Evaluation of Shoulder Disorders by 2-F-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography

BACKGROUND: Although flourine-18-flourodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has a limitation for localizing anatomical structures, combining it with computed tomography (CT) has made it more efficient for overcoming such limitations. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of PET/CT for evaluating diseases of the shoulder. METHODS: Retrospective examination was performed on 25 patients who underwent FDG-PET/CT scanning. All the patients were over 60 years of age, and they were evaluated both clinically and radiologically for shoulder pain. The study period was from May, 2006 to May, 2008. One of the patients had metastatic lesion in a shoulder and this patient was excluded from the study, so the total number of subjects in the study was finally 24 patients. RESULTS: PET/CT showed 67% sensitivity, 73% specificity, a positive predictive value of 60%, a negative predictive value of 79%, 27% false positivity and 33% false negativity concerning shoulder pain. PET/CT showed negative finding in 4 cases that were successfully treated by operative treatment (rotator cuff tear [RCT], 3 cases; impingement syndrome, 1 case). Negative findings were also noted in 6 cases in which the pain subsided after conservative treatment (RCT, 1 case; suspected RCT, 2 cases; impingement syndrome, 3 cases). All the patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis had positive findings on PET/CT scanning. CONCLUSIONS: PET/CT is a useful adjunct to the existing imaging modalities to assess functional and pathophysiologic processes and at a very early stage, and so PET/CT can help physicians make better preoperative and postoperative decisions on treatment.

Lower Leg Amputation by Calciphylaxis in Diabetic Nephropathy Patient (A Case Report) / 대한족부족관절학회지

Calciphylaxis is a rare disease that appear in patients with secondary hyper-parathyroidism or chronic renal failure or that show defect in calcium phosphate metabolism which is characterized by fibrin deposit or calcification of medial wall of vessels causing gradual ischemic skin necrosis. Calciphylaxis is a disease with poor prognosis as skin necrosis can progress rapidly. If left untreated, calciphylaxis will progress to sepsis with high mortality. The treatment is controversial but kidney transplantation or parathyroidectomy is suggested to recover calcium-phosphate metabolism. The authors have experienced calciphylaxis in a patient with chronic renal failure caused by DM nephropathy with characteristic skin lesion and rapid skin necrosis. We describe this case with documentary reviews.

Pure Acute Subdural Hematoma without Subarachnoid Haemorrhage Caused by Rupture of Distal Anterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm / 대한뇌혈관외과학회지

A 64-year-old female presented with unconscious state after sudden onset headache, nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography showed acute subdural hematoma (SDH) over the left convexity without subarachnoid hemorrhage. 3D-CT angiogram showed a saccular aneurysm at the junction of A2-A3 of the left anterior cerebral artery. Surgery for decompressive craniotomy and aneurysmal neck clipping was performed. In operative field, the left distal anterior cerebral artery was abnormally elongated toward the frontal pole and located not in the pericallosal cistern but on the cortical surface and the rupturing point was located in the adhesive portion of aneurysmal sac and arachnoid membrane near the falx. Pure acute SDH without subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by ruptured aneurysm is extremely rare. Rupture of an aneurysm adhered to either the dura or falx and located in the subdural space may cause pure SDH. In our case, abnormally elongated location of artery may be related to this adhesion and rupture of aneurysm to subdural space. Therefore, ruptured intracranial aneurysm should be considered as a cause of non-traumatic SDH. Immediate removal of the SDH and aneurysmal clipping is recommended in such patients, even those in poor neurological condition.