• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.385-392
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• 2023

Caroli's disease is a fibrocystic liver disease. Autosomal recessive disorder is characterized by congenital multiple dilatation of the bile duct. Computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, cholangiography and ultrasound are among the methods for diagnosing caroli disease. Computerized tomography is essential for detecting and distinguishing fibroplastic liver disease and is useful for determining intrahepatic bile duct dilatation. However, awareness of the possible side effects of using contrast mediums is necessary. A typical method of magnetic resonance cholangiography is used for magnetic resonance imaging. A non-invasive examination can reduce the pain of the patient, and the anatomical structure of the bile pancreatic duct and the presence or absence of lesions can be easily and quickly observed. Biliary contrast is an effective diagnostic method that can directly visualize various cystic dilatations throughout the enlarged bile duct. However, since this procedure is also an invasive procedure, it is recommended not for diagnosis but for treatment purposes. Ultrasonography can confirm similar findings to computerized tomography. The hepatic artery root is difficult to prove with conventional grayscale ultrasound. However, it is of clinical value in that it can not only describe dilated bile ducts with vascular roots in the tube but also easily identify color Doppler signals in the tube. With the development of video diagnostics, early diagnosis has become possible through computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, cholangiography, and ultrasound. In order to further contribute to the development of video diagnostics so that long-term prognosis can be improved after treatment through early diagnosis, we examined what aspects of each test's caroli disease appear.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2003

Purpose : The efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating coronary artery disease has been reported. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of breath-hold segmented K-space cine MR imaging for evaluating the patency of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). Materials and Method s : Thirty eight patients with a total of 92 CABGs (36 internal thoracic arteries and 56 saphenous vein grafts) were evaluated using segmented K-space cardiac-gated fast gradient echo sequence (2D-FASTCARD) MR imaging. MR magnitude images were evaluated from the hard copies by two independent observers. A graft was defined as patent if it was seen as a bright small round area on at least two consecutive images throughout the cardiac cycle at a position consistent with the expected location for that graft. Results : MR images were obtained successfully for 23 patients (61%). The sagittal planes were most helpful in visualizing the cross-section of sapheneous vein bypass graft to left circumflex artery branch, whereas the transverse planes were used for identification of internal mammary artery grafts to left anterior descending coronary artery or its branch and identification of saphenous vein grafts to right coronary artery. Forty five grafts were visible using this MR technique, while the grafts were not visible on seven saphenous vein grafts and two internal mammary artery grafts. In two patients showing symptoms of myocardial ischemia, one or two bypass grafts were not visible. Imaging, perpendicular plane to a CABG was important to visualize the flow inside the CABG with maximum sensitivity. Conclusion : Evaluation of patency of the bypass graft was clinically feasible by 2D-FASTCARD MR imaging, whereas any invisible bypass grafts should be further studied by contrast-enhanced MR angiography or by conventional angiography for confirmation of abnormalities.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.329-335
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• 2002

Background: The surgical technique for biventricular assist device(BVAD) implantation has mainly consisted of cannulation procedures. A median sternotomy has been the technique of choice as it gives a surgeon an excellent exposure of the heart. However, considering that most patients require a future sternotomy or already have a previous sternotomy, sternotomy-related complication remains a major concern in BVAD implantation. Based on this consideration as well as the clinical experiences of conventional heart surgery, the authors have hypothesized that the cardiac chambers for BVAD cannulation can be approached from the right side of the heart. The purpose of this studs to develop a novel surgical technique of right thoracotomy for BVAD implantation in an animals study. Material and Method: For last two years, 16 (11 calves, 3 canines, and 2 sheep) out of 30 experimental animals with AnyHeart implantation underwent a right thoracotomy. The device was used as an implantable BVAD in 14 animals, a wearable BVAD in 1, and an implantable LVAD in 1. The chest cavity was entered through the 4th intercostal space or the 5th periosteal bed. As for the BVAD use, a right inflow cannula was inserted into the right atrial free wall and a right outflow cannula was grafted onto the main pulmonary artery. A left inflow cannula was inserted into the interatrial groove and a left outflow cannula was grafted on the innominate artery of the ascending aorta. The connecting tubes were brought out through the thoracotomy wound and connected to the pump located in the subcutaneous pocket at the right flank. Result: Except for the 5 animals for a lilting test or during the early learning curve, all recovered smoothly from the procedures. The inflow drainage allowed the pump output 6.5 L/min at the maximum with 3-3.5 L/min in an average. Of the survivors, there noted no procedure-related mortality or morbidity. Necropsy findings demonstrated the well-positioned cannula tips in the each cardiac chamber

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.399-403
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• 2010

Background: Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery can be performed with the lung collapsed. During the procedure, pleural adhesion may result in lung injury, bleeding, and thoracotomy conversion. Identifying the presence of pleural adhesion before surgery can make it easy to plan trocar introduction and perform the procedure. Material and Method: Between June 2009 and November 2009, we performed ultrasound in 24 patients to detect pleural adhesion before surgery and compared the results with the operative findings. We primarily examined the lateral chest, where the trocar would be inserted, and, occasionally, the anterior or posterior chest. Result: Patient diseases were: 6 hyperhidroses, 8 interstitial lung diseases, 5 lung cancers, 2 mediastinal tumors, 1 peripheral pulmonary embolism, 1 metastatic lung cancer, and 1 sarcoidosis. Of the 22 patients who did not have pleural adhesions on ultrasound, four revealed mild adhesions not related to the trocar insertion sites. However, ultrasound showed pleural adhesions in two patients, consistent with the operative findings. There was no air leak or thoracotomy conversion related with trocar insertion. Conclusion: Ultrasound requires only a few minutes to detect the presence of the pleural adhesion and was very useful in identifying the pleural adhesion before VATS.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2010

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious disease that causes life-threatening pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency. Anticoagulation is the standard therapy for DVT. However, the results of standard anticoagulation for treating DVT have been disappointing, so endovascular treatment is commonly performed nowadays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an endovascular procedure for treating patients with DVT. Material and Method: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of 29 DVT patients who underwent an endovascular procedure between December 2006 and July 2008. We compared the results of the 29 patients with the results of another 45 patients who were treated with only aspirin and heparin. Result: The patient’s mean age was 55.4 years in the intervention group and 53.7 years in the control group. DVT occurred more frequently in the females. Catheter-directed thrombolysis was performed in 22 patients (75.8%). Aspiration thrombectomy was performed in 18 patients (62%) and a endovascular stent was placed in 25 patients (86.2%). Fifteen patients (51.7%) underwent percutaneous insertion of a retrievable IVC filter for the prevention of pulmonary embolism. In the control group, thirty nine patients (86.7%) were treated with low-molecular heparin, and seven patients (15.6%) who were contraindicated for warfarin were treated with aspirin. No bleeding complications occurred during thrombolysis or anticoagulation. We analyzed the statistical data according to recurrence of DVT and the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) during the follow-up period. The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of PTS (p-value=0.008), but they had the same result as the control group for the recurrence of DVT. In addition, death from the DVT did not occur in the intervention group. Thus, we obtained better clinical outcomes in the intervention group as compared to those in the anticoagulation only group. Conclusion: Endovascular procedures are effective alternative modalities, as compared to systemic anticoagulation, for the treatment of DVT. But more studies are needed to determine the specific indications and to validate the long-term efficacy of endovascular procedures for the treatment of DVT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.619-626
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• 2020

This study aimed to identify the error rates in Catheter Calibration Mode, Auto Calibration Mode, and Segment Calibration Mode among many calibration modes as a quantitative evaluation tool used for predicting the diameter and length of balloon or stent in percutaneous intravascular balloon dilatation or stent insertion. Our experiment was conducted with Copper Wire of 2 mm × 80 mm (diameter × length) manufactured elaborately for quantitative evaluation in calibration and Metal Ball of 5, 10, 15, 30, and 40 mm and Acryl Phantom of 25 mm, 50 mm, 75mm, 100 mm, 125 mm, 150mm, 175 mm, and 200 mm. At each height, subtraction images were acquired with a cineangiograph and Stenosis Analysis Tool as a software provided by the equipment company was used for measurement. To evaluate the error rates in Catheter Calibration Mode, Copper Wire was put on each acryl phantom before shooting. Copper Wire of 2 mm in diameter was set as a diameter for catheter, and Copper Wire of 8 mm in length was measured with Multi-segments. As a result, the error rates appeared at 1.13 ~ 5.63%. To evaluate the error rates in Auto Calibration Mode, the height of acryl was entered at each height of acryl phantom and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire was measured with Multi-segments and as a result, the error rates appeared at 0 ~ 0.26%. To evaluate the error rates in Segment Calibration Mode, each metal ball on the floor of table was calibrated and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire on each acryl phantom was measured and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire depending on the changes of acryl phantom height was measured with Mutli-segments and as a result, the error rates appeared at 1.05 ~ 19.04%. And in the experiment on OID changes in Auto Calibration Mode, the height of acryl phantom was fixed at 100mm and OID only changed within the range of 450 mm ~ 600 mm and as a result, the error rates appeared at 0.13 ~ 0.38%. In conclusion, it was found that entering the height values in Auto Calibration Mode, among these Calibration Modes for evaluating quantitative vascular dimensions provided by the software was the calibration method with the least error rates and it is thus considered that for calibration using a metal ball or other objects, putting them in the same height as that of treatment sites before calibrating is the method that can reduce the error rates the most.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1999

Purpose : To discuss the technical aspect of interstitial brachytherapy including method of implant, insertion time of radioactive source, total radiation dose, and complication, we reviewed patients who had diagnoses of soft tissue sarcoma and were treated by conservative surgery, interstitial implant and external beam radiation therapy Materials and Methods : Between May 1995 and Dec. 1997, ten patients with primary or recurrent soft tissue sarcoma underwent surgical resection (wide margin excision) and received radiotherapy including interstitial brachytherapy. Catheters were placed with regular intervals of 1 ~l.5 cm immediately after tumor removal and covering the critical structures, such as neurovascular bundle or bone, with gelform, muscle, or tissue expander in the cases where the tumors were close to those structures. Brachytherapy consisted of high dose rate, iridium-192 implant which delivered 12~15 Gy to 1 cm distance from the center of source axis with 2~2.5 Gy/fraction, twice a day, starting on 6th day after the surgery, Within one month after the surgery, total dose of 50~55 Gy was delivered to the tumor bed with wide margin by the external beam radiotherapy. Results : All patients completed planned interstitial brachytherapy without acute side effects directly related with catheter implantation such as infection or bleeding. With median follow up duration of 25 months (range 12~41 months), no local recurrences were observed. And there was no severe form of chronic complication (RTOGIEORTC grade 3 or 4). Conclusion : The high dose rate interstitial brachytherapy is easy and safe way to minimize the radiation dose delivered to the adjacent normal tissue and to decrease radiation induced chronic morbidity such as fibrosis by reducing the total dose of external radiotherapy in the management of soft tissue sarcoma with conservative surgery.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.724-732
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• 2000

Background : In patients with severe chronic lung diseases even a small pneumothorax can result in life-threatening respiratory distress. It is important to treat the attack by chest tube drainage until the lung expands. Pneumothorax with a persistent air leak that does not resolve under prolonged tube thoracostomy suction is usually treated by open operation to excise or oversew a bulla or cluster of blebs to stop the air leak. Pleurodesis by the instillation of chemical agents is used for the patient who has persistent air leak and is not good candidate for surgical treatment. When the primary trial of pleurodesis with common agent fails, it is uncertain which agent should be used f or stopping the air leak by pleurodesis. It is well known that inappropriate drainage of hemothorax results in severe pleural adhesion and thickening. Based on this idea, some reports described a successful treatment with autologous blood instillation for pneumothorax patients with or without residual pleural space. We tried pleurodesis with autologous bood for pneumothorax with persistent air leak and then we evaluated the efficacy and safety. Methods : Fifteen patients who had persistent air leak in the pneumothorax complicated from the severe chronic lung disease were enrolled. They were not good candidates for surgical treatment and doxycycline pleurodesis failed to stop up their air leaks. We used a mixture of autologous blood and 50% dextrose for pleurodesis. Effect and complications were assessed by clinical out∞me, chest radiography and pulmonary function tests. Results : The mean duration of air leak was 18.4${\pm}$6.16 days before ABP (autologous blood and dextrose pleurodesis) and $5.2{\pm}1.68$ days after ABP. The mean severity of pain was $2.3{\pm}0.70$ for DP(doxycycline pleurodesis) and $1.7{\pm}0.59$ for ABDP (p<0.05). There was no other complication except mild fever. Pleural adhesion grade was a mean of $0.6{\pm}0.63$. The mean dyspnea scale was $1.7{\pm}0.46$ before pneumothrax and $2.0{\pm}0.59$ after ABDP (p>0.05). The mean $FEV_1$ was $1.47{\pm}1.01$ before pneumothorax and $1.44{\pm}1.00$ after ABDP (p>0.05). Except in 1 patient, 14 patients had no recurrent pneumothorax. Conclusion : Autologous blood pleurodesis (ABP) was successful for treatment of persistent air leak in the pneumothorax. It was easy and inexpensive and involved less pain than doxycycline pleurodesis. It did not cause complications and severe pleural adhesion. We report that ABP can be considered as a useful treatment for persistent air leak in the pneumothorax complicated from the severe chronic lung disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.4 s.261
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• pp.269-274
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• 2006

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAS) is complex lesion with marked heterogeneity of pulmonary blood supply and arborization anomalies. Patients with TOF with PA and MAPCAS have traditionally required multiple staged unifocalization of pulmonary blood supply before undergoing complete repair. In this report, we describe recent change of strategy and the results in our institution. Material and Method: We established surgical stratagies: early correction, central mediastinal approach, initial RV-PA conduit interposition, and aggressive intervention. Between July 1998 and August 2004, 23 patients were surgically treated at our institution. We divided them into 3 groups by initial operation method; group I: one stage total correction, group II: RV-PA conduit and unifocalization, group III: RV-PA conduit interposition only. Result: Mean ages at initial operation in each group were $13.9{\pm}16.0$ months (group 1), $10.4{\pm}15.6$ months (group II), and $7.9{\pm}7.7$ months (group III). True pulmonary arteries were not present in f patient and the pulmonary arteries were confluent in 22 patients. The balloon angioplasty was done in average 1.3 times (range: $1{\sim}6$). There were 4 early deaths relating initial operation, and 1 late death due to incracranial hemorrhage after definitive repair. The operative mortalities of initial procedures in each group were 25.0% (1/4: group I), 20.0% (2/10: group II), and 12.2% (1/9: group III). The causes of operative mortality were hypoxia (2), low cardiac output (1) and sudden cardiac arrest (1). Definitive repair rates in each group were 75% (3/4) in group I, 20% (2/10, fenestration: 2) in group II, and 55.0% (5/9, fenestration: 1) in group III. Conclusion: In patients of TOF with PA and MAPCAS, RV-PA connection as a initial procedure could be performed with relatively low risk, and high rate of definitive repair can be obtained in the help of balloon pulmonary angioplasty. One stage RV-PA connection and unifocalization appeared to be successful in selected patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.12 s.257
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• pp.873-877
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• 2005

Jeune's asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy is a rare, complex malformation with a broad spectrum of clinical expression. The degree of chest wall deformity is the most important prognostic factor and the only part which is correctable. A 11 month-old male infant was diagnosed as having Jeune's syndrome and received right side lateral thoracic expansion surgery. But because respiratory distress symptom was sustained postoperatively, we performed left side procedure 3 months after the initial operation. Respiratory distress symptom got worse after fracturing the left titanium plate which was inserted to fix the expanded thoracic wall and reimplantation was performed. The patient was discharged 6 months after the initial operation. He was readmitted and received ventilator care for respiratory failure and died 10 months after the initial operation.