Joo Hyeong Oh

Nutcracker Syndrome in Children With Orthostatic Proteinuria Diagnosis on the Basis of Doppler Sonography

Objective. To evaluate the Doppler sonographic findings of the left renal vein in children with orthostatic proteinuria in comparison with healthy children and to propose more reliable sonographic criteria for diagnosing nutcracker syndrome in children. Methods. Doppler sonographic findings in 47 children with orthostatic proteinuria and in 27 healthy control subjects were compared. The diagnosis of orthostatic proteinuria was made on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings. The peak velocity and anteroposterior diameter were measured at the hilar and aortomesenteric portions of the left renal vein. The means ± 2 SD of the anteroposterior diameter ratio and peak velocity ratio between the 2 portions were calculated for control subjects and used as the cutoff levels for nutcracker syndrome. Results. The peak velocity ratios between aortomesenteric and hilar portions were 5.21 ± 2.55 in the patient group and 2.57 ± 0.70 in the control group. The anteroposterior diameter ratios between the 2 portions were 5.31 ± 2.65 in the patient group and 2.77 ± 0.69 in the control group. We set the cutoff level of anteroposterior diameter and peak velocity ratios for the diagnosis of nutcracker syndrome at mean ± 2 SD of the value for the control group (3.98 for the peak velocity ratio and 4.16 for the anteroposterior diameter ratio). When these cutoff levels were applied, the patients with orthostatic proteinuria had abnormal levels of anteroposterior diameter in 27 (57.4 %) of 47, peak velocity in 30 (63.8%) of 47, and both in 23 (48.9%) of 47. Conclusions. Nutcracker syndrome may be an important cause of orthostatic proteinuria in children. Doppler sonography of the left renal vein may be a useful screening tool in patients with suspected orthostatic proteinuria to evaluate whether the cause is nutcracker syndrome.

Acetic Acid as a Sclerosing Agent for Renal Cysts: Comparison with Ethanol in Follow-Up Results

AbstractPurpose: To compare follow-up results of sclerotherapy for renal cyst using 50% acetic acid with those using 99% ethanol as sclerosing agents. Methods: Eighty-one patients underwent sclerotherapy and 58 patients, 23 males, 35 females, aged 6–76 years, having a total of 60 cysts, were included in this study; the others were lost to follow-up. The renal cysts were diagnosed by sonography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sclerotherapy was performed using 50% acetic acid for 32 cysts in 3 1 patients and 99% ethanol for 28 cysts in 27 patients. Under fluoroscopic guidance, cystic fluid was aspirated as completely as possible. After instillation of a sclerosing agent corresponding to 1 1.7%–25% (4–100 ml) of the aspirated volume, the patient changed position for 20 min and then the agent was removed. Patients were followed up by sonography for a period of 1–49 months. The volume of the renal cyst after sclerotherapy was compared with that of the renal cyst calculated before sclerotherapy. Medical records were reviewed to analyze complications. Results: The mean volume after sclerotherapy of the 17 cysts followed for 3–4 months in the acetic acid group was 5.1% of the initial volume, and for the 14 cysts in the ethanol group it was 10.2%. Complete regression during follow-up was shown in 21 cysts (66%) in the acetic acid group; the mean volume of these cysts before the procedure was 245 ml. The mean volume of the nine (32%) completely regressed cysts in the ethanol group was 184 ml. Mild flank pain, which occurred in three patients in each group, was the only complication and resolved the next day. Conclusion: Acetic acid was an effective and safe sclerosing agent for renal cysts, tending to induce faster and more complete regression than ethanol.

Bone bruises: MR characteristics and histological correlation in the young pig

PURPOSE To correlate magnetic resonance (MR) signal characteristics of bone bruises with histological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 14 tibiae of young pigs, bone bruises were created in the proximal tibial metaphysis. The signal intensity seen on the MR images were correlated with histological findings. The following findings were evaluated: (a) changes of signal intensity on the tibiae; (b) changes of histology on the tibiae; and (c) changes of (a) and (b) on follow-up examinations. RESULTS We observed three types of injuries on T1-weighted images: focal or diffuse low signal, normal signal and linear low signal intensities. Severe hemorrhagic areas showed low signal intensities on all sequences of MR imaging. Fast spin-echo (FSE) T2-weighted images showed a more distinct low signal intensity than T1-weighted images. FSE short tau inversion recovery (STIR) and FSE fat saturated (FSE-FS) T2-weighted images showed similar signal intensities with FSE T2-weighted images. FS T1-weighted enhanced images showed low signal intensities with variable enhancements. Upon histological examination, hemorrhages and edemas were prominent at the subcortical areas of the contusion sites. The areas of dense, low signal intensities in all imaging sequences showed signs of severe hemorrhage. The areas of diffuse low signal and enhanced areas showed mixed areas of hemorrhages and edemas. Follow-up MR imaging showed evolution of the processes of hemorrhages and edemas with fatty marrow changes. CONCLUSIONS MR imaging can depict changes in the bone marrow resulting from direct injury to the bone. MR imaging is a useful tool for evaluating the evolution of bone bruises.

Treatment of prostatic abscess: value of transrectal ultrasonographically guided needle aspiration.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of transrectal ultrasonographically guided needle aspiration in the treatment of prostatic abscess. Fourteen patients with prostatic abscess were evaluated with this technique and treated with sonographically guided needle aspiration. Using this technique, all cases (100%) had one or more hypoechoic areas within the prostate that contained inhomogeneous materials; in 10 patients (71.0%), the lesion showed internal septa or solid portion. The margins of the hypoechoic area were well defined and thick in 11 patients (79.0%) and poorly defined in 3 patients (21.0%). The estimated volume of the prostatic abscess ranged between 2 and 28 ml (mean, 12.0 ml). The presence of a pus collection within the prostate was confirmed by transrectal ultrasonographically guided aspiration in all patients. However, successful treatment of prostatic abscess with transrectal needle aspiration was done in 12 (86.0%) of 14 patients; the treatment failed in 2 (14.0%) of 14 patients. One patient was treated with perineal incision and drainage and the other with transurethral resection. The amount of pus drained ranged between 1 and 39 ml (mean, 12.0 ml). On follow‐up transrectal ultrasonographic examination, no remaining abscess pocket was found within the prostate in any of the cases. One year later, the prostatic abscess recurred in one case. In conclusion, transrectal ultrasonographic guidance is useful in the diagnosis of prostatic abscess as well as in the guidance for aspiration and the drainage of such abscesses. Transrectal ultrasonographically guided needle aspiration could be an effective method for treating prostatic abscess.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome: angiography and therapeutic embolization.

We report a case where an embolization therapy was successfully performed for diffusely dilated pulmonary vessels in a patient with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) as a palliative treatment before liver transplantation. To our knowledge, this therapeutic approach has been tried only for arteriovenous malformation type HPS, and not for diffuse dilatation [Chest 91 (1987) 920].

Interventional Management of Gastrointestinal Fistulas

Gastrointestinal (GI) fistulas are frequently very serious complications that are associated with high morbidity and mortality. GI fistulas can cause a wide array of pathophysiological effects by allowing abnormal diversion of the GI contents, including digestive fluid, water, electrolytes, and nutrients, from either one intestine to another or from the intestine to the skin. As an alternative to surgery, recent technical advances in interventional radiology and percutaneous techniques have been shown as advantageous to lower the morbidity and mortality rate, and allow for superior accessibility to the fistulous tracts via the use of fistulography. In addition, new interventional management techniques continue to emerge. We describe the clinical and imaging features of GI fistulas and outline the interventional management of GI fistulas.

Acetic acid sclerotherapy for treatment of a biliary leak from an isolated bile duct after hepatic surgery

Bile duct leakage from the main biliary tree is not uncommon after hepatic surgery. In this case, successful percutaneous treatment was performed for bile leakage from an isolated bile duct after left hemihepatectomy in a 48-year-old woman who underwent surgery for biliary cystadenocarcinoma and developed a biloma at the left subphrenic space. Diagnostic procedures revealed that the right posterior segmental bile duct drained aberrantly into the left bile duct, which remained undrained after resection and led to biloma formation. Ablation of the isolated bile duct was performed with acetic acid, resulting in avoidance of repeated operation and other complications.

Radiologic anatomy of the rabbit liver on hepatic venography, arteriography, portography, and cholangiography.

Seo TS, Oh JH, Lee DH, et al. Radiologic anatomy of the rabbit liver on hepatic venography, arteriography, portography, and cholangiography. Invest Radiol 2001;36:186–192. rationale and objectives. The radiologic anatomy of rabbit liver has received little study but is important in many experimental investigations. methods.Twenty-four rabbits were studied by using hepatic venograms, aortograms, hepatic arteriograms, cholangiograms, and portograms. results.In all cases, the right, middle, and left hepatic veins drained into the inferior vena cava just below the diaphragm, and the caudate lobe hepatic vein drained more inferiorly. The proper hepatic artery was a branch of the common hepatic artery in 96%. The first branch of the proper hepatic artery was the caudate lobe artery. The remaining main hepatic artery was divided into the right and left hepatic arteries. The left hepatic artery was further divided into the medial and lateral segmental branches in 95%. The anatomy of the portal vein or bile duct was the same as the hepatic artery in 100% of cases. conclusions.Knowledge of the normal patterns and variations of the vessels and bile duct will be helpful for experiments of the rabbit liver in future studies.

Radiologic Placement of Uncovered Stents for the Treatment of Malignant Colorectal Obstruction

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of radiologic placement of uncovered stents for the treatment of malignant colorectal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS From May 2003 to January 2008, 116 radiologic placements of uncovered stents were attempted in 99 patients (M:F, 59:40; mean age, 65 years) with malignant colorectal obstructions. The location of stent insertion, technical and clinical success, complication rates, and patency rates of the stents in a palliative group were also evaluated. In the palliative group, the follow-up period was 2-455 days (mean, 100 +/- 129 days). RESULTS Radiologic stent placement was technically successful in 110 of 116 cases (94.8%). Fifty cases of stent placement were preoperative (45.5%, 50 of 110) and 60 (54.5%, 60 of 110) were performed with palliative intents. In five of six failed cases, the replacement of the stent was later performed with the assistance of colonoscopy. One patient underwent an emergency operation. In 98 of 110 cases, the symptoms of obstruction were relieved, for a clinical success rate of 89.1%. Of the 50 stents that were placed successfully with preoperative intent, 44 patients underwent surgery within a mean of 10.3 days. In the palliative group, the patency rates were 89.7% at 1 month, 85.6% at 3 months, 80.8% at 6 months, and 72.7% at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS The radiologic placement of uncovered stents for the treatment of malignant colorectal obstruction is feasible and safe and provides acceptable clinical results not only for preoperative decompression but also for palliative cases, especially in left-sided colonic obstructions.

Efficacy of single-session percutaneous drainage and 50% acetic Acid sclerotherapy for treatment of simple renal cysts.

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy and long-term results of single-session 50% acetic acid sclerotherapy for the treatment of simple renal cysts, and to compare the therapeutic results of 5 and 20 min sclerosant dwell techniques.MethodsDuring the past 9 years, 50% acetic acid sclerotherapy was performed on 67 cysts in 66 patients. An acetic acid volume corresponding to a mean of 23% of the aspirated cyst volume was injected into the cysts. A 20 min dwell time with position changes was performed in 32 cysts (31 patients; group I) and 8% of volume for a 5 min dwell time in 35 cysts (35 patients; group II). Three- and 6-month sonographic or CT follow-up was performed for a minimum of 1 year. Complete regression was defined as no remaining cyst measurable on sonography with or without a scar at the renal cortex. Partial regression was defined as a decreased cyst volume compared with that before sclerotherapy. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the therapeutic results between the two groups.ResultsFor 67 simple renal cysts, complete regression on follow-up was observed in 21 of 32 cysts (66%; group I) and 22 of 35 cysts (63%; group II); the remaining 24 cysts all showed partial regression. The partial reduction rate of the cyst’s volume was 97.4% (91.3–99.4%) in group I and 96.9% (90.8–99.5 %) in group II. There were no procedure-related major complications, and no statistically significant differences in the complete regression and partial volume reduction rates between the two groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionFifty percent acetic acid is an effective and safe sclerosing agent for simple renal cysts. Fifty percent acetic acid sclerotherapy with a 5 min sclerosant dwell time, using a volume of about 10% of the aspirated volume, is sufficient for satisfactory results of simple renal cyst sclerotherapy.