[A new method for measuring spinal kyphosis using CT images and a study of its relationship with reflux esophagitis].

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the validity and reproducibility of a new quantitative method for measuring spinal kyphosis using computed tomography (CT), and to investigate its relationship with reflux esophagitis. [Method] Using a new method to measure the index of kyphosis in CT images (IKCT), 10 examiners evaluated 10 cases of spinal kyphosis. One examiner measured 47 cases twice and 20 cases were examined to assess the validity with the kyphosis index. A case-control study was conducted on 303 cases of reflux esophagitis, of which 241 were mild and 62 severe. [Results] Regarding IKCT reproducibility, the inter-rater intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.977. The intra-rater intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.974. The correlation index with the kyphosis index was 0.731. A greater IKCT value, not contracting serious atrophic gastritis, and severe hiatal hernia were identified as risk factors for severe reflux esophagitis. [Conclusion] IKCT is a simple and useful method for measuring kyphosis. The prevention of kyphosis can help suppress severe reflux esophagitis.

Hyposensitization trial using salazosulfapyridine in a case of mesalamine intolerance.

A 47-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with pancolitis-type ulcerative colitis. He was treated with mesalamine in a pH-dependent release form. On day 16 of administration, he was admitted because of fever and abdominal pain. We diagnosed his symptoms to be the side effects of mesalamine. Hyposensitization using unmodified and a time-dependent release form mesalamine was performed. On day 7 of mesalamine hyposensitization, a colonoscopy was performed. The patient presented with the same allergic symptoms 9 h after the administration of an oral sodium phosphate solution. Eventually, he was orally administered a course of salazosulfapyridine (SASP) at an initial dose of 2.5 mg/day, which was increased to 2000 mg/day. It is generally recognized that SASP intolerance is an indication to switch from SASP to mesalamine. The need to switch treatment from mesalamine to SASP is, therefore, rare because allergic reactions to mesalamine do not occur frequently. We report a very rare case which was presented with abdominal pain and myalgia because of intolerance to mesalamine in whom hyposensitization with and introduction of SASP were successful.

Usefulness of the modified clip-with-line method for endoscopic mucosal treatment procedure.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) might be difficult to perform in some cases even for experienced endoscopists. Recently, various traction methods have been introduced to facilitate ESD procedures, such as clip-with-line (CL), external forceps, clip and snare, internal traction, double scope, and magnetic anchor. The traction procedure using the CL method enhances the visibility of the operation field during ESD. The original CL method is performed as follows: the clip with the line (e.g., dental floss) is attached to the edge of the lesion. Traction can be produced by pulling the line gently, thus achieving a sufficient visualization of the submucosal layer to identify an accurate cutting line. Herein, we present a useful modified two-CL method by pulling the appropriate normal mucosa to enhance the visibility of the operation field during ESD procedure. Thus, the traction methods, including our modified CL technique, might reduce the procedure time and complications.

Duodenal Ulcer Induced by Hem-o-Lok clip after Reduced Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

The patient was a 66-year-old woman who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy (Lap-C) secondary to chronic cholecystitis status post endoscopic choledocholithotomy 13 months previously. During surgery, Hem-o-Lok clips were used to control the cystic duct and the cystic artery. Due to the presence of extensive adhesions of the cystic duct and surrounding tissue, the surgeons had difficulty in debriding the area. Thirteen months after Lap-C, the patient underwent a screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), which demonstrated clip appearance at the inferior wall of the first part of the duodenum. In the EGD, duodenal erosions and edema were observed around the clip. We appreciated that endoscopic clip removal would be difficult because of the presence of severe adhesions and inflammation of the duodenal bulb. On clinical examination of the patient, no major abnormalities or physical findings were noted. Therefore, we decided not to attempt to remove the clip. The patient was treated with an oral proton pump inhibitor to prevent extensive duodenal mucosal injury. Two months later, we repeated the EGD, which revealed that the clip was no longer present, and the duodenum was covered with normal mucosa surrounding the scar.

Gastric outlet obstruction induced by a gastric wall abscess after cholecystitis.

In December 2011, an 84-year-old Japanese man was admitted with severe cholecystitis. We treated the cholecystitis using antibiotics, and his symptoms improved. In March 2012, he was readmitted after experiencing a sudden bloating sensation and vomiting. We determined that a gastric wall abscess had protruded into the antrum. The gastric wall was adjacent to the gallbladder, and the gastric abscess was related to a known case of cholecystitis. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy indicated that the abscess was under the mucous membrane of the gastric antrum. Pus, exuding from the abscess, was aspirated with an endoscope.

Prediction of Large Esophageal Variceal Bleeding and Subsequent Mortality.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ruptured esophageal varices (EV) are commonly associated with bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. As previous studies have been designed to include all viral cirrhosis patients, including those with small varices, there are no definitive reports of the risk factors for large EV (LEV) bleeding and subsequent mortality. In this study we sought to investigate these risk factors. METHODOLOGY: 16 patients with initial episodes of LEV bleeding and 56 patients who had undergone initial preventive treatment for LEV were examined. The Child-Pugh score, MELD score, and their component serological factors were examined. RESULTS: The Child-Pugh score and the MELD score were significantly lower for preventive cases. Serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in bleeding cases, as determined by univariable and multivariable analyses. In initial LEV bleeding cases, higher MELD scores and Child-Pugh scores, and lower serum albumin concentration were associated with significantly higher one-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that control of the MELD score, the Child-Pugh score, and serum albumin concentration is key to improving the prognosis of patients with LEV. Especially, control of serum albumin concentration may be critical for the prevention of initial episodes of LEV bleeding and improving subsequent mortality.

Development of a novel fusion imaging technique in the diagnosis of hepatobiliary-pancreatic lesions.

INTRODUCTION: Multi-row detector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) play an important role in the imaging diagnosis of hepatobiliary-pancreatic lesions. Here we investigated whether unifying the MDCT and MRCP images onto the same screen using fusion imaging could overcome the limitations of each technique, while still maintaining their benefits. Moreover, because reports of fusion imaging using MDCT and MRCP are rare, we assessed the benefits and limitations of this method for its potential application in a clinical setting. METHODS: The patient group included 9 men and 11 women. Among the 20 patients, the final diagnoses were as follows: 10 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, 5 biliary system carcinomas, 1 pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 5 non-neoplastic lesions. After transmitting the Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine data of the MDCT and MRCP images to a workstation, we performed a 3-D organisation of both sets of images using volume rendering for the image fusion. RESULTS: Fusion imaging enabled clear identification of the spatial relationship between a hepatobiliary-pancreatic lesion and the solid viscera and/or vessels. Further, this method facilitated the determination of the relationship between the anatomical position of the lesion and its surroundings more easily than either MDCT or MRCP alone. CONCLUSION: Fusion imaging is an easy technique to perform and may be a useful tool for planning treatment strategies and for examining pathological changes in hepatobiliary-pancreatic lesions. Additionally, the ease of obtaining the 3-D images suggests the possibility of using these images to plan intervention strategies.

[A case of metastatic bladder cancer occurring after surgery for differentiated gastric cancer controlled by combination therapy of paclitaxel/S-1].

A 70-year-old male visited the hospital with a complaint of stomachache. Hydronephrosis was observed in the right kidney, and further examination confirmed a diagnosis of metastatic cancer limited to the bladder and rectovesical pouch after surgery for differentiated gastric cancer. Chemotherapy using paclitaxel(PTX)/S-1 was initiated. One course included 14 days of administration of S-1 (100 mg/body) followed by a 7-day interval, and the administration of PTX (60 mg/body) on the 1st and 15th days. General malaise developed after 4 courses, the dose of S-1 was reduced (80 mg/body), and PTX was administered only on the 1st day. CT conducted 9 months after the start of chemotherapy revealed the disappearance of ascites, decreased thickness of the bladder wall, and reduced size of the tumor in the rectovesical pouch. No new distal metastasis or peritoneal metastatic nodule has been observed, and there has been no tendency toward exacerbation for one year after the initial diagnosis. PTX/S-1 was suggested to be an effective treatment for metastatic cancer limited to the bladder and rectovesical pouch after surgery for differentiated gastric cancer.

[Long-term disease-free survival following multimodal treatment in a patient with curatively unresectable advanced gastric cancer with metachronous liver metastasis].

A case was a 57-year-old man. Despite a diagnosis of cStage IV gastric cancer (cN2, cH0, cM0, cT3 (SE), cP1), we preferentially performed a non-curative surgery to avoid stenosis or bleeding by tumor invasion. Since no evidence of peritoneal metastasis was found at surgery, distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection was performed, and lymph nodes anterior to the pancreatic head were sampled. The pathological diagnosis was pT3 (SE), pN2, sH0, pM1 (LYM), pStage IV. After the surgery, S-1 was administered. One year and 9 months later, a solitary metastasis was found in S6 of the liver, and the patient underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) followed by adjuvant S-1. Currently, 5 years and 10 months after the surgery, the patient is under follow-up, and remains alive with recurrence-free. We speculate that in the presence of N or M (LYM) factors for stage IV gastric cancer, surgery with lymphadenectomy, which does not prevent the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, followed by multimodal treatments such as continued chemotherapy and RFA, led to the long-term survival.

[A patient with metachronous ovarian metastases of signet-ring cell carcinoma of the transverse colon showing long-term survival after surgery].

The patient was a 43-year-old female who consulted a local physician due primarily to lower abdominal pain. She was referred to our hospital for close evaluation and treatment. Since circumferential cancer was detected in the transverse colon by lower digestive tract endoscopy, the patient was hospitalized for surgical treatment. Transverse colectomy (Cur A) was performed, histopathological examination indicated signet-ring cell carcinoma of the transverse colon, and the lesion was diagnosed as type 4, SS, ly3, v0, n1 (+), Stage III a. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but the patient was psychologically unstable and strongly rejected chemotherapy. The patient was periodically followed-up after surgery, but a mass was detected in the left ovary by CT after 1 year and 6 months, and bilateral ovariectomy was performed with a diagnosis of ovarian metastasis. The histopathological diagnosis was signet-ring cell carcinoma, and the ovarian lesions were judged to be metastases of the transverse colon carcinoma. Since the patient did not consent to postoperative chemotherapy, as after the initial surgery, she was followed-up without treatment. She was admitted with ileus due to peritoneal metastasis 4 years and 10 months after the initial surgery, and, despite of the surgery, she died due to carcinoma 5 years after the initial surgery.

Hemobilia and cystic artery stump pseudoaneurysm associated with liver abscess after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy: report of a case.

A 63-year-old woman was admitted for cholecystitis and underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). She experienced abdominal pain and hemobilia 11 days after the LC. Angiography was performed but it did not show any source of bleeding. Thereafter, at 27 days after LC, a repeat angiogram was performed which revealed a pseudoaneurysm (PA) arising from a cystic artery stump and an embolized PA sack. However, another PA arising from near the embolized PA and liver abscess was observed 4 days after embolization. The arterial collateral flow was evaluated by endovascular balloon occlusion of the right hepatic artery and it was embolized proximal and distal to the bleeding point. The embolization of the partial hepatic artery was effective for PA when packing the PA sack proved to be insufficient. In patients with liver cirrhosis or liver abscess who require an adequate arterial liver flow, it is important to evaluate the collateral arterial flow before hepatic artery embolization.

Evaluation of the hemodynamics of the femoral head compared with the ilium, femoral neck and femoral intertrochanteric region in healthy adults: measurement with positron emission tomography (PET).

OBJECTIVE: Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONF) is considered to be a disease that occurs primarily due to ischemia of the femoral head, while its etiology and pathology are not fully understood. It is therefore necessary to identify the characteristics of the hemodynamics of the femoral head. In this study, the hemodynamics in the ilium and proximal regions of the femur, including the femoral head, was investigated using positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 8 hip joints of four healthy male adults and 3 hip joints on the contralateral side of a femoral neck fracture, avulsion fracture of the greater trochanter and coxarthrosis (1 case each, all females) for a total of 11 hip joints of 7 subjects. The ages of the subjects ranged from 25 to 87 years (average age: 54 years). Blood flow was measured by means of the H215O dynamic study method and blood volume was measured by means of the 15O-labeled carbon monoxide bolus inhalation method. RESULTS: Blood flow was determined to be 9.1 +/- 4.8 ml/min/100 g in the ilium and among proximal regions of the femur (femoral head, neck and intertrochanteric region), 1.8 +/- 0.7 ml/min/100 g in the femoral head, 2.1 +/- 0.6 ml/min/100 g in the femoral neck, and 2.6 +/- 0.7 ml/min/100 g in the intertrochanteric region. In addition, blood volume was 4.7 +/- 1.3 ml/100 g in the ilium, and among proximal regions of the femur, 1.1 +/- 0.5 ml/100 g in the femoral head, 2.1 +/- 0.7 ml/100 g in the femoral neck, and 2.6 +/- 0.9 ml/100 g in the intertrochanteric region. The results showed that both blood flow and volume were lowest in the femoral head. Blood flow and volume were significantly lower in the proximal regions of the femur (femoral head, neck and intertrochanteric region) than in the ilium (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that the femoral head is in a hypoemic state as compared with other osseous tissue, indicating that even the slightest exacerbation of hemodynamics in the femoral head can trigger an ischemic condition culminating in ONF.

Reliability of one-point blood sampling method for calculating input function in Na18F PET.

OBJECTIVE: Conventional methods of quantitative Na18F positron emission tomography require multiple arterial blood sampling in order to obtain the input function, and the procedures are invasive and complicated. This study aims to establish a simplified and reliable technique for obtaining the input function. METHODS: Multiple arterial blood sampling was performed on 12 persons. The time point for one-point sampling was determined as the time when (1) the plasma radioactivity obtained showed the highest correlation to the real integrated value, which was calculated from the input function, and (2) the coefficient of variation of the real integrated value divided by plasma radioactivity obtained at each time point became the minimum. Scaling factors were obtained in order to estimate the plasma radioactivity at each time point, and a reference table was produced in order to estimate the input function. RESULTS: The optimal timing for one-point sampling was 12 min after intravenous injection of Na18F. The estimated integrated value obtained from arterial blood sampling at 12 min and the reference table was highly correlated with the real integrated value (P<0.001). Levels of plasma radioactivity of arterial blood and venous blood were almost the same at 12 and 40 min after Na18F injection. Percentage errors in the estimation of the integrated value were 2.63% (n=12) for the arterial blood collected at 12 min and 4.14% (n=12) for the venous blood collected at 30 min. CONCLUSIONS: This simplified method is clinically applicable and would replace traditional methods that require multiple blood sampling.

[Short time bacterial endotoxins test for positron emission tomography by means of positively charged filters].

Positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers have very short physical half-lives. It is hard to complete a bacterial endotoxins test prior to release from medical institutes. For endotoxin quantitative determination, limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) reagent and kinetic-turbidimetry system were previously developed. We investigated the possibility of a short time test by means of positively charged filters. As a result of this study, the effects of positively charged filters on endotoin removal were over 99.5% for [18F]FDG and [18F]NaF, which were contaminated with the indicated concentration of endotoxin. Combining this filter and the kinetic-turbidimetric method, it was possible to complete a bacterial endotoxins test in 5 min prior to the patient's administration. This test should be required prior to release for PET radiopharmaceutical quality control. It has been suggested that this combination is a good method for this purpose.