Takayasu's arteritis: assessment of disease activity with contrast-enhanced MR imaging

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced MR imaging in the determination of disease activity in patients with Takayasu's arteritis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: High-resolution contrast-enhanced T1-weighted spinecho MR imaging using small fields of view (14-20 cm) and thin slices (4-5 mm) was performed in 26 patients with Takayasu's arteritis and 16 healthy subjects. The degree of aortic mural enhancement was assessed by measuring signal intensity and by visually estimating it in comparison with that of the myocardium. RESULTS: Contrast-enhanced MR imaging showed more enhancement of thickened aortic wall compared with myocardium, thus suggesting active Takayasu's arteritis on MR imaging in 16 patients. Determination of disease activity using contrast-enhanced MR imaging was concordant with clinical findings in 23 patients (88.5%). Contrast-enhanced MR findings were concordant with laboratory findings in most patients (erythrocyte sedimentation rate in 92.3% [24/26] and C-reactive protein in 84.6% [22/26]). The measured signal intensity of the aortic wall relative to that of myocardium during the early phase of contrast-enhanced MR imaging correlated well with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.78, p < 0.005) and with the C-reactive protein level (r = 0.63, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MR imaging provides information about disease activity of Takayasu's arteritis, which may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of Takayasu's arteritis.     

Epistaxis: vascular anatomy, origins, and endovascular treatment

Embolization can play an important role in controlling epistaxis. However, one must be careful to avoid nontarget embolization via the dangerous anastomoses between the ECA branches, the carotid siphon, and ophthalmic arteries.     

Brenner tumor of the ovary: CT and MR findings

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the CT and MR characteristics of Brenner tumors, rare epithelial neoplasms of the ovary. METHOD: CT and MR scans of eight pathologically proven Brenner tumors of the ovary (seven benign, one malignant, and one associated with mucinous cystadenoma) were retrospectively reviewed. The masses were analyzed for location, size, external configuration, internal architecture, enhancement pattern, presence of calcification, and metastatic spread. RESULTS: The patients' median age was 63 years (range 39-79 years), and the mean size of the tumors was 11.4 cm (7.5-17 cm). All tumors were unilateral and had a well-defined margin. The mass was mostly solid in three, mostly cystic in one, and "mixed" solid and cystic in four cases. The tumors with cystic components (n = 5) were mostly multilocular in appearance (n = 4). All the solid components showed mild homogeneous enhancement on postcontrast CT and MRI. Extensive amorphous calcification within the solid component on CT was seen in five of six cases (83%). No characteristic findings discriminating malignancy from benign Brenner tumor could be found. CONCLUSION: Extensive amorphous calcification in a solid mass or solid component in a multilocular cystic mass is a characteristic finding of Brenner tumor of the ovary on CT and MRI.     

Larynx preservation surgery in pyriform sinus cancer

As a general rule, surgery, whenever possible followed by irradiation, is considered to be a standard treatment for pyriform sinus cancer. In early primary lesions, many different approaches have been tried for larynx preservation. From 1990-1997, 7 patients with pyriform sinus carcinoma without the involvement of pyriform sinus apex were treated with partial laryngopharyngectomy at the Asan Medical Center. Three patients were T1 stage and four were T2. All patients had nodal metastases and were treated with neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy. Follow-up period was 1-8 years. One regional recurrence and one distant metastasis occurred; however, there was no recurrence at the primary site. The voices of all the patients were saved. The most uncomfortable postoperative symptom was mild aspiration. From these results, we can conclude that partial laryngopharyngectomy with neck dissection might be the favorable treatment modality for selected cases of pyriform sinus cancer.     

Autism Spectrum Disorder and School Bullying: Who is the Victim? Who is the Perpetrator?

While a growing number of studies indicate associations between experiences of bullying and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is not clear what roles comorbid behavioral problems may play. We investigated the experiences of children with ASD as victims and/or perpetrators of bullying. Children with ASD epidemiologically ascertained participated in a cross-sectional study. Although children with ASD showed significantly increased risk for bullying involvement compared to community children, after controlling for comorbid psychopathology and other demographic factors, increased risks for being perpetrators or victim-perpetrators disappeared while risk for being bullied/teased continued to be significantly elevated. This finding will help guide medical, educational and community personnel to effectively identify children with ASD at risk for school bullying and develop interventions.     

Inhibition of STAT3 signaling and induction of SHP1 mediate antiangiogenic and antitumor activities of ergosterol peroxide in U266 multiple myeloma cells

Background  

Ergosterol peroxide (EP) derived from edible mushroom has been shown to exert anti-tumor activity in several cancer cells. In the present study, anti-angiogenic activity of EP was investigated with the underlying molecular mechanisms in human multiple myeloma U266 cells.