Association between Number of Retrieved Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema / 한국유방암학회지

Purpose@#Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become a standard axillary staging surgery for early breast cancer, and the proportion of patients requiring axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is decreasing. We aimed to evaluate the association between the number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) retrieved and the risk of lymphedema of the ipsilateral arm. @*Methods@#Prospectively collected medical records of 910 patients were reviewed.Lymphedema was defined as a difference in circumference > 2 cm compared to the contralateral arm and/or having clinical records of lymphedema treatment in the rehabilitation clinic. @*Results@#Together with an objective and subjective assessment of lymphedema, 36 patients (6.1%) had lymphedema in the SLNB group and 85 patients (27.0%) had lymphedema in the ALND group (p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis of the whole cohort, risk factors significantly associated risk with the development of lymphedema were body mass index, mastectomy (vs.breast-conserving surgery), ALND, and radiation therapy. In logistic regression models in the SLNB group only, there was no correlation between the number of retrieved SLNs and the incidence of lymphedema. In addition, in the Pearson correlation analysis, no correlation was observed between the number of retrieved SLNs and the difference in circumference between the ipsilateral and contralateral upper extremities (correlation coefficients = 0.067, p = 0.111). @*Conclusion@#The risk of lymphedema in breast cancer surgery and adjuvant treatments is multifactorial. The number of retrieved lymph nodes during sentinel biopsy was not associated with the incidence of lymphedema.

Association between Number of Retrieved Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema / 한국유방암학회지

Purpose@#Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become a standard axillary staging surgery for early breast cancer, and the proportion of patients requiring axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is decreasing. We aimed to evaluate the association between the number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) retrieved and the risk of lymphedema of the ipsilateral arm. @*Methods@#Prospectively collected medical records of 910 patients were reviewed.Lymphedema was defined as a difference in circumference > 2 cm compared to the contralateral arm and/or having clinical records of lymphedema treatment in the rehabilitation clinic. @*Results@#Together with an objective and subjective assessment of lymphedema, 36 patients (6.1%) had lymphedema in the SLNB group and 85 patients (27.0%) had lymphedema in the ALND group (p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis of the whole cohort, risk factors significantly associated risk with the development of lymphedema were body mass index, mastectomy (vs.breast-conserving surgery), ALND, and radiation therapy. In logistic regression models in the SLNB group only, there was no correlation between the number of retrieved SLNs and the incidence of lymphedema. In addition, in the Pearson correlation analysis, no correlation was observed between the number of retrieved SLNs and the difference in circumference between the ipsilateral and contralateral upper extremities (correlation coefficients = 0.067, p = 0.111). @*Conclusion@#The risk of lymphedema in breast cancer surgery and adjuvant treatments is multifactorial. The number of retrieved lymph nodes during sentinel biopsy was not associated with the incidence of lymphedema.

Colonic hypoperfusion following ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery in rectosigmoid colon cancer patients

PURPOSE: Colon perfusion status is one of the most important factors for the determination of postoperative anastomotic complications. Colonic hypoperfusion can be induced by inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) ligation in some patients. This study aimed to evaluate atherosclerotic risk assessment and vascular parameters of CT angiography as predictors of colonic hypoperfusion. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital and included 46 rectosigmoid colon cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection between August 2013 to July 2014. Atherosclerotic risk scores were assessed using the Framingham cardiovascular risk score system. The IMA length, branching pattern, atherosclerotic calcification, and intermesenteric artery and mesenteric vascular diameters were evaluated using CT angiography. Mesenteric marginal artery pressures were measured before and after IMA clamping. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) index was calculated by dividing the mesenteric marginal MAP into the systemic MAP to determine the mesenteric hypoperfusion status after IMA clamping. A critically low MAP index was defined as <0.4. RESULTS: Critically low MAP index (<0.4) was observed in 6 cases (13.0%) after IMA clamping. Atherosclerotic calcification of the IMA and superior mesenteric artery occurred in 11 (23.9%) and 5 patients (10.9%), respectively. Low MAP index was associated with high atherosclerotic risk score and short IMA length, rather than atherosclerotic calcification and other vascular parameters of the major mesenteric arteries. Multivariate analysis indicated that high atherosclerotic risk and short IMA length were independent predictors of critically low MAP index. CONCLUSION: Atherosclerotic risk assessment and IMA length were useful predictors of the mesenteric hypoperfusion status following IMA ligation during laparoscopic rectosigmoid colon surgery.

Routine low-dose calcium supplementation after thyroidectomy does not reduce the rate of symptomatic hypocalcemia: a prospective randomized trial

PURPOSE: Routine supplementation of high-dose calcium significantly decreased the risk of postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. However, there is an ongoing debate about whether the same results can be achieved with low-dose calcium supplementation. METHODS: Patients (n = 138) who underwent total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer were 1:1 randomly assigned to receive oral supplements of 1,500 mg/day elemental calcium and 1,000 IU/day cholecalciferol for 2 weeks or no supplementation. Primary objective was to compare the incidence of symptomatic hypocalcemia for 3 days after total thyroidectomy. Secondary objective was to find the predictors for postoperative hypocalcemia in patients with thyroid cancer. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients in the calcium group and 69 patients in the control group were finally analyzed. The incidence of symptomatic hypocalcemia showed no difference between the calcium and control group (32.3% vs. 21.7%, P = 0.168). The total dosage of intravenous calcium (593.4 ± 267.1 mg vs. 731.6 ± 622.7 mg, P = 0.430) administered to patients with symptomatic hypocalcemia was also comparable between groups. In a multivariate analysis, parathyroid hormone level of 13 pg/mL at postoperative day 1 was only predictive for symptomatic hypocalcemia, and its incidence was 20.9 times (95% confidence interval, 6.8–64.5) higher in patients with parathyroid hormone <13 pg/mL. Other factors did not predict the development of hypocalcemia, including clinicopathological features and routine supplementation of low-dose calcium. CONCLUSION: Routine low-dose calcium supplementation did not reduce the risk of postoperative hypocalcemia. Patients who may benefit from calcium supplementation should be carefully selected.

Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Via the Cervico-axillary Approach for Thyroid Cancer: Initial Experience in a Single Institute / 대한내분비외과학회지

PURPOSE: Endoscopic thyroidectomy using a cervico-axillary approach (CAA) provides optimal visualization with a smaller dissection plane. Despite the excellent cosmetic results and high patient satisfaction, the surgical and oncologic safety of CAA endoscopic surgery has not been fully established. The present study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and surgical outcomes of CAA endoscopic thyroidectomy. METHODS: From October 2009 to April 2012, 100 patients with papillary thyroid cancer underwent CAA endoscopic thyroidectomy. Patient demographics, pathologic features, and surgical outcomes including complications and recurrence were collected. RESULTS: CAA endoscopic thyroidectomy was successful in all patients, and none required conversion to open thyroidectomy. All patients underwent ipsilateral thyroid lobectomy with or without central compartment neck dissection. The mean tumor size was 1.0±0.6 cm (range, 0.5~1.6), and 35.0% of tumors showed extrathyroidal extension. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 4.1±4.4, and metastasis was found in 12.0% of patients. The mean surgical time was 175.2±50.4 min, mean intraoperative blood loss was 42.5±69.2 ml, and the mean hospital stay was 3.3±0.6 days. There were five cases of postoperative transient hypocalcemia and eight cases of vocal cord palsy. No permanent complication or postoperative bleeding was observed. Patients continued to be seen for a median period of 63.7 months, and no recurrence of thyroid cancer was seen. CONCLUSION: CAA endoscopic thyroidectomy is a feasible and safe procedure for low-risk thyroid cancer, with excellent cosmesis. It can be recommended as an alternative option for selected patients with low-risk thyroid cancer.

Delay of Treatment Initiation Does Not Adversely Affect Survival Outcome in Breast Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Previous studies examining the relationship between time to treatment and survival outcome in breast cancer have shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to analyze the overall impact of delay of treatment initiation on patient survival and to determine whether certain subgroups require more prompt initiation of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of stage I-III patients who were treated in a single tertiary institution between 2005 and 2008. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the impact of interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation in breast cancer and various subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 1,702 patients were included. Factors associated with longer delay of treatment initiation were diagnosis at another hospital, medical comorbidities, and procedures performed before admission for surgery. An interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation as a continuous variable or with a cutoff value of 15, 30, 45, and 60 days had no impact on disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses for hormone-responsiveness, triple-negative breast cancer, young age, clinical stage, and type of initial treatment showed no significant association between longer delay of treatment initiation and DFS. CONCLUSION: Our results show that an interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation of 60 days or shorter does not appear to adversely affect DFS in breast cancer.

Predictive Significance of p53, Ki-67, and Bcl-2 Expression for Pathologic Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) with pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) have superior survival outcomes compared to those with residual disease after NAC. This study investigated the value of three biomarkers, p53, Ki-67, and Bcl-2 for predicting pCR in NAC-treated patients with TNBC. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2012, 198 patients with pathologically confirmed primary TNBC were treated with two different taxane-based chemotherapeutic regimens prior to surgery. Before NAC, expression of p53 (cutoff 25%), Ki-67 (cutoff 10%), and Bcl-2 (cutoff 10%) was assessed immunohistochemically in core biopsy specimens. The incidence of pCR was correlated with the expression of these biomarkers. RESULTS: Overall, pCR occurred in 37 of the 198 patients (18.7%). A significant association was observed between the pCR rate and overexpression of the p53 and Ki-67 biomarkers. Multivariate analysis showed that only p53 expression was independently associated with pCR to NAC (odds ratio, 3.961; p=0.003). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of p53 expression for predicting pCR were 77.8%, 50.3%, 26.2%, and 90.9%, respectively. The pCR rate was the lowest (5.2%) in patients with low expression of both p53 and Ki-67, and it was the highest (25.8%) when both biomarkers showed high expression. CONCLUSION: Expression of p53 was significantly associated with pCR after NAC in patients with TNBC, suggesting that this biomarker might be particularly valuable in identifying TNBC patients prone to have residual disease after NAC.

Nomogram for Predicting Breast Conservation after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The ability to accurately predict the likelihood of achieving breast conservation surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) is important in deciding whether NCT or surgery should be the first-line treatment in patients with operable breast cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the data of 513 women, who had stage II or III breast cancer and received NCT and surgery from a single institution. The ability of various clinicopathologic factors to predict the achievement of BCS and tumor size reduction to < or = 3 cm was assessed. Nomograms were built and validated in an independent cohort. RESULTS: BCS was performed in 50.1% of patients, with 42.2% of tumors reduced to < or = 3 cm after NCT. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smaller initial tumor size, longer distance between the lesion and the nipple, absence of suspicious calcifications on mammography, and a single tumor were associated with BCS rather than mastectomy (p < 0.05). Negative estrogen receptor, smaller initial tumor size, higher Ki-67 level, and absence of in situ component were associated with residual tumor size < or = 3 cm (p < 0.05). Two nomograms were developed using these factors. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for nomograms predicting BCS and residual tumor < or = 3 cm were 0.800 and 0.777, respectively. The calibration plots showed good agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities. CONCLUSION: We have established a model with novel factors that predicts BCS and residual tumor size after NCT. This model can help in making treatment decisions for patients who are candidates for NCT.

Myxoid Adrenocortical Adenoma: Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Pathology Correlation

We report a case of a 74-year-old female with myxoid adrenocortical adenoma which showed different magnetic resonance imaging findings compared to those of a typical adrenocortical adenoma. The myxoid change in the adrenocortical adenoma is a rare form of degeneration. It presents a considerable diagnostic challenge to both radiologists and clinicians because it can mimic other adrenal tumor types on imaging. The MRI findings of the presented case included a high signal intensity on T2-weighted images similar to that of fluid and delayed progressive enhancement.

Do Positive Surgical Margins Predict Biochemical Recurrence in All Patients Without Adjuvant Therapy After Radical Prostatectomy?

PURPOSE: The objective was to study whether positive surgical margins (PSMs) predict biochemical recurrence (BCR) in all patients without adjuvant therapy after radical prostatectomy (RP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent RP for prostate cancer at Veterans Health Service Medical Center from 2005 to 2011. BCR was defined by a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value > or =0.2 ng/mL. The clinicopathological factors of the PSM group were compared with those of the negative surgical margin (NSM) group, and the predictive impact of a PSM for BCR-free survival were evaluated. In addition, we analyzed the prognostic difference for BCR-free survival between solitary and multiple PSMs. RESULTS: A PSM was noted in 167 patients (45.5%). BCR was reported in 101 men in total (27.5%). The BCR-free survival rate of the PSM group was lower than that of the NSM group (p<0.001). In a multivariate analysis for the total patients, PSM was significantly associated with BCR-free survival (p<0.001). After stratification by pathological T stage, Gleason score (GS), and preoperative PSA value, PSM was significantly predictive for BCR-free survival in men with pT2 and/or GS < or =6 or 7 and/or a PSA value <10 or 10-20 ng/mL (all p<0.05). Multiple PSMs were more predictive of BCR-free survival than was a solitary PSM (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A PSM is a significant predictor of postoperative BCR in patients with pT2 and/or GS < or =7 and/or preoperative PSA <20 ng/mL. Multiple PSMs are considered a stronger prognostic factor for prediction of BCR than is a solitary PSM.

Plasma Cell Type of Castleman's Disease Involving Renal Parenchyma and Sinus with Cardiac Tamponade: Case Report and Literature Review

Castleman's disease is an uncommon disorder characterized by benign proliferation of the lymphoid tissue that occurs most commonly in the mediastinum. Although unusual locations and manifestations have been reported, involvement of the renal parenchyma and sinus, and moreover, manifestations as cardiac tamponade are extremely rare. Here, we present a rare case of Castleman's disease in the renal parenchyma and sinus that also accompanied cardiac tamponade.

Clinical Analysis of Second Branchial Cleft Anomalies in Children

Branchial cleft anomalies are the second most common head and neck congenital lesions seen in children. Amongst the branchial cleft malformations, second cleft lesions account for 95 % of the branchial anomalies. This article analyzes all the cases of second branchial cleft anomalies operated on at Seoul National University Hospital from September 1995 to February 2011. We analyzed sex, age, symptom and sign, accompanied anomaly, diagnosis, treatment, pathologic report and outcome via retrospective review of medical records. In this series, we had 61 patients (27 female and 34 male). The mean age at the time of operation was 38 months. 31 lesions were on the right, 20 were on the left and 10 were bilateral. The most frequent chief complaints at presentation were non-tender mass and cervical opening without any discharge. According to anatomic type, 29 patients had branchial cleft sinuses, 14 had cysts, 14 had fistulas and 4 had skin tags. Complete excision was attempted if possible and antibiotics challenged when infection was suspected. Complete excision was achieved in 96.7 % of cases. Incision and drainage was done in 2 cases due to severe inflammation, and both recurred. Postoperative complications included wound infection in 2 cases. Microscopic examonation revealed squamous epithelium in 90.2 % and squamous metaplasia in one case in the branchial cleft cyst wall. In summary, second branchial anomaly is found more frequently on right side of neck. Fistulas are diagnosed earlier than cystic forms. Most cases could be diagnosed by physical examination. The definitive treatment is complete excision and sufficient antibiotics coverage for cases with inflammation. After drainage of infected lesions, follow up excision after 1 year might be beneficial for preventing recurrence.

Orthodontic treatment for maxillary anterior pathologic tooth migration by periodontitis using clear aligner

PURPOSE: Pathologic tooth migration (PTM) is a tooth displacement which is derived from imbalance of tooth retention force and is dominantly found out in maxillary anterior area. PTM in maxillary anterior area was tried to corrected with periodontal treatment and a clear aligner in this study and the result was evaluated clinically and radiographically. METHODS: For the treatment of a patient with chronic periodontal disease accompanied by maxillary anterior pathologic tooth migration, clear aligner was applied to move teeth after a series of case-related periodontal therapy. Clinically, probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level and mobility were measured pre- and post-treatment, and radiographic examination was performed as well. RESULTS: Clinically, we found the decrease of the probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level and mobility. And we could also acknowledge the reduction of vertical and horizontal dimension on infrabony defect radiographically. However, it is still controversial if there was an actual bone filling. CONCLUSIONS: Clear aligner is an effective appliance to move teeth since it costs little in terms of expense and time. In addition, it wraps whole crowns, providing advantages to deal with crowding, spacing, and size of arch. In short, clear aligner could be a useful treatment option for PTM patient, since it provides decreased probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, mobility and esthetical restoration.

Primary Classic Kaposi's Sarcoma of the Penis in an HIV-Negative Patient

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal hemorrhagic sarcoma that occurs primarily on the extremities. KS limited to the penis is rare and a well-recognized manifestation of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, KS confined to the penis is extraordinary in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients. We present the case of a 68-year-old man with a dark reddish ulcerated nodule on the penile skin, which was reported as a nodular stage of KS. We detected no evidence of immunosuppression or AIDS or systemic involvements in further evaluations. In his past medical history, the patient had undergone three transurethral resections of bladder tumors due to urothelial cell carcinoma since 2000 and total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and adjuvant fluorouracil/cisplatin chemotherapy for 7 months due to advanced gastric carcinoma in 2005. The patient was circumcised and has had no recurrence for 2 years.

Natural Curved Mandibular Angle: Mandible Angle Resection by Burring Hole Connecting Osteotomy

As Westernization has taken place in the Oriental society, people's concern focuses on the correction of their lower jaw shape. Various methods were recommended to make their mandibular angle slender and beautiful, but it was difficult to achieve natural curves as planned preoperatively. This study was conducted on 6 patients who received burring hole connecting osteotomy for mandibular angle correction from 2005 to 2007. A measurement of the most natural curved line for osteotomy was made by X-ray prior to the surgery. Through intraoral approach, three to five holes were made on the estimated angle line by burring, and the consecutive holes were connected by oscillating saw to perform the one piece osteotomy. There were no unnatural, irregular osteotomy sections or asymmetrical problems in comparison of before and after operation. All of the patients had satisfactory natural mandibular angle lines. Despite difficulties with the conventional techniques, it is possible for patients to achieve natural mandibular angle lines as they wish with the burring hole connecting osteotomy technique. In addition, it was possible to secure outstanding predictability and stability, thus resulting in satisfactory outcomes in the profile.

Clinical Features of Infectious Ileocecitis in Children / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: Infectious ileocecitis is an infection confined to the ileocecal area and one of the most common causes of pediatric abdominal pain. This study was performed to demonstrate the clinical features of infectious ileocecitis in children. METHODS: The medical records and radiologic findings of 37 patients with ileocecitis diagnosed by ultrasonography and/or computed tomography, who were admitted to Pusan National University Hospital from January 2004 and July 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Viral gastroenteritis and secondary ileocecitis were excluded. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 4.8+/-3.4 years. One-half of the patients were preschool children. The chief complaint was abdominal pain (75.7%), diarrhea (10.8%), and vomiting (8.1%). Accompanying symptoms were fever (56.8%), vomiting (21.6%), and diarrhea (16.2%). The mean duration of abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting was 3.8+/-2.1, 3.0+/-1.9, 3.4+/-1.9, and 2.4+/-2.3 days, respectively. The frequency of diarrhea and vomiting was 5.8+/-2.2 and 4.0+/-2.8 per day, respectively. Diagnosis was made by abdominal ultrasonography in 22 patients (59.5%), abdominal CT in 2 patients (5.4%), and both modalities in 13 patients (35.1%). Besides the radiologic finding of thickening of the bowel wall, mesenteric lymphadenitis (59.5%), ascites (5.4%), and both mesenteric lymphadenitis and ascites (16.2%) were revealed. The mean duration of illness was 7.5+/-5.0 days. There were no specific laboratory findings, and culture studies with stool or blood were negative. All of the patients recovered completely without specific treatment. CONCLUSION: Infectious ileocecitis has acute appendicitis-mimicking symptoms, but is self-limited within a few days, thus unnecessary treatment and work-up is avoided. However, distinguishing infectious ileocecitis from appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and mesenteric lymphadenitis is important.

Usefulness of using Tissue Expander in Pediatric Patient

PURPOSE: Reconstruction of soft tissue defect using tissue expander can provide better flap which is more similar to surrounding tissue in color, skin texture and hair compared to other methods. Many pediatric patients need reconstruction of soft tissue defect because of giant congenital nevi, congenital or acquired malformations and burn scars. Reconstruction using tissue expander is adequate to minimize dysmorphism in these patients. We intended to assess outcomes of using tissue expander in pediatric patients by retrospective study. METHODS: Total cases were 168 of pediatric patients who received soft tissue reconstruction using tissue expander by the same surgeon from February, 1982 to May, 2009. All patients who received soft tissue reconstruction were under 10 years old. Mean age was 4.3 years old, the youngest 13 months, the oldest 8 years. Eighty-nine cases were male and 79 cases were female. Most common cause was giant hairy nevi (67 cases, 39.9%), secondary cause was burn scar/scar contracture (61 cases, 36.3%). Trunk (38 cases, 22.6%) was most common anatomical location. RESULTS: Soft tissue defects were successfully covered using tissue expander in 149 cases (88.7%) without major complications. There was infection on 8 cases (4.7%) and we treated by adequate antibiotics in these cases. There were tissue expander folding or valve displacement on 5 cases (3%). CONCLUSION: Usage of tissue expander is useful on pediatric patients because tissue expansion is rapid on children and there are less secondary contractures on operation site than full thickness skin graft. Because of psychological stress due to tissue expander, operation should be performed before school age.

MRI Evaluation for the Histologic Components of Soft-tissue Tumors: Comparison of MEDIC and Fast SE T2-weighted Imaging

PURPOSE: To compare Multi Echo Data Image Combination (MEDIC) and fast SE T2- weighted images with fat saturation (T2FS) to suggest more accurate evaluation of the histologic components of soft-tissue tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental group included 25 histologic tissues (5 vascular, 4 neural, 4 fibrous, 4 hypercellular, 2 hemorrhagic necroses, 2 cystic, 2 lipoid, 1 myxoid stroma, and 1 thrombus) in 10 patients who had pathologically confirmed schwannoma (n = 3), hemangioma (n = 2), lipoma (n = 1), angiokeratoma (n = 1), synovial sarcoma (n = 1), liposarcoma (n = 1), and malignant fibrous histiocytoma (n = 1). The inhomogeneity values were measured using the standard deviation value (SD) divided by the mean value as SD presents an error amount similar to that of imaging heterogeneity. RESULTS: The inhomogeneity values of 25 histologic components were lower on MEDIC than those on T2FS (p < .001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MEDIC is more accurate than T2FS for evaluating the tissue components of soft-tissue tumors using digitalized data because MEDIC images have far lower inhomogeneity.

Detection of Celiac Ganglia with Radial Scanning Endoscopic Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been recently reported that celiac ganglia can be identified by linear-array endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Still, there has been no report on the detection rate of celiac ganglia with radial scanning EUS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection rate of celiac ganglia by radial scanning echoendoscopy during a routine examination. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 57 consecutive patients (23 men, 34 women; mean age 54 years, range 21-78 years) who were referred for EUS examination from September 2006 to December 2006. EUS was performed using a radial scanning echoendoscope. The size, location and EUS appearance of the celiac ganglia were recorded for each patient. RESULTS: Celiac ganglia were identified in 51 out of 57 patients (89.4%). They were identified at the left side of the celiac trunk and aorta and between the celiac artery and the left adrenal gland. They appeared as hypoechoic, oblong or lobulated structures, often with an irregular edge, and they often contained a hyperechoic focus or strand. The mean size was 18 mm by 4 mm. Structures corresponding to the visualized celiac ganglia were retrospectively identified on CT scans in 33 among the 37 patients (89.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that celiac ganglia could be identified, with radial scanning EUS, in the majority of subjects.

The Clinical Results of Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration in Treatment of Gastric Varices Compared with Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical results of BRTO in the gastric varices with those of TIPS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2004 to March 2006, eight patients who had been followed up for more than 1 month after BRTO were enrolled in this study. This study compared the clinical efficacy of BRTO with that of TIPS in 13 patients who had undergone TIPS from January 2000 to March 2006. The change in laboratory parameters before and after each procedure and the incidence of rebleeding, encephalopathy, asictes and varices were analyzed after each procedure. Results:In the BRTO group, the level of albumin increased, and the levels of ammonia and the Child-Pugh score decreased. The TIPS group showed no improvement in the liver function. In the BRTO group, the gastric varices were eradicated in 7 patients. Gastric variceal rebleeding and encephalopathy did not occur. However, the esophageal varices worsened in 6 patients. In the TIPS group, rebleeding (n=4), encephalopathy (n=7) and a worsening of the gastric (n=5) or esophageal varices (n=2) occurred. CONCLUSION: BRTO improves the metabolic activity of the liver and has a lower incidence of encephalopathy. Hence, BRTO is a good alternative to TIPS in the gastric varices accompanied by a gastrorenal shunt although a treatment for a worsening of the esophageal varices may be needed after BRTO.