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Purposes: Experiences of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies under a guide of a real time 3 image display computed tomography (3 image CT) is reported., Materials and Methods: Twenty seven biopsies from 23 patients were performed. For 3 image CT, Somatom was used. This equipment can render 3 pictures of serial slices on a screen simultaneously and have X-ray exploration-reduction system for both the patients (35% reduction) and operator's hands (72% reduction)., Results: The median size of the masses was 1.7 (0.5-6.3) cm; the median distance from the pleura to the mass was 0.66 (0-6.5) cm; and the median time to perform biopsies was 12 minutes. We had only 3 failed cases to obtain biopsied specimen (11%)., Complications: Needle biopsy of the lung lesion under a guide of a 3 sectional CT is a safe and timesaving method with a high success rate to obtain biopsied tissues even for small lesions or difficult lesion.

Purpose: We herein report a case with synchronous multiple liver metastases from gastric carcinoma surviving disease-free for more than 10 years after hepatic resection., Methods: A 64-year-old male admitted to our hospital because of constitutional wariness. Preoperative diagnosis was type 1 gastric cancer at the lower third of the stomach and multiple metastases of both hepatic lobes. After we performed distal gastrectomy with regional lymphadenectomy and wedge hepatic resection for eight metastatic liver tumors, he received 5-fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy during the early postoperative period., Results: The pathologic examination revealed moderately differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma with regional lymph node metastasis and multiple liver metastases. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient is doing well without disease recurrence after more than 10 years following surgery., Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this patient is the longest disease-free survivor after liver resection for synchronous multiple liver metastases from advanced gastric cancer. In this modern era of developing liver surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, combination therapy of aggressive surgery and early postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer with liver metastasis may allow long-term survival in selected patients.

The detection of gastric premalignant lesions, atrophic gastritis, corpus atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia, using several potential markers was examined in Costa Rica. Depending on the lesion investigated, from a total of 223 dyspeptic patients, 58 (26.0%), 31 (13.9%), or 23 (10.3%) were histologically diagnosed with atrophic gastritis, corpus atrophic gastritis, or intestinal metaplasia, respectively. Sera were used for the measurement of pepsinogen (PG) and Helicobacter pylori CagA antibody (CagA-ab) levels by ELISA, and human genomic DNAs were used for the genotyping of interleukin (IL)-1beta (-511 and +3954), IL-10 (-1082 and -592), and IL-1RN intron 2 by PCR and RFLP. Multivariate analysis was done adjusting for sex, age, and H. pylori seropositivity. Low PG levels (L-PG; PG I < or = 70 microg/L + PG I/II < or = 3), very low PG levels (VL-PG; PG I < or = 30 microg/L + PG I/II < or = 2), and CagA-ab were individually associated with all premalignant lesions whereas IL-1beta +3954T-carrier and IL-1RN homozygous 2 allele were associated with intestinal metaplasia. VL-PG, for corpus atrophic gastritis detection, was the single marker with the highest combination of test characteristics, sensitivity (77.4%), specificity (80.7%), positive predictive value (39.3%), negative predictive value (95.7%), and seropositivity rate (27.4%), expected to improve after periodic measurements. Combined examinations of VL-PG and CagA-ab improved the specificity (92.7%) and positive predictive value (62.2%), with similar sensitivity (74.2%) and negative predictive value (95.7%). In conclusion, corpus atrophic gastritis detection with periodic measurements of serum PG, alone or in combination with CagA-ab status, to identify high gastric cancer risk, seems to be the method best suited for mass screening in Costa Rica.

Background: Associations between Helicobacter pylori gene diversity and gastric cancer have not been reported on in Costa Rica, despite its being one of the countries with the highest gastric cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori cagA and vacA genes and investigate whether it could be correlated with atrophic gastritis (AG) and gastric cancer (GC) in Costa Rica., Materials and Methods: Genomic DNAs from isolates of 104 patients classified into two groups: non-atrophic gastritis group (n = 68) and atrophic gastritis group (n = 36), were subjected to PCR-based genotyping of cagA and vacA genes and their correlation with clinical outcome was investigated. Total DNA extractions from gastric tissues of 25 H. pylori-infected gastric cancer patients were utilized for comparative purposes., Results: The presence of cagA (75.3%), vacA s1b (75.3%), and vacA m1 (74.2%) was detected, and colonization by strains with different vacA genotypes in the same stomach was found in 9.7% of the patients. Age- and sex-adjusted vacA s1b and vacA m1 were associated with GC while only vacA m1 was significantly associated with AG. A tendency for association between cagA and vacA s1b, and AG was reported., Conclusions: The prevalence status of the cagA and vacA (s1/m1) genes in Costa Rica seems to fall between that found in European/North American and East Asian countries, and both cagA and vacA seem to have clinical relevance in this country.

Xanthogranuloma is a rare type of inflammation and very few cases have been reported in the pancreas. We report two cases with xanthogranulomatous pancreatic abscess that followed acute pancreatitis. In both cases, multiple pseudocysts in the pancreatic tail were infected with several species of bacteria and Candida albicans. In one case, abdominal angiography revealed a hypoperfused pancreatic tail due to prior atherosclerotic obliteration of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. In the other case, the splenic artery was completely occluded by a transarterial embolization performed to treat an aneurysm that appeared in the course of pancreatitis. In both cases, distal pancreatectomy was performed as inflammation of the pancreatic tail was resistant to conventional antibiotic therapy, and pathologic examination revealed xanthogranulomatous inflammation around the pancreatic tail and spleen. Although the underlying pathogenesis is unclear, the prolonged infection and/or relative hypoxia induced by hypoperfusion are likely causative factors for the xanthogranulomatous changes in these pancreatic abscesses.

A 69-year-old female patient with an indocyanine green (ICG) excretory defect underwent hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Abdominal computed tomography confirmed a mass lesion with central necrosis in the right anterior segment of the liver. Angiography revealed tumor stain pooling and a portal venous or arterial venous shunt. The patient was carefully evaluated and then treated by surgical resection for HCC. The pathologic examination revealed moderately differentiated HCC. Her postoperative course was uneventful. ICG excretory defect did not seem to have effect on the short-term prognosis of hepatectomy.

Background: Persistence of postoperative immune dysfunction is a critical problem because it increases the risk of serious infectious complications. The mechanisms of the immune dysfunction that occur initially after non-thermal operative injury remain to be fully elucidated., Methods: Two mouse models of operative trauma (simple laparotomy to represent minor operative injury and ileocecal resection to represent major operative injury) were used to define the characteristics of initial cytokine synthesis. Geldanamycin and thalidomide were independently added intraperitoneally before and after operative injury to examine the effect on postoperative immune dysfunction. Mice were sacrificed at scheduled times (3, 6, 12, and 24 h after operative injury) and TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 were analyzed. Spleen was used for intracellular cytokines and RT-PCR. Sera were used for ELISA., Results: Major operative injury caused an initial upregulation of IL-10 synthesis with delayed synthesis of TNF-alpha and IL-2. Minor operative injury caused an early induction of IL-2 synthesis preceded by an initial induction of IL-4 synthesis. GA caused a specific early upregulation of TNF-alpha mRNA expression and intracellular TNF-alpha synthesis. The GA and THD groups showed early serum IL-2 production with reduction of IL-10 mRNA expression and intracellular IL-10 synthesis in the early post-operative phase., Conclusions: Major and minor operative injury showed different Th1/Th2 cytokine patterns in the initial post-operative period. Geldanamycin and thalidomide improved the Th1/Th2 imbalance independently after major operative injury.

Reflux esophagitis is a serious postoperative complication for patients undergoing gastrectomy. We designed a new jejunal pouch-esophagostomy to prevent reflux after proximal gastrectomy. After proximal gastrectomy, ajejunal segment about 17 cm long was folded. Side-to-side jejuno-jejunostomy was made using a linear stapler with 100-mm staples along the length at the anti-mesenteric side. A 10-cm-longjejunal pouch with a 7-cm-long apical bridge was made. Esophago-jejuno end-to-side anastomosis (pouch-esophagostomy) was made with circular stapler at the right anterior wall the apical bridge. We add "partial posterior fundoplication" like wrapping using the apical bridge of the jejunal pouch. Patients with this new anti-reflux anastomosis showed no reflux on barium meal study even in the right anterior oblique deep Trendelenburg's position. Jejunal pouch reconstruction with partial posterior wrapping provides a satisfactory result with regard to preventing reflux esophagitis.

A 76-year-old man was admitted for treatment of gastric cancer that causing anorexia. Endoscopy showed the stenosis in the antrum of the stomach and multiple small nodules with erosion from the upper body to the corpus of the stomach. Total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed. On the resected specimen, there were at least 28 nodules with erosion in the submucosal layer of the entire stomach. The lesions had no continuity with one another and were the same histological type, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. We diagnosed these lesions as intramural metastases of gastric cancer.

Aim: To investigate features of the posterior gastric artery (PGA) with respect to incidence, location and size by using autopsy subjects., Methods: Autopsies were performed on 72 cadavers of adults with no history of abdominal operations. The localization of the PGA, the distance between the root of the splenic artery and the origin of the PGA, and the external diameter of the PGA were examined., Results: The PGA was recognized in all patients. In 70 (97.2%) cadavers, the PGA branched from the splenic artery, and one female in this group had two PGAs. In 1 (1.4%) patient, the PGA originated from the root of the celiac trunk and in another (1.4%) patient, the PGA branched from the superior polar artery. Overall, the PGA extended for a length of 5.8-12.2 (mean, 8.4) cm from the root of the splenic artery, and the external diameter of the PGA was 1.2-3.2 (mean, 2) mm., Conclusion: The anatomical features of the PGA can be readily observed and characterized by autopsy. This study has provided valuable information on the features of the PGA useful in the planning of surgical treatment.

Background: We evaluated several risk factors for gastric cancer in Costa Rican regions having contrasting gastric cancer incidence rates, despite the small dimensions of the country., Methods: A total of 180 dyspeptic patients were classified into two groups according to the gastric cancer incidence (GCI) rate in their Costa Rican region: group A, with a high GCI rate (n = 91) and group B, with a low GCI rate (n = 89). Helicobacter pylori infection was detected by rapid urease test, Gram staining, and histological observation. Antral and corpus specimens were obtained to assess the grade of inflammation, topography of gastritis, gastric atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia by histological examination. Serum CagA antibody was measured by an antigen-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: There was no significant difference in H. pylori prevalence between groups A (73%) and B (63%); however, serum CagA antibody was more frequently detected in group A (79%) than in group B (54%) [P = 0.02; odds ratio (OR), 2.68]. Among patients under 60 years of age, serum CagA antibody was even more frequently detected in group A (81%) than in group B (49%) (P < 0.01; OR, 4.50). The prevalence of corpus-predominant gastritis, atrophic gastritis, and moderate/severe grades of neutrophilic infiltration was higher in serum CagA antibody-positive patients than in CagA antibody-negative patients (P = 0.003, 0.04, and 0.002, respectively)., Conclusions: Infection with H. pylori possessing the cagA gene is associated with the development of severe gastric damage such as gastric atrophy, leading to gastric cancer, and probably influences the differences in GCI between Costa Rican regions.

The effect of single high-dose irradiation on collagen networks in tumor cells was examined by scanning electron microscopy. MM46 tumor cells were transplanted into C3H/He mice and locally irradiated with a 30 Gy dose (6 MeV) 7-8 days posttransplantation. Mice were killed at various time points postirradiation, and tumor tissues were excised and fixed. After 2 N NaOH maceration, tissues were washed and stained with 1% tannic acid. They were then postfixed with 1% OsO4, dehydrated, and dried. The tissues were coated with gold, and the three-dimensional structure of the collagen fibers was observed using scanning electron microscopy. In the control group, the chambers formed by collagen fibers were larger on days 7 and 14 than those on days 1 and 3. In the irradiated group, the chambers were largest and most irregular in shape on day 7. The chamber size had decreased approximately 50% by day 14, and there was evidence of tumor cell regeneration. In addition, several fenestrations in the chamber wall developed in the irradiated group. Fenestrations in the collagen chamber walls surrounding tumor cells might allow transfer of metabolites that provide nutrition to the tumor cells, leading to their regeneration.

We describe here a new technique for performing the large anastomosis between the jejunal pouch and the remnant stomach in patients undergoing proximal gastrectomy with jejunal pouch interposition. The biangulation method described in this report is a simpler technique than the existing triangulation anastomosis technique, requiring only two applications of a linear stapler. One row of staples forms the posterior wall of the anastomosis and the other forms the anterior wall. When used for jejunal pouch reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy in 12 cases of early gastric cancer, no evidence of anastomotic leakage or stenosis was apparent from barium meal studies or endoscopic examination. We find this biangulation technique to be a simple and safe procedure that is ideal for anastomoses of large diameter.

STI571 is a specific inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, such as BCR-ABL, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and c-KIT, and has recently been approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). This study demonstrated that STI571 induces cell death in the gastrointestinal stromal tumor cell line, GIST-T1. In these cells, STI571 induced pro-caspase-12 or pro-caspase-7 cleavage and it affected caspase-3 activity and induced the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperone, glucose-regulated protein 78. The STI571-induced cell death was blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. Together, these results suggest that STI571 induces cell death in GIST-T1 cells, at least in part, via the ER stress response.

Aim: To examine the paclitaxel concentrations in plasma and ascites after its intravenous administration in patients with ascites due to peritonitis carcinomatosa resulting from advanced gastric cancer., Methods: Two patients with ascites due to peritonitis carcinomatosa resulting from gastric cancer were included in this study. The paclitaxel concentrations in plasma and ascites were investigated for 72 h in case 1 and 168 h in case 2 after intravenous administration., Results: The paclitaxel concentration in plasma peaked immediately after administration, followed by rapid decrease below the threshold value of 0.1 micromol (85 ng/mL) within 24 h. In contrast,the paclitaxel concentration in ascites increased gradually for 24 h after administration to a level consistent with the level found in plasma. After 24 h the level of paclitaxel in ascites and plasma became similar, with the optimal level being maintained up to 72 h following administration., Conclusion: The concentration of paclitaxel in ascites is maintained within the optimal level for the treatment of cancer cells for up to 72 h after intravenous administration. Paclitaxel is a promising drug for the treatment of malignant ascites of gastric cancer.

Background/aims: Gastric carcinoma (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract and the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the upper one-third of the stomach has increased recently worldwide. The objective of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological variables in patients with GC and examine preoperative diagnosis and the medical treatment strategy of Type 1 GC., Methodology: Nine hundred and eighty-one patients with GC who underwent surgical resection between 1981 and 2002 at Kochi Medical School were studied. Thirty-five patients with Type 1 GC were compared with non-Type 1 GC patients on postoperative surgicopathological parameters, and changing trends were evaluated., Results: The characteristics of patients with Type 1 GC were different from those of patients with non-Type 1 GC: Their tumors were more often in the upper one-third of the stomach (37% vs. 15%), lesions were histologically differentiated in 80% (vs. 56%), and there were more superficial lesions surrounding Type 1 GC (80% vs. 8%). The absolute value and the rate of Type 1 GC increased significantly from the first half to the second half of the study., Conclusions: Our findings showed that when Type 1 GC is discovered, physicians should investigate the mucosa around the main neoplasm carefully. The current series suggested that Type 1 GC are associated frequently with superficial lesions, making local resections more difficult, and that Type 1 GC was similar clinicopathologically to carcinoma of the gastric cardia and had different etiologies contributed to its tumorgenesis, compared with non-Type 1 GC, and Type 1 GC may become the key which solves the problem of carcinoma at the gastric cardia.

Aim: To estimate whether STI571 inhibits the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cells., Methods: We used GIST cell line, GIST-T1. It has a heterogenic 57-bp deletion in exon 11 to produce a mutated c-KIT, which results in constitutive activation of c-KIT. Cells were treated with/without STI571 or stem cell factor (SCF). Transcription and expression of VEGF were determined by RT-PCR and flow cytometry or Western blotting, respectively. Activated c-KIT was estimated by immunoprecipitation analysis. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay., Results: Activation of c-KIT was inhibited by STI571 treatment. VEGF was suppressed at both the transcriptional and translational levels in a temporal and dose-dependent manner by STI571. SCF upregulated the expression of VEGF and it was inhibited by STI571. STI571 also reduced the cell viability of the GIST-T1 cells, as determined by MTT assay., Conclusion: Activation of c-KIT in the GIST-T1 regulated the expression of VEGF and it was inhibited by STI571. STI571 has antitumor effects on the GIST cells with respect to not only the inhibition of cell growth, but also the suppression of VEGF expression.

Background: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) are a clinicopathological entity that is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. However, the best approach to medical management of IPMN needs to be clarified. The aim of the present study was to identify preoperative features that may be predictors of malignant IPMN, and to define the medical management of IPMN of the pancreas., Methods: A total of 23 patients who underwent surgical resection for IPMN of the pancreas at Kochi Medical School between 1982 and 2004 were examined. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with IPM carcinoma., Results: Among the 23 patients, 12 had IPMN adenoma, three had borderline IPMN, four had IPMN with carcinoma in situ, and four had IPMN with invasive carcinoma. In multivariate analysis, elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels were found to be preoperative predictors of malignant IPMN. These results suggest that the following IPMN of the pancreas should be resected: (i) IPMN of the pancreas situated in the main duct; (ii) IPMN located in the branch duct if the size of the cystic lesion is >30 mm and the mural nodules are >5 mm in height by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS); and (iii) the diameter of the main pancreatic duct is >10 mm by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP). Careful observation of patients with branch-type IPMN with small cysts and/or without mural nodules is recommended as a management strategy., Conclusion: The present study reinforces the need for immediate surgical resection of malignant IPMN and suggests indicators for IPMN that should assist physicians in making decisions on treatment options.

Aim: To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery (LCA) and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) by computed tomography (CT) scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparoscopic colorectal operation., Methods: From February 2004 to May 2005, 100 patients (63 men, 37 women) underwent angiography performed with a 16-scanner multi-detector row CT unit (Toshiba, Aquilion 16). All images were analyzed on a workstation (AZE Ltd, Virtual Place Advance 300). The distance from the root of the IMA to the bifurcation of the LCA was measured by curved multi-planar reconstruction on a workstation., Results: The IMA could be visualized in all the cases, but the LCA was missing in two patients. The mean distance from the root of the IMA to the root of the LCA was 42.0 mm (range, 23.2-75.0 mm). There were no differences in gender, arterial branching types, body weight, height, and body mass index., Conclusion: Volume-rendered 3D-CT is helpful to assess the vascular branching anatomy for laparoscopic surgery.

Aim: To study whether early postoperative enteral nutrition reduces the incidence of complications and/or improves nutritional status following duodenohemipancreatectomy (DHP)., Methods: We studied 39 patients who underwent DHP for a peri-ampullary mass. Twenty-three patients received total parental nutrition and then started to have an oral intake of nutrition between postoperative day (POD) 7 and 14 [late postoperative enteral nutrition (LPEN) group]. Sixteen patients started to have enteral feeding through a jejunostomy catheter the day after the operation [early postoperative enteral nutrition (EPEN) group]. The incidence of complications and laboratory data at the early postoperative stage were studied in comparison between LPEN and EPEN groups., Results: Serum levels of albumin and total protein in the EPEN group were significantly higher than those in the LPEN group. The loss of body mass index was significantly suppressed in the EPEN group as compared to the LPEN group. The lymphocyte count decreased immediately after the operation was restored significantly faster in the EPEN group than in the LPEN group. The EPEN group showed significantly fewer incidences of postoperative pancreatic fistulas, as well as a significantly shorter length of hospitalization than the LPEN group. There were no significant differences in the incidences of other postoperative complications between the two groups, such as delayed gastric emptying, surgical site infection, cholangitis, and small bowel obstruction., Conclusion: EPEN is a safe and beneficial opportunity for patients who have undergone DHP for a peri-ampullary mass.

Intra-abdominal abscesses are one of the major complications that occur after Gastrointestinal Surgery. Therapeutic modalities include drainage and irrigation. This study describes the development of a new drainage and continuous irrigation system that results in less skin irritation and reduced dressing changes. This system involved the use of the Surgidrain open top (ALCARE, Tokyo, Japan), which consists of a sealing sheet with a drainage lumen and plastic cap. A double-lumen tube was inserted into the abscess cavity through a slit in the plastic cap. The abscess cavity could, therefore, be irrigated continuously through one lumen of the double-lumen tube, and most of the fluid could be drained through the second lumen of the double-lumen tube. Overflow fluid was drained through the Surgidrain open top drainage lumen. This system enabled better protection against skin complications and the ability to easily flush the abscess intermittently.

A 25-yr-old woman delivered a healthy child by cesarean section. At 8 mo postpartum, she became aware of an upper abdominal tumor. Abdominal computed tomography and upper abdominal ultrasonography revealed a large cystic mass in the body of the pancreas. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography showed no connection between the main pancreatic duct and the cystic lesion. The patient underwent tumor resection at 11 mo postpartum. Pathological examination of the tumor revealed mucin-producing columnar epithelial cells lining the cystic wall with ovarian-type stromal tissue and no findings indicative of malignancy, giving a diagnosis of mucinous cystic adenoma of the pancreas. Immunohistochemical studies revealed positive staining for progesterone receptor but not for estrogen receptor in the stromal cell nuclei. Postpartum rapid growth of a benign mucinous cystic neoplasm might be linked to the production of female sex hormones during lactation.

A 49-year-old man underwent partial resection of the jejunum for an abdominal tumor, which was histologically confirmed to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells were positive for c-kit, p52, and MIB-1. He underwent resection of a total of 83 recurrent tumors over the next 36 months. A computed tomography (CT) scan done a few months later showed multiple tumor recurrences. The patient was started on imatinib mesylate 400 mg/day, and 3 months later, a CT image showed an increase in tumor size but a decrease in tumor density. Subsequent CT scans showed a marked decrease in tumor size 3 months later and no evidence of tumor recurrence 9 and 12 months after the commencement of imatinib treatment. The patient remains in complete remission 31 months after the start of treatment.

We experimentally observed the process of regeneration of gastric mucosal cells in ulcers induced by surgical removal of the fundic mucosa of rats. The techniques utilized were immunocytochemistry, laser confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Routine TEM and PAS reaction were used for parietal cells, chief cells, and mucous cells. As markers of parietal cells, H+-K+ ATPase, Na+-K+ ATPase, carbonic anhydrase, and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) were used, and for chief cells pepsinogen was used. Healing process of mucosal defect was as follows. On day 2 after the operation, the single-layered regenerating epithelium (RE) originating from the marginal epithelium of the ulcer extended over the granulation tissue of the ulcer base towards the center. Regenerating glands (RGs) appeared in the ulcer margin. The cells appearing first in the RE were undifferentiated cells that had a high nucleus: cytoplasm ratio and abundant free ribosomes. On day 5, the ulcer was almost filled with RGs. Most cells stained positive for PAS reaction. A few immature parietal cells stained weakly with H+-K+ ATPase, Na+-K+ ATPase, carbonic anhydrase, and aquaporin-4 antibodies, and a few immature chief cells stained weakly with pepsinogen antibody were also observed on day 5. On day 10, the ulcer was filled with RGs. The RGs in the periphery of the ulcer stained positive for markers of mature parietal cells and chief cells, whereas the center of the ulcer was composed of immature parietal cells and chief cells. By day 25, the mucosal defect was filled with normal gastric glands formed by maturation of the RGs. The undifferentiated cells that first appeared in the ulcer margin seem to differentiate to special functioning cells of the stomach 5-10 days after ulcer formation.

A 52-year-old man suffering from a pure-type primary gastric small cell carcinoma was treated with surgery and combination chemotherapy. The small cell carcinoma, approximately 6.5 cm in diameter, was situated in the posterior wall of the antrum and there were no distant metastases. Total gastrectomy and regional lymph node dissection was carried out. Histological examination revealed a solid pattern of proliferation of small cells with hyperchromatic, round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Neoplastic cells infiltrated into the subserosal layer with severe lymphatic and vascular invasion. Regional lymph node cells were mostly replaced by tumor cells that stained positive for Grimelius, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and synaptophysin. Accumulations of electron-dense core granules in the small neoplastic cells were seen by electron microscopy. Following surgery, the patient was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and etoposide. The patient is alive and recurrence free 3 years after surgical operation. We review 107 published cases of primary gastric small cell carcinoma, an extremely rare disease first reported in 1976. Small cell carcinoma is an aggressive, malignant tumor. Intensive chemotherapy is essential for patient survival even when curative surgical resection is carried out.

Aim: To review the cases reported in the literature, examined their clinicopathological features, and evaluated the efficacy of different therapeutic modalities for this rare condition., Methods: A search of the MEDLINE database revealed 16 cases of pericarditis carcinomatosa (PC) originating from GC reported in the literature between 1982 and 2005. Additional detailed data were obtained from the authors of these studies for subsequent clinicopathological investigation. We have also described about a case study from our own clinic., Results: The mean age of cases with pericarditis carcinomatosa originating from GC was 54 years. Females were diagnosed at a younger age (46.3 years) compared to males (58 years). The mean survival period after diagnosis was 4.5 mo. No statistical differences in the length of survival time were found between different therapeutic modalities, such as drainage, and local and/or systemic chemotherapy after drainage. However, three cases who underwent systemic chemotherapy survived for more than 10 mo. Cases that developed metachronous cardiac tamponade for more than 2 years after the diagnosis of GC generally survived for a longer period of time, although this was not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis revealed that low levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CEA and/or cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) were associated with longer survival., Conclusion: Cases with low levels of CEA, and CEA and/or CA 19-9 should undergo systemic chemotherapy with or without local chemotherapy after drainage.

The surgical outcome of most early gastric cancer (EGC) is usually satisfactory. Some cases show bone metastasis even though the depth of cancer invasion is confined to the mucosa. The most frequent site for recurrence of EGC is the liver. Cases of EGC with bone metastasis are reviewed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of EGC giving rise to bone metastasis. Possible mechanisms and risk factors underlying this rare condition are proposed. Forty-six cases of bone metastasis from EGC are reviewed from published reports and meeting proceedings in Japan. This investigation suggests that risk factors for bone metastasis from EGC include depressed-type signet-ring cell carcinoma, poorly differentiated carcinoma, and/or the likely involvement of lymph node metastasis, even though the cancer is confined to the gastric mucosa. The risk factors do not include recurrence of EGC in the liver. We speculate that the mechanism of bone metastasis from EGC is via lymphatic channels and systemic circulation. Post-operative follow-up of cases should consider the development of bone metastasis from EGC. We propose the use of elevated alkaline phosphatase levels for the detection of bone metastasis and recommend bone scintigraphy in positive cases.

The effects of intraoperative radiotherapy on tumor cells were elucidated by immunohistochemical examination of changes in the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. In addition, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling method was used to examine the level of apoptosis in mouse MM46 tumor cells after a single high dose of irradiation (30 Gy, 6 MeV). A significant decrease in the number of tumor cells compared to controls was observed on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days following irradiation, but not on the 1st day. Consistent with these results, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index of irradiated cells decreased significantly on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days following irradiation, but not on the 1st day. By comparison, the regrowth area on day 14 only showed no difference compared to the control group. The apoptotic index increased on the 7th and 14th day after irradiation, but at a lower rate than the observed decrease in the level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. We speculate that the major mechanism of single high-dose radiation effect is inhibition of DNA synthesis.

A 44-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea caused by malignant cardiac tamponade 2 years and 8 months after standard radical mastectomy for a stage III breast cancer. Malignant pericardial effusion was diagnosed by echocardiography and differentiated by cytology. Pericardiocentesis improved her hemodynamics and 9 consecutive pericardial instillations of cisplatin (10 mg) prevented reaccumulation of pericardial effusion, which had never reoccurred until she died of breast cancer one year and 6 months later. Therefore, it is suggested that instillation of cisplatin is one of the beneficial alternatives to surgical treatment.

Background: Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare tumor of the liver, which carries a poor prognosis. In this study, we reviewed reported cases of ASC and examined their clinicopathologic features., Materials and Methods: A computer MEDLINE search found 65 histologically defined primary ASC cases reported in the literature from 1975 to 2003, including our case. Of these, detailed data were obtained for 42 cases, and these were subsequently investigated clinicopathologically., Results: Among the 42 cases, 34 were reported to have died of ASC and 5 cases were alive at the time of the study. The mean survival of these 34 cases was 8.7 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis and the elevation of total bilirubin were associated with poor survival after surgery, and lymph node metastasis, intrahepatic metastasis, location of tumor in the right lobe, and the pathologic stage were significant factors for all cases., Conclusion: The current study highlights the prognostic factors of ASC of the liver, showing that the prognosis for patients with ASC is poor.

Thymidine phosphorylase levels are higher in some human cancer tissues than in adjacent normal tissue. However, the ultrastructural localization of thymidine phosphorylase in cancer tissue has been demonstrated only in advanced gastric and colorectal cancer. We investigated the localization of thymidine phosphorylase in breast cancer tissue by immunohistochemistry and its ultrastructural localization by immunoelectron microscopy. Surgically resected specimens from 30 cases of breast cancer were analyzed. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that cancer cells were positive in 13 cases. However, there were 21 cases that showed thymidine phosphorylase-positive inflammatory cells in cancer tissue. Thymidine phosphorylase-positive staining was detected among both cancer cells and inflammatory cells in 11 cases. Thymidine phosphorylase was diffusely positive in the cytoplasm of cancer cells and specifically positive in mitochondria of neutrophils and specific cytoplasmic granules of macrophages in cancer tissue by immunoelectron microscopy. These findings suggest that thymidine phosphorylase is produced by macrophages and is present in mitochondria of neutrophils and cytoplasmic granules of cancer cells.

Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital aganglionic neural disorder of the segmental distal intestine characterized by unsettled pathogenesis. The relationship between Hirschsprung's disease and pacemaker cells (PMC), which almost corresponds to that of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), was morphologically observed at the level of the intermuscular layer corresponding to Auerbach's plexus using ls/ls mice. These mice are an ideal model because of their large intestinal aganglionosis and gene abnormalities, which are similar to the human form of the disease. Immunostaining using anti-c-kit receptor antibody (ACK2), a marker of PMC, applied to whole-mount muscle-layer specimens, revealed the presence of c-kit immunopositive multipolar cells with many cytoplasmic processes in normal mice. For ls/ls mice, however, there were significantly fewer processes. The average number of processes per positive cell of 2.5 for the aganglionic large intestine was fewer than 3.5 for the large and small intestine of normal mice, indicating the inability to form connections between nerves and PMC in the aganglionic intestine. For normal mice with an Auerbach's plexus, the process attachment of ICC to the Auerbach's plexus was observed by scanning electron microscopy. However, for ls/ls mice no attachment to the intermuscular nerve without Auerbach's plexus was found, although transmission electron microscopy showed no difference in the cell structure and organelles of the c-kit immunopositive cells between the normal and ls/ls mice. These findings suggest that in the aganglionic intestine of Hirschsprung's disease, aplasia of enteric ganglia induces secondary disturbances during the normal development of intestinal PMC.

The gastrointestinal stromal tumor cell line, GIST-T1, has a heterogenic 57-base pair deletion in exon 11 of the c-kit mutation, and the c-KIT protein in the GIST-T1 cells constitutively activated. We report that STI571 (Glivec; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland), a specific inhibitor of c-KIT, inhibits the clustering of c-KIT at the cell membrane of the GIST-T1 cells. Furthermore, STI571 prevents the interaction between c-KIT and the molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Geldanamycin, an inhibitor of Hsp90, also prevents interaction between c-KIT and Hsp90, and inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation of c-KIT. Our results indicate that c-KIT molecules are assembled on the cell surface of the GIST-T1 cells, and that the interaction between c-KIT and Hsp90 plays an important role in c-KIT activation.

Background: We analyzed the clinicopathologic variables and postoperative outcomes in patients with extrahepatic adenosquamous carcinoma to identify important factors for predicting postresection prognosis., Methods: Thirty-six patients in Japan who underwent surgical resection for adenosquamous carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tract, with curative intent by the end of 2003, were studied. A retrospective review, with univariate and multivariate analyses, was performed on the clinical records of patients who underwent surgical exploration for adenosquamous carcinoma of the common bile duct. The clinical and pathologic factors that influenced patient survival were analyzed., Results: The operative mortality rate in the patient cohort was 3%. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 57%, 26%, and 16%, respectively, and the median survival was 13 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that independent negative prognostic factors in resected specimens were: (1) the presence of pancreatic invasion, (2) the presence of n2 and n3 lymph node metastasis, and (3) curability C status. The presence of an abnormal arrangement of the pancreatobiliary ductal system and pathological serosal invasion of the tumor tended to be associated with poor survival., Conclusions: Curative surgical resection for adenosquamous carcinoma remains the only effective treatment, because it offers the chance of long-term survival. New adjuvant strategies are required for improvements in patient outcomes.

Background/aims: The incidence and the clinical importance of the posterior gastric artery (PGA) have not been clarified. In Japan, as in the West, the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the upper stomach has increased recently. The purpose of this study was to clarify the features of the posterior gastric artery by analyzing a large series of digital subtraction angiography, and to determine its clinical significance., Methodology: Three hundred and fourteen patients who underwent angiography between 1991 and 2001 at the Kochi Medical School were studied. The length from the root of the splenic artery and the internal diameter of PGA were investigated celiacographically. The correlation of the body mass index (BMI) and the features of PGA were evaluated., Results: PGA was visualized in 175 patients (55.7%) celiacographically. PGA averaged 3.2-7.4cm (mean 5.4) in length from the root of the splenic artery and the size was 0.7-2.1mm (mean 1.4). The rate of depiction in patients with liver cirrhosis (73.2%) was significantly higher than that in those without (30.5%). No significant difference in length or size of PGA was seen by gender, age, or hepatitis viral infection. No correlation was found between the length or size of PGA and BMI., Conclusions: Our findings show that the anatomical features of PGA can be visualized by clinical methods useful in planning surgical treatment.

Background: The blood supply of the stomach is well characterized. Although the posterior gastric artery (PGA) is the second most important artery supplying the upper third of the stomach, the main features and clinical importance of the PGA have not been established. The aim of this study was to use multi-detector row computed tomography (MD-CT) to investigate the features of the PGA with respect to its incidence, location and size, and to correlate the findings with clinical practice., Methods: In August 2004, 50 preoperative patients (33 men and 17 women) were evaluated prospectively by MD-CT. Informed consent for the present study was accepted at Kochi Medical School. The length of the PGA, from the root of the splenic artery, and the internal diameter of the PGA were examined. Correlations between body mass index (BMI) and the observed features of the PGA were investigated., Results: The PGA was recognized in all patients. In 49 (98%) patients, the PGA branched from the splenic artery. In 1 (2%) patient, the PGA originated from the root of the celiac trunk. The PGA was discernible for a length of 4.2-14.3 cm (mean, 9.1 cm) from the root of the splenic artery, and the internal diameter of the PGA was 0.5-2.1 mm (mean, 1.0 mm). BMI did not correlate with PGA length or internal diameter., Conclusion: Our current study suggested that the anatomical and clinical features of the PGA can be shown by clinical methods, and that these features are useful in planning surgical treatment.

Background/aims: A pancreatic fistula is a potentially fatal complication in digestive tract surgery. The aim of this study was to review the prevention and treatment of pancreatic fistula as performed by our department., Methodology: Three hundred and seventeen patients with gastric neoplasm and 34 patients with pancreatic neoplasm who underwent surgical resection between 1981 and 2001 at Kochi Medical School were studied. Comparative analysis of the incidence of pancreatic fistulae and the mortality rate was carried out according to an operation type and time., Results: Among the 317 patients who underwent total gastrectomy due to gastric neoplasm, 30 (9.5%) showed pancreatic fistulae. The incidence of pancreatic fistulae in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic neoplasm was 29.4%. The mortality rate of patients who underwent total gastrectomy was 4.4% and there was a tendency for mortality rate to decrease in the second decade compared to the first. The mortality rate of patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy was 5.9%., Conclusions: Mortality rate tended to decrease with advanced operative procedures, however, the incidence of pancreatic fistulae did not decrease. In pancreatic fistulae, it was found that the type of treatment was important. Intraoperative and postoperative drainage management for pancreaticosplenectomy will likely become much more important.

Our intent was to evaluate whether laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and a high degree of liver damage has a role to play in the management of the disease. Laparoscopic and hand-assisted laparoscopic radiofrequency ablations were performed on five patients and the short-range outcome and complications of these patients were evaluated. The evaluation of the primary liver tumor by the radiofrequency ablation was carried out by computed tomography on the seventh day after surgery. Three patients underwent laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation, and the other two patients underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation. The Child-Pugh status of all tumors was B status, and one patient had complications due to postoperative ascites. Laparoscopic and hand-assisted laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation with a cooled-tip electrode needle was found to be a safe and effective local treatment of hepatic focal lesions.

Background/aims: Pancreatic fistula is a potentially fatal complication in pancreatic surgery. The objective of this study was to analyze the incidence of pancreatic fistula in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic neoplasm., Methodology: Forty-seven patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for neoplasm of the pancreas at Kochi Medical School between October 1981 and December 2002 were studied. Comparative analysis was carried out to identify the correlations between the incidence of pancreatic fistula and parameters of preoperative evaluation, intraoperative procedure, and postoperative laboratory investigation., Results: The incidence of pancreatic fistula in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic neoplasm was 27.7%. Intraoperatively, the frequency of pancreatic fistula was significantly high in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy without lymph node dissection and ligation of the splenic artery. No significant difference was recognized between the conventional surgical division and auto suture staple groups, however, in the ultrasonically activated scalpel (USAS) group, no pancreatic fistula was observed. A multivariate analysis revealed that independent high incidence of pancreatic fistula were 1) the situation of the tumor at pancreatic body, 2) the procedure of D2 lymph node dissection, and 3) the ligation of the root of splenic artery. In the group with the presence of pancreatic fistula, the serum amylase level on the first postoperative day was significantly higher than that in the group without fistula., Conclusions: Our findings supported that pancreatic fistula may be preventable by use of the USAS and treatment of acute pancreatitis in the early postoperative stage.

Background: The relationship between the three-dimensional configurations of superficial and protruded-type colon tumors with a type IIIL pit pattern was examined to evaluate their morphological development., Methods: Forty-five isolated crypts of superficial-type adenomas and 65 isolated crypts of protruded-type adenomas were evaluated, all derived from segments of 12 colorectal lesions removed by surgery or endoscopic resection. For isolation of the crypts, an HCl-digestion method was used. Morphological features of the isolated crypts were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We investigated the configuration, length, and width of the isolated crypts in a comparison of the superficial and protruded-type tumors. The configuration and surface structure of the crypts were classified into three types (scores 1 to 3) by the shape and degree of branching and protuberances on their surface., Results: The average lengths of the isolated crypts of the superficial and protruded types were 310.9 +/- 122.9 micro m ( n = 45) and 434.4 +/- 163.3 micro m ( n = 65), respectively ( P < 0.001), and the average widths of the superficial and protruded types were 140.4 +/- 68.2 micro m and 171.5 +/- 73.3 micro m, respectively ( P = 0.02). The average scores for the degree of branching and protruberances in the superficial and protruded types were 1.178 +/- 0.442 and 1.569 +/- 0.529, respectively ( P < 0.0001). In terms of configuration, in the isolated crypts, the superficial-type tumors exhibited a two-layer structure and the protruded type had the shape of a spindle with protuberances., Conclusions: In colorectal tumors with a type IIIL pit pattern, the isolated crypts of protruded-type tumors displayed more roughness on their surface structure and were longer than those of superficial-type tumors. This suggested that the three-dimensional configuration of the isolated crypt constitutes an important factor in the formation of the gross configuration of colorectal tumors. Colorectal superficial and protruded-type tumors may develop with different growth patterns.

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is known to be more concentrated in human cancer tissues than in adjacent normal tissue based on findings using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry. However, the ultrastructural localization of TP in cancer tissues has not previously been demonstrated. We investigated the localization of TP in gastric cancer and colorectal cancer tissue by ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and immunoelectron microscopy. Between April 1997 and May 2000, we obtained surgically resected specimens from 42, 46, and 36 cases of advanced gastric, colon, and rectal cancer, respectively. ELISA demonstrated that the TP level was higher in cancer tissues than in adjacent normal tissue. Immunohistochemically, cancer cells were positive for the enzyme in some cases. However, in a number of cases immunopositive inflammatory cells were also present in cancerous tissues. At the electron microscope level, TP was diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm of cancer cells and in the mitochondria of the neutrophil in gastric cancer tissue. In rectal cancer tissues, cytoplasmic granules in macrophages in cancer tissues were immunoreactive for the TP. These findings suggest that TP is produced by macrophages and exists in neutrophils and cancer cells.

Objective: Posttranscriptional modification involving phosphorylation of wild-type p53 has been considered to play a role in the stabilization of p53. Little is known, however, about the role of phosphorylation of mutant p53 overexpressed in tumors. The aim of this study is to determine the phosphorylation state of p53 in tumors and its contribution to tumor development., Methods: Using immunohistochemical techniques, we examined the phosphorylation of Ser392 and 15 sites in p53 overexpressed in 137 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs). The relationships between the phosphorylation and the expression of cell cycle regulators, Ki-67 labeling index (LI), apoptotic index, clinicopathological factors, and patient prognosis were tested statistically., Results: Of the 137 samples examined, staining for Ser392 phosphospecific p53 antibody was detected in 53 (38.7%) cases, corresponding to 58.9% of 90 p53-positive cases, whereas only 3 (2.2%) were positive for Ser15 phosphospecific p53 antibody. A significant correlation was identified between Ser392 phosphorylation and high levels of Ki-67 LI (p = 0.0271), lymphatic invasion (p = 0.0246), and poorer prognosis for patients with stage II and III advanced tumors (p = 0.0136). Using multivariate analysis, Ser392 phosphorylation was recognized as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.0136)., Conclusions: These findings suggest that p53 protein overexpressed in ESCCs is frequently phosphorylated at Ser392, and that the Ser392 phosphorylation might contribute to tumor progression of ESCCs., (2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor of the pancreas is occasionally accompanied by biliopancreatic fistula. However, it is difficult to show the inflow of mucin produced by the tumor into the common bile duct. To confirm the biliopancreatic fistula, the mucin-rich fraction was purified from the bile and stained with antimucin antibodies. Western blot analysis showed characteristic smear staining patterns for mucin molecules with three types of antimucin antibodies. Immunohistochemical analysis with the antibody showed significant signals of the cancer cells and the luminal content of the dilated pancreatic duct. These results showed that the bile contained an abundance of mucin, which was produced by the primary pancreatic tumor. In cases with intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor of the pancreas, biochemical analysis of mucin molecules in the bile can be of clinical use in consideration of pathological process of tumor progression.

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the NO synthase (NOS), a family of enzymes such as inducible NOS (iNOS), has been suggested to play an important role in tumor bioloty. We immunohistochemically examined iNOS and p53 protein expression in 105 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Direct sequence analysis for the p53 gene was performed in 51 of 105 tumors. In total, 56 of 105 (53.3%) tumors exhibited intracytoplasmic staining for anti-iNOS antibody, including 17 (16.2%) cases of homogeneous and intense immunostaining (++) and 39 (37.1%) of heterogeneous staining (+). Of 62 p53 protein-positive tumors, 40 (63.5%) were positive for iNOS, and of 43 p53 protein-negative tumors, 27 (62.8%) were negative for iNOS. Of 34 iNOS-positive tumors, 23 (67.6%) carried a p53 gene mutation, and of 17 iNOS-negative tumors, 12 (70.6%) had wild-type p53 gene. There was a significant relationship between iNOS immunoreactivity and p53 protein overexpression (p = 0.0058) as well as p53 mutation frequency (p = 0.0163). No association was found between iNOS immunoreactivity and p53 mutation type, any clinicopathological factor and patient prognosis. Our in vivo findings suggest that iNOS activity might be associated with p53 alteration and contribute to tumorigenesis in ESCC., (Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel)

A forty-year-old female consulted a hospital complaining of epigastralgia. She underwent endoscopy, which showed irregular shaped ulceration with fold convergence; the biopsy specimen revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. She underwent subtotal gastrectomy and lymph node dissection. Histological findings revealed the signet-ring-cell cancer confined to the mucosa and no lymph node metastasis. The serum carcinoembryonic antigen was elevated 2 years and 11 months after operation. Bone scintigraphy demonstrated multiple accumulation and bone biopsy of the sacrum revealed the metastatic gastric cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation, however, later complained of nausea, vomiting, and diminished visual acuity. Brain computed tomography revealed multiple brain metastasis. She died 3 years and 6 months after her operation. We reviewed the 39 reported cases of early gastric cancer with bone metastasis in Japan, which suggests that signet-ring-cell carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma have a possibility of bone metastasis even though the early gastric cancer is confined to the mucosa.

Background/aims: We evaluated the usefulness of helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography for the delineation of choleductal anatomy in preparation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Methodology: One hundred and five cases underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystolithiasis in our department from March 1993 to July 1998. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography was carried out in 58 cases and helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography, including, three-dimensional CT in 31 cases. We, retrospectively, investigated three-dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography in the point of three-dimensional demonstration of cystic duct anatomy and try to classify the findings., Results: Three-dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography visualized three-dimensional anatomy of the cystic duct clearly. For the detection of the biliary disease such as stones and polyps, however, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is superior (sensitivity; 89.7%) to two-dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography (sensitivity; 64.5%) and three-dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography (sensitivity; 22.6%) except for large lesions. We have classified the three dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography findings in three types., Conclusions: Three-dimensional helical CT scanning with drip-infusion cholangiography is not only less invasive but also more useful for the delineation of three-dimensional anatomy of the bile duct.