Interstitial Lung Change in Pre-radiation Therapy Computed Tomography Is a Risk Factor for Severe Radiation Pneumonitis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We examined clinical and dosimetric factors as predictors of symptomatic radiation pneumonitis (RP) in lung cancer patients and evaluated the relationship between interstitial lung changes in the pre-radiotherapy (RT) computed tomography (CT) and symptomatic RP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records and dose volume histogram data of 60 lung cancer patients from August 2005 to July 2006 were analyzed. All patients were treated with three dimensional (3D) conformal RT of median 56.9 Gy. We assessed the association of symptomatic RP with clinical and dosimetric factors. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 15.5 months (range, 6.1 to 40.9 months), Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade > or = 2 RP was observed in 14 patients (23.3%). Five patients (8.3%) died from RP. The interstitial changes in the pre-RT chest CT, mean lung dose (MLD), and V30 significantly predicted RP in multivariable analysis (p=0.009, p or = 2, > or = 3, or > or = 4 was higher in the patients with interstitial lung change (grade 2, 15.6% to 46.7%, p=0.03; grade 3, 4.4% to 40%, p=0.002; grade 4, 4.4% to 33.3%, p=0.008). Four of the grade 5 RP patients had diffuse interstitial change in pre-RT CT and received chemoradiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Our study identified diffuse interstitial disease as a significant clinical risk for RP, particularly fatal RP. We showed the usefulness of MLD, V20, V30, and NTCP in predicting the incidence and severity of RP.

A Case of Spinal Cord Injury without Radiographic Abnormality / 소아과

A spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality(SCIWORA) was defined by Pang and Wilberger in 1982 as the "objective signs of myelopathy as a result of trauma" in which no evidence of fracture, subluxation, or instability on plain radiographs, or computed tomography is demonstrable. Inherent elasticity of the vertebral column in infants and young children, among other age-related anatomical peculiarities, render the pediatric bony cervical and thoracic spine exceedingly vulnerable to deforming forces. We report here on a case of SCIWORA in a 3-year-old girl who presented with lower extremity paralysis, paresthesia, and voiding difficulty. The mechanism of neural damage in this case was purely longitudinal distraction. Such stress on the spine resulted from severe pulling up the lower extremity by her father, which was not thought to be damaging at that time.

Colonic Polyps; Experience of 34 Cases in Two Hospitals / 소아과

PURPOSE: Colonic polyps are among the most common causes of rectal bleeding in children. We studied the clinical spectrum, histology, malignant potential and treatment of colonic polyps in our cases. METHODS: We reviewed hospital charts of all patients with colonic polyps, seen over a 15-year period from January 1988 to November 2002. Colonoscopy and/or barium enema were done for diagnosis of colonic polyps. Thirty-four children, aged one to 18 years old with colonic polyps, were enrolled in this study. Clinical spectrum, gross appearance, histologic appearance, malignant potential, treatment and prognosis of the colonic polyps were evaluated. RESULTS:The mean age of these patients was 6.4 years, with a male predominance(M:F=1.9:1). All patients had symptoms of rectal bleeding of a mean duration of five months. Solitary polyps were seen in 82.4%(28/34), more than on polyp(all had two polyps) in 11.8%(4/34), juvenile polyposis syndrome in 2.9%(1/34), and Peutz-Jegher syndrome in 2.9%(1/34) of the cases. All but one of the 36 polyps had typical features of a juvenile polyp on histological examination. Adenomatous change was observed in 2.8%(1/36) of juvenile polyps. 94.4%(34/36) of juvenile polyps were located in the rectosigmoid region, 2.8%(1/36) were in the distal colon, and 2.8%(1/36) were in the proximal colon. False negative result of barium enema alone without colonoscopy were found in 25%(2/8), and rectosigmoidscopy alone could miss proximal polyps. Colonoscopic polypectomy or surgical transrectal polypectomy were performed in all cases without major complications. Surgical polypectomy needed general anesthesia in 100%(11/11) of children compared to colonoscopic polypectomy which needed general anesthesia in 23.8%(5/21) of children. Recurrence of polyps was observed only in 2.9%(1/34) of the children. CONCLUSION: Juvenile polyps may be the most common colonic polyps in children. Juvenile polyps should be removed even if asymptomatic because of their neoplastic potential. Because some cases of colonic polyps may be multiple and proximally located, pancolonoscopic polypectomy is recommended in all cases. Surgical polypectomy is less recommended, because general anesthesia is required in all cases and proximal polyps could be missed.