• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1991

An anatomic radiolucency called medial sigmoid depression can be observed on a number of panoramic and mandibular oblique lateral views in the ramus just below and anterior to the mandibular sigmoid notch. The radiolucency may be unilateral or bilateral. Seventy-eight mandibles of dry skulls were visually examined and radiographed by panoramic machine. The observable incidence, the location center, and the mean size of the medial sigmoid depression were studied. Additionally, the radiographic incidence of the depression was determined using 500 panoramic radiographs. Normal anatomic radiolucent areas in the jaws are encountered often in the radiographs taken for the usual dental practice purpose. Some of these radiolucencies can be misdiagnosed as pathologic entities. But in most cases, the size, location, and appearance of the radiolucent area, and the presence or absence of symptoms can lead one to the correct diagnosis before surgery is undertaken. And this can be secured if diagnosticians are aware of the common and varied appearances of the normal anatomic radiolucencies A depression in the ramus just below and slightly anterior to the most inferior aspect of mandibular sigmoid notch shows occasionally foramen-like or notch-like radiolucency on some panoramic and oblique lateral views. This radiolucency was named medial sigmoid depression by Langlais et a1. in 1983. Since there're no reports about this medial sigmoid depression after that, (The author retrieved the Mediline from 1983 to 1990: Cambridge scientific abstracts, (7200 Wisconsin Ave Bethesda MD 20814 U.S.A.) National Library of Medicine) the author studied the size and the location of the depression of the mandible specimens, and determined the relationship between the observable anatomic incidence and its reproducibility on the radiographs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2001

Cryoglobulinemia is the presence of globulins in the serum that precipitate on exposure to cold temperatures(cryoglobulins). Pulmonary complications of cryoglobulinemia include interstial infiltration, impaired gas exchange, small airway disease and pleurisy. Only one other acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) case has been described in patients with cryoglobulinemia. A 55-years old man was admitted with dyspnea. He had been diagnosed as being a hepatitis B virus antigen carrier 15 years ago. On the first admission, chest radiography showed a bilateral pleural effusion and a patchy infiltration on both lungs. On protein- and immuno-electrophoresis, cryoglobulinemia was confirmed. The patient was treated with corticosteroid and plasmapheresis. Forty-five days after the diagnosis, the patient complained of progressive dyspnea and showed a diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltration on chest radiography. Despite intensive care with mechanical ventilation, the patient died as consequence of hypoxemia and multiple systemic organ failure. On a pathologic examination of the postmortem lung biopsy, multiple necrotizing vasculitis and increased infiltration of the lymphocytes and monocytes were observed. In conclusion, ARDS developed as a result of pulmonary hemorrhage due to cryoglobulinemia-associated vasculitis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.278-283
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• 2004

The incidence of a pulmonary leiomyosarcoma as a primary lung tumor is quite rare. We report a case of primary leiomyosarcoma with a cardiac invasion in a 76 year old man. He was admitted due to left anterior chest wall pain for one month. Chest computed tomography showed a $9{\times}8{\times}10cm$ sized, large round mass in the left upper and lower lobes, and an amorphous low density lesion within the left atrium. Chest magnetic resonance imaging showed a large round mass in the left upper and lower lobes with growth into the left atrium. A diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma with prominent osteoclast-like giant cells was made based on the microscopic and immunohistochemical findings of a permanent specimen by explothoracotomy. The pathologic features of the tumor showed round mononuclear hyperchromatic cells and multinucleated giant cells that resembled osteoclasts. The immunohistochemical staining showed that the giant cells are positive for CD68 but negative for the muscle markers while the round cells were positive for the muscle marker. The patient refused further treatment and died after two months.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.273-277
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• 2004

Methotrexate is commonly used in rheumatoid arthritis as an anti-inflammatory agent, but treatment with methotrexate can lead to severe side effects, especially pulmonary complication. Interstitial pneumonitis is one of the most important pulmonary adverse effects of methotrexate and most patient present with a subacute febrile illness and peripheral eosinophilia is seen in about a half of patients. Almost all patients have abnormal chest roentgenograms and bibasilar interstitial infiltration with alveolar pulmonary consolidations is the most characteristic finding. Interstitial inflammation with mononuclear cell infiltration is a characteristic pathologic feature and findings that suggest acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis, such as bronchiolitis, granuloma formation with giant cells, and infiltration with eosinophils are often present. Methotrexate-induced pneumonitis is a potentially life threatening and unpredictable complication but it is difficult to make a definite diagnosis in the absence of high index of clinical suspicion. Early recognition and appropriate management may avoid the serious outcome. Herein we report a case of methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 1976

The diagnosis of iron deficiency rests upon the correct evaluation of body iron stores. Morphological interpretation of blood film and the red cell indices are not reliable and often absent in mild iron deficiency. Serum iron levels and iron-binding capacity are more sensitive indices of iron deficiency, but they are often normal in iron depletion and mild iron deficiency anemia. They are also subject to many variables which may introduce substantial errors and influenced by many pathologic and physiologic states. Examination of the bone marrow aspirate for stainable iron has been regarded as one of the most sensitive and reliable diagnostic method for detecting iron deficiency, but this also has limitations. Thus, there is still need for a more practical, but sensitive and reliable substitute as a screening test of iron deficiency. Pollack et al. (1965) observed that the intestinal absorption of cobalt was raised in iron-deficient rats and Valberg et al. (1969) found that cobalt absorption was elevated in patients with iron deficiency. A direct correlation was demonstrated between the amounts of radioiron and radiocobalt absorbed. Unlike iron, excess cobalt was excreted by the kidney, the percentage of radioactivity in the urine being directly related to the percentage absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Recently a test based on the urinary excretion of an oral dose of $^{57}Co$ has been proposed as a method for detecting iron deficiency. To assess the diagnostic value of urinary cobalt excretion test cobaltous chloride labelled with $1{\mu}Ci\;of\;^{58}Co$ was given by mouth and the percentage of the test dose excreted in the urine was measured by a gamma counter. The mean 24 hour urinary cobalt excretion in control subjects with normal iron stores was 6.1% ($1.9{\sim}15.2%$). Cobalt excretion was markedly increased in patients with iron deficiency and excreted more than 29% of the dose. In contrast, patients with anemia due to causes other than iron deficiency excreted less than 27%. Hence, 24 hour urinary cobalt excretion of 27% or less in a patient with anemia suggets that the primary cause of the anemia is not iron deficiency. A value greater than 27% in an anemic subject suggests that the anemia is caused by iron deficiency. The cobalt excretion test is a simple, sensitive and accurate method for the assessment of body iron stores. It may be particularly valuable in the epidemiological studies of iron deficiency and repeated evaluations of the body iron stores.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6493-6499
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• 2013

Background: Non-epithelial malignant ovarian tumors and clear cell carcinomas, Brenner tumors, transitional cell tumors, and carcinoid tumors of the ovary are rare ovarian tumors (ROTs). In this study, our aim was to determine the clinicopathological features of ROT patients and prognostic factors associated with survival. Materials and Methods: A total of 167 patients with ROT who underwent initial surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors that may influence the survival of patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of 167 patients, 75 (44.9%) were diagnosed with germ-cell tumors (GCT) and 68 (40.7%) with sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST); the remaining 24 had other rare ovarian histologies. Significant differences were found between ROT groups with respect to age at diagnosis, tumor localization, initial surgery type, tumor size, tumor grade, and FIGO stage. Three-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates and median PFS intervals for patients with other ROT were worse than those of patients with GCT and SCST (41.8% vs 79.6% vs 77.1% and 30.2 vs 72 vs 150 months, respectively; p=0.01). Moreover, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates and median OS times for patients with both GCT and SCST were better as compared to patients with other ROT, but these differences were not statistically significant (87.7% vs 88.8% vs 73.9% and 170 vs 122 vs 91 months, respectively; p=0.20). In the univariate analysis, tumor localization (p<0.001), FIGO stage (p<0.001), and tumor grade (p=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for PFS. For OS, the univariate analysis indicated that tumor localization (p=0.01), FIGO stage (p=0.001), and recurrence (p<0.001) were important prognostic indicators. Multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage for PFS (p=0.001, HR: 0.11) and the presence of recurrence (p=0.02, HR: 0.54) for OS were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: ROTs should be evaluated separately from epithelial ovarian cancers because of their different biological features and natural history. Due to the rarity of these tumors, determination of relevant prognostic factors as a group may help as a guide for more appropriate adjuvant or recurrent therapies for ROTs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6293-6299
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• 2013

Background: A number of clinicopathologic factors have been found to be associated with pathological lymph node metastasis (pLNM) in rectal cancer; however, most of them can only be identified by expensive high resolution imaging or obtained after surgical treatment. Just like the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores which have been widely used in clinical practice, our study was designed to assess the pre-operative factors which could be obtained easily to predict intra-operative pLNM in rectal cancer. Methods: A cohort of 469 patients who were treated at our hospital in the period from January 2003 to June 2011, and with a pathologically hospital discharge diagnosis of rectal cancer, were included. Clinical, laboratory and pathologic parameters were analyzed. A multivariate unconditional logistic regression model, areas under the curve (AUC), the Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test) and the Cox regression model were used. Results: Of the 469 patients, 231 were diagnosed with pLNM (49.3%). Four variables were associated with pLNM by multivariate logistic analysis, age<60 yr (OR=1.819; 95% CI, 1.231-2.687; P=0.003), presence of abdominal pain or discomfort (OR=1.637; 95% CI, 1.052-2.547; P=0.029), absence of allergic history (OR=1.879; 95% CI, 1.041-3.392; P=0.036), and direct $bilirubin{\geq}2.60{\mu}mol/L$ (OR=1.540; 95% CI, 1.054-2.250; P=0.026). The combination of all 4 variables had the highest sensitivity (98.7%) for diagnostic performance. In addition, age<60 yr and direct $bilirubin{\geq}2.60{\mu}mol/L$ were found to be associated with prognosis. Conclusion: Age, abdominal pain or discomfort, allergic history and direct bilirubin were associated with pLNM, which may be helpful for preoperative selection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 1988

Fifty patients with residual, unresectable or recurrent rectal cancer were treated with external irradiation using a 6-MV linear accelerator at the Division of Therapeutic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College during the period of April 1983 to December 1987. This paper describes the results of a retrospective analysis of the results of external irradiation for the residual, unresectable and recurrent rectal cancer in 46 patients. Four patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 46 patients, $18 (39\%)$ presented with unresectable primary lesions and $28 (61\%)$ with residual or recurrent rectal cancer. In $93\%$, the pathologic diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Resonse to irradiation was observed in $22 (73\%)$ out of 30 patients who were treated for pain, $12 (86\%)$ out of 14 patients who were treated for mass, and $17 (77\%)$ out of 22 patients who were treated for bloody discharge. The actuarial postoperative 2-year and 3-year survival rates in recurrent and unresectable patients were $43\%$ and $22\%$, respectively. However, the post-RT 2-year survival rate was $13\% (6/46)$.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2009

There are several respiratory diseases that show chronic granulomatous inflammation for the histologic finding. Among them, sarcoidosis and tuberculosis are not easy to differentiate when the clinical and radiological features present similar patterns. The increasing incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease is making it more difficult for clinicians to arrive at a proper diagnosis. A 69 year old male patient visited our hospital with chronic cough as his chief compliant. His radiologic findings were multiple enlarged mediastinal lymphadenpathies with innumerable micronodules and multiple patch infiltrations. The spleen biopsy finding showed chronic granulomatous inflammation, and Mycobacterium avium was identified on the bronchoscopic culture. Because of these findings, we treated him with drugs for nontuberculous mycobacteria disease other than sarcoidosis. However, during the treatment, his symptoms and radiological features became aggravated. Thus, we reviewed the radiologic and pathologic findings and decided to treat him with steroid, which relieved his symptoms and improved the radiologic findings. We report here on a case of sarcoidosis that was initially misdiagnosed as nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2016

The progressive attrition of teeth is a normal process by aging. However, excessive tooth wear with decreased vertical dimension of occlusion and collapse of occlusal plane may cause pathologic pulpal condition, occlusal disharmony, functional disorders and esthetic problems. The change of vertical dimension is required in case that there is no sufficient clearance for restoration or in case that the occlusal relationship is modified. For gaining the vertical dimension, a careful diagnosis is essential prior to starting the restoration treatment. After evaluating adaptation of neuromuscular system of patient during provisional phase, the final restorations can be fabricated. In this case, a 78 year old male with severely worn down dentition was treated. To improve the esthetic appearance and to achieve the ideal occlusal relationship, the full mouth rehabilitation with minimal increase of vertical dimension is planned and diagnostic wax-up was performed at the increased vertical dimension. After evaluation of provisional restorations for 12 weeks, final restorations were fabricated and routine clinical assessments were made. After 1 year, the restorations with newly established occlusal scheme are well maintained without significant complications and esthetically and functionally satisfactory results were obtained.