Renal cell carcinoma with renal pelvic extension simulating transitional cell carcinoma: a case report.

A case of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with unusual extension into renal pelvis is reported. The radiographic findings simulate closely to those of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis. Histopathological study of the extirpated tumor revealed RCC with invasion of renal pelvis.

Computed tomography in the diagnosis of organic bowel obstruction.

Background: This study examined the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) scan for cases of organic intestinal obstruction, with two simple criteria.

Methods: One hundred and thirteen patients with clinical suspicion of bowel obstruction were referred for CT scans. A line was drawn between the dilated proximal, and the collapsed distal bowels.

Cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnoses.

The most frequently discussed ethical issue on the subject of cancer is whether patients should be told their diagnosis. Cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnosis and the relationship between patient characteristics and that knowledge were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. From July 1992 to December 1993 at Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, a total of 964 patients with cytologically- or pathologically-proven cancer were studied.

Testosterone enhances whereas estrogen inhibits calcium oxalate stone formation in ethylene glycol treated rats.

Purpose: The present study was conducted to extend our earlier study on the role of testosterone in the pathogenesis of urolithiasis and to further investigate the influence of sex hormone on the pathogenesis of calcium oxalate stone.

Materials And Methods: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 9 groups, each containing 10 rats. Two groups of rats were left untreated and served as male and female controls.

Outbreak of bronchiolitis obliterans associated with consumption of Sauropus androgynus in Taiwan.

Background: In August, 1995, there was an outbreak in Taiwan of rapidly progressive respiratory distress associated with consumption of uncooked Sauropus androgynus, a vegetable with a claimed yet unconfirmed effect on weight control. We report on 23 patients with strikingly similar clinical presentations.

Methods: A structured questionnaire for clinical manifestations was completed.

Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with biliary tumor thrombi.

Treatment is always abandoned in those HCC with jaundice, because it is usually attributed to the underlying liver cirrhosis and extensive tumor. In this series, 7 cases (0.8%) of HCC with jaundice were caused by bile duct invasion and tumor thrombi (BTT).

Obstructive jaundice caused by calcified portal venous thrombosis: a case report.

One case of bile duct obstruction because of calcified thrombosis of the portal vein is described. The patient had received splenectomy 20 years previously. He was admitted for fever, right upper abdominal pain and jaundice.

Melioidosis: two indigenous cases in Taiwan.

We report the first two indigenously acquired cases of melioidosis in Taiwan, diagnosed by positive culture and biochemically identified using the ID 32 GN system (BioMerieux Vitek Inc, Hazelwood, MO, USA). The first patient was a 75-year-old Chinese woman who had not travelled abroad since her arrival from mainland China (San-Tung province) 47 years ago. She presented with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis with septic shock.

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction-restriction enzyme analysis of mycobacteria cultured in BACTEC 12B bottles.

Polymerase chain reaction with restriction enzyme analysis (PRA) was first tested on 15 reference strains and 50 subcultured clinical isolates of mycobacteria according to the reference algorithm by Telenti et al [1]. Next, we evaluated the application of this method to 108 isolates from liquid media (BACTEC 12B). Of them, 15 M.

MELAS syndrome associated with a tandem duplication in the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA.

We describe a family with two cases of adult-onset mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome. Interestingly, the proband also had non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and hyperthyroidism. Endocrinological studies demonstrated a high titer of TSH receptor antibody in the proband and elevated levels in her maternal relatives.

Clear cell meningioma: a case report.

A case of clear cell meningioma in a 12-year-old male is reported. The tumor was located at the left side cerebellopontine angle, and characterized by sheets of patternless clear cells rich in cytoplasmic glycogen. Vague whorl formation and focal small clusters of typical meningothelial cells were the most important diagnostic features.

Chorea-ballismus with nonketotic hyperglycemia in primary diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: To describe the neuroimaging (Ct, MR, and single-photon emission CT [SPECT]) findings in a series of patients with chorea-ballismus associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia in primary diabetes mellitus and to correlate the imaging findings with the clinical presentation.

Methods: The neuroimaging and clinical data from 10 patients with chorea-ballismus associated with nonketotic hyperglycemia in primary diabetes mellitus were evaluated. Family and drug histories, as well as other causes of chorea, were excluded.

Gallbladder function and recurrent stones of the biliary tract in patients after endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Background: Change in gallbladder function may occur in patients with an intact gallbladder after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). This study was designed to evaluate the factors influencing gallbladder filling after EST and the correlation between gallbladder function and stone recurrence.

Methods: Sixty Chinese patients with symptomatic choledocholithiasis and an intact gallbladder received EST to clear the bile ducts.

Digital ischemia associated with lung cancer: a case report.

Digital ischemia or necrosis has unusually been associated with neoplasm. The occurrence of cryoglobulinemia and lung cancer with digital ischemia has been extremely rare in the past. This report concerns a case with adenocarcinoma of the lung associated with cryoglobulinemia, with rapidly developing digital ischemia of the tips of fingers and toes.

Non-ketotic hyperglycaemic chorea: a SPECT study.

Objective: To study regional blood flow of the striatum in non-ketotic hyperglycaemic choreic patients.

Methods: Brain SPECT was performed with intravenous injection of 20 mCi 99mTc hexamethylpropylene amineoxime in six non-ketotic hyperglycaemic choreic patients and 10 age matched patients with a similar level of hyperglycaemia without chorea as a control. The focal perfusion defects were analysed by visual interpretation and semiquantitative determination with reference to homolateral occipital blood flow.

A simple, noninvasive method to investigate vascular characteristics in children.

Palpation of pulses is an ancient clinical technique. In modern medical terms, arterial pulse analysis permits the evaluation of vascular characteristics, the important parameters for study of the properties of vessels. However, the various parameters used to describe the vascular characteristics have been conventionally deriving from expensive, invasive, and complicated methods and involving complex computations.

Complete resolution of diastolic mitral regurgitation in chronic, but not acute aortic regurgitation after aortic valve replacement--a transesophageal echocardiography study.

A 65-year-old male was admitted with progressive dyspnea on exertion. Severe aortic regurgitation (AR) had been disclosed by transthoracic echocardiography 10 mon previously. Aortic valve replacement was proposed and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography on color Doppler imaging revealed severe aortic regurgitation, moderate global hypokinesis of the left ventricle and mild-to-moderate diastolic mitral regurgitation.

Experience with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts for gastroesophageal variceal bleeding.

Background: Variceal bleeding is a major life-threatening complication of cirrhosis of the liver. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) have been accepted as an effective method for portal decompression. Experiences here with the use of TIPS for control of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is presented.

The efficacy of endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.

Background: Dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi (SOD) is one of the causes of postcholecystectomy syndrome and biliary pain. Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) is recommended in some patients refractory to conservative treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of, and complications from EST in patients with SOD.

Diagnostic value of transbronchial lung biopsy under fluoroscopic guidance in solitary pulmonary nodule in an endemic area of tuberculosis.

In the endemic area of tuberculosis, there are many cases that present tuberculosis as a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) on chest radiographs. The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic yield of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) under fluoroscopic guidance in SPNs such as lung cancer or pulmonary tuberculoma in areas with high prevalence of tuberculosis. One hundred and seventy patients with SPNs on chest radiographs were included in the study; all had negative sputum smears for tubercle bacilli and no malignancy by sputum cytology before bronchoscopy.

Determination of the appropriate fraction number and size of the HDR brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Based on the linear-quadratic model, we have made two isoeffect tables for transforming the traditional low dose rate (LDR) point A doses at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 Gy to those of the high dose rate (HDR) dose per fraction. HDR fractions ranged from 1 to 12, with corresponding sizes for each fraction. We also propose the therapeutic gain ratio (TGR) method for determining the appropriate fraction number of HDR brachytherapy in cervical cancer.

Functional and urodynamic characteristics of Camey II ileal neobladder.

The object of this study is to evaluate the functional and urodynamic characteristics of 16 patients who had undergone the Camey II orthotopic bladder replacement after radical cystoprostatectomy. Questionnaires regarding the voiding pattern and urinary continence were answered by 14 patients. Daytime continence was achieved in 13 of 14 patients (93%) at a mean interval of 3 months postoperatively.

Dynamic three-dimensional display of common congenital cardiac defects from reconstruction of two-dimensional echocardiographic images.

Background: Two-dimensional echocardiography had long been a standard diagnostic modality for congenital heart disease. Further attempts of three-dimensional reconstruction using two-dimensional echocardiographic images to visualize stereotypic structure of cardiac lesions have been successful only recently. So far only very few studies have been done to display three-dimensional anatomy of the heart through two-dimensional image acquisition because such complex procedures were involved.