NFATC3–PLA2G15 Fusion Transcript Identified by RNA Sequencing Promotes Tumor Invasion and Proliferation in Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This study was designed to identify novel fusion transcripts (FTs) and their functional significance in colorectal cancer (CRC) lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed paired-end RNA sequencing of 28 CRC cell lines. FT candidates were identified using TopHat-fusion, ChimeraScan, and FusionMap tools and further experimental validation was conducted through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. FT was depleted in human CRC line and the effects on cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell invasion were analyzed. RESULTS: One thousand three hundred eighty FT candidates were detected through bioinformatics filtering. We selected six candidate FTs, including four inter-chromosomal and two intrachromosomal FTs and each FT was found in at least one of the 28 cell lines. Moreover, when we tested 19 pairs of CRC tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples, NFATC3–PLA2G15 FT was found in two. Knockdown of NFATC3–PLA2G15 using siRNA reduced mRNA expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers such as vimentin, twist, and fibronectin and increased mesenchymal–epithelial transition markers of E-cadherin, claudin-1, and FOXC2 in colo-320 cell line harboring NFATC3–PLA2G15 FT. The NFATC3–PLA2G15 knockdown also inhibited invasion, colony formation capacity, and cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that that NFATC3–PLA2G15 FTs may contribute to tumor progression by enhancing invasion by EMT and proliferation.

Identification of Diverse Adenosine-to-Inosine RNA Editing Subtypes in Colorectal Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: RNA editing generates protein diversity by altering RNA sequences in coding regions without changing the overall DNA sequence. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing events have recently been reported in some types of cancer, but they are rare in human colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, this study was conducted to identify diverse RNA editing in CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared transcriptome data of 39 CRC samples and paired adjacent tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas database to identify RNA editing patterns in CRC, focusing on canonical A-to-I RNA edits in coding sequence regions. We investigated nonsynonymous RNA editing patterns by comparing tumor and normal tissue transcriptome data. RESULTS: The number of RNA edits varied from 12 to 42 per sample. We also observed that hypoand hyper-RNA editing patterns were distinguishable within the samples. We found 10 recurrent nonsynonymous RNA editing candidates in nine genes (PDLIM, NEIL1, SRP9, GLI1, APMAP, IGFBP7, ZNF358, COPA, and ZNF587B) and validated some by Sanger sequencing and the inosine chemical erasing assay. We further showed that editing at these positions was performed by the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 enzyme. Most of these genes are hypoedited in CRC, but editing of GLI1 was increased in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. CONCLUSION: Our results show that nonsynonymous RNA editing patterns can be used to identify CRC patients and could serve as novel biomarkers for CRC.

Antitumor Effect of KX-01 through Inhibiting Src Family Kinases and Mitosis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: KX-01 is a novel dual inhibitor of Src and tubulin. Unlike previous Src inhibitors that failed to show clinical benefit during treatment of breast cancer, KX-01 can potentially overcome the therapeutic limitations of current Src inhibitors through inhibition of both Src and tubulin. The present study further evaluates the activity and mechanism of KX-01 in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antitumor effect of KX-01 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines was determined by MTT assay. Wound healing and immunofluorescence assays were performed to evaluate the action mechanisms of KX-01. Changes in the cell cycle and molecular changes induced by KX-01 were also evaluated. A MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model was used to demonstrate the in vivo effects. RESULTS: KX-01 effectively inhibited the growth of breast cancer cell lines. The expression of phospho-Src and proliferative-signaling molecules were down-regulated in KX-01-sensitive TNBC cell lines. In addition, migration inhibition was observed by wound healing assay. KX-01-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and increased the aneuploid cell population in KX-01-sensitive cell lines. Multi-nucleated cells were significantly increased after KX-01 treatment. Furthermore, KX-01 effectively delayed tumor growth in a MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model. CONCLUSION: KX-01 effectively inhibited cell growth and migration of TNBC cells. Moreover, this study demonstrated that KX-01 showed antitumor effects through the inhibition of Src signaling and the induction of mitotic catastrophe. The antitumor effects of KX-01 were also demonstrated in vivo using a mouse xenograft model.

CTCF, Cohesin, and Chromatin in Human Cancer

It is becoming increasingly clear that eukaryotic genomes are subjected to higher-order chromatin organization by the CCCTC-binding factor/cohesin complex. Their dynamic interactions in three dimensions within the nucleus regulate gene transcription by changing the chromatin architecture. Such spatial genomic organization is functionally important for the spatial disposition of chromosomes to control cell fate during development and differentiation. Thus, the dysregulation of proper long-range chromatin interactions may influence the development of tumorigenesis and cancer progression.

Aberrant Epigenetic Modifications of LPHN2 Function as a Potential Cisplatin-Specific Biomarker for Human Gastrointestinal Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Epigenetic alterations of specific genes have recently been identified as diagnostic biomarkers for human cancers. However, there are currently no standardized epigenetic biomarkers for drug sensitivity in human gastrointestinal cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify a novel epigenetic biomarker in gastrointestinal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using bisulfite sequencing and pyrosequencing analysis, DNA methylation patterns of gastric, colon primary tissues and their cancer cells were analyzed, and histone modifications were analyzed using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, cancer cells were exposed to cisplatin and treated with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. RESULTS: We report that in human gastric and colon cancers, latrophilin 2 (LPHN2) is silenced by epigenetic modifications, including CpG island methylation and aberrant histone modifications. We also confirmed that LPHN2 was silenced by DNA hypermethylation in primary gastric and colon tumor tissues compared to their normal counterparts. Interestingly, we found that cancer cells with methylated LPHN2 showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin. Also, 5-aza- 2′-deoxycytidine combined with cisplatin decreased the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in cancer cells with methylated LPHN2. In addition, LPHN2 knockdown in cancer cells with high LPHN2 expression sensitized these cells to the anti-proliferative effects of cisplatin. CONCLUSION: In human gastrointestinal cancer, we found that LPHN2 is regulated by epigenetic modifications, and that cancer cells with lower LPHN2 expression show higher sensitivity to cisplatin. Therefore, the methylation status of LPHN2 is a potential novel epigenetic biomarker for cisplatin treatment in human gastric and colon cancers.

A Study on the Number of Circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T Cells in Psoriasis / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Regulatory T cells (Treg) are able to inhibit the immunological response and maintain cutaneous immunological homeostasis, thus preventing autoimmunity against itself. In several studies, the importance of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in psoriasis has been examined, using the peripheral blood of patients. However, limited studies on Treg are available and shows conflicting results. Recently, CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells were identified as being the peripheral reservoir of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg and CD4+CD25- Foxp3+ T cell counts between patients with psoriasis and normal controls. METHODS: For phenotypic analysis, the proportions and absolute cell numbers of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells in the peripheral blood were examined by flow cytometry. The correlation between the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count and other parameters (age of onset, disease duration, BSA, psoriasis area and severity index score, and clinical stage) was also analyzed. RESULTS: Although the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count was slightly increased while the number of CD4+CD25- Foxp3+ T cells was slightly decreased in psoriasis patients than that of the controls, the differences between the groups were not statistically significant (5.27+/-2.60 vs. 4.70+/-1.35, p>0.05; 1.56+/-1.07 vs. 1.93+/-1.08, p>0.05). The CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count did not correlate with the tested parameters except for the clinical stage of psoriasis. The mean+/-SD number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in the stable phase was higher than that in the progressive phase (7.26+/-2.58 vs. 4.35+/-2.10, p0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count alone is insufficient to explain the pathogenesis and severity of psoriasis. However, a decrease in circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg is likely to be correlated with an aggravation of psoriasis.

A Study on the Number of Circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T Cells in Psoriasis / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Regulatory T cells (Treg) are able to inhibit the immunological response and maintain cutaneous immunological homeostasis, thus preventing autoimmunity against itself. In several studies, the importance of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in psoriasis has been examined, using the peripheral blood of patients. However, limited studies on Treg are available and shows conflicting results. Recently, CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells were identified as being the peripheral reservoir of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg and CD4+CD25- Foxp3+ T cell counts between patients with psoriasis and normal controls. METHODS: For phenotypic analysis, the proportions and absolute cell numbers of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ T cells in the peripheral blood were examined by flow cytometry. The correlation between the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count and other parameters (age of onset, disease duration, BSA, psoriasis area and severity index score, and clinical stage) was also analyzed. RESULTS: Although the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count was slightly increased while the number of CD4+CD25- Foxp3+ T cells was slightly decreased in psoriasis patients than that of the controls, the differences between the groups were not statistically significant (5.27+/-2.60 vs. 4.70+/-1.35, p>0.05; 1.56+/-1.07 vs. 1.93+/-1.08, p>0.05). The CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count did not correlate with the tested parameters except for the clinical stage of psoriasis. The mean+/-SD number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in the stable phase was higher than that in the progressive phase (7.26+/-2.58 vs. 4.35+/-2.10, p0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg count alone is insufficient to explain the pathogenesis and severity of psoriasis. However, a decrease in circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg is likely to be correlated with an aggravation of psoriasis.

TGF-beta Suppresses COX-2 Expression by Tristetraprolin-Mediated RNA Destabilization in A549 Human Lung Cancer Cells / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Overexpression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is thought to promote survival of transformed cells. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) exerts anti-proliferative effects on a broad range of epithelial cells. In the current study, we investigated whether TGF-beta can regulate COX-2 expression in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, which are TGF-beta-responsive and overexpress COX-2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Western blotting, Northern blotting, and mRNA stability assays were performed to demonstrate that COX-2 protein and mRNA expression were suppressed by TGF-beta. We also evaluated the effects of tristetraprolin (TTP) on COX-2 mRNA using RNA interference. RESULTS: We demonstrated that COX-2 mRNA and protein expression were both significantly suppressed by TGF-beta. An actinomycin D chase experiment demonstrated that COX-2 mRNA was more rapidly degraded in the presence of TGF-beta, suggesting that TGF-beta-induced inhibition of COX-2 expression is achieved via decreased mRNA stability. We also found that TGF-beta rapidly and transiently induced the expression of TTP, a well-known mRNA destabilizing factor, before suppression of COX-2 mRNA expression was observed. Using RNA interference, we confirmed that increased TTP levels play a pivotal role in the destabilization of COX-2 mRNA by TGF-beta. Furthermore, we showed that Smad3 is essential to TTP-dependent down-regulation of COX-2 expression in response to TGF-beta. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that TGF-beta down-regulated COX-2 expression via mRNA destabilization mediated by Smad3/TTP in A549 cells.

A Case of Generalized Pigmented Purpuric Dermatosis Treated with Narrowband Ultraviolet B Phototherapy in a Child / 대한피부과학회지

Pigmented purpuric dermatosis (PPD) represents a group of cutaneous lesions exhibiting petechiae, pigmentation, and occasionally telangiectasia in the absence of an associated venous insufficiency or hematological disorder. PPD may resolve spontaneously but tends to persist for months to years. Various treatment modalities such as oral griseofulvin, pentoxifylline, cyclosporine, ascorbic acid, topical corticosteroids, and PUVA therapy have been used with unsatisfactory results. Recently, some studies reported that PPD showed a dramatic response to narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy. In these studies, narrowband UVB phototherapy was an effective treatment method with few side effects. Here, we present the case of a 7-year-old boy with generalized PPD that improved rapidly following narrowband UVB phototherapy.

Solitary Granuloma Annulare: The First Case of Development on a Healthy Child's Palm

No abstract available.

Two Cases of Onychomadesis Caused by Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease / 대한피부과학회지

Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is an infectious viral disease that is common among children. It is clinically characterized by vesicular eruptions on the palms and soles and a maculopapular rash. Onychomadesis is a periodic idiopathic shedding of the nails at their proximal ends and results from arrest of the proliferative function of the nail matrix. Recently, a few reports described onychomadesis following HFMD, although the mechanism remains unclear. To our knowledge, this association has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we report two cases of onychomadesis following HFMD and review the published data.

Study of the Clinical Features of Acquired Collagenoma / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: A collagenoma or connective tissue nevus of the collagen type is a hamartoma consisting predominantly of collagen. Collagenomas are divided into the inherited and acquired types. The acquired forms include eruptive and isolated collagenoma. However, few studies have assessed the characteristics of patients with acquired collagenoma. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with acquired collagenoma. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records and clinical photographs of 23 patients who had been diagnosed histopathologically with acquired collagenoma by biopsy during the last 12 years, from January 2002 to December 2013. In addition, 11 cases of eruptive or isolated collagenomas previously reported in the Korean literature were added. RESULTS: In total, 34 cases of acquired collagenoma were assessed. Of the 34 cases, 53% were men and 47% were women. The mean age at diagnosis was 20.0 years for the patients with eruptive collagenoma and 29.1 years for the patients with isolated collagenoma. In the cases of eruptive collagenoma, multiple, flesh-colored or whitish papules on the trunk were predominant. On the other hand, in the cases of isolated collagenoma, solitary, flesh-colored plaques on the palms or soles were common features. Collagenomas in most cases were asymptomatic (79.4%). However, some patients with collagenomas had other symptoms such as tenderness or pruritus. There was no traumatic history in any case. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the clinical features of patients with acquired collagenoma share many similarities with those in previously reported studies, with some differences. This study is expected to help us understand and obtain more information on the clinical diagnosis of acquired collagenoma.

Cutaneous Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Iatrogenic Cause? / 대한피부과학회지

Cutaneous metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma is very rare and is a marker for wide dissemination. A 62-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic, solitary, bean sized bluish nodule on the right anterior neck. She noticed the lesion 2 years ago and the nodule had been steadily enlarging. Five years ago, she underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy, right lobectomy, and total thyroidectomy and was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Since then, she has received radioactive iodine treatment three times and gone through whole body PET-CT scan twice, which revealed nonspecific findings. A biopsy specimen showed a well demarcated nodule consisting of many tumor cells with multiple follicular structures in the dermis. Tumor cells had ground glass nuclei, nuclear pseudoinclusions and nuclear grooves, and stained positive for thyroid transcription factor-1 and thyroglobulin. Herein, we report a case of cutaneous metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma suspected of iatrogenic cause.

A Case of Defects Reconstruction Using Burow's Graft after Total Excision of Skin Tumor on the Scalp / 대한피부과학회지

Burow's graft, obtained from the excised Burow's triangle, is a sort of full-thickness skin graft and can provide outstanding results because the skin used is immediately adjacent to the defects. This procedure is a suitable reconstruction method of surgical defects which are too large for primary closure or within an anatomic subunit with insufficient skin elasticity. Reconstruction of the scalp is not simple owing to lack of elasticity, inflexibility, and hair-bearing feature. We report a case of large sized eccrine poroma on the scalp that was reconstructed with Burow's graft, producing an aesthetically satisfactory result.

The Study of Aerobic Bacterial Culture and Antibiotic Susceptibility in Epidermal Cysts / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Epidermal cyst is a common acquired skin cyst. When such cysts may be inflamed, they are often referred to as being infected. To clarify the etiology of inflamed epidermal cysts, several studies have carried bacteriology of inflamed and uninflamed epidermal cyst and sought to identify the role of micro-organisms. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the bacterial influences on inflammatory process of epidermal cysts and the antibiotic sensitivity of cultured aerobic bacteria in epidermal cysts. METHODS: We carried out the bacterial cultures using sterile swabbing internal materials in each cyst which has been incised after surgical removals of epidermal cyst. An inflamed epidermal cyst was defined as a known cyst that developed a fluctuant soft-tissue swelling surrounded by the erythema and contained a localized collection of purulent material. For the aerobic culture, samples were cultured on blood agar plates, McConkey agar plate and chocolate agar plates in 5% CO2 at 35degrees C for 5 days. Colonies formed were identified based on VITEK2 system. Then antimicrobial susceptibility test were also done on VITEK2 system. RESULTS: Total of 100 epidermal cyst specimens from 96 patients (67 men and 29 women) were involved had confirmed histopathological findings by dermatologists. Seventy were from face and neck, 24 from trunk, 4 from the extremities, 2 from buttock. Of the 53 inflamed cysts, 30 (56.6%) yielded bacterial growth. On the other hand, from the 47 uninflamed cysts, 15 (31.9%) cyst resulted in bacterial growth (p=0.013). The predominant bacteria from inflamed and uninflamed cyst were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (32 isolate of 45 specimens, 71.1%). All cultured bacteria were susceptible to almost all of antibiotics except amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, benzylpenicillin, cefoxitin, cephalothin, fucidic acid, piperacillin, piperacillin/Tazobactam. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that CoNS was predominant in inflamed cysts, which strongly suggests that aerobic bacteria play a role in the inflammatory process and treatment with antibiotics is necessary for epidermal cyst.

Prognostic Significance of p27(kip1) Expression in Node Negative Colorectal Carcinoma

PURPOSE: Dukes' A & B colorectal cancer patients are often excluded from adjuvant chemotherapy following potentially curative surgery because they are expected to have good long-term survival. However, actually 20 ~ 30% of these patients suffer from recurrent disease, so it would be helpful for these patients of recurrent disease to be able to select a high risk group. METHODS: In 78 Dukes' A & B colorectal cancers, we investigated by immunohistochemistry the role of molecular markers, such as p27(kip1), p53, Ki-67, and Skp2, in identifying high-risk patients. RESULTS: Patients with low p27(kip1) expression showed poor overall survival compared to those with high p27(kip1) expressions (55.3 versus 66.7 months, P=0.018). The only significant factor associated with p27(kip1) expression was p53 expression. The low p27(kip1) expression and positive p53 expression group had poor overall survival (54.3 months, P=0.036). CONCLISIONS: In a node-negative colorectal carcinoma, the molecular marker p27(kip1) does not play an independent prognostic role, but it may have prognostic significance in correlation with other markers such as p53, Ki-67, and Skp2. The assessment of molecular alterations may be useful to node-negative colorectal patients in identifying the high risk group that may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

The Synergism between Belotecan and Cisplatin in Gastric Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We wanted to demonstrate the anti-cancer effect and interaction between belotecan and cisplatin on gastric cancer cell line and we evaluated the mechanisms of this synergistic effect in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The growth inhibitory effect of belotocan and cisplatin against several gastric cancer cell lines (SNU-5, SNU-16 and SNU-601) was estimated by tetrazolium dye assay. The effect of a combination treatment was evaluated by the isobologram method. The biochemical mechanisms for the interaction between the drugs were analyzed by measuring the formation of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) and DNA topo-I activity. RESULTS: Belotecan showed synergism with cisplatin for growth inhibitory effect on the gastric cancer cell lines SNU-5, and SNU-16, but this was subadditive on the SNU-601 cell line. The formation of DNA ICLs in SNU-16 cells by cisplatin was increased by combination with belotecan, but this was not affected in SNU-601 cells. The topo-I inhibition by belotecan was enhanced at high concentrations of cisplatin in SNU-16, but not in SNU-601 cells. CONCLUSION: Belotecan and cisplatin show various combination effect against gastric cancer cells. The synergism between cisplatin and belotecan could be the result of one of the following mechanisms: the modulating effect of belotecan on the repair of cisplatin-induced DNA adducts and the enhancing effect of cisplatin on the belotecan-induced topo-I inhibitory effect.

99mTc-tetrofosmin, 131I Whole Body Scan and Thyroglobulin in Detecting Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Metastases

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the detectability of differentiated thyroid carcinoma metastases by 99mTc-tetrofosmin and to compare these results with a 131I whole body scan (131I WBS). The results of two scans were also compared with the T4 off-thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 43 patients (40 females, 3 males) with differentiated thyroid carcinomas (41 papillary, 2 follicular) having undergone a total thyroidectomy, and received 100~200 mCi (3,700~7,400 MBq) of radioiodine for ablation of residual thyroid tissue, or treatment of metastasis. All patients (n=43) had a 99mTc- tetrofosmin scan, and a 131I WBS following the discontinuation of thyroid hormone replacement. The T4 off-Tg level was checked immediately prior to the radioiodine therapy, with T4 off-Tg levels above 20 ng/ml defined as positive for metastasis or a remnant disease. RESULTS: Cervical metastases were considered in 6 patients and distant metastases in 7, based on the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. The 131I WBS (70.2%) was much more sensitive than the 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan (29.8%) in demonstrating the residual thyroid tissue following surgery. The 131I WBS revealed cervical metastases in 3 of the 6 patients, but only 2 of the 6 were revealed by the 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan. Of the 3 patients with negative 131I WBS, two were detected by the 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan. The sensitivities of the 131I WBS and 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan in diagnosing distant metastases were comparable (71%, and 57% respectively), but in 2 patients with negative 131I WBS, the 99mTc-tetrofosmin revealed distant metastases. The specificities of the 131I WBS and 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan were not comparable (100%, 97%, respectively) in the diagnosis distant metastases. The mean T4 off-Tg level of the patients with cervical or distant metastases was 317 ng/ml, with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, and 83% respectively. In the patients with a T4 off-Tg level above 50 ng/ml, the two scans and clinical studies could not reveal any metastases in 3 of the patients. CONCLUSION: Although the specificity of the 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan was slightly lower than that of the 131I WBS, it is a useful tool for detecting cervical or distant metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinomas and does not require prior withdrawal from thyroid hormones. Therefore the concomitant use of a 99mTc-tetrofosmin scan, a 131I WBS and Tg, is more effective in detecting metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinomas.

Comparison between CT Angiography and Conventional Angiography in the Diagnosis of Intracrnial Aneurysms

Cerebral angiography has been essential for the diagnosis of the intracranial aneurysms but, is sometimes accompanied by serious complications. Resolution of CT angiography was up-graded greatly to represent the three-demensional structure of vessels since helical CT had been introduced. We have compred 26 cases of CT angiography and 28 cases of conventional angiography in terms of specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis, detectable aneurysm diameter, configurational diagnosis and diagnostic confidency. All results showed no statistical difference between CT angiography and conventional angiography. These should suggest that CT angiography could be replaced with conventional angiography for the diagnosis of ruptured aneurysms and even of unruptured aneurysms, resulting in the introduction of first screening modality of unruptured aneurysms.

Comparison between CT Angiography and Conventional Angiography in the Diagnosis of Intracrnial Aneurysms

Cerebral angiography has been essential for the diagnosis of the intracranial aneurysms but, is sometimes accompanied by serious complications. Resolution of CT angiography was up-graded greatly to represent the three-demensional structure of vessels since helical CT had been introduced. We have compred 26 cases of CT angiography and 28 cases of conventional angiography in terms of specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis, detectable aneurysm diameter, configurational diagnosis and diagnostic confidency. All results showed no statistical difference between CT angiography and conventional angiography. These should suggest that CT angiography could be replaced with conventional angiography for the diagnosis of ruptured aneurysms and even of unruptured aneurysms, resulting in the introduction of first screening modality of unruptured aneurysms.