MRI of groove pancreatitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to describe the findings on MRI in patients with groove pancreatitis, a specific form of chronic pancreatitis affecting the groove between the pancreatic head, the duodenum, and the common bile duct.

Method: MR images, including MR cholangiopancreatography, of five patients with groove pancreatitis were reviewed. Three patients underwent pancreatoduodenectomy due to serve duodenal stenosis, and the MR findings were compared to the histologic findings.

The cytoplasmic domain of CD8 beta regulates Lck kinase activation and CD8 T cell development.

Previous studies have shown that CD8 beta plays a role in both enhancing CD8 alpha-associated Lck kinase activity and promoting the development of CD8-lineage T cells. To examine the role of this enhancement in the maturation of CD8-lineage cells, we assessed CD8 alpha-associated Lck kinase activity in both T cell hybridomas and thymocytes of mice expressing CD8 beta mutations known to impair CD8 T cell development. Lack of CD8 beta expression or expression of a cytoplasmic domain-deleted CD8 beta resulted in a severalfold reduction in CD8 alpha-associated Lck kinase activity compared with that observed with cells expressing wild-type CD8 beta chain.

Herpes simplex virus hepatitis in macrophage-depleted mice: the role of massive, apoptotic cell death in pathogenesis.

Infection with herpes simplex virus or hepatitis viruses can lead to fulminant hepatitis, but there is controversy about the underlying conditions needed for such disease. To investigate how the impairment of host defences might be involved, macrophages were depleted by administration of silica to mice before intravenous injection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Such mice died rapidly and their livers were yellowish and shrunken (acute yellow atrophy), and occasionally grossly haemorrhagic.

Autoimmune pancreatitis: CT and MR characteristics.

Objective: Our goal was to elucidate the CT and MR imaging characteristics in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, which is a reversible chronic pancreatitis with an autoimmune cause.

Conclusion: On CT and MR imaging, a capsulelike rim, which is thought to correspond to an inflammatory process involving peripancreatic tissues, appears to be a characteristic finding of autoimmune pancreatitis. Also, diffuse pancreatic enlargement along with hypointensity on T1-weighted MR images and delayed enhancement on dynamic CT and MR studies are other features of this disorder.

Uterine lipoleiomyoma: MRI appearances.

A case of uterine lipoleiomyoma demonstrated on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is described and usefulness of MRI is discussed in diagnosing this entity.

Optimal MR cholangiopancreatographic sequence and its clinical application.

Purpose: To determine the appropriate acquisition parameters for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with a half-Fourier rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequence; to determine the optimal MRCP technique by comparing half-Fourier RARE, steady-state free precession (SSFP) two-dimensional (2D) fast spin-echo (SE), and three-dimensional (3D) fast SE sequences; and to clarify the usefulness and limitations of MRCP in diagnosing pancreatic abnormalities.

Materials And Methods: Half-Fourier RARE MRCP images with varying parameters were compared by using a phantom. Duct conspicuity and contrast-to-noise ratios (C/Ns) were compared for the four MRCP techniques in a phantom and healthy volunteers.

[A case report of coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis].

We reported a case of ankylosing spondylitis who successfully underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for unstable angina pectoris. A 67-year-old man was admitted with symptom of anginal pain. Selective coronary angiography revealed coronary artery stenoses; 90% in seg 6, 90% in seg 11, proximal 75%, distal 90% in seg 3, 99% in 4 PD and 99% with delay in 4 AV.

[Early HCC and adenomatous hyperplasia: evaluation of arterial and portal blood flow with CTA, CTAP, and pathologic correlation].

In order to analyze the hemodynamic properties of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adenomatous hyperplasia (AH), three lesions (two HCCs, one AH) depicted as hypoattenuating at CTA and iso attenuating at CTAP were correlated with the histopathological findings. The number of normal hepatic arteries in the tumor was lower than in the liver. Degeneration and narrowing of the lumens were also seen microscopically.

[A case report of emergency mitral valve replacement for infective endocarditis in pregnancy].

Infective endocarditis is extremely rare in early pregnancy. We report an emergency mitral valve replacement performed successfully on a 16 week pregnant woman for infective endocarditis without preexisting heart disease. On admission, the patient was in acute heart failure, and the fetus had been already dead.

Factors affecting hypertrophic scar development in median sternotomy incisions for congenital cardiac surgery.

Background: Even after successful operations on children, unattractive postoperative scars are often distressing to patients and their parents. There are no reports about the factors affecting keloid or hypertrophic scar (HS) development after congenital cardiac surgery.

Study Design: Postoperative scars were studied in 75 patients 3 months after congenital cardiac surgery by median skin incision.

[Transverse submammary skin incision for congenital cardiac surgery].

Submammary skin incision has been accepted as cosmetic approach for open heart surgery. During November 1990 to February 1995, 39 ASD patients under 15 years old were operated with either median or submammary skin incision in Okayama University Medical School. For these patients, retrospective study was carried out to determine whether submammary skin incision made surgical procedure complex and whether patients were satisfied with the scar by submammary skin incision.

Anatomy and clinical importance of cholecystic venous drainage: helical CT observations during injection of contrast medium into the cholecystic artery.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to use helical CT to elucidate the anatomy and clinical importance of cholecystic venous drainage.

Subjects And Methods: We performed helical CT of the upper abdomen during injection of contrast medium through a superselectively catheterized cholecystic artery (cholecystic artery CT) in 28 patients, all of whom were surgical candidates for suspected hepatobiliary abnormality. In nine of these patients, CT during arterial portography (CTAP) was also performed.

Dynamic MRI of the gallbladder lesions: differentiation of benign from malignant.

Forty-nine pathologically proven gallbladder lesions were evaluated in 45 patients using dynamic MRI with a spoiled gradient pulse sequence (SPGR), to access the ability of this technique to differentiate benign from malignant gallbladder lesions. The studies were reviewed retrospectively. Signal intensity of the lesions were measured.

Comparison of helical CT and MR imaging in detecting and staging small pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: To compare the value of helical computed tomography (CT) and various pulse sequences of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection and staging of small pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Small pancreatic adenocarcinomas (< or = 2 cm in diameter) in eight patients were evaluated with both helical CT and MR imaging. Five MR imaging pulse sequences that included fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and dynamic study using fast multiplanar spoiled gradient-recalled technique were compared for the tumor detectability.

Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy by retrograde transcaval coil embolization of an ileal vein-to-right gonadal vein portosystemic shunt.

A 43-year-old non-cirrhotic woman suffered from encephalopathy caused by an extrahepatic portosystemic shunt between the ileal vein and inferior vena cava via the right gonadal vein. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization with stainless steel coils was performed by the retrograde systemic venous approach. Encephalopathy improved dramatically.

New evaluation method for postoperative scar redness.

Even after successful operations, ugly postoperative skin scars are often distressing to patients and their parents. To judge the success of surgical methods and postoperative treatment, postoperative scars should be evaluated using a quantitative system. Height and width are easily measured, but scar redness is not.

Small hepatocellular carcinoma on magnetic resonance imaging. Relation of signal intensity to angiographic and clinicopathologic findings.

Rationale And Objectives: The authors discuss the clinicopathologic features and angiographic vascularity of various signal intensity patterns on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

Methods: Magnetic resonance images of 88 resected HCCs (< or = 3 cm) were obtained using T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo images and T1-weighted images after gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA administration. Images were compared with angiographic and histopathologic findings.

Helical CT evaluation of arterial invasion in pancreatic tumors: comparison with angiography.

Background: Although helical computed tomography (HCT) has been widely employed for the evaluation of pancreatic tumors, its capability in the diagnosis of peripancreatic arterial invasion has not been established.

Methods: HCT with a sequential cine-display was carried out in 34 patients with solid pancreatic tumors and 28 control subjects without angiographic abnormality. The HCT scans were compared with angiograms.

MR imaging of focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver: value of contrast-enhanced dynamic study.

To clarify the role of MR imaging of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), MR images of 11 patients with 13 FNH were retrospectively reviewed. MR imaging with T1- and T2-weighted spin echo sequences was performed for all lesions. Dynamic studies using the SPGR technique followed by postcontrast delayed T1-weighted images were performed in four patients with five lesions.

Indications and problems of coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass.

As an alternative method of myocardial protection and to obviate the inherent risks of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), we have been performing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without CPB in carefully selected patients. Since the first such operation was successfully performed in January 1995 on a patient with angina pectoris and lung cancer, four other patients have subsequently undergone this technique. This series of 5 patients, being 1 man and 4 women ranging in age from 68 to 80 years, is presented in this report.

MR signal intensity changes in hepatic parenchyma with ductal dilation caused by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

MR images of the liver in 13 patients with surgically proven intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed retrospectively and correlated to the histologic analysis of surgical specimens. We paid special attention to the peripheral liver tissue with ductal dilation but without tumorous involvement. High signal intensity was observed in the hepatic parenchyma with ductal dilation on T1-weighted spin-echo images (8 of 12) and spoiled gradient-recalled echo images (seven of seven), as compared with the contralateral hepatic lobe without duct dilation.

Efficacy of helical CT in T-staging of gastric cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of helical CT in preoperative T-staging in patients with gastric cancer.

Method: A total of 71 patients with an established diagnosis of gastric cancer [75 lesions, 46 early (T1) and 29 advanced (T2 or more) cancers] were evaluated with helical CT. Helical CT was performed with 5-mm slice thickness at 5-mm/s table incrementation.

Primary malignant lymphoma in the porta hepatis: a case report.

A case of primary lymphoma in the porta hepatis is presented here. Cholangiography, angiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography suggested the presence of a mass in the porta hepatis, but all these failed to demonstrate the tumor clearly. Magnetic resonance imaging was very useful in defining the characteristics of the tumor and in delineating its extent, though it was not specifically diagnostic.

[Pit fall of aprotinin administration during open heart surgery].

Aprotinin administration during open heart surgery has been attempted at various institutions to reduce hemorrhage and improve the rate of no-transfusion operations, and has been reported to be effective. The treatment has been effective also in the 45 patients operated on at our institution. However, we experienced LOS at weaning from extracorporeal circulation (8 cases) considered to be due to aprotinin administration, suggesting unexpected risk of the treatment.