Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with major portal vein tumor thrombosis (mPVTT) complications were generally characterized by extremely poor prognoses. The aim of this study was to explore the role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT imaging in predicting HCC complicated by mPVTT. Methods: Five hundred one HCC patients received surgery in our hospital during November 2008 to December 2014, among which 32 patients (6.4%) were diagnosed as HCC complicated by mPVTT. Six cases were excluded for reasons of complex medical conditions, including 2 cases of salvage liver transplantation, 2 cases of re-resection, 1 case of mPVTT combined with inferior vina cava tumor thrombosis, and 1 case of residual portal vein tumor thrombosis. Ultimately, 26 cases were enrolled in this study. The maximal tumor standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was identified as a predictive factor and detected. The univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of HCC patients complicated by mPVTT. Results: Our results showed that the median OS was 16 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative OS was 55.6%, 31.7%, and 31.7%, respectively. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that SUVmax ≥ 4.65 was the only independent risk factor for RFS and OS. Conclusion SUVmax was an independent predictor for RFS and OS of patients suffering from both HCC and mPVTT. L ow SUVmax could serve as an effective factor for selecting candidates with low recurrence risks and for helping with improving patient survival after surgical resection.

BACKGROUND: Waist circumference is one of the key components of metabolic syndrome. Recent studies demonstrated that the reproductive profile was associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. This study focused on the association between central obesity and age at first childbirth. It also considered other factors associated with central obesity in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This study was based on the 2013–2015 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and involved 3,143 naturally postmenopausal women. These women were divided into three groups according to their age at first childbirth: 19 years or younger (n=252), 20–29 years (n=2,695), and 30 years or older (n=196). Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effects of various reproductive factors, including other confounding factors. RESULTS: During adjustment for confounding factors, in the early age at first childbirth group, odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for central obesity decreased. In the final model, younger age at first childbirth was not significantly related to central obesity (waist circumference more than 85 cm) in naturally postmenopausal women after adjusting for other confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Younger age at first childbirth was not significantly associated with central obesity after adjustment for confounding factors.
Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Menopause ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Obesity, Abdominal* ; Odds Ratio ; Parturition* ; Waist Circumference

Recently, the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) blood pressure (BP) trial enrolled 4733 participants with type 2 diabetes and randomized them to a target systolic blood pressure (SBP) of less than 120 mm Hg or 140 mm Hg. Despite the significant difference in the achieved SBP, there was no significant difference in the incidence of primary outcomes. Based on this evidence, the target SBP for diabetics has been revised in the majority of major guidelines. However, there is a steeper association between SBP and stroke in Asians than other ethnicities, with stroke being the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality. This suggests that target BP in the Asian region should be tailored towards prevention of stroke. In the ACCORD study, the intensive BP treatment was associated with significant reductions in both total stroke and non-fatal stroke. The results from the ACCORD study are supported by a subgroup analysis from the ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial (ONTARGET) study, which showed that, in diabetic patients, the risk of stroke continues to decrease to a SBP value of 115 mm Hg with no evidence of J curve. As diabetes is highly associated with underlying coronary artery disease, there is a justified concern for adverse effects resulting from too much lowering of BP. In a post hoc analysis of 6400 diabetic subjects enrolled in the International Verapamil SR-Trandolapril (INVEST) study, subjects with SBP of less than 110 mm Hg were associated with a significant increase in all-cause mortality. In the ONTARGET study, at any levels of achieved SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) below 67 mm Hg was associated with increased risk for cardiovascular outcomes. As such, a prudent approach would be to target a SBP of 130–140 mm Hg and DBP of above 60 mm Hg in diabetics with coronary artery disease. In conclusion, hypertension, in association with diabetes, has been found to be significantly correlated with an elevated risk for cardiovascular events. As the association between stroke and BP is stronger in Asians, compared to other ethnicities, consideration should be given for a target BP of 130/80 mm Hg in Asians.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Blood Pressure* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ramipril ; Stroke ; Verapamil

Break of a stent delivery catheter and subsequent stent loss (SL) has been a rare event in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era. We here report a case of successful retrieval of a stent after a break if the delivery catheter and SL from a balloon catheter at a culprit lesion. We finally resolved this situation using a simple balloon technique for both the broken stent catheter inside of the guide catheter and the unexpanded stent in the culprit lesion. Thus balloons are an important weapon in our armamentarium in the cardiac catheterization laboratory for urgent retrieval of a lost stent. Their apt use definitely allowed our patient to avoid undergoing emergency cardiovascular thoracic surgery.
Angioplasty ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Catheters ; Dimaprit ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Stents ; Thoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVES: Serial changes of focal ischemic lesions as seen on magnetic resonance (MR) images and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-stained samples of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in a rat model were evaluated to investigate the natural course of the lesions and the feasibility of the use of each method as a monitoring tool. METHODS: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in fifteen adult female Sprague Dawley rats using the method of intraluminal vascular occlusion. Two hours after MCAO was induced, reperfusion was performed. Serial MR images were obtained and the volume of the brain infarct was estimated. For macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of the ischemic lesions, the ten animals were sacrificed at different times after MCAO. The rat brains were then removed and six coronal sections were made. Each section was incubated at 37 degrees C in 2% TTC solution for 15 minutes. RESULTS: Postischemic injury evaluations that were made periodically for eight weeks revealed that the lesion volume as determined from T2 maps had reached a peak on the second day after ischemic injury and the volume decreased afterwards for one week; by the fourth week, the lesion volume again increased to stabilize initial lesion development. There were considerable discrepancies between the infarct area of the samples determined by TTC staining and the in vivo infarct area estimated from the MR images, especially for late stages. CONCLUSION: T2 map MR images, with a careful consideration of the natural course of infarction development, can provide an adequate and noninvasive means to evaluate the degree of ischemic injury under diverse experimental circumstances.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Stroke ; Tetrazolium Salts

PURPOSE: This study conducted a comparative analysis on 49 hips treated with a core decompression procedure and 19 hips treated with a Sugioka's transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy for a osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study evaluated the relationship between the Ficat and Arlet Stage and the extent of the necrotic lesion (using Shimizu's Grade Classification), and the clinical outcome of each procedure. The patient's outcomes were assessed after a mean follow-up of 46 months (range=36-82 months) after the core decompression and 53 months (range=37-108 months) after the Sugioka's transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy. The results were considered successful if the patients were asymptomatic with no disease progression, and unsuccessful if there was radiographic (progression of the stage or collapse) or clinical failure (the need for an arthroplasty or subsequent salvage operation). RESULTS: Twenty one out of 49 cases (43%) in the core decompression group and 14 out of 19 (74%) in the rotational osteotomy group showed successful outcomes. In the core decompression group, among the 22 F-A Stage I hips, 15 (68%) hips had survived according to radiological criteria. All four (100%) Shimizu's Grade A hips of the F-A Stage I had successful results, which is in contrast to the 11 hips out of 18 hips (61%) of the Shimizu's Grade B and C hips (p<0.01). Six (38%) out of 16 F-A Stage IIA hips and two (25%) out of eight IIB hips in the core decompression group had successful results, while 11 (85%) out of 13 IIA and two (50%) out of four stage IIB hips in the rotational osteotomy group had successful results. In the F-A Stage III hips, all 2 hips in the Sugioka transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy treatment group had survived, while none of the three Shimizu's Grade C hips in the core decompression group were successful. CONCLUSION: A core decompression is effective only in the earliest stages of osteonecrosis (F-A Stage I), which means that its success strongly depends on the location and extent of the femoral head necrosis. Sugioka's transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy is a more dependable procedure than a core decompression for treating large lesions of nonsteroidal ONFH, particularly for patients under the age of 50.
Arthroplasty ; Decompression* ; Disease Progression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Osteonecrosis* ; Osteotomy*

Congenital anomalies occur in 2-3% of neonates and have unknown and variable causes. It's occurance rate is higher in twin gestations than in singleton gestations, especially in monozygotic twins. In most cases of twin anomalies, one fetus is normal and the other fetus is not. When an anomaly is found in one fetus, various tests, such as chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and umbilical cord aspiration are strongly recommended in high risk groups of chromosmal anomaly for accurate diagnosis and proper treatments. A case of congenital anomalies in both twins diagnosed in a 35 year old multiparous woman is presented with brief review of literatures.
Adult ; Amniocentesis ; Anencephaly ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Twins* ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Umbilical Cord

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the biological behavior and prognostic factors of brain stem gliomas, the authors reviewed 48 patients with brain stem gliomas treated between 1980 and 1996. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The clinical presentation, tumor location, pathology, and treatment modalities were correlated with the prognosis of these tumors. Male to female ratio was 1.1:1, with the median age of 12.5 years. Thirty patients(63%) were below 15 years old, and 18 patients(38%) were of adult ages. Mean follow up period was 21.8 months. RESULTS: Focal tumors were in 22 cases and diffuse tumors were in 26. All nine midbrain tumors were focal type. Twenty-two(92%) cases among 24 potine tumors were diffuse type and two cases were focal type as dorsally exophytic tumor. Eleven(73%) cases among 15 medullary and cervicomedullary tumors were focal type and four(27%) cases were diffuse type. Pathologically, there were 14 anaplastic astrocytomas, 11 low grade astrocytomas, 4 glioblastomas, 3 oligodendrogliomas, and 1 ganglioglioma. Fifteen tumors were diagnosed only radiologically without histologic verification. Surgery was done in 33 patients(gross total or subtotal removal in 8, biopsy or partial removal in 15, stereotactic biopsy in 10). Radiation therapy was given in 41 patients(conventional in 29, hyperfractionated in 12). Chemotherapy was done in four patients. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant prognostic factors were symptom duration prior to diagnosis(p=0.0004), cranial nerve palsy(p=0.0206), extent of tumor growth(p=0.0219), contrast enhancement(p=0.0226), intratumoral cyst(p=0.047), histopathological grading(p=0.0304), surgery in patients with focal tumors(p=0.0018), and radiation therapy(p=0.0149).
Adolescent ; Adult ; Astrocytoma ; Biopsy ; Brain Stem Neoplasms ; Brain Stem* ; Cranial Nerves ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ganglioglioma ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Male ; Oligodendroglioma ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

In order to analyze and evaluate the role of surgical treatment and clinical outcome in patients with intracranial cavernous angiomas, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 30 patients who underwent surgery between 1988 and 1995. Preoperative symptoms and signs were intracranial hemorrhage(ICH) in 16 cases(53%), seizure in 14(47%) and neurologic deterioration due to effect of the mass in seven(23%). Four of the 16 patients admitted because of ICH had a previous history of this condition. Intervals between hemorrhages varied from 5 days to 20 months, with a mean of 7.4 months. The mass was removed gross-totally in 27 patients, subtotally in two and partially in one; post-operative neurologic status was aggravated in only two patients. Lesions had recurred in five of the 27 patients from whom these were thought to have been totally removed; in one case, there was recurrent hemorrhage sixteen months after surgery. Four of the five recurrent cases had been operated on immediately after ICH, and in the other a lesion which contained calcification had been seen. Only one of the 12 patients who had shown preoperative seizures and was followed up for at least 12 months after surgery continued to suffer from seizures after removal of the lesion. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that after initial bleeding, hemorrhaging tends to recur in thses lesions, and that if they are removed immediately after ICH, there is a risk that the angioma may recur.
Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

The medical records of 30 patients with histologically confirmed and angiographically occult intracranial vascular malformations(AOVM), who underwent surgery between May 1988 and May 1993, were reviewed retrospectively to determine whether their radiological and clinical characteristics are helpful in differential diagnosis. Histological diagnoses were cavernous angioma(CA) in 17 cases, arteriovenous malformation(AVM) in nine, venous angioma in one and unclassified vascular malformation in three. The most common initial presenting mode was intracranial hemorrhage(ICH ; 18 cases, 60.0%), followed by seizure(11 cases, 33.3%) and headache(two cases, 6.6%). CA, once it had bled, tended to bleed repeatedly, and this occurred before surgery in seven of nine cases of CA presenting with ICH. On CT scan, calcification was observed only in CA(two cases). On MRI images obtained in 28 patients, a mottled density mass with or without adjacent ICH(ten of 16 CA's) and multiple lesions(three of 16 CA's) were pathognomonic for CA, while single stage ICH(two of eight AVM's) and signal void(three of eight AVM's) were observed only in cases of AVM. Findings of MRI such as multiple stage hemorrhage, low signal intensity rim or edema around the lesion were not helpful in differential diagnosis of the histological type of lesions. After enhancement with gadolinium, one case of AVM and another of venous angioma showed a serpentine pattern of enhancement. In 29 cases, the results of surgery were excellent ; there was no mortality and morbidity in only one case. In conclusion, CA, once it had bled, tended to rebleed and MRI was helpful in the differential diagnosis of AOVM's. MRI findings such as a mottled density mass or multiple lesions were pathognomonic for CA, while single stage hemorrhage or signal void were findings of AVM.
Arteriovenous Malformations ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Edema ; Gadolinium ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vascular Malformations*