• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.899-903
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• 2000

Objective : Object : A 7-year retrospective clinical and MRI study was reviewed to evaluate the characteristics of pineal cyst. We evaluated results of clinical and radiologic change of pineal cyst during follow up period. Patients and Methods : From 1992 to 1999, 50 patients with pineal cyst were visited for evaluation. Follow up clinical information was obtained from patients or clinical record through phone conversation. also radiologic findi-ngs of pineal cyst in mid-sagittal MRI were reviewed in detail. Results : Pineal cysts were usually asymptomatic and detected incidentally during evaluation of other diseases. Sagittal MRI is the most useful diagnostic test. The radiologic findings of pineal cyst were isointensity on T1WI comared to CSF and slightly high signal intensity on T2WI. Cyst wall was variably enhanced on Gad-enhanced T1WI. The average size of cyst was $13.9{\times}13.0mm$. The pineal cyst was classified into five groups according to previous report. Long term behavior of these lesions are not apparent, but in our study they showed no specific changes in clinical and radiological aspects during 25 months. Conclusion : Although long-term follow up results are needed, the pineal cyst are considered as normal variants. In our 25 months follow up results, there was no rapid change of cyst both clinically and radiologically. Therefore, frequent radiologic evaluation seems unnecessary except type III pineal cyst.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.891-898
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• 2000

Objective : It is difficult to differentiate intramedullary spinal cord tumors preoperatively from non-neoplastic pathologies in patients presenting as non-compressive myelopathies in magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). In this report, the authors reviewed nonneoplastic intramedullary spinal cord lesions preoperatively diagnosed as tumors and discussed their clinical and radiological characteristics and usefulness of surgical intervention. Methods : From January, 1985 to January, 1999, authors experienced eight non-neoplastic pathologies mimicking intramedullary spinal cord tumors and analysed their medical records, radiological findings and histopathological specimens retrospectively. Results : There were five males and three females and the duration of symptoms were from two to 20 months(mean, 9.8 months). The location of lesions were four cervical, one cervicothoracic and three thoracic. All patients manifested sensory abnormality, seven motor weakness, and six bladder symptom. All cases had swollen spinal cords and increased signal intensities in spin-echo sequences. Six cases showed contrast enhancement : four cases were focal and two diffuse. Under the impression of intramedullary tumors, the patients were operated upon. Final diagnoses on the base of clinical and pathologic finding were : three subacute necrotizing myelopathies, two multiple scleroses, two myelopathy of unknown etiology. One case showed no gross abnormality in surgical field in spite of adequate exposure of the lesion, so biopsy was not performed. In that case, postoperative MRI revealed spontaneous resolution of the lesion. Conclusion : MRI is invaluable diagnostic tool in screening myelopathies. However, its high sensitivity and lack of specificity make difficulty in preoperative differential diagnosis of non-compressive myelopathies. Although no surgical morbidity occurred in our series, we sometimes failed to confirm definite diagnosis even with biopsy. In such a circumstance, long-term follow up is needed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.417-419
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• 2012

Tumors of the central nervous system are common in the pediatric population and constitute the second most prevalent tumor type in children. Within this group, spinal cord tumors are relatively rare and account for 1 to 10% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors. We describe a very rare case of an intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumor with a subcutaneous mass and discuss its clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and treatment. A male infant was delivered normally, with uneventful development. At 16 days post-delivery, his family took him to a pediatrician because of a mass on his upper back. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine revealed a well-demarcated soft-tissue mass with central cystic change or necrosis at the subcutaneous layer of the posterior back (T2-7 level). Another mass was found with a fat component at the spinal canal of the T1-3 level, which was intradural extramedullary space. After six weeks, the spinal cord tumor and subcutaneous mass were grossly total resected; pathologic findings indicated an atypical myxoid spindle cell neoplasm, possibly nerve sheath in type. The final diagnosis of the mass was an atypical myxoid spindle cell neoplasm. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after nine days without any neurological deficit. We report a rare case of an intradural extramedullary spinal tumor with subcutaneous mass in a neonate. It is necessary to monitor the patient's status by examining consecutive radiologic images, and the symptoms and neurological changes should be observed strictly during long-term follow-up.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2013

Objective : The authors reviewed their experiences of combined surgery (open door laminoplasty with unilateral screw fixation) for unstable multi-level cervical stenosis, to clarify the situation regarding the surgical approach most appropriate for the treatment of diffuse unstable multi-level cervical stenosis. Methods : From January 2011 to January 2012, combined surgery was performed for unstable multi-level cervical stenosis by one surgeon at our institution. The subjects of this study were 6 men of mean age 53.7 years (range, 48-71) with a mean follow-up of 9.3 (range, 3-14) months. All imaging studies showed severe multi-level cervical stenosis with spinal cord signal change, and instability or kyphotic deformity. A retrospective review of clinical, radiological, and surgical data was conducted. Results : Average laminoplasty level was 4.8 and the average screw fixation level was 5.0. Japanese Orthopedic Association score improved from an average of 5.2 to 11.2 points. According to Nurick's grades and Odom's criteria, symptom improvement was statistically significant. On the other hand, Cobb's angle changes were not significant. Average operation time was 5.86 hours with an average blood loss of 460 mL. No significant surgical complication was encountered. Conclusion : Despite the small cohort and the short follow-up duration, the present study demonstrates that laminoplasty with unilateral screw fixation is a safe and effective treatment for unstable multi-level cervical stenosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.453-460
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• 2013

Objective : There is a rich literature confirming the default mode network found compatible with task-induced deactivation regions in normal subjects, but few investigations of alterations of the motor deactivation in patients with intracranial lesions. Therefore, we hypothesized that an intracranial lesion results in abnormal changes in a task-induced deactivation region compared with default mode network, and these changes are associated with specific attributes of allocated regions. Methods : Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a motor task were obtained from 27 intracranial lesion patients (mean age, 57.3 years; range 15-78 years) who had various kinds of brain tumors. The BOLD fMRI data for each patient were evaluated to obtain activation or deactivation regions. The distinctive deactivation regions from intracranial lesion patients were evaluated by comparing to the literature reports. Results : There were additive deactivated regions according to intracranial lesions : fusiform gyrus in cavernous hemangioma; lateral occipital gyrus in meningioma; crus cerebri in hemangiopericytoma; globus pallidus, lateral occipital gyrus, caudate nucleus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, claustrum, substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus in GBM; fusiform gyrus in metastatic brain tumors. Conclusion : There is increasing interest in human brain function using fMRI. The authors report the brain function migrations and changes that occur in patients with intracranial lesions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.11
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• pp.496-499
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• 2014

Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neurological disorder characterized by mental confusion, oculomotor dysfunction, and ataxia. It has been reported in individuals with alcohol dependence, hyperemesis gravidarum, and prolonged parenteral nutrition without vitamin supplementation. Here we present the case of a 13-year-old male patient with neuroblastoma and a history of poor oral intake and nausea for 3 months. After admission, he showed gait disturbances, nystagmus, and excessive dizziness; his mental state, however, indicated he was alert, which did not fit the classical triad of Wernicke's encephalopathy. A diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy was made only after brain magnetic resonance imaging and serum thiamine level analyses were performed. The patient's symptoms remained after 5 days of treatment with 100-mg thiamine once daily; thus, we increased the dosage to 500 mg 3 times daily, 1,500 mg per day. His symptoms then improved after 20 days of replacement therapy. This case report describes a pediatric patient who was promptly diagnosed with Wernicke's encephalopathy, despite only 2 suspicious symptoms, and who completely recovered after high doses of thiamine were given intravenously.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.170-175
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• 2011

Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma and a slow growing benign tumor associated with degeneration that may be diagnosed as a malignant tumor, because it presents with a large size and an inhomogeneous signal intensity. The main differential diagnosis of plexiform soft tissue tumor includes plexiform neurofibroma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). In this case, we describe the MRI findings in a case of ancient schwannoma involving left thigh of a 63-year-old woman mimicking a plexiform MPNST. The tumor appeared as an inhomogeneous signal intensity and multinodular appearance, causing misdiagnosis as a plexiform MPNST.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.211-228
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• 2013

Objectives : This report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of Collaborative Practice between Korean Traditional Medicine and Western Medicine for two dementia patients. Furthermore, through these cases, we suggest a model of collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine for the treatment of dementia. Methods : Two patients suffering from several symptoms related to dementia received collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine. Physicians of deparment which paient first visit interviewed patient and patient's guardians, discussed the symptoms and the status of the patient. Since then, the medical team made a differential diagnosis based on the results of brain imaging, hematology, urine test. and apprehended the status of dementia by the neuropsychological test. Korean traditional physicians examined the physical symptoms and identified the pattern of dementia in Korean traditional medicine. Following this, they decided on the method of acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping and herbal treatment. Western physicians decided on the type of medication after consideration of the patient's other medical conditions. Every intervention was decided by both Korean traditional physicians and western physicians after discussion. The medical team provided education on dementia and counseled the guardians. They also wrote the paper for using the long-term care insurance for the aged. Results : Two patients showed no improvement on the neuropsychologic and activity of daily living tests. However, the patients' subjective physical symptoms were improved. The collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine improved the patients' and guardians' satisfaction. Conclusions : Through these cases, we propose a model of collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine for dementia categorized diagnosis-test, treatment, prevention, management. More specifically, we supplement qigong and psychotherapy which was inadequate in these cases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.793-797
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• 2007

A communicating bronchopulmonary foregut malformation (CBPFM) is a rare congenital anomaly that is characterized by a fistula between isolated respiratory tissue and the esophagus or stomach, The presence of accessory lung tissue arising from the primitive gastrointestinal tube is a common factor in the development of all forms of bronchopulmonary foregut malformations. Recurrent pneumonia associated with cystic radiographic structures is a characteristic of the condition. Further imaging studies using esophagogram, bronchography, computerized tomography, MRI, and arteriography can help in making a diagnostic evaluation. The treatment is a surgical resection of the involved lung tissue, and fistula closure with a good prognosis. We encountered a case of CBPFM, who presented with an extralobar pulmonary sequestration and bronchogenic cyst communicating with a tubular esophageal duplication that was associated with a complete left pericardial defect.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.667-670
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• 2008

Occult bronchial foreign bodies are rare in adults, whereas tracheobronchial aspiration of foreign bodies occurs commonly in children. Treatment guidelines, according to the severity of the bronchial or lung parenchymal damage and the duration of foreign body retention, have not been established. A 40-year-old man with chronic cough, sputum production, and fever was transferred for treatment of right middle and lower lobe collapse and obstructive pneumonitis as evidenced by imaging studies. He had aspirated the cap of a felt-tipped pen 30 years before presentation, which was unrevealed until his medical history was carefully reviewed during this episode. The patient was treated with right middle-lower bilobectomy because fiberoptic bronchoscopic removal of the foreign body failed. This case added important information to our body of knowledge concerning the various clinical features of occult bronchial foreign bodies.