• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 1997

Background : Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) has been reported to diveres spectrum of chinical presentations and radiologic patterns. The three representative radiologic patterns are followings ; 1) a solitary nodule or mass, 2) a localized consolidation, and 3) multicentric or diffuse disease. While, the localized consolidation and solitary nodular patterns has favorable prognosis, the multicentric of diffuse pattern has worse prognosis regardless of treatment. BAC presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule is often misdiagnosed as other benign disease such as tuberculoma. Therefore it is very important to make proper diagnosis of BAC with solitary nodular pattern, since this pattern of BAC is usually curable with a surgical resection. Methods : We reviewed the clinical and radiologic features of patients with pathologically-proven BAC with solitary nodular pattern from January 1995 to September 1996 at Samsung Medical Center. Results : Total 11 patients were identified. 6 were men and 5 were women. Age ranged from 37 to 69. Median age was 60. Most patients with BAC with solitary nodular pattern were asymptomatic and were detected by incidental radiologic abnormality. The chest radiograph showed poorly defined opacity or nodule and computed tomography showed consolidation, ground glass appearance, internal bubble-like lucencies, air bronchogram, open bronchus sign, spiculated margin or pleural tag in most patients. The initial diagnosis on chest X-ray were pulmonary tuberculosis in 4 patients, benign nodule in 2 patients and malignant nodule in 5 patients. The FDG-positron emission tomogram was performed in eight patients. The FDG-PET revealed suggestive findings of malignancy in only 3 patients. The pathologic diagnosis was obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 patient, by CT guided percutaneous needle aspiration in 2 patients, and by lung biopsy via video-assited thoracocopy in 8 patients. Lobectomy was performed in all patients and postoperative pathologic staging were $T_1N_0N_0$ in 8 patients and $T_2N_0M_0$ in 3 patients. Conclusion : Patients of BAC presenting with solitary nodular pattern were most often asymptomatic and incidentally detected by radiologic abnormality. The chest X-ray showed poorly defined nodule or opacity and these findings were often regarded as benign lesion. If poorly nodule or opacity does not disappear on follow up chest X-ray, computed tomography should be performed. If consolidation, ground glass appearance, open bronchus sign, air bronchogram, internal bubble like lucency, pleural tag or spiculated margin are found on computed tomography, further diagnostic procedures, including open thoracotomy, should be performed to exclude the possiblity of BAC with solitary nodular pattern.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.438-447
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• 2000

Background : Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) is a relatively simple and convenient procedure to obtain lung tissue from a patient with diffuse or localized lesion on chest radiographs, whose disease cannot be diagnosed through routine tests. The authors tried to evaluate the diagnostic value of TBLB, especially, the concordance between CT scan and TBLB with respect to the location of the lesion and diagnostic yield according to tumor-bronchus relationship. Method : We reviewed the medical records, plain chest films, and chest CT scans of 278 patients who underwent TBLB at Kyungpook National University Hospital between January 1996 and June 1998. Results : One hundred and sixteen (41.7 %) patients were diagnosed by TBLB. Diagnostic yield of TBLB of malignant tumors tended to be higher than that of benign diseases (64.7% versus 53.9%, p=0.09). Of primary lung cancers, TBLB was more diagnostic in adenocarcinoma and small-cell carcinoma than other cell types (p<0.01) and, of benign diseases, more diagnostic in tuberculosis than in non-tuberculous diseases (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic rate according to the location of the tumor. The diagnostic rate tended to increase with the size of tumor (p=0.06). The diagnootic rate of TBLB did not differ according to the pattern of lesion in benign diseases. However, in malignant diseases TBLB was more diagnostic in diffuse/multiple nodular lesions than in localized lesions(p<0.05). According to the tumor-bronchus relationship, TBLB was more diagnootic in type I/II groups than in other types. CT scan and TBLB showed a strong correlation with respect to the localization of the lesion (r=0.994, p<0.01). Conclusion : The above results show that TBLB is useful in the diagnosis of lung disease. CT scan and TBLB showed a strong correlation in determining the location of the lesion. Diagnostic yield of TBLB is higher in lesions with 'bronchus sign' (type I and II). TBLB and other diagnootic methods such as transthoracic needle aspiration are expected to complement one another in the diagnosis of lung diseases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.417-428
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• 1996

In order to know the toxic effect and carcinogenic activity in rats and mice fed with juice of Korean native Petasites japonicus Maxim of its pellet(4% or 8%) which were dried, milled and mixed with basal diet, the investigations were carried out by macroscopy and histopathology. Macroscopically, although remarkable changes were not observed in the liver of mice, there were slight to moderate swelling of rat livers in the whole groups at 12 to 14 weeks after feeding and milky spots in rats fed with its juice and 8% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim diet and a normal diet for 1 week alternatively for 14 weeks. Moreover, moderate to severe swelling and milk spots were recognized in livers of all rats fed with its juice and 8% pellet or 8% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim for 16 weeks. But, in cases of rats fed with its juice and 4% pellet or 4% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim, only swelling of livers was recognized moderately or severely. Histopathologically, major lesions were found in livers of both rats and mice. There were congestion, hemorrhage, fatty change, focal necrosis, megalocytosis and hyperplasia of endothelial cell in livers of mice and rats, the additional lesions such as proliferation of bile duct and nodular regeneration with diffuse regenerating cells were seen in livers of rats. In addition, preneoplastic lesions, the areas of milky spots macroscopically, were observed in livers of rats fed with Petasites japonicus Maxim for 14 to 16 weeks. In a few cases, haemangioendothelial sarcoma in livers was detected in rats fed with Petasites japonicus Maxim for 16 weeks. Petasites japonicus maxim growing naturally in Korea seem to exhibit toxic effect especially in liver and it contained a causative agent of primary liver tumors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.198-206
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• 2000

Background : Pulmonary complications following bonemarrow transplantation (BMT) are common and associated with a high mortality rate. We investigated the yield, safety, and impact of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) for diagnosis of postBMT pneumoniae. Methods : From May 1997 to April 2000, 56 FOBs were performed in 52 post BMT patients for clinical pneumoniae. BMT patients with respiratory symptoms and/or pulmonary infiltrates had a thoracic HRCT(high resolution computed tomography) and bronchoscopic examination including BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage), TBLB (transbronchial lung biopsy), PSB (protected specimen brush). Results : The characteristics of the subjects were as follows : 37 males, 15 females, mean age of 31.3 years(l7-45), 35 sibling donor allogenic BMTs, 15 nonrelated donor allogenic BMTs, and 2 autologous BMTs. Fiftynine percent of FOBs (33 FOBs, 31 patients) were diagnostic. Isolated pathogens included the following : 12 cytomegalovirus (CMV) (21.4 %), 7 pneumocystis carinii (PC) (12.5 %), 11 CMV with PC (19.6 %), 2 Mycobacaterium tuberculosis (3.6%), and 1 streptococcus (1.8%). Most of the radiographic findings were diffuse interstitial lesions. CMV pneumoniae had mainly diffuse interstitial nodular lesion, and PC pneumoniae had diffuse, interstitial ground glass opacity(GGO). When CMV was accompanied by PC, a combined pattern of nodular and GGO was present. Of the 56 cases (23.2%), 13 died of CMV pneumoniae (n=2), PCP (n=2),mixed infection with CMV and PC (n=3), underlying GVHD (n=1), underlying leukemia progression (n=1), or respiratory failure of unknown origin (n=4). There was no major complication by bronchoscopy. Only 3 cases developed minor bleeding and 1 episode temporary hypoxemia. Conclusion : Based on our findings, CMV and PC are the major causes of postBMT pneumoniae. In addition, BAL can be considered a safe and accurate procedure for the evaluation of pulmonary complications after BMT.