• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.360-364
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• 2009

Objective : Several treatment options have proven effective for metastatic brain tumors, including surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery. Tumors with cystic components, however, are difficult to treat using a single method. We retrospectively assessed the outcome and efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for cystic brain metastases after stereotactic aspiration of cystic components to decrease the tumor volume. Methods : The study population consisted of 24 patients (13 males, 11 females; mean age, 58.3 years) with cystic metastatic brain tumors treated from January 2002 to August 2008. Non-small cell lung cancer was the most common primary origin. After Leksell stereotactic frame was positioned on each patient, magnetic resonance images (MRI)-guided stereotactic cyst aspiration and GKRS were performed (mean prescription dose : 20.2 Gy). After treatment, patients were evaluated by MRI every 3 or 4 months. Results : After treatment, 13 patients (54.2%) demonstrated tumor control, 5 patients (20.8%) showed local tumor progression, and 6 patients (25.0%) showed remote progression. Mean follow-up duration was 13.1 months. During this period, 10 patients (41.7%) died, but only 1 patient (4.2%) died from brain metastases. The overall median survival after these procedures was 17.8 months. Conclusion : These results support the usefulness of GKRS after stereotactic cyst aspiration in patients with large cystic brain metastases. This method is especially effective for the patients whose general condition is very poor for general anesthesia and those with metastatic brain tumors located in eloquent areas.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.24-24
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• 2003

Purpose： It is known that diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) is helpful in the evaluation of malignancy grading in brain tumor. This study was to evaluate the DWls with different b-values of various brain tumors in order to determine optimal b-values on 3T MR unit. Method： On a 3T MR unit, DWls with b-values of 1, 000, 3, 000 and 5, 000 s/mm2 were obtained in 20 patients of pathologically-proven brain tumors (7 metastases, 4 high grade gliomas, 2 Iymphomas, 2 low grade gliomas, 2 germinomas, and one each of germinoma, meningioma, hemangioblastoma and central neurocytoma. The overall image quality, contrast between normal brain parenchyma and tumor and signal intensities of solid and cystic components were comparatively evaluated among DWls with different b-values by visual inspection.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.232-234
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• 1999

Distant metastases of head and neck cancer have become an increasingly common cause of death as local and regional control has improved. The most frequent metastatic sites of head and neck cancer are the lung, liver, bone and kidney; but metastases to the gastrointestinal tract, brain and heart have also been reported. We report a recent case of a 37-year-old male patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil who had undergone composite operation with left radical neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy. The patient presented three years later, cachexic and complaining of severe deep seated headache. Radiologic evaluation revealed a cystic mass with peripheral enhancement in left temporal lobe that was proven to be metastatic cancer by burrhole exploration. However, in spite of various modalities, the patient expired.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.174-177
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• 2005

Skin metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. Due to similar histopathologic features, it is difficult to differentiate skin metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma and some primary skin neoplasms without a clinical history. However, most of metastatic skin lesions showed a strong reactivity to the antithyroglobulin antibodies unlike primary skin neoplasms. Metastatic skin lesions must be completely removed and radiotherapy can be added. Investigators reported that prognosis of skin metastases from thyroid carcinoma is dismal and the average survival after it's diagnosis was only 19 months because distant metastases were often discovered at diagnosis of skin metastasis or during follow-up period. We report a case of skin metastasis from tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. In our case, the anti thyroglobulin antibodies measured from cystic fluid from a skin lesion was more than 2000 IU/ml. Skin metastasis was diagnosed at 20 months after primary surgery for thyroid cancer and brain metastasis at 12 months after diagnosis of skin metastasis. Although skin metastasis is an ominous prognostic indicator in patients with thyroid carcinoma, a radical treatment for skin lesions and early diagnosis of distant metastasis could provide a chance to the patients to improve their survival.