Distinguishing lupus nephritis (LN) from other glomerulopathies, such as immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), poses a diagnostic challenge owing to overlapping clinical and histopathologic findings. Lupus anticoagulant-hypoprothrombinemia syndrome (LAHPS) is a rare and potentially fatal disorder characterized by the presence of lupus anticoagulant and acquired factor II deficiency. We report a pediatric case of LN with LAHPS, which was initially diagnosed as IgAN. An 8-year-old girl presented with gross hematuria with nephrotic syndrome. Based on the kidney biopsy results, treatment for IgAN with membranoproliferative pattern was initiated. Two months later, she developed left upper extremity swelling with multiple vein thromboses requiring anticoagulation; treatment led to remission, allowing discontinuation of immunosuppressants within 8 months. Gross hematuria recurred 10 months later and was accompanied by hypocomplementemia; positive antinuclear, anti-double stranded DNA, and triple antiphospholipid antibodies; and factor II deficiency, prompting revision of the diagnosis to LN and LAHPS. Initial delay in LN diagnosis was attributed to the patient’s young age, nonspecific symptoms, and inconclusive laboratory and histopathological findings. Immunosuppressive therapy for IgAN partially improved LN, further complicating the diagnosis. This case emphasized the importance of clinical suspicion; integrating clinical, serological, and histopathological data; and considering LAHPS in differential diagnosis of glomerulonephritis with coagulopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic criteria of T1-weighted imaging (T1W) and time-of-flight (TOF) imaging for detecting intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) of a vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) compared with simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP) imaging. Materials and Methods: Eighty-seven patients with VBA atherosclerosis who underwent high resolution MR imaging for evaluation of VBA plaque were reviewed. The presence and location of VBA plaque and IPH on SNAP were determined. The signal intensity (SI) of the VBA plaque on T1W and TOF imaging was manually measured and the SI ratio against adjacent muscles was calculated. The receiveroperating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy for detecting VBA IPH. Results: Of 87 patients, 67 had IPH and 20 had no IPH on SNAP. The SI ratio between VBA IPH and temporalis muscle on T1W was significantly higher than that in the noIPH group (235.9 ± 16.8 vs. 120.0 ± 5.1, P < 0.001). The SI ratio between IPH and temporalis muscle on TOF was also significantly higher than that in the no-IPH group (236.8 ± 13.3 vs. 112.8 ± 7.4, P < 0.001). Diagnostic efficacies of SI ratios on TOF and TIW were excellent (AUC: 0.976 on TOF and 0.964 on T1W; cutoff value: 136.7% for TOF imaging and 135.1% for T1W imaging). Conclusion Compared with SNAP, cutoff levels of the SI ratio between VBA plaque and temporalis muscle on T1W and TOF imaging for detecting IPH were approximately 1.35 times.

Purpose: Various incision techniques have been used in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) to reduce scar formation, including the frequently used periareolar incision technique. However, its applicability in removing large-size tumors or those distant from the nipple has remained limited. We performed periareolar zigzag (P-Z) incision to address these problems in BCS and to improve cosmetic outcomes. Methods: Patients who underwent P-Z incision in BCS between January 2016 and November 2017 were retrospectively analyzed in terms of clinicopathological features and surgical findings. Factors affecting the positive margin were analyzed. Results: A total of 305 patients were reviewed. The patients presented with a median age of 51 years, mean tumor size 1.9 cm, and mean tumor distance of 3.3 cm from the nipple. Intraoperative frozen biopsy and final pathologic findings showed 43 (14.1%) and 7 (2.3%) tumor-positive margins. There were no major complications associated with the surgery, and no re-operations were required due to bleeding or other reasons. Conclusion The P-Z incision technique was used to achieve sufficient operative field during BCS, and large tumors or those distant from the nipple could be removed without any complications. This technique is considered an oncologically safe surgical technique resulting in good cosmetic outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is one of the most common pediatric epilepsies, and it generally has a good prognosis. However, recent research has indicated that the epileptic activity of BECTS can cause cognitive defects such as language, visuospatial, and auditory verbal memory deficits. This study assessed language-delivery deficits in BECTS patients using diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI). METHODS: T1-weighted MRI, DTI, and language tests were conducted in 16 BECTS patients and 16 age-matched controls. DTI data were analyzed using the TRActs Constrained by Underlying Anatomy tool in FreeSurfer 5.3, and 18 major white-matter tracts were extracted, which included 4 language-related tracts: the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus-parietal terminations, superior longitudinal fasciculus-temporal terminations, and uncinate fasciculus (UNC). Language tests included the Korean version of the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test, Test of Problem-Solving Abilities (TOPS), and the mean length of utterance in words. RESULTS: The BECTS group exhibited decreased mean fractional anisotropy and increased mean radial diffusivity, with significant differences in both the superior longitudinal fasciculus and the left UNC (p<0.05), which are the language-related white-matter tracts in the dual-loop model. The TOPS language test scores were significantly lower in the BECTS group than in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that BECTS patients can exhibit language deficits. Seizure activities of BECTS could alter DTI scalar values in the language-related white-matter tracts.
Anisotropy ; Child ; Cognition Disorders ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Rolandic ; Humans ; Language Tests ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory Disorders ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze patient-specific blood flow in ruptured aneurysms using obtained non-Newtonian viscosity and to observe associated hemodynamic features and morphological effects.METHODS: Five patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms were included in the study. Patients’ blood samples were measured immediately after enrollment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was conducted to evaluate viscosity distributions and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions using a patient-specific geometric model and shear-thinning viscosity properties.RESULTS: Substantial viscosity change was found at the dome of the aneurysms studied when applying non-Newtonian blood viscosity measured at peak-systole and end-diastole. The maximal WSS of the non-Newtonian model on an aneurysm at peaksystole was approximately 16% lower compared to Newtonian fluid, and most of the hemodynamic features of Newtonian flow at the aneurysms were higher, except for minimal WSS value. However, the differences between the Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow were not statistically significant. Rupture point of an aneurysm showed low WSS regardless of Newtonian or non-Newtonian CFD analyses.CONCLUSION: By using measured non-Newtonian viscosity and geometry on patient-specific CFD analysis, morphologic differences in hemodynamic features, such as changes in whole blood viscosity and WSS, were observed. Therefore, measured non-Newtonian viscosity might be possibly useful to obtain patient-specific hemodynamic and morphologic result.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Blood Viscosity ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrodynamics ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Viscosity

PURPOSE: To determine the value of the appearance of the high signal intensity halo sign for detecting carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) on maximum intensity projection (MIP) of time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA), based on high signal intensity on magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequencing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 78 carotid arteries in 65 patients with magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient-echo (MPRAGE) positive on carotid plaque MR imaging were included in this study. High-resolution MR imaging was performed on a 3.0-T scanner prior to carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting. Fast spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted axial imaging, TOF, and MPRAGE sequences were obtained. Carotid plaques with high signal intensity on MPRAGE > 200% that of adjacent muscle on at least two consecutive slices were defined as showing IPH. Halo sign of high signal intensity around the carotid artery was found on MIP from TOF MRA. Continuous and categorical variables were compared among groups using the Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Of these 78 carotid arteries, 53 appeared as a halo sign on the TOF MRA. The total IPH volume of patients with a positive halo sign was significantly higher than that of patients without a halo sign (75.0 ± 86.8 vs. 16.3 ± 18.2, P = 0.001). The maximum IPH axial wall area in patients with a positive halo sign was significantly higher than that of patients without a halo sign (11.3 ± 9.9 vs. 3.7 ± 3.6, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: High signal intensity halo of IPH on MIP of TOF MRA is associated with total volume and maximal axial wall area of IPH.
Angiography ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Stents

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Due to advances in diagnostic techniques, clinicians are more frequently performing influenza diagnostic tests and referring to their test results ahead of the administration of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs). To investigate the clinical significance of the time from symptom onset to laboratory diagnosis, we reviewed the clinical characteristics of adult patients with influenza who had an early laboratory diagnosis (ED) or a late laboratory diagnosis (LD) at one of four tertiary care centers during a seasonal outbreak of influenza. METHODS: Clinical data were collected from 1,405 adults during the 2013 to 2014 influenza season. A patient was regarded as receiving an ED or LD if he/she received an influenza diagnostic test at 0 to 1 or 4 to 7 days after symptom onset, respectively. Early NAI therapy and late NAI therapy were defined as the administration of NAI ≤ 2 or > 2 days after symptom onset, respectively. RESULTS: Nearly half of the patients (47.0%) received an ED (n = 661), whereas 13.5% (n = 190) received a LD. Patients with a LD had initial symptoms of cough, sputum production, and dyspnea and experienced pneumonia, antibiotic therapy, hospitalization, and admission to the intensive care unit more often than those with an ED. NAI therapy and early NAI therapy were less frequent in patients with a LD than those with an ED. Of the analyzed baseline characteristics, age ≥ 50 years, influenza B infection, and diagnosis using a polymerase chain reaction test were significantly associated with a LD. CONCLUSIONS: LD was associated with inappropriate antiviral therapy and complicated presenting features in adult patients with seasonal influenza. ED of influenza should be emphasized, especially for older adults.
Adult* ; Antiviral Agents ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Cough ; Delayed Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Dyspnea ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Influenza, Human* ; Intensive Care Units ; Neuraminidase ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seasons* ; Sputum ; Tertiary Care Centers

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Melanins*

OBJECTIVE: Auditory hallucinations (AHs) are a core symptom of schizophrenia. We investigated the neural signature of AHs by comparing hallucinating patients with schizophrenia with non-hallucinating patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We recruited hallucinating patients with schizophrenia meeting the criteria for persistent, prominent, and predominant AHs (n=10) and non-hallucinating patients with schizophrenia (n=12). Various clinical assessments were performed incluing Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale for Auditory Hallucinations. Using fludeoxyglucose (¹⁸F) positron emission tomography, regional differences in neural activity between the groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The regions of interest analysis showed significantly lower standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) in the superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri, and higher SUVR in the putamen in patients with AHs versus patients without AHs. These findings were confirmed in the voxel-wise analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that hypoactivity in the frontal and cingulate gyri, coupled with hyperactivity in the temporal gyrus and putamen, may contribute to the pathophysiology of AHs.
Electrons* ; Hallucinations* ; Humans ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Putamen ; Schizophrenia* ; Temporal Lobe

The purpose of this study was to assess associations between acute focal cerebral infarction of anterior circulation and carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) on magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient-echo (MPRAGE) in patients with acute neurologic symptoms. Methods: From January 2013 to August 2017, 397 patients (median age, 76 years; male, 78.6%) with acute focal cerebral infarction on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were evaluated to determine the maximal wall thickness of the carotid artery, and to look for IPH on carotid MPRAGE sequences. Carotid plaques were defined as carotid artery wall thickness greater than 2 mm in at least two consecutive slices. IPH was defined as the presence in a carotid plaque of MPRAGE signal intensity greater than 200% of the intensity of adjacent muscle. Results: Of these patients with focal cerebral infarction, 165 patients of 195 carotid plaques were included this study. Sixty one (31/3%) carotid plaques of 50 (30.3%) patients were detected MPRAGE positive IPH. Maximal carotid wall thickness and degree of carotid stenosis were significantly higher in the MPRAGE positive group. MPRAGE positive IPH in patients with greater than 50% carotid stenosis was associated with an increased risk of an acute stroke event (p < 0.001), and a 2.64-fold increase in the relative risk of an acute focal stroke, compared to patients with MPRAGE negative scans. Conclusions: Carotid MPRAGE positive IPH in patients with greater than 50% carotid stenosis was associated with acute focal cerebral infarction. MPRAGE positive patients showed higher maximal carotid wall thickness and a higher percentage of carotid stenosis.