulsed color doppler, we measured umbilical artery RI, middle cerebral artery RI and middle cerebral-umbilical artery RI ratio within one week before delivery. RESULTS: The result was that low birth weight group (below 2500gm) had very significant lationship with umbilical artery RI(P<0.01), middle cerebral artery RI(P<0.05) and middle cerebral-umbilical artery RI ratio(P<0.05), but there was no significant relationship in these blood flow indices between normal birth weight group (2501gm- 3999gm) and macrosomia group (above 4000gm). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that application of doppler ultrasonopaphy in the assessment of fetal weight is somewhat helpful for identification of low birth weight, not for macrosomia.
Arteries ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetal Weight* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prospective Studies ; Rheology ; Ultrasonography* ; Umbilical Arteries

Aneurysms of the great vein of Galen are rare and the authors report a case of primary type aneurysm of the great vein of Galen. Clinicaly aneurysm of great vein of Galen give rise to different symptoms and signs at different age. New born infants have intractable heart failure, infancy have hydrocephalus, and adolescents have headache and syncope. The diagnosis rests upon angiography, especially four-vessel angiography is mandatary to delineate all of the feeding arteries. The posterior cerebral arteries supply most of the blood to the aneurysm. The only effective treatment is ligation of the feeding vessels at the point of entry into the vein of Galen.
Adolescent ; Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Cerebral Veins* ; Diagnosis ; Headache ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant ; Ligation ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Syncope ; Veins*

BACKGROUND: Postprimary pulmonary tuberculosis is located mainly in upper lobes. The tuberculous lesion involving the lower lobes usually arises from the upper lobe cavity through endobronchial spread. When tuberculosis is confined to the lower lung field, it often masquerades as pneumonia, lung cancer, bronchiectasis, or lung ahscess. Thus the correct diagnosis may be sometimes delayed for a long time. METHODS: We carried out, retrospectively, a clinical study on 50 patients confirmed with lower lung field tuberculosis who visited the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Hanyang University Hospital from January 1992 to December 1994. The following results were obtained. RESULTS: Lower lung field tuberculosis without concomitant upper lobe disease occurred in fifty patients representing 6.9% of the total admission with active pulmonary tuberculosis over a period of 3 years. It occurred most frequently in the third decade but age distribution was relatively even. The mean age was 43 years old. Female was more frequently affected than male (male to female ratio 1:1.9). The most common symptom was cough(68%), followed by sputum(52%), fever(38%), and chest discomfort(30%). On chest X-ray of the S0patients, consolidation was the most common finding in 52%, followed by solitary nodule(22%), collapse(16%), cavitary lesion(l0%), in decreasing order. The disease confined to the right side in 25 cases, left side 20 cases, and both sides 5 cases. Endobronchial tuberculosis (1) Endobronchial involvement was proved by bronchoscopic examination in 20 of S0patients. (2) Mean age was 44years old and female was more affected than man (male to female ratio 1 : 3). Sputum AFB stain and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture were positive only in 50% of cases unlikely upper lobe tuberculosis, additional diagnostic methods were needed. In our study, bronchoscopic examination and percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy increased diagnostic yield by 18% and 32%, respectively. The most common associated condition was diabetes mellitus(18%) and others were anemia, anorexia nervosa, stomach cancer, and systemic steroid usage. CONCLUSION: When we find a lower lung field lesion, we should suspect tuberculosis if the patient has diabetes mellitus, anemia, systemic steroid usage, malignancy or other immune suppressed states. Because diagnostic yield of sputum AFB smear & Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture was low, additional diagnostic methods such as bronchoscopy and fine needle aspiration biopsy were needed.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Anemia ; Anorexia Nervosa ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchoscopy ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Medicine ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is one of the most aggressive human cancers with a median survival of only 6 months. Local surgical tumor debulking combined with radio-chemotherapy is generally used to treat this malady, but the low success rate has prompted the search for new therapeutic targets. We used 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) as an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator to induce growth suppression and apoptosis in the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells. METHODS: We investigated the effect of AICAR on the proliferation of thyroid cancer cell lines (ARO, WRO and FRO) by performing methyl-thiazoletetrazolium bromide assay. We wanted to see the effect of AICAR on the apoptosis and cell cycle of the thyroid cancer cells, and we wanted to determine the mechanism of these changes. RESULTS: The proliferation of all thyroid cancer cell lines was significantly inhibited by administration of AICAR. FRO was the most susceptible cell line to AICAR treatment and so further studies were then performed with this cell line. The suppressive effect of AICAR on cell proliferation was related with phosphorylation of AMPK and the increased apoptosis. Also, cell cycle analysis revealed that progression to the G2-M phase was arrested (S-phase arrest) by AICAR treatment. S-phase arrest was associated with the increased protein expression of p21. CONCLUSION: In the anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines, AICAR inhibited proliferation due to the arrest in the S-phase; this was accompanied with the increased expression of p21. Overall, AMPK activation by AICAR or any other pharmacological agent could be a tempting potential target for thyroid cancer therapy.
Aminoimidazole Carboxamide ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: To assess the CT findings of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma associated with hepatolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT features of 26 patients with cholangiocarcinoma and hepatolithiasis were reviewed and compared with those of 23 patients with intrahepatic stones alone, acting as control subjects. CT findings were analyzed for tumor appearance and adjacency to hepatolithiasis. We studied clinical findings, noting the presence or absence of wall thickening or soft tissue attenuation within the bile duct, the luminal diameter of dilated bile duct, and the presence of periductal enhancement, and compared these with the findings for control groups. RESULTS: CT images of the tumor revealed a hepatic low-attenuating mass with peripheral rim enhancement(n=14, 54 %), or periductal thickening, or low-attenuating lesions in segmental dilatation of intrahepataic bile ducts(n=12, 46%). Most hepatic tumors were seen in areas adjacent to hepatolithiasis, or in a bile duct. Compared with control groups, patients with cholangiocarcinoma were old (p<0.001), and showed frequent weight loss and elevated CA 19 -9(p<0.001). With regard to the location of hepatolithiasis, luminal diameter, and periductal enhancement, no significant differences were seen between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: When an intrahepatic low-attenuating mass, or peridutal thickening and low-attenuating lesions in segmental dilated intrahepatic duct are found associated in adjacent intrahepatic stones, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma should be considered.
Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Weight Loss