The most common causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia after the first or second week of life are neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. Since these entities represent variable expressions of same pathologic process and have similar clinical, biochemical, and histologic features, differential diagnosis is extremely difficult. We prospectively studied 28 jaundiced infants by sonography and hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Final diagnoses included 12 biliary atresia and 16 neonatal hepatitis. Visualization of a normal-sized common bile duct or gallbladder was compatible with the diagnosis of neonatal hepatitis. Non-visualized or atrophic gallbladder no sonography coupled with non-visualization of bowel activity on scintigraphy was highly suggestive of biliary atresia. We believe that sonography plays valuable role in the initial evaluation of the infants with persistent neonatal jaundice. The combined use of sonography and hepatobiliary scintigraphy provides the most valuable in formation in suspected biliary atresia for prompt surgical treatment.
Biliary Atresia ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gallbladder ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal* ; Prospective Studies ; Radionuclide Imaging*

PURPOSE: We performed this study to describe the findings of MR Myelography(MRM) of herniated disc disease, spinal stenosis and spinal tumor and to evaluate the usefulness of the MRM in comparison to MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI and MRM were performed in 31 patients with herniated disc disease(12 patients), spinal stenosis(11 patients) and spinal tumor(8 patients). MRI and MRM were done with 1.5-T Signa MR, using fat suppressed heavily T2-weighted fast spin echo technique. We retrospectively analyzed MRM images about the thecal sac indentation, compression or displacement of the nerve root, extent and degree of narrowing of spinal canal, relationship between spinal tumor and spinal cord. MRM findings were compared with MRI in all cases. RESULTS: In 18 herniated disc cases of 12 patients, focal filling defect with cutoff or displacement of the nerve root in eight cases of paracentral herniated disc was seen. Cutoff and displacement of the nerve root were more clearly delineated on MRM than rvlRI. In the patients of spinal stenosis(11 cases), hourglass deformity of the thecal sac or complete spinal block of the subarachnoid space was clearly demonstrated. The extent and severity of spinal stenosis were more accurately evaluated on MRM than MRI. MRM finding of intramedullary tumor(3 cases) was enlargement of spinal cord. Five cases of intradural extramedullary tumor showed intradural filling defect, which caused contralateral displacement of the spinal cord with meniscus sign on inferior margin of the mass. CONCLUSION: MRM shows characteristic findings of herniated disc disease, spinal stenosis and spinal tumor. MRM yields excellent definition of the thecal sac, nerve roots and nerve root sleeves in relation to herniated disc and may be more accurate in evaluation of the degree and extent of spinal stenosis than MRI.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Diseases ; Spinal Stenosis ; Subarachnoid Space

We report two cases of ectopic epididymal ducts and efferent ductules in the testicular appendices (TAs) of adult men with normally descended testes. In both cases, a sessile TA was incidentally found at the upper pole of the right testis during the scrotal hydrocelectomy. Microscopically, a few closely arranged tubules were detected within the TA. In the first case, the tubules were lined with a pseudostratified columnar epithelium with numerous, long microvilli, and were surrounded by a smooth muscle coat. In contrast, in the second case, the tubules had a wavy luminal surface, because ciliated columnar cells alternated with groups of cuboidal cells. In both cases, strong CD10 immunoreactivity was observed in the luminal border of the lining epithelium. Surgical pathologists should be aware of the presence of both ectopic epididymal ducts and efferent ductules that can occur in TAs, in order to avoid misinterpretation as transected, functional reproductive structures.
Adult ; Choristoma ; Epididymis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microvilli ; Muscle, Smooth ; Parovarian Cyst ; Phenobarbital ; Testis ; Wolffian Ducts

PURPOSE: To evaluate diagnostic usefulness of ultrasonography(US) in pediatric patient with urinary tract infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five children with urinary tract infection underwent renal ultrasonography and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG). The imaging findings were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Renal sonograms were normal in 34 of 55 children(62%). Five of 34 patients with normal sonogram had vesicoureteral reflux of grade I to III on VCUG. Renal sonograms were abnormal in 21 of 55 children(38%). Sonographic findings included hydronephrosis, hyperechoic kidney, nephromegaly, atrophic kidney, renal abscess, and duplex ureter. Eleven of 21 patient with abnormal SOhogram had vesicoureteral reflux of grade I to IV on VCUG. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is an useful and reliable initial screening examination in the investigation of children with UTI. Unfortunately US is neither sufficiently sensitive nor specific for detecting VUR. VCUG provides confirmative and valuable information about vesicoureteral reflux, and VCUG should be considered as a next modality for UTI. The combined use of sonography and VCUG provides more valuable information in urinary tract infection.
Abscess ; Child* ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography* ; Ureter ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

We have experienced an unusual case of mesenteric lymphangiomatosis in a 6-month-old male infant. Computedtomography (CT) disclosed fatty abdominal masses with attenuation coefficient being
Chyle ; Humans ; Infant ; Laparotomy ; Lymphangioma ; Male ; Mesentery

Authors recommend ultrasound be used as a screening test in evaluation of suspected liver masses. Besides its speedness, wide availability, easy scheduling and lack of radiation hazard, ultrasound is higher in sensitivity,better in characterization of a lesion, and better in staging of a cancer than radionuclide scanning Ultrasoundcould be used to delineated pedunculated hepatoma and anatomic variations, to differentiate intahepatic from extrahepatic lesions, and to evaluate multiple organs simultaneously, while radionuclide scanning can not afford any benefit in these aspects. In addition, ultrasound could be used as a guide for diagnostic or therapeurtic aspiration.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Liver ; Mass Screening ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To understand the difference of defecation physiology between postpartum and postoperative women. METHODS: Between July 1998 to April 1999, we performed defecogram and pudendal nerve motor latency to 31 women, who were 8 postoperative women, 9 post cesarean-section state women, and 14 normal vaginal delivery-state women. RESULTS: According to the defecogram results, only squeezing angles of the anorectal angle were significantly increased(96.0 vs 72.3, 74.9 degree) in normal vaginal delivery-state women compared to post cesarean-section state and postoperative women, but rest and evacuation angles were not. And to pudendal nerve latency, there were no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the pudendal plexus was damaged during labor, therefore its ability to control puborectalis muscle was damaged. So, the anorectal angles of squeezing of postpartum women were significantly increased, compared to those of post cesarean section women or postoperative women.
Cesarean Section ; Defecation* ; Female ; Humans ; Physiology* ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Pudendal Nerve*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence and the degree of peritumoral edema on MRI in meningioma and to correlate other MR findings with the edema. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 35 patients with histologically-confirmeal meningioma were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed the MR findings with special attention to the presence or absence and degree of edema. The edema was graded as absent, mild (extending less than 1 cm from outer margin of mass), moderate (1 to 3cm with mild mass effect), and severe (more than 3cm with marked mass effect). We also evaluated size and margin of the tumor, heterogeneity of mass signal, enhancement pattern and dural enhancement of the masses. In 24 patients with cerebral angiography, cerebral vascularity on angiogram was correlated with MR findings. Statistic correlation analysis was done using SAS ver 6.04. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 35 cases (72%) had edema; mild in 11 cases, moderate in 10 cases, and severe in 4 cases. Heterogeneous signal intensity of mass (<0.001), heterogeneous enhancement of mass (<0.001), mass size (<0.001), location (<0.001), and vascularity on angiography (<0.05) were well correlated with edema, while mass margin (>0.05), dural enhancement (>0.05), and histologic type (>0.05) were not correlated with edema. CONCLUSION: In meningioma, moderate to severe peritumoral edema occurred in 41% (14/35). The edema was correlated with heterogeneous enhancement, size, location, heterogeneous signal intensity and vascularity of the mass on angiography.
Angiography ; Cerebral Angiography ; Edema* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma* ; Population Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a performance measurement scale for nurses in the hospital setting and to test the reliability and validity of the scale. METHODS: This study was conducted in three phases including an application of conceptual framework, development of scale items, and test of validity and reliability of the scale. In order to test validity and reliability, data was collected from 1,966 nurses who work in twenty eight hospitals nation-wide. The data was analyzed by the SAS 8.0 program using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and reliability coefficients. RESULTS: The Performance measurement scale consisted of 4 factors which included competency, attitude, willingness to improve, and application of nursing process, and a total of 17 items. The Four factors explained 63.45% of the total variance, and Cronbach's alpha of the scale was .92. CONCLUSION: The performance measurement scale developed by this study is a reliable and valid instrument that is utilized effectively to evaluate the performance of hospital nurses. Furthermore, it could be used as a steping stone to assess educational needs of nurses, develop professionalism among nurses, and improve quality of nursing care in the hospital setting.
Adult ; *Employee Performance Appraisal ; Female ; Humans ; Models, Nursing ; *Nursing Evaluation Research ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Task Performance and Analysis

PURPOSE: To correlate SOhographic and pathologic findings of gallbladder adenoma, and to evaluate the clinical significance of sonographic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultrasound findings of twenty gallbladder adenomas were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the size, shape and echogenicity of the adenoma, and was correlated with the pathological finding. RESULTS: Among 14 patients, 11 patients had single lesion and 3 patients had multiple lesions. Three patients showed 2, 3 and 4 adenomas, respectively. Nine of 20 lesions showed focal dysplasia pathologically. Among the nine adenomas with dysplasia, two adenomas showed focal cancerous change. The nine adenomas showing focal dysplasia measured 25.6mm (14-35mm) in mean diameter, while the mean diameter of adenomas without dysplasia was 8.7 mm (3-13mm). The echogenicity of adenoma with focal dysplasia were hyperechoic in 8, isoechoic in 1. The echogenicity of adenomas without dysplasia were hyperechoic in 7, isoechoic in 4. Sessile(7/9) and papillary shape(6/9) were predominant in adenoma with dysplasia, but smooth shape(8/11) and stalked type(9/11) were predominant in adenoma without dysplasia. Two adenomas with focal cancerous change showed histological transition from cancer to dysplasia and to adenomatous tissue. In adenoma with dysplasia, the diameter more than 14 mm on sonography was statistically significant (p<0. 005). Also age of patient was significantly different between the two groups (p<0.01), while echogenicity and associated stone were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: As gallbladder adenoma more than 14ram in diameter on US is suggestive of dysplasia on pathology, so, close follow up US or surgery is recommended.
Adenoma* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography