• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.188-192
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• 2005

A 47-year-old female was admitted for an evaluation of a left mediastinal mass. The chest X-ray performed 16 months ago was normal, but the chest X-ray upon admission showed a large mass adjacent to the anterior aspect of the left hemidiaphragm. The CT scan demonstrated a large mass with a fat density in the left lower hemithorax. A focal diaphragmatic defect behind the xiphoid process was suspected. A thoracoscopic examination revealed omental herniation through the diaphragmatic defect. Therefore, a left thoracotomy was performed and the defect was repaired. We believe that a differential diagnosis should be needed to include a diaphragmatic omental hernia when a fat density mass is observed in the mediastinum.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2006

Endobronchial leiomyoma is a rare tumor that accounts for less than 2% of pulmonary benign tumors. A 32 year-old woman was admitted with fever, cough and sputum for a month. She had suffered from intermittent cough over three years. The chest X-ray and chest CT(computed tomography) showed a nodular lesion obstructing the proximal portion of the left lower lobar bronchus and atelectasis of the left lower lobe. Flexible Bronchoscopy detected a mass obstructing the distal portion of the left main bronchus and endobronchial biopsy showed benign smooth muscle cells. There was no abnormal finding in the uterine examination. Therefore this case was diagnosed as primary endobronchial leiomyoma. The lobectomy was performed due to intractable pneumonia and secondary parenchymal destruction. Postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged in good health.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 2008

A sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disorder that has a predilection for pulmonary involvement, and the common radiological findings for the disease are bilateral nodular or reticulonodular patterns. Pseudoalveolar sarcoidosis is a rare presentation of sarcoidosis. The radiological finding is an alveolar pattern that involves or compresses the alveoli by clustered interstitial granuloma. A 58-year-old man was admitted due to incidental findings of a unilateral consolidative lesion as seen on chest radiography. A chest computed tomography (CT) examination showed multiple bronchoalveolar consolidations that were suspicious of a malignancy. However, a percutaneous needle biopsy revealed non-caseating granuloma with an asteroid body that was compatible with sarcoidosis. After one month, the consolidative lesions improved without any treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2008

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease that primarily affects the lung and lymphatic system of the body. Since Brincker first noted a statistically significant increase of malignant tumors among sarcoidosis patients, there have been several reports on simultaneously developed sarcoidosis and malignancy. A 30-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of multiple enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes. The patient had been well until approximately 10 days before admission, when he developed a cough. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) of the chest that were performed at the outpatient department revealed multiple enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes. Cervical lymph node biopsy revealed both non-caseating granuloma and metastatic papillary carcinoma, whereas the mediastinal lymph node showed only non-caseating granuloma. The thyroid gland surgical specimen showed papillary carcinoma. We report here on a case of a 30-year-old man who had sarcoidosis and thyroid cancer, and we include a review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.10 s.255
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• pp.721-724
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• 2005

Aortocaval fistula is a rare complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm, involving less than $1\%$ of all abdominal aortic aneurysms. A 64-years old man with a long history of hypertension and abdominal aortic aneurysm had chest pain, dyspnea, epigastric discomfort and palpable abdominal pulsating mass. Physical examination revealed hypo­tension with a systolic blood pressure of 70 mmHg, a large pulsatile mass and a systolic abdominal bruit. Laboratory data revealed a hemoglobin values of 11.0 g/dL, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) value of 5 mg/dL, and creatine value of $2.5 mg\%$. Abdominal Angio CT showed a 10cm infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with dilatation of the IVC and aortocaval fistula from the aortic aneurysm, which was confirmed at emergency surgery. When the aneurysm was opened and the thrombus was removed, a 1 cm communication was identified between the aorta and IVC. This was controlled with Foley catheters ballooning, and the fistula was closed by continuous suture placed outside the aneurysm. A bifurcated aorto-iliac graft was used to restore arterial continuity. The patient was discharged home after uncomplicated postoperative course.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.247-257
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• 1992

Bronchial adenoma, firstly described by Muller[1882] had been reported on the subject stressed their benign nature prior to 1940`s, but these tumors including carcinoid tumor, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, pleomorphic adenoma are now known to possess the various degree of malignant natures from benign course, low grade malignant potential to distant lymphatic or hematogenous metastasis or combination. Although histologically diffeerent, four varieties except carcinoid tumor which is a spectrum of neu-roendocrine tumor originating Kulchitsky cell of the bronchial epithelium and form the part of the APUD tumor spectrum, are morphologically and in many respects clinically similar to the corresponding tumor of the salivary gland is a specific varient of adenocarcinoma that occurs most commonly in the major and minor salivary gland and less frequently tra-cheobronchial tree, esophagus etc. To better understand the clinical characteristics and assess more precisely the malignat nature of bronchial adenoma, we studied 17 cases of bronchial adenoma, which had been experienced at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery of Catholic University Medical College from April 1977 to september 1991. Seventeen cases of bronchial adenoma consist of 2 carcinoid tumors, 6 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 8 mucoepidermoid carcinomas and one pleomorphic adenoma. There is a slight predominace of male patients[10/17] and the age of pt studied varied with a higher incidence occurring between the ages of 40 years and 60 years[mean age, 46.5 years]; the youngest being 15 years and oldest 69 years. Their leading complaints were hemoptysis[4], exertional dyspnea[8], fever & chilness [4], and symptoms mimicking the bronchial asthma[4]. Diagnosis was aided by the radiologic studies such as chest X-ray, polytomography, CT scan, brochography and bronchoscopy. The preferred locations of fumor were in the trachea[4], main stem bronchus[3], bronchus intermedius[3], bronchus of RUL[2], LUL[1], RLL[1], LLL[3] with no peripheral location. Modalities of treatments were single or combination of surgical resection, radiation therapy, chemotherapy. Complete resections were permitted in 12 cases with late recurrences of 4 cases ranging from 6 months to 10 years: pneumonectomy[4], lobectomy[4], bil-obectomy[2], sleeve resection[2]. Gross findings of resected specimens in 14 cases showed that 4 cases were polyp-like pedunculated mass[entirely intraluminal mass] with intact mucosa, 8 cases were broad-bas-ed sessile mass[predominatly intraluminal] and the main portions were located below the mucosa similar to tip of iceburg[predominantly extraluminal] in 2 cases. Follow-up information was availble in all 17 cases ; eight were alive without evidence of disese ranging from 1 month to 13 years. But seven cases died of the causes related to tumor[6 cases within 12 months, one case 10 years after pneumonectomy]. We concluded that 8 cases[47%] of 17 cases were metastasizing bronchial adenoma and precise survival rate cannot be answered by the scanty materials available for study.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.649-656
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• 2020

Objective : Unclear mental state is one of the major factors contributing to diagnostic failure of occult skeletal trauma in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the overlooked co-occurring skeletal trauma through whole body bone scan (WBBS) in TBI. Methods : A retrospective study of 547 TBI patients admitted between 2015 and 2017 was performed to investigate their cooccurring skeletal injuries detected by WBBS. The patients were divided into three groups based on the timing of suspecting skeletal trauma confirmed : 1) before WBBS (pre-WBBS); 2) after the routine WBBS (post-WBBS) with good mental state and no initial musculoskeletal complaints; and 3) after the routine WBBS with poor mental state (poor MS). The skeletal trauma detected by WBBS was classified into six skeletal categories : spine, upper and lower extremities, pelvis, chest wall, and clavicles. The skeletal injuries identified by WBBS were confirmed to be simple contusion or fractures by other imaging modalities such as X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scans. Of the six categorizations of skeletal trauma detected as hot uptake lesions in WBBS, the lesions of spine, upper and lower extremities were further statistically analyzed to calculate the incidence rates of actual fractures (AF) and actual surgery (AS) cases over the total number of hot uptake lesions in WBBS. Results : Of 547 patients with TBI, 112 patients (20.4 %) were presented with TBI alone. Four hundred and thirty-five patients with TBI had co-occurring skeletal injuries confirmed by WBBS. The incidences were as follows : chest wall (27.4%), spine (22.9%), lower extremities (20.2%), upper extremities (13.5%), pelvis (9.4%), and clavicles (6.3%). It is notable that relatively larger number of positive hot uptakes were observed in the groups of post-WBBS and poor MS. The percentage of post-WBBS group over the total hot uptake lesions in upper and lower extremities, and spines were 51.0%, 43.8%, and 41.7%, respectively, while their percentages of AS were 2.73%, 1.1%, and 0%, respectively. The percentages of poor MS group in the upper and lower extremities, and spines were 10.4%, 17.4%, and 7.8%, respectively, while their percentages of AS were 26.7%, 14.2%, and 11.1%, respectively. There was a statistical difference in the percentage of AS between the groups of post-WBBS and poor MS (p=0.000). Conclusion : WBBS is a potential diagnostic tool in understanding the skeletal conditions of patients with head injuries which may be undetected during the initial assessment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.437-440
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• 2010

Cardiac mesotheliomas are rare. It is difficult to diagnose them at an early stage because the symptoms are nonspecific. Here we report two cases that had been initially diagnosed as constrictive pericarditis but later were definitively diagnosed, after pericardiectomy, as mesothelioma. The two patients complained of dyspnea that lasted 4 months and 10 years. Chest CT showed mild pericardial effusion and thickened pericardium, which was found enveloping the heart without any lumps. Median sternotomy showed that the overall pericardium was thickened by more than 10 mm. Pericardiectomy (phrenic nerve to phrenic nerve) was performed and post-operative histology confirmed malignant mesothelioma. In one patient the disease recurred near the pericardium post-operatively at 7 months and the patient died at 11 months. The other patient received chemotherapy and was still alive at post-operative month 16. Pericardial mesothelioma is an extremely rare disease exhibiting clinical signs similar to those of constrictive pericarditis, and should be diagnosed at an early stage of onset.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.802-807
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• 2000

Diffuse pulmonary nodular lesions have many causes. When they are caused by infection, the likely organisms are M. tuberculosis and various fungi. Silicosis, eosinophilic granuloma and pulmonary metastasis should be considered for differential diagnosis. Differential diagnosis needs detailed clinical history, physical examination and various laboratory tests. A case of persistent diffuse pulmonary nodular lesions which had persisted 5 years is reported. The patient was a 25 years old man with minimal pulmonary symptoms. Detailed past history and physical examination suggested thyroid tumor. Chest radiography showed numerous evenly sized well-defined nodules scattered in entire lung fields. Previous chest X-rays showed similar nodular lesions, which had lasted for 5 years. The number of nodules was slightly increased. Neck CT showed heterogenous mass in left lobe of thyroid gland and multiple lymphadenopathies along both internal jugular chains. Total thyroidectomy was performed. A case of lung metastasis which progressed slowly in papillary thyroid cancer is reported.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.331-335
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• 2007

A thymoma commonly occurs in the superior mediastinum or the upper part of the anterior mediastinum but can be located in other places in rare cases. Cystic degeneration in a thymoma is a relatively common but focal event. In rare cases, the process proceeds to the extent that most if not all of the lesion becomes cystic. We report a case of a patient with a paracardial cystic thymoma in the lower aspect of the anterior mediastinum. A 49-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of a mass discovered incidentally on a chest X-ray. She showed no symptoms or signs. Contrast-enhanced chest CT scan revealed a $5{\times}5cm$ sized, well-marginated, right paracardial cystic mass with a curvilinear and oval enhancing solid portion. A Surgical resection was performed. The mass was discontinuous with normal thymic tissue. Microscopy revealed a type B1 thymoma with prominent foci of medullary differentiation according to the WHO classification. There was no capsular or local invasion. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged in good health.