No abstract available.
Pheochromocytoma* ; Pregnancy*

Although many methods have been developed to correct the aging process of the head and neck, the correction of nasolabial folds still remains a difficult area. The difficulty of correcting nasolabial fold is due to the anatomical location and the difference of aging process. From March 2000 to February 2001, the authors operated on 10 aging face patients using face lift with SMAS and FAME(Finger-assisted malar fat pad elevation) technique. The authors repositioned the SMAS-platysma flap posterosuperiorly and used finger dissection of the malar fat pad enabling a 3-dimensional correction and repositioning of the fat pad without detachment of the zygomatic ligament. The finger dissection of the malar fat pad attached to the skin enables a more anatomical correction of the malar fat pad with a more natural looking layer and longer lasting results in addition to decreased hematoma, edema and postoperative pain compared to previous methods.
Adipose Tissue ; Aging ; Edema ; Fingers ; Head ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Nasolabial Fold ; Neck ; Pain, Postoperative ; Rhytidoplasty* ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the MR spectrum and MR cholangiographic imaging findings of clonorchiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 26 patients with confirmed clonorchiasis by either stool tests (n=24) or surgery (n=2). MR imaging was performed on a 1.5 T system (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) with a torso coil. Axial T1-and T2-weighted, gadolinium-enhanced dynamic images and MR cholangiography were obtained. Image analyses were used to identify abnormalities of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts and the presence of hepatobiliary malignancy. All MR examinations were reviewed by the consensus of two abdominal radiologists. RESULT: Intrahepatic bile duct abnormalities were seen in 23 (89%) of the 26 patients. The most common finding was mild dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct which was found in 21 (81%). "Too many intrahepatic ducts" were found in 16 (62%), wall enhancement and thickening in 21 (81%) and filling defects and ductal stricture in the intrahepatic bile duct in 6 (24%) and 3 (12%) patients, respectively. Extrahepatic ductal dilation was found in 5 (19%) and 9 (35%) revealed hepatobiliary malignancy. CONCLUSION: MR imaging revealed various findings of clonorchiasis, including dilatation, wall enhancement, stricture of the intrahepatic ducts and filling defect within the intrahepatic bile duct.
Adult ; Aged ; Cholangiography/methods ; Clonorchiasis/*diagnosis/radiography ; Female ; Human ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in the ovary revealed by MR imaging before and after radiotherapy in premenopausal patients with cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three premenopausal patients with cervical carcinoma underwent radiation therapy at an average dosage of 11,279 (external: 5,352; internal: 5,927) cGy. Before and after this therapy, all underwent pelvic MR imaging using a 1.5T MR scanner (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, U.S.A.). The average interval of follow-up MR imaging was 7.2 months, and axial T1-weighted and axial and sagittal T2-weighted MR images were obtained. The presence, size number of follicles, and differentiation of the zonal anatomy of the ovary were determined by two radiologists, who reached a consensus. RESULTS: After radiation therapy, all patients ceased menstruation. For ovaries, the detection rates before and after radiation therapy were 94% (62/66) and 39% (26/66) (p<0.05), respectively, and average ovary size was 2.6x1.9x2.2 cm before and 1.7x1.3x1.4 cm after therapy (p<0.05). The average number of ovarian follicles before and after therapy was 5.1 and 3.1, respectively (p<0.05). T2-weighted imaging, demonstrated differentiation of zonal anatomy in 74% of cases (46/62) before radiotheraphy, and 15% (4/26) after (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study has shown that after radiation therapy in premenopausal patients with cervical cancer, detection rates, average size, and the number of ovaries decreased, findings which are similar to those for normal postmenopausal ovary. MR imaging can reveal structural change in ovaries.
Cervix Uteri* ; Consensus ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menstruation ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary* ; Radiotherapy* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of three-dimensional CT angiography using multidetector-row CT (MDCT) for delineating the arterial anatomy of the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arterial three-dimensional CT angiography was performed using MDCT (Lightspeed Qx/I; GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A.) in 45 patients with HCC undergoing conventional angiography for transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization. The scanning parameters during the early arterial phase were 2.5 mm slice thickness, 7.5 mm rotation of table speed, and a pitch of 3. Images were obtained by one radiologist using maximum intensity projection from axial CT images obtained during the early arterial phase. Two radiologists blinded to the findings of conventional angiography independently evaluated the hepatic arterial anatomy and the quality of the images obtained. RESULTS: Compared with conventional angiography, reader A correctly evaluated the hepatic arterial anatomy depicted at three-dimensional CT angiography. Reader B's evaluation was correct in 40 of 45 patients. Interobserver agreement was good (kappa value, 0.73), and both readers assessed the quality of three-dimensional CT angiography as excellent. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional CT angiography using MDCT was accurate for delineating the arterial anatomy of the liver, and interobserver agreement was good. The modality may provide, prior to conventional angiography, valuable information regarding a patient's hepatic arterial anatomy.
Angiography* ; Hepatic Artery* ; Humans ; Liver

PURPOSE: To investigate the perfusion characteristics of VX2 carcinoma and liver parenchyma in an animal model, and to evaluate the usefulness of perfusion CT in assessing the angiogenesis of hepatic VX2 carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten rabbits (control, 5; VX2 carcinoma, 5) weighing 2.5 to 3.5 (average, 3.1) Kg were involved in this study. Between 7 and 14 days after implanting VX2 carcinoma, ultrasonography and CT were performed for the purpose of detecting this. Using the cine mode and involving four simultaneous sections, four perfusion CT images were obtained every second for 60 seconds. One radiologist measured the size of the region of interest (ROI) at each liver location, and using the time-density curves for each tumor and normal liver, semi-quantitative perfusion parameters -namely blood volume, mean transit time (MTT), blood flow, and time-to-peak enhancement-were determined. The microvascular densities (MVD) of VX2 tumors and normal liver were correlated with the perfusion CT findings. RESULTS: In the control group, there were no significant differences in perfusion parameters between the left and right hepatic lobes. In the VX2 carcinoma group, there were significant differences between the lobe containing the tumor and adjacent hepatic lobes with respect to blood volume (34.80 vs. 27.2 ml/100 g), MTT (14.1 vs. 19.4 sec), blood flow (119.7 vs. 84.3 ml/100 g/min), and time-to-peak (32.4 vs. 36.9 sec) (p<0.05). The blood volume (27.2 ml/100g) of the hepatic lobe with the VX2 tumor was higher than that of normal liver (22.8 ml/100 g) (p< 0.05), but blood flow (84.3 vs. 66.8 ml/100 g/min), MTT (19.4 vs. 21.3 sec) and time-to-peak (36.9 vs. 38.7 sec) values were not different. The MVD of VX2 tumors was higher than that of normal liver (p<0.05), and significantly higher than that of adjacent and contralateral liver (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: At perfusion CT, blood volume and blood flow of VX2 carcinomas increased more than those of normal liver, as were both mean transit time and time-to-peak. It was confirmed histopathologically that the angiogenesis of VX2 carcinoma was higher than that of normal liver. In conclusion, perfusion CT may be a practically useful diagnostic tool capable of reflecting the neoplastic angiogenesis of the liver.
Blood Volume ; Liver ; Models, Animal ; Perfusion* ; Rabbits ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The Korean-Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) is a dementia-screening test that can be easily applied in both community and clinical settings. However, in 20% to 30% of cases, the K-MMSE produces a false negative response. This suggests that it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of K-MMSE as a screening test for dementia, which can be achieved through comparison of K-MMSE and Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB)-II results. METHODS: The study included 713 subjects (male 534, female 179; mean age, 69.3±6.9 years). All subjects were assessed using K-MMSE and SNSB-II tests, the results of which were divided into normal and abnormal in 15 percentile standards. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the K-MMSE was 48.7%, with a specificity of 89.9%. The incidence of false positive and negative results totaled 10.1% and 51.2%, respectively. In addition, the positive predictive value of the K-MMSE was 87.1%, while the negative predictive value was 55.6%. The false-negative group showed cognitive impairments in regions of memory and executive function. Subsequently, in the false-positive group, subjects demonstrated reduced performance in memory recall, time orientation, attention, and calculation of K-MMSE items. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the study suggest that cognitive function might still be impaired even if an individual obtained a normal score on the K-MMSE. If the K-MMSE is combined with tests of memory or executive function, the accuracy of dementia diagnosis could be greatly improved.
Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Executive Function ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening* ; Memory ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul*

Formamide has been widely used in urea/polyacrylamide gel to solve the compression problems that are occasionally found during the DNA sequencing of G/C rich regions. In this study, however, 10% formamide was added in annealing solution in stead of adding to the gel. The compressions were unfolded efficiently with a more rapid annealing reaction on ice in the presence of 10% formamide.
DNA* ; Ice ; Sequence Analysis, DNA*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the CT cholangiography by using helical CT with multiplanar reformation in patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Helical CT was performed in 36 patients of extrahepatic biliary obstruction confirmed by operation or invasive cholangiography(percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography or endoscopic retrograde cholagiopancreatography). The cause of obstructions were 18 benign diseases(11 common bile duct stones, four choledochal cysts, three pancreatitis) and 18 malignant diseases(seven common bile duct carcinomas, seven pancreatic head carcinomas, three ampullary carcinomas, one periampullary duodenal carcinoma). After helical scanning through the extrahepatic bile duct, retrospective reconstruction of the helical data was performed. And then, CT cholagiogram was obtained with multiplanar reformation. We evaluated the technical success rate and the accuracy in determinating the level and the cause of the obstruction. We compared findings of the CT cholangiogram with that of operation or invasive cholangiography. RESULTS: In 100%(36/36) of cases, CT cholangiography could be obtained successfully. The accuracy of the CT cholangiography in determinating the level of the obstruction was 100%(11 cases of suprapancreatic duct, 13 cases of intrapancreatic duct, 13 cases of infrapancreatic duct and ampulla), and the accuracy in determinating the cause of the obstruction was 91.7%(all cases of 18 benign diseases, and 15 cases of 18 malignant diseases). CONCLUSION: In evaluating the obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts, the CT cholangiography by using helical CT with multiplanar reformation is an useful noninvasive method in determinating the level.and the cause of biliary obstruction and therefore could replace t~e invasive cholangiography.
Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Cholangiography* ; Choledochal Cyst ; Common Bile Duct ; Head ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

PURPOSE: To reassess the diagnostic value of plain radiographs, compared with computed tomography, in thediagnosis of acute traumatic spinal fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients (total 64 cases) withacute traumatic spinal fracture were studied using plain radiographs and computed tomography. Fracture site andtype (according to the three-column theory), classification as major or minor injury, stability of fracture, andthe presence of associated soft tissue change were evaluated on plain radiographs and CT. The results of the twoimaging techniques were compared. RESULTS: Excluding eight cases of C1 and C2 fractures, 41 cases involvedfractures of the vertebral body, and 15 involved only the posterior column. Plain radiographs and CT showed,respectively, 27 and 25 cases of simple compression fracture, 13 and 16 of bursting fracture. One case ofcompression fracture was not detected on plain radiographs. The results of classification as major (43/56) orminor (13/56) injury were equivalent on plain and CT films. For the evalvation of unstable fracture, plainradiographs were superior to CT(stable fracture, 46/64; unstable fracture, 18/64), while for the evaluation ofsoft tissue change, CT was better than plain radiographs. CONCLUSION: If correct procedures are meticulouslyadhered to, plain radiographs of acute traumatic spinal injury provide good information for the diagnosis oftraumatic fracture.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Spinal Fractures* ; Spinal Injuries