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18 F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET)/CT in the detection of colon carcinoma and adenoma was evaluated retrospectively. Methods: Between May 2007 and June 2008, 102 patients (42 males and 60 females: age range, 28-89 years) underwent both FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy in < a 3 month interval. FDG uptake on PET/CT was divided into physiologic and pathologic uptake by a nuclear medicine specialist. Pathologic confirmation was obtained in all patients. Results: Forty-three patients had no abnormal findings on both FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy. One hundred five and 59 colonic lesions were detected on FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy, respectively. Eleven of 24 lesions with pathologic FDG uptake were histologically-confirmed to be malignancies. Among 18 lesions with physiologic FDG uptake, 1 carcinoma and 1 adenoma were revealed. One carcinoma, 25 adenomas, and 11 hyperplastic polyps did not reveal FDG uptake. Interpretation of pathologic FDG uptake in the colon had a sensitivity of 84.6% and 28.2%, a specificity of 90.4% and 88.1%, a positive predictive value of 45.8% and 45.8%, and a negative predictive value of 98.4% and 77.8% for carcinomas and adenomas, respectively. Conclusions: FDG PET/CT is a very useful diagnostic method for the detection of colon cancer, but the sensitivity is low for adenomas, which may need further evaluation, such as a screening endoscopy. (Intest Res 2010;8:18-23)

Aim: to assess the efficacy of enteric prostheses for the treatment of gastroduodenal obstruction caused by non-surgical neoplasms, their effect on quality of life and survival, and to determine the factors related to efficacy and complications. Patients: enteric prosthesis insertion was indicated in 77 patients. In 6 of these patients insertion was attempted but not achieved, and thus they were not included in the analysis. The remaining 71 patients (31 male, 40 female) had a mean age of 73,10±12,4 years. The intention of of prosthesis insertion was: permanent, 63,4%; adjuvant to chemotherapy, 35,2%; and as a bridge to surgery, 1,4%. Mean Karnofsky index was 64,86±12,9. Methods: the prostheses used were: Wallflex (76,1%), Wallstent (16,9%), Ultraflex (7%) (all of them metallic, expandable, uncoated, produced by Boston Scientific). Insertion was monitored with combined endoscopic-radiologic control (50,7%) or endoscopic control only (49,3%). Efficacy of the prostheses was assessed with the GOOSS clinical index, and quality of life was assessed with EuroQol-5D questionnaire. Results: obstruction location was: gastric 25,4%, duodenal 53,5%, and surgical anastomosis 21,1%. The time required to insert the prosthesis was 20,49±8,6 min. The length of hospital admission was 3,3±3,4 days. Symptoms of gastroduodenal obstruction, measured by GOOSS, improved at least 2 points in 57 patients (p

Backgrounds/Aims: Negative hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) staining in hepatocytes is indicative of viral replication by an active immune response. HBcAg is expressed mainly in the cytoplasm in patients with active hepatitis and hepatocyte regeneration, and mainly in the nuclei of hepatocytes in patients with minimal liver injury in the absence of hepatocyte regeneration. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the existence and expression pattern of HBcAg predicts the response to antiviral treatment. Methods: The study involved 58 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B who were treated with lamivudine. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), antibody to HBeAg, hepatitis B virus DNA, and alanine aminotransferase in serum were recorded every 3 months. The inflammation grade and the fibrosis stage of chronic hepatitis were scored from 0 to 4 according to lobular inflammation, portal inflammation, periportal inflammation, and fibrosis. Results: The 58 patients included 49(84%) HBcAg-positive patients, with HBcAg staining confined to the cytoplasm in 15(31%) and in both cytoplasm and nuclei in 34(69%). The grade of lobular inflammation and the total histology score were significantly higher in patients with cytoplasmic expression of HBcAg than in HBcAgnegative patients (lobular inflammation: 2.9 vs 2.1, P=0.02; total histology score: 12.2 vs 10.3, P=0.04). The virologic responses at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months differed significantly between the cytoplasmic and mixed expression groups (P

Hughes-Stovin syndrome is an extremely rare entity. We present a case of a 42-year- old man, who developed deep vein and inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis, repeated internal bleeding and pulmonary artery aneurysms (PAAs). The patient presented with massive hemoptysis and with PAAs of a 2.5 cm maximum diameter. We describe the successful percutaneous transhepatic venous embolization of the PAAs due to occluded common vascular pathways to the pulmonary artery.

Background:Recently, the amiodarone has emerged as a promising antiarrhythmic agent and its efficacy and safety has been widely accepted with many literatures. But there was no general agreement regarding the dosage and indication of intravenous (IV) amiodarone in acute myocardial infarction with life-threatening refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Method:From October 1995 through October 1997, we recruited retrospectively 9 patients of acute myocardial infarction who had received IV amiodarone for life-threatening refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias and analyzed the initial response, adverse effect, and loading dose. Results:1) Acute efficacy:Eight of 9 patients promptly restored normal sinus rhythm immediately after intravenous amiodarone administration. 2) In-Hospital Mortality:One patients died due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to aggressive management and 5 in 8 patients who had responded promptly with IV amiodarone discharged alive and other 3 patients died due to cardiogenic shock with normal sinus rhythm. 3) Immediate adverse effects:Five patients experienced immediate adverse effects after IV amiodarone;3 patients of hypotension, 1 patient of first degree AV block, and the other of Morbitz type 2 AV block. 4) Long term follow-up:Among 5 patients discharged alive, one died as unexpected consequence. Other 4 patients have been still alive without maintenance medication. Conclusion:The IV amiodarone for suppression of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction seemed to be an effective second-line therapeutic drug and have acceptable adverse effects. In the future, the large scale study regarding the dosage and indication might be warrented. (Korean Circulation J 1998;28(8):1314-1321)

Coronary arteriovenous fistulas (CAVF are rare malformations of the coronary circulation. They are seen in approximately 0.1% to 0.2% of all patients undergoing selective coronary angiography. We experienced a 58- years old male patient with bilateral coronary AV fistulas whoes diagnosis was confirmed by selective coronary angiography. ( ( ( (Korean Circulation J 1998;28( ( ( (9 :1630-1632 KEY WORD:Coronary arteriovenous fistulas (CAVF.

Background：Clinical trials have shown that β-adrenergic blocking drugs are effective and well tolerated in patients with mild to moderate congestive heart failure. Carvedilol is a mild β1-selective adrenergic blocking agent with vasodilating properties due to α blocker and antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of carvedilol in patients with moderate to severe congestive heart failure caused by idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods：We enrolled 27 patients with moderate to severe congestive heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 35% by MUGA scan. Each patient was randomly assigned to either control (n＝9 or carvedilol (n＝18, target dose 25 mg bid for 6 months while background therapy with digoxin, diuretics, and ACE inhibitor remained constant. Results：Compared to the control group, patients in the carvedilol group showed significant increase of left ventricular ejection fraction (p