In breast cancer, FDG PET is more accurate than conventional imaging methods for detecting distant metastases or local recurrences, and enables early ssessment of treatment response in patients undergoing primary chemotherapy. Though FDG PET has limited sensitivity in detecting tumor of small size, well differentiated tumor or lobar carcinoma, and regional lymph node metastasis, FDG PET is useful in cases with obscure MR images and axillary lymph node metastasis in locally advanced breast cancer. To minimize the side effects and cost of chemotherapy, imaging methods are required to monitor theresponse to chemotherapy, early and accurately. FDG PET is the appropriate method for this purpose. We reviewed the role of FDG-PET in diagnosis and initial staging of breast cancer, monitoring response to chemotherapy, and identifying metastatic and recurrent disease.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Fibrous dysplasia is a common benign disorder of bone in which normal bone marrow is replaced with fibro-osseous tissue. As PET/CT is increasingly used for the staging of different malignant disease, incidentally found fibrous dysplasia with increased FDG uptake may mimic metastasis. We report on a 46-year-old woman with fibrous dysplasia who underwent PET/CT because of suspected recurrence of breast cancer and was misdiagnosed as a bony metastasis with a focal FDG uptake on left proximal femur. This lesion was interpreted as fibrous dysplasia based on MRI in addition to the plain radiographs. We conclude that MRI in addition to radiography may help to differentiate fibrous dysplasia mimicking metastasis on PET/CT in the patients with malignancy.
Bone Marrow ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Purpose: To investigate the clinical results of vitrectomy alone as the primary treatment for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods: The medical records of patients with AD treated for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) were retrospectively reviewed. We investigated the characteristics of retinal breaks and detachments, applied surgical methods, and results. Results: Twenty eyes of 14 patients with AD who presented with rhegmatogenous RD and treated by vitrectomy were included in this analysis. Sixteen eyes (80%) were treated with vitrectomy, either alone or in combination with cataract surgery, and the retina was successfully attached to 94% of the eyes. There were four cases in which vitrectomy was combined with encircling. Reoperation was needed in half of the eyes that received vitrectomy with encircling, which presented nearly total detachment, severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and pseudophakia. Conclusions Vitrectomy alone, in combination with cataract surgery, may be sufficient to treat rhegmatogenous RD in patients with AD. Additional encircling or buckling should still be considered in complicated cases.

PURPOSE: To assess the difference between auditory and visual stimuli when determining hemispheric language dominance by using functional MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In ten healthy adult volunteers (8 right-handed, 1 left-handed, 1 ambidextrous), motor language activation in axial slices of frontal lobe was mapped on a Simens 1.5T Vision Plus system using single-shot EPI. Series of 120 consecutive images per section were acquired during three cycles of task activation and rest. During each activation, a series of four syllables was delivered by means of both a visual and auditory method, and the volunteers were asked to mentally generate words starting with each syllable. In both inferior frontal gyri and whole frontal lobes, lateralization indices were calculated from the activated pixels. We determined the language dominant hemisphere, and compared the results of the visual method and the auditory method. RESULTS: Seven right-handed persons were left-hemisphere dominant, and one left-handed and one ambidextrous person were right-hemisphere dominant. Five of nine persons demonstrated larger lateralization indices with the auditory method than the visual method, while the remaining four showed larger lateralization indices with the visual method. No statistically significant difference was noted when comparing the results of the two methods(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: When determining hemispheric language dominance using functional MRI, the two methods are equally appropriate.
Adult ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Volunteers

Annular pancreas is a rarely found gastrointestinal tract malformation, and is frequently associated with Down syndrome. Endocardial cushion defect is a type of congenital heart disease, commonly also related to Down syndrome. However, a combination of endocardial cushion defect with annular pancreas has not been reported previously. We recently experienced such a case in 2 month old boy. Moreover Down syndrome was excluded through physical examination and a chromosomal study. We think it difficult to obtain a complete explanation for this condition through the currently known pathogenesis of annular pancreas and endocardial cushion defect.
Down Syndrome* ; Endocardial Cushion Defects ; Endocardial Cushions* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pancreas* ; Physical Examination

No abstract available.
Cyclosporine* ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay* ; Fluorescence Polarization* ; Fluorescence*

IgG4-related sclerosing disease (IgG4-RSD) is characterized by extensive IgG4-positive plasma cell and T-lymphocyte infiltration of various organs. However, the nasal cavity is an extremely rare site of involvement. The authors experienced three cases of igG4-RSD in the nasal cavity. A 54-year-old woman presented with a nasal cavity mass on endoscopic exam and computed tomography (CT) revealed not only a hypoenhancing mass in the right nasal cavity but also a pituitary gland macroadenoma. Endoscopic removal and endoscopic TSA were performed. A 20-year-old man diagnosed with chronic sinusitis, underwent endoscopic sinus surgery. A 26-year-old woman showed thickening of the nasal septum and cribriform plate, and an infiltrating soft tissue lesion in right the alveolar process on CT and an endoscopic biopsy was performed. Pathologic specimens of all cases showed IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration, consistent with IgG4-RSD. Serum IgG4 levels were checked in two of the cases, and the results were within normal range. All cases were further treated with methylprednisolone and all showed clinical improvement.
Adult ; Alveolar Process ; Biopsy ; Ethmoid Bone ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Methylprednisolone ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity* ; Nasal Septum ; Pituitary Gland ; Plasma Cells ; Reference Values ; Sinusitis ; T-Lymphocytes ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Thallim-201 (201Tl) brain SPECT and proton (1H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have been used to evaluate tumor grade and viability of glioma. We assessed the correlations between 201Tl brain index or spectrum of metabolites of 1H MRS and grade of glioma or histopathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 17 patients (4 astrocytoma, 7 anaplastic astrocytoma and 6 glioblastoma). On 201Tl Brain SPECT, 201Tl index was measured as the ratio of average counts for region of interest to those for the contralateral normal brain. On 1H MRS, we calculated choline (Cho) /creatine (Cr) ratio and N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/Cr ratio in ROI defined as tumor center. Histopathologic findings were graded by Ki-67 index, cellularity, mitosis, pleomorphism, necrosis and endothelial proliferation. An unpaired t test and statistical correlations were performed to evaluate these data. RESULTS: Tl-index showed the best correlation with Ki-67 index (p<0.01), less correlations with cellularity, mitosis, and endothelial proliferation, but no correlation with results of MRS, pleomorphism, or necrosis. The findings of MRS did not correlate with all of the above. The cases of glioblastoma demonstrated a higher Tl-index, Cho/Cr ratio, Ki-67 index and lower NAA/Cr ratio, albeit without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Even though 201Tl brain SPECT did not correlate directly with grade of malignancy, it may still be useful in determining biological aggressiveness of tumor and prognosis of patients because it correlated well with Ki-67 index, a growth fraction of glioma, cellularity, mitosis and endothelial proliferation.
Astrocytoma ; Brain* ; Choline ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Mitosis ; Necrosis ; Pathology* ; Prognosis ; Protons ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Glomerular Filtration Rate* ; Kidney*