[en] Since March 1985, we have treated cancer patients with local hyperthermia using a 2,450-MHz microwave thermogenerator. Prior to clinical trail, a 2,450-MHz microwave generator remodeled from a household electric range was tested and evaluated to test its clinical applicability. We studied the thermoprofile and tried to find out suitable electric power ranges to produce optimal temperature of 42-44 .deg. C in a lump of meat, agar phantom and animal tumor models. The present study confirmed the intratumoral temperature to be 1-3 .deg. higher than in surrounding normal tissue

[en] In lumbar region the epidural fat pad is relatively abundant so that CT can provides sufficient information in diagnosis of lumbar HNP. Many authors have reported on the CT findings of HNP such as focal nodular protrusion of the posterior disc margin, obliteration of epidural fat pad, impingement of dural sac and nerve root, swelling of nerve root, soft tissue density in the spinal canal and calcification of disc. However there was so previous report describing incidence and reliability of the findings. It is the purpose of the present study to survey the frequency, reliability, and limitation of these CT findings. The clinical material was consisted of 30 operatively proven cases of HNP of the lumbar spine. Each lumbar CT scan was reviewed retrospectively and the findings were analysed by two radiologists independently. There were 20 males and 10 females and the mean age was 36.7 years. Involvement of L4-S5 level was 2.3 times more frequent than that of L5-S1 level. Of 30 cases, 22 were unilateral posterolateral types and 8 cases central or unilateral far lateral types. CT findings observed were nodular protrusion of the posterior margin of the disc, obliteration of epidural fat pad, impingement of dural sac or nerve root, soft tissue density in the spinal canal and calcification in the posterior portion of the protruded disc, in order of decreasing frequency. The conclusions are follows: 1. Nodular protrusion of the posterior disc margin accompanied by obliteration of epidural fat pad was observed in every case. The former findings was designated as direct sign and the latter indirect. 2. Obliteration of the epidural fat appears to be significant in lateral recesses especially when it occurs unilaterally. This was not true, however, in the centrally located fat pad. 3. Impingement of the dural sac and nerve root were observed in 90% and 67%, respectively, and were very helpful in establishing HNP diagnosis when the direct and indirect signs were equivocal. Metrizamide CT scan facilitated the evaluation of the dural sac and nerve root. 4. Soft tissue density in the spinal canal and calcification in the posterior portion of the protruded disc were demonstrated in only 2% and 1% of the case, respectively.

[en] The cross-sectional anatomy of the intervertebral disc and spinal canal can be studied in detail by computed tomography (CT) which is not invasive and is much simpler than conventional myelography. The shape of the normal disc and distribution of epidural fat pad varied at each disc level and CT findings of the normal disc and spinal canal are essential in diagnosis of herniation or bulging. However, there has been no previous publications providing us with the detailed criteria of normal disc and neural canal cross-sectional anatomy. The present study has been carried out to investigate CT anatomy of the normal distribution of the epidural fat at each lumbar disc level to set up a baseline by which one will be able to judge disc herniation or bulging. The materials consisted of 30 adult volunteers. They were sampled randomly from the individual undergoing a CT study for the reasons other than spinal disease and having no symptoms or signs of the lumbar spinal disease. CT scans were performed with a Siemens Somatom 2 Scanner. Technical factors involved were: Tube voltage 125 kVp, exposure time 10 seconds, 460 mAS, 256 x 256 matrix, and pixel size 0.4 mm. Contiguous 2-mm thick slice of each disc were obtained parallel to the disc plane at 3-mm interval for 5 lumbar disc. The results are follows: 1. The shape of the posterior disc margins at L1-2, L2-3, and L3-4 levels were concave anteriorly in over 90% of the cases compared with the disc margins at L4-5 and L5-S1 where were convex or flat in over 85%. 2. None of the convex disc showed focal nodular protrusion nor were more convex than anterior margin of the disc. 3. The lower lumbar levels, the greater the visibility of the epidural fat pad. The visibility of the epidural fat pad in both lateral recesses was 81.5% at the L4-5 level and 100% at the L5-S1 level. There was no single case in which epidural fat pad was visable in only on side. 4. The visibility of the epidural fat just behind the disc was only 18.5% at the L4-5 level compared with 88% at the L5-S1 level.

[en] In an endeavor to help understand some typical scan findings and portal hemodynamics in liver cirrhosis, several commonly occurring scan changes and esophageal varices as demonstrated by esophagram were correlated one another from quantitative and qualitative stand points. Clinical materials consisted of 34 patients with proven diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Liver scan was performed with colloidal 198-Au and the changes in the size and internal architecture of the Liver, splenic uptake and splenomegaly were graded and scored by repeated double-blind readings. The variceal changes on esophagrams were also graded according to the classification of Shanks and Kerley following modification. Of 34 patients, 91% showed definite reducing in liver volume(shrinkage) constituting the most frequent scan change. The splenic uptake and splenomegaly were noted in 73.5 and 79.4%, respectively. The present study revealed no positive correlation between the graded scan findings including shrinkage of the liver, splenic uptake or splenomegaly and severity of variceal changes of the esophagus. Exceptionally, however, apparently paradoxical correlation was noted between the severity of mottling and varices. Thus, in the majority(73.5%) of patients mottling were either absent or mild. This interesting observation is in favor of the view held by Christie et al. who consider the mottlings to be not faithful expression of actual scarring of the cirrhosis liver. This also would indicate that variceal changes are to be the results of intrahepatic arteriovenous shunting of blood with hypervolemic load to the portal system rather than simple hypertension secondary to fibrosis and shrinkage.

[en] Radioimmunoassay plays an important role in diagnosing the hepatitis B and in clinical assessment of the course of the disease as well. Among a number of antigens, antibodies and enzymes related with hepatitis, HBe Ag, DNA polymerase, IgM-HBc-antibody, δ Ag have been known as useful indicators of ongoing infectivity of hepatitis B. The present study has been undertaken to correlate the HBe antigenicity with hepatospleno-scintigraphic findings in hepatitis. The study covered a 10 month period from September 1982 through to July 1983. We reviewed and analyzed the hepatospeno-scintgraphic findings and the results of radioimmuassays in 32 patients of chronic hepatitis seen at St. Mary Hospital, Catholic Medical College. Hepatitis B was diagnosed either when HBs Ag was positive or Anti-HBc wa positive even if HBs Ag was negative. We classified the HBe antigenicity into two groups of HBe Ag(+) and HBe(-) and analyzed the scintgraphic findings in terms of liver size, motting, splenomegaly and splenic shift. From the present study, it is concluded that the activity of hepatitis B can not be assessed by the findings of hepatospleno-scintigram so far as the activity is determined on the basis of the positive HBe Ag, which has been believed to indicated continuing viral replication

[en] Liver scanning is used rather reluctantly in the pediatric ages. The present communication is concerned with indications and applicability of the scan examination in the pediatric patients. The accuracy of the scan diagnosis was also assessed. The highest accuracy was recorded in diagnosis liver abscess and liver cirrhosis which tended to be advanced and well established in this age of inefficient verbalization. Overall accuracy was 70%. Findings were nonspecific in 23.4% and incorrect in 6.6%. There was no complication or untoward reactions to scan agents

[en] In an endeavour to assess scintigraphic features of leukemia a retrospective analysis of hepatosplenic scintigrams using ^99mTc-Sn phytate was made in 12 cases of chronic myelocytic leukemia and 6 cases of acute myelocytic leukemia. Diagnosis was proven in every case in bone marrow aspirate and peripheral blood tests. The age of patient ranged from 18 to 72 years old. There was 12 males and 6 females. 1. The great majority (83.3%) of the patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia revealed less radionuclide activity (RNA) in the spleen than in the liver, although the spleen was moderately to markedly enlarged. The RNA distribution both in the liver and spleen was inhomogeneous, but no focal defect was observed. Those findings indeed contrasted with those of chronic leukemia and liver cirrhosis in which splenic RNA is typically more prominent than hepatic RNA. 2. All of the patient with acute myelocytic leukemia showed mild splenomegaly. The splenic RNA was equal in density to that of the liver in 66.7% and less in the remainder

[en] The present study has been undertaken to evaluate the possibility of the application of skeletal scintigraphy in the diagnosis of meniscus tear of the knee (MTK). A series of knee joint scintigraphy was made using either ^99mTc-MDP (in 4 patients), or ^99mTc-PYP (in 3 patients) in 7 patients with proven diagnosis of MTK by arthrography or arthroscopy. The scintigraphic findings were correlated with arthrographic and/or arthroscopic findings. There was increased in the blood flow as well as in the blood pool at the site of meniscus tear. The static images showed a characteristic plate like radionuclide accumulation localized sharply to the tibial plateau (subchondral portion) along with rather diffuse radionuclide accumulation in opposing femoral condyle on the affected side. It was concluded that skeletal scintigraphy of knee is useful in the diagnosis of meniscus tear.

[en] Radiation therapy (RT) has been used in the treatment of breast cancer for over 80 years. Technically, it should include a part or all of such areas as chest wall or breast, axilla, internal mammary nodes (IM) and supraclavicular nodes (SCL). Authors tried three-field technique for the treatment of breast cancer using 6-MV linear accelerator, exclusively the department of radiology, Kang-Nam St. Mary's Hospital, at Catholic Medical College. The field junction was checked by a phantom study and radiation doses measured by film densitometry and TLD. The 3 fields we used in this study were two isocentric opposing tangential fields encompassing the breast, chest wall and occasionally IM and one single anterior field encompassing the axilla and SCL. Using appropriate beam blocks and boluses. We were able to avoid unwanted intrinsic divergency of photon beam. Blocking also enabled us to set-up precise radiation field with ease

[en] Colloid uptake in various hepatic conditions such as focal nodular hyperplasia, regenerating nodular in the cirrhotic liver, hamartoma, hemangioma and rarely hepatoma has been documented. Extrahepatic tumors may show colloid uptake and they include splenic hemangioma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, breast carcinoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. The mechanism of colloid uptake in those lesions is associated with phagocytic activity in or around the tumors. We report a pancreas islet cell tumor that showed colloid uptake on ^99mTc-phytate liver scan without histologic evidence of phagocytosis by tumor cells or infiltration of phagocytes in the tumor. Microscopically the tumor was highly vascular and showed diffuse hemorrhage throughout the tumor. We postulated that extravasation of the colloid into the tumor interstitium caused nonspecific colloid uptake in this tumor. It is expected that hemorrhagic tumor may show nonspecific colloid uptake without phagocytosis in or about the lesion.