• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.94-98
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• 2010

In magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT), a current-injection MR imaging method is adopted to produce a cross-sectional image of an electrical conductivity distribution in addition to MR images. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of MREIT for differentiating the canine lung parenchyma without and with pneumonia. Three normal healthy beagles and two mixed breed dogs with pneumonia were used. After attaching electrodes around the chest, we placed the dog inside our MR scanner. We injected as much as 30 mA current in a form of short pulses into the chest region. Reconstructed conductivity images of normal canine lungs exhibit a peculiar pattern of a relatively coarse salt and pepper noise. On the contrary, conductivity images of pneumonic canine lungs show significantly enhanced contrast of the lesions while the corresponding MR images show a little bit of contrast in the middle and caudal lung parenchyma due to the accumulation of pleural fluid. This preliminary study indicates that MREIT imaging of the chest may deliver unique new diagnostic information.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.116-124
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• 1995

Eighty cases of malignant effusion were cytologically studied to elucidate the incidence of primary tumor site and cytologic characteristics of each tumor types. Eighty fluid specimens were composed of 43 ascitic, 35 pleural, and 2 pericardial effusion and primary tumor site had been confirmed by histology. The frequent primary sites were stomach(22 cases, 28%), lung(21 cases, 26%), ovary(11 cases, 14%), liver(7 cases, 9%), and breast (4 cases, 5%). The principal malignant tumors were adenocarcinoma (56 cases, 70%), squamous cell carcinoma (7 cases, 9%), liver cell carcinoma (7 cases, 9%), small cell carcinoma (4 cases, 5%), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (4 cases, 5%). The distinctive cytologic findings according to primary tumor types were as follows; the gastric adenocarcinomas were mainly characterized by isolated cells and irregular clusters sometimes with signet ring cells. Papillary serous cystadenocarcinoma of ovary showed frequently papillary clusters and occasional psammoma bodies. Breast carcinoma of ductal type showed cell balls with smooth margins. Colonic adenocarcinoma showed rather irregular clusters or palisading pattern of cylindrical cells. Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, liver cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and non-Hodgkln's lymphoma showed also characteristic features. These findings Indicate that the cytological features observed in the great majority of malignant effusion are similar to those of primary tumor types, which are very helpful to indentify the primary tumor site.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.262-266
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• 2011

A 4-year-old intact male, Maltese dog weighing 2.2 kg was presented for evaluation of tachypnea and hyperthermia. On initial evaluation, the dog was dyspneic, but alert and responsive. Muffled heart sound was noted with auscultation of the right hemithorax. The radiographic findings were consolidation of the right middle lung lobe, pleural effusion, and abdominal fluid accumulation. Thoracic computed tomography confirmed a contrast-enhancing mass within the right middle lung lobe. Surgical exploration of the thoracic cavity was performed using a right fifth intercostal thoracotomy. Examination of the right lung lobe revealed $360^{\circ}C$ torsion of the right middle lung lobe at the level of the hilus, in a clockwise direction. Lung lobectomy was performed using a thoracoabdominal stapling device with 2.5-mm vascular staples. Full-thickness intestinal biopsy by exploratory laparotomy was taken from the jejunum for histological assessment. Histopathologic examination of the full-thickness intestinal biopsy revealed distended lacteal located within the submucosa of the jejunum. Intestinal lymphangiectasia was resolved with prednisone and low fat diets. Subsequent communication with the owner revealed that the patient was in good health 6 months post-discharge.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.291-292
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• 2001

We report a case of malignant pericardial effusion originated from adenocarcinoma of the lung incidentally diagnosed by bone scintigraphy, prior to echocardiographic detection. A 76 year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the lung underwent Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy to evaluate skeletal metastasis. Anterior images of the chest of the bone scintigraphy unexpectedly showed diffuse increased activity in the region of the heart surrounded by an oval-shaped band of increased activity corresponding to the periphery of the cardiac silhouette (Fig. 1). There was no evidence of bony metastasis. Pericardial effusion was confirmed by echocardiography (Fig. 2) and malignant cells were revealed by subsequent microscopic examination of the pericardial fluid. Bone scintigraphy using Tc-99m phosphate compounds is commonly used to detect bony metastasis in cancer patients. Tc-99m phosphate compounds occasionally accumulate in extra-osseous sites, including $pleural^{1,2)},\;pericardial^{3,4)},\;and\;ascitic\;fluids^{5,6)}$. It has been reported that their accumulation in serous effusions should strongly suggest $malignancy^{1-6)}$. The exact mechanism for accumulation of Tc-99m phosphate compounds in serous effusions is unclear. Several investigators have proposed that the radiopharmaceuticals exuded directly from peripheral vessels to the serous cavity due to increased vascularity and vascular permeability, and bleeding by disruption of blood vessels due to cancerous $infiltration^{5,6)}$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.497-501
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• 2009

Background: Prolonged air leakage and pleural fluid drainage from a chest tube may delay removing the chest tube after a patient undergoes video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection and the patient is otherwise ready for discharge. We reviewed 37 outpatients patients who were being managed with a postoperative chest tube (a Panda Pneumothorax set with a Heimlich valve). Material and Method: From January 2005 to December 2007, 294 patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resections & pleurodesis. Of them, 37 patients met the criteria for outpatient chest drainage management with using a Panda Pneumothorax set with a Heimlich valve. The patients received written instructions, and they demonstrated competence with using the Panda system. The patients returned for chest tube removal after satisfactory resolution of their air leak and pleural fluid drainage. Result: The patients discharged with a Panda pneumothorax set had a longer duration of hospital stay (mean: 10.3$\pm$1.7 days, range: 11 to 17 days) as compared with the patients without a Panda pneumothorax set (mean: 6.2$\pm$1.5 days, range: 4 to 7 days). The chest tube was removed successfully from the patients with a Panda pneumothorax set at an average of 9.8$\pm$1.6 days (range: 9$\sim$18 days) after discharge. There were no major complications. Four patients experienced minor complications. Thirty six patients (97.3%) experienced uneventful and successful outpatient chest tube management. Conclusion: Successful postoperative outpatient chest tube management with using the Panda set was accomplished in 36 selected patients. This program resulted in a substantially reduced hospital cost and enhanced patient satisfaction by allowing earlier discharge.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.207-216
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• 2000

Background : The occurrence of lung complications after allogenic bone marrow transplantation(BMT) has been reported as 40-60 percent. The risk factors for lung complications are whole body irradiation, high dose chemotherapy, graft versus host disease, old age and CMV infection. The prevalence of graft versus host disease is less in Korea than in Western countries, but frequency of CMV infection is higher. Therefore, the pattern of lung complications may be different in Korea from those in Western countries. Methods : A retrospective cohort study was performed on one hundred consecutive adult patients who underwent allogenic bone marrow transplantation from December, 1993 to May, 1999 at Asan Medical Center. Lung complications were divided into two groups by the time of development, within 30days (pre-engraftment) and beyond 30 days (post-engraftment), and then subdivided into infectious and non-infectious complication. Infectious complications were defined as having the organism in blood, BAL fluid, pleural fluid or sputum, or compatible clinical findings in patients, which improved with antibiotics or an anti-fungal therapy. Result: 1) Eighty three episodes of lung complications had occurred in 54 patients. 2) Within thirty days after BMT, non-infectious complications were more common than infections, but this pattern was reversed after 30 days. After one year post-BMT, there was no infectious complication except in cases of recurrence of underlying disease or development of chronic GVHD. 3) Among the non-infectious complications, pleural effusion (27 episodes) was most common, followed by pulmonary edema (8 episodes), bronchiolitis obliterans(2 episodes), diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (1 episode) and bronchiloitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (1 episode). 4) The infectious complications were pneumonia (bacterial: 9 episodes, viral: 4 episodes, fungal : 5 episodes, pneumocystis carinii : 1 episode), pulmonary tuberculosis(3 episodes) and tuberculous pleurisy (3 episodes). 5) Lung complications were more frequent in CMV positive patients and in patients with delayed recovery of neutrophil count. 6) The mortality was higher in the patients with lung complications. Conclusion : Lung complications developed in 54% after allogenic BMT and were associated with higher mortality.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.48-51
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• 2008

Chronic expanding hematoma of the thorax is a specific subtype of the chronic empyema. It presents as a slowly expanding intrathoracic mass which result in dyspnea or recurrent hemoptysis. The symptoms develop months or years after tuberculous pleurisy, trauma or surgery. Usually, it shows three common findings: a giant mass lesion in the thorax, some surrounding calcifications, the absence of signs or symptoms of infection. We report a case of chronic expanding hematoma of the thorax, initially presenting as massive hemoptysis through bronchopleural fistula which resulted in radiologic findings of new air-fluid level within the previous pleural lesion filled with unknown materials.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2008

Alcaligenes xylosoxidans is a catalase and oxidase positive, motile, nonfermentative and gram-negative rod bacterium. A. xylosoxidans infection is a rare cause of pulmonary infection and little information concerning treatment is available. The majority of patients that develop A. xylosoxidans infection belong to a high-risk group due to an immunocompromised condition or due to pulmonary cystic fibrosis. We report two rare cases of immunocompentent patients that developed a pulmonary infection due to A. xylosoxidans. A 77-year-old man was admitted with a lung abscess. The patient denied having any prior medical illness. A culture of bronchial washing fluid showed the presence of A. xylosoxidans. Despite appropriate antibiotic treatment, the patient died from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Another patient, a 61-year-old man without an underlying disease, was admitted with empyema. Under the condition of a closed thoracostomy, a high fever persisted and the empyema was also aggravated. A. xylosoxidans was detected from a culture of pleural fluid. Susceptible antibiotic treatment was provided and surgical intervention was performed. We report these cases with a review of the literature.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2001

Teicoplanin, a glycopeptide antibiotic, has potential for use as an alternative to vancomycin in the treatment of gram-positive bacterial infections. However, unlike vancomycin, there is a lack of study on teicoplanin's efficacy and safety and the guideline for its use is not available, yet. The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the pattern of teicoplanin usage in a university hospital. A retrospective study was performed on 72 adult patients, who took teicoplanin for 3 continuous days at D. University hospital from 1 January 1999 to 30 June 2000. The microorganisms treated with teicoplanin were methicillin-resistant Staphylocorcus aureus $(69\%)$, coagulase-negative Staphylococci $(12\%)$, Enterococcus $(4\%)$, vancomycin-resistant Enterococci $(2\%)$, Streptococci $(2\%)$, and Bacillus $(1\%)$. The types of infection treated with teicoplanin were surgical wound infection $(58\%)$, lower respiratory infection $(11\%)$, bactremia $(7\%)$, urinary tract infection $(5\%)$, pleural fluid infection $(4\%)$, and peritoneal fluid infection $(2\%)$. The mean duration of teicoplanin usage was 16.5 days and teicoplanin was used with 1.4 other antibiotics, which were aminoglycosides (isepamicin, amikacin, netilmicin, astromicin) or quinolones (ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin) or the third generation cephalosporin (ceftazidime). Only 24 cases $(28.6\%)$ met with the criteria for the justification of use, and the rest of 60 cases $(71.4\%)$ did not meet the criteria. In 84 cases $(100\%)$, blood culture tests were performed prior to the initial dose of teicoplanin. In 83 cases $(99\%)$, serum creatinine were conducted before the initial doses. In 45 cases $(53.6\%)$, serum creatinine was monitored at least twice weekly. In 55 cases $(65.5\%)$, WBC was tested at least twice weekly. In 84 cases $(100\%)$, body temperature was monitored at least once per nursing shift. In 15 cases out of 56 cases, maximum temperature decreased at least 1 degree within 3 days of teicoplanin use. In 15 case out of 35 cases, WBC values were within the normal range after treatment. In 23 cases $(27.4\%)$, dosage regimen was appropriate. Drug-related adverse effects were reported in 13 cases. Nephrotoxicity (progressively increasing SCr. or sustained SCr increase of $\geq$0.5 mg/dl from baseline) was noted in five cases. Neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count <1,500 $cells/mm^3$) was noted in one case and eosinophilia (total eosinophil count >350 $cells/mm^3$) was noted in seven cases. A more strict control on use of teicoplanin is required, considering that teicoplanin is categorized as one of restricted antibiotics.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.423-426
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• 2005

Imatinib-mesylate (Gleevec, Glivec) is a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase created by the Philadelphia chromosome abnormality in CML. Imatinib is also used to treat patients with c-kit (CD 117)-positive unresectable tumors, or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or both. Imatinib is a welltolerated drug with few side effects. However, it has been associated with gastrointestinal irritation, fluid retention and edema, skin rashes, depigmentation, hepatotoxicity, hemorrhage, and hematological toxicity (anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia). In addition, imatinib has been associated with dyspnea and cough, which are mainly secondary to the pleural effusion and pulmonary edema, which represent local or general fluid retention. These events appear to be dose related and are more common encountered in the elderly. However, there has been no report of hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with imatinib-mesylate in Korea. We report a case of 51-year old woman who developed hypersensitivity pneumonitis that might have been induced by imatinib-mesylate during the treatment of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.