ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of conventional CT of abdomen in the detection of esophageal varices, and to correlate CT grade of esophageal varices with prognosis and risk for bleeding. MATERIALS & METHODS: Both CT and endoscopy were performed in 100 patients. Endoscopy revealed that while 54 patients had varices, 46 did not. CT criteria of variceal grading were follows : (1) wall thickening of more than 5mm or irregular wall contour(grade I) ; (2) intraluminal protruding tubular structures with contrast enhancement(grade II) ; (3) confluent varices in the wall of esophagus or multiplied paraesophageal collaterals(grade III). CT were reviewed by three radiologists without reference to clinical and endoscopic data. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of CT in the detection of esophageal varices were 80%, retrospectively. CT and endoscopic grades agreed with each other in 68% of patients, and there was high correlation between CT and endoscopy.(Gamma statistics, p=0.828). No history or endoscopic evidence of variceal bleeding was present on gradeI, but there was a high incidence on grade II(35%) and on grade III(50%)(MH Chi-Square, Ridit scores=50.561,p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Abdominal CT is useful in the detection of esophageal varices, and can predict the risk factors of bleeding in patients with chronic liver diseases.
Subject(s)
Humans , Abdomen , Diagnosis , Endoscopy , Esophageal and Gastric Varices , Esophagus , Hemorrhage , Hypertension, Portal , Incidence , Liver Diseases , Liver , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Varicose VeinsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate MRI findings of spinal cord according to mechanism in acute cervical spinal injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 patients under went MRI within 1 month after acute cervical trauma. Axial T1WI (TR/TE :500/20), gradient-echo (TR/TE :300/14), sagittal T1WI (TR/TE:500/20), proton (TR/TE :2000. 20 msec), T2WI (TR/TE :2000/80) were performed. In 11 pateints, post-enhancement T1WI was done. Change of spinal cord signal intensity on MRI in addition to the presence of abnormal changes of vertebral body, intervertebral disc and paraspinal soft tissue were evaluated. RESULTS: 15 patients had flexion injury, seven had extension injury and three had injury of unknon mechanism. Twelve patients showed /so-signal intensity on T1WI and high signal intensity on T2WI. Three patients showed low signal intensity on T1WI and high signal intensity on T2WI. Spinal cord hemorrhage occured in 10 patients. We found cord swelling in nine patients and cord compression in 12 patients. In nine patients with cord swelling, extent of cord injury was more than one segment of vertebral body. Ligamentous injury, disc injury, soft tissue injury occurred in 16(64%), 17(68%), 15(60%) patients respectively. Vertebral body fracture was found in 17 patients (68%). The levels of fracture were C6(eight patients) and C5(five patients). CONCLUSION: MRI is valuable in exaluetion of the spinal cord, intervertebral disc, and soft tissue lesions in acute cervical spinal injury. Prognosis is worse in flexion injury than in extension injury, and is well correlated with cord hemorrhage and lesion extent.
Subject(s)
Humans , Hemorrhage , Intervertebral Disc , Ligaments , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Neurologic Manifestations , Prognosis , Protons , Soft Tissue Injuries , Spinal Cord , Spinal InjuriesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and usefulness of percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy of the splenic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fine needle aspiration biopsy was done in 7 patients with splenic lesions. Spleen puncture was perfoled by using 22 gauge Chiba needle, under ultrasound guidance in 6 patients and CT guidance in one patient. RESULTS: No major complication such as bleeding, infection or pneumothorax occurred. Final diagnosis were 2 cases of splenic lymphoma and one case each of metastasis, cystic lymphangioma, tuberculosis, hemangioma, and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Cytologic results were true positive in 4 patients and were clinically useful in all patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that FNAB of splenic lesions may be a valuable procedure safe from major complications such as fatal bleeding.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biopsy , Biopsy, Fine-Needle , Diagnosis , Hemangioma , Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary , Hemorrhage , Lymphangioma, Cystic , Lymphoma , Needles , Neoplasm Metastasis , Pneumothorax , Punctures , Spleen , Tuberculosis , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate any difference in the penetration of the acrylic glue into the pig rete mirabile according to the difference of the concentration of the glue mixture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three domestic pigs (12-15kg) were used. After obtaining a normal angiography, two different concentrations of 1:1 and 0.5:1 of Histoacryl Blue mixture with Lipiodol were administrated into pig rete mirabile and then anglographic and pathologic findings were analyzed after taking a postembolization angiography. RESULTS: The degree of the penetration of the glue mixture into the pig rete was different in the anglographic and pathologic findings according to the glue mixture ratio. In case of using 0.5:1 mixture of glue and Lipiodol, glue penetrated into the smaller vessels with size of about 80 micro rn than in case of using 1:1 mixture of glue and Lipiodol. CONCLUSION: Because the polymerization time of glue mixture will be different according to the concentration of glue mixture, a mixture with thin glue concentration seemed to penetrate deeply into the pig rete.