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Hepatic aneurysms are rare, but can prove fatal once they rupture. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is performed as a prophylactic treatment. The position of the aneurysm determines the degree of difficulty of TAE. Maintaining blood flow to the liver can become difficult, particularly when the aneurysm is at an arterial junction. The patient was a 72-year-old man diagnosed with a hepatic aneurysm. The aneurysm was situated on the common hepatic artery at the junction of the gastroduodenal and proper hepatic arteries. TAE was performed with framing, followed by coil embolization. Blood flow to the liver was maintained via the gastroduodenal artery. Appropriate framing is important for safe and efficient TAE.

Dystrophinopathy is associated strongly with central nervous system manifestation. It has been reported that 4%-15% of patients with dystrophinopathy have febrile seizure, and 2%-12% have epilepsy. In our study, 8% of patients had febrile seizure, and it was more common in patients with mutations downstream of exon 45, especially exon 63. Epilepsy occurred in 5% of our patients, and the prevalence in Becker muscular dystrophy was higher than that in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Isoforms such as Dp427 and Dp71, expressed in the central nervous system. might be related to seizure, because of impairment in GABAA receptors, aquaporin 4, and K channels.

Purpose: We developed an evaluation method for easily calculating displacement directly between the carbon beam axis and positioning X-ray axis., Methods: A verification image was acquired by irradiating an imaging plate with a carbon beam and X-ray. The X-ray passed through a lead plate inserted in the range compensator holder. The displacement was calculated on the verification image from the center of a wire irradiated with carbon using a multi leaf collimator (MLC) and a wire irradiated with X-ray also using MLC. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by moving the carbon beam axis, the X-ray axis, and the setup angle. The weekly changes of vertical and lateral beams in all rooms were also evaluated., Results: The displacements of the carbon beam axis and the setup angle did not influence the calculation results, whereas the displacement of the X-ray axis did (R=0.999). The displacements including weekly changes were all less than 1.00 mm., Conclusion: An evaluation method for calculating the displacement directly and simply between the carbon beam axis and positioning X-ray axis was developed and verified. The weekly changes of displacement between axes were evaluated to be acceptable at our facility.

Recent advances in chemotherapy and chemoradiation therapy for colorectal cancer have made neoadjuvant treatment an eligible therapeutic option for selected cases of marginally resectable colorectal cancer. However, marginally resectable colorectal cancer is not well defined. The authors suggest that a primary lesion is marginally resectable if extended resection such as pelvic exenteration and pancreaticoduedenectomy are not completely curative. Even if the lesion itself is resectable, it is marginally resectable if it has unfavorable prognostic factors such as numerous metastases to the regional lymph nodes. Rectal cancer invading beyond mesorectal fascia, or having bilateral or multiple lateral lymph node metastasis, may also be marginally resectable. All locally recurrent lesions may be marginally resectable because the prognosis after surgical resection is poor. Multiple liver metastases, liver metastasis for which resection requires vascular reconstruction, and technically resectable liver metastasis with unfavorable prognostic factors, are also thought to be marginally resectable. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens including oxaliplatin and irinotecan combined with bevacizumab, cetuximab and panitumumab may be effective for hastening the curability of such marginally resectable tumors. For primary advanced rectal cancer and locally recurrent rectal cancer, neoadjuvant radiation combined with chemotherapy using oxaliplatin and irinotecan are being explored. A number of clinical trials are currently ongoing, and are expected to clarify the effectiveness of neoajuvant treatment for marginally resectable colorectal cancer.

A 50-year-old man with chronic HCV infection had been received the injections of 12MU of Consensus-Interferon (C-IFN) three times a week in a previous hospital. Six months later, C-IFN therapy was terminated because of fever and massive ascites. Diuretics and antibiotics had not been effective against these symptoms. In the meantime, skin symptoms of purpura and giant ulcers in the extremities developed, and he was transferred to our hospital. Because skin biopsy revealed vasculitis and serum MPO-ANCA was positive, the diagnosis of ANCA associated vasculitis was made. Methylpredonizoron pulse therapy improved skin symptoms and massive ascites, and the skin ulcers eventually disappeared. ANCA is suggested to be responsible for this rare complication.

A 69 years old man was admitted to our hospital for further examinations of the liver tumor October, 2003. No underlying liver disease was found. Two tumors in the liver, 2cm in diameter respectively, were detected by abdominal ultrasonography and MRI scan. Ultrasonogram-guided needle biopsy from the liver tumor showed diffuse infiltration of CD20 positive, small lymphocytes. A distinct single band demonstrating clonal JH gene rearrangement was detected by southern blot analysis using tissues by needle biopsy. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with primary hepatic MALT lymphoma in the normal liver. These tumors were treated with percutaneus radiofrequency ablation (RFA), followed by Rituximab administration. No relapse has been noted until September, 2005.

We investigated the alteration of nutritional status in 144 patients who were treated for the first time with endoscopic sclerotherapy or endoscopic variceal ligation during their therapies. The serum levels of albumin, cholinesterase and total cholesterol were compared before and after treatment. The serum level of cholinesterase declined significantly. To investigate the impact of aging on the changes of nutritional status we divided all patients into two groups: (1) under 65 years, and (2) over 65 years. The decline of serum albumin of elderly patients (n=65) was significantly greater than that of younger patients (n=79). A branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched nutrient mixture for nutritional treatment significantly suppressed the decline of serum albumin in elderly patients. Nutritional treatment with a BCAA-enriched nutrient mixture should be considered during endoscopic therapy for esophageal varices, especially in elderly patients.

Accumulating evidence suggests that several polymorphisms in factors regulating blood coagulation, platelet function, and lipid metabolism are relevant for susceptibility to ischemic cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). The present study analyzed 15 genetic polymorphisms possibly associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis in a case-control study involving a total of 200 genetically unrelated Japanese patients with ischemic CVD (mean age 58.3 +/- 7.6 y) and 281 age- and gender-matched control subjects (59.0 +/- 4.1 y). Control subjects were randomly selected from unrelated donors with no history of documented CVD or any type of cardiovascular disease with normal resting electrocardiograms. Among the factors genotyped, two factors, platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib alpha (Thr145Met) and NADPH oxidase p22phox (His72Tyr), were significantly associated with CVD after adjustment for acquired risk factors including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking. For those with age < 60 y, 10.6% of the CVD patients and 2.9% of the control subjects had both of the two risk genotypes (GPIb alpha 145Met and p22phox 72Tyr, p < 0.05). The mean onset-age of CVD was 58.6 +/- 7.7 y for those having no or only one risk genotype, while 53.3 +/- 5.5 y for those having both of the risk genotypes (p < 0.05). Thus, GPIb alpha 145Met and p22phox 72 Tyr are the genetic factors associated with the risk of ischemic CVD in the Japanese. Carrying both of the two mutations might be associated with developing CVD at a younger age.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays a crucial role in regulating body fluid volume and blood pressure, by promoting natriuresis and vasodilatation and by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system. Plasma levels of ANP are elevated in heart failure and hypertension, and ANP is thus believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. Previous case-control studies have shown that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the first exon of ANP gene, 664G/A, is associated with a risk of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in white populations. Plasma ANP levels, however, were not evaluated in these studies in relation to the 664G/A, although the nucleotide substitution causes an amino-acid change in the propeptide of ANP. In this study, we analyzed the genotype frequencies of the 664G/A in Japanese patients with CVD (n = 199) and age- and gender-matched control subjects(n = 176). Genotypes with the 664A allele in the Japanese control subjects (G/A and A/A 12.5%) were apparently more frequent compared to the published frequency of the white control population (G/A and A/A 6.6%, p = 0.0437). Genotypes with the 664A allele, however, were not significantly different between our CVD patients(15.1%) and controls (12.5% p = 0.4714). In the control group (n = 137), the mean plasma ANP levels were not different between the 664G/G (15.7 +/- 10.7 pg/ml) and 664G/A genotypes (15.6 +/- 6.8 pg/ml, p = 0.9708). These results suggest that there is a racial difference in the allele frequency of 664G/A, and that this polymorphism may not be a major risk factor for CVD in the Japanese, nor is it a major determinant of plasma ANP level.

We evaluated 443 outpatients and inpatients in Keio University Hospital between 1994 and 1999. Morphologic features from peripheral blood and bone marrow aspiration were evaluated in our hematology laboratory, using Wright-Giemsa, peroxidase staining films and other cytochemistry. Immunophenotype was determined by cell surface antigen analysis by laser flow cytometry, FACscan, using various monoclonal antibodies. Information on cytogenetic and molecular genetic characteristics can be also integrated for diagnosis. One hundred fifty patients were diagnosed with acute leukemia, in which 59 cases were ALL and 91 cases were AML. Seventy-four cases were MDS, 76 cases were myeloproliferative disorders, 21 cases were CLL related disorders, 104 patients were malignant lymphoma, and 18 cases were multiple myeloma. The ratio of male to female was 1.7. The probability of diagnostic rate by Immunophenotyping was estimated by Discriminant analysis in 189 patients, using multivariate analysis of immunophenotype compared to morphology. The average probability by immunophenotypic analysis for diagnostic rate was 91.7%, in which the probability for NHL was very high of 97.1%. Thus, morphologic and immunophenotypic analysis is most essential and basic approach in laboratory hematology, from the perspective of rapid and precise diagnostic methods. Recent advance appreciates the rapid contribution for diagnosis by immunophenotypic analysis. Furthermore, Tele-hematology would contribute the standardization for morphologic method in the near future.

A 52 year-old male with advanced testicular seminoma (stage II N4) underwent right radical orchiectomy, followed by chemotherapy with vinblastine, bleomycin and cis-platinum. This resulted a partial response and he was well for 24 months after the operation. Serial monitoring of serum HCG and HCG-beta has been done, using three kinds of double antibody radioimmunoassays. A substance with immunological similarity to free HCG-beta was detected in sera and tumor extract. The serum level of this substance was reduced in parallel with the cytoreduction of metastasis by chemotherapy. A rational therapeutic approach to advanced seminoma and its serum marker are discussed briefly.

A 28 year old woman with Hashimoto's disease was treated with desiccated thyroid and triiodothyronine (T3). She improved steadily during the first 2 to 3 months and thyroidal function tests turned to normal. Then, in spite of continuing treatment, her serum T4 level decreased gradually and she became fatigued. A serum T3 radioimmunoassay manifested an interference pattern suggested anti-T3 antibody in her serum. Ethanol-extracted serum T3 and T4 levels were low in spite of ingestion of desiccated thyroid or synthetic T3 and T4, suggesting intestinal malabsorption of T3 and T4. Antibodies against T3 and T4 were identified in her serum; affinity constants were 1.16 X 10(10) and 8.73 X 10(8) l/mol respectively. After treatment with synthetic T3 and/or T4 for 20 months, the titer of anti-T3 and anti-T4 antibodies decreased, and impaired intestinal absorption of thyroid hormone improved. Then, after desiccated thyroid treatment was reinstituted, the anti-T3 antibody titer again increased and intestinal absorption of thyroid hormone decreased. These results suggest the oral immunization against thyroid hormones. There was associated impairment in intestinal absorption of thyroid hormone presumably secondary to the anti-T3 and anti-T4 antibodies.

A patient with intrapericardial pheochromocytoma is presented and the literature on this subject is reviewed. The patient was a 45-year-old housewife who was first referred to Keio University hospital in February 1981 for a 6-year-history of headaches, palpitations and excessive sweating. An episode of hypertensive crisis was observed during surgery for myoma uteri 3 months before her admission. On physical examination, the patient was a normal-appearing, pleasant woman. Supine blood pressure was 130/80 mmHg and standing blood pressure was 124/72 mmHg. Results of routine laboratory studies (including fasting serum glucose and calcium determinations and thyroid function tests) were normal. A 24-hour-urine collection showed VMA level of 10.5 mg and noradrenaline of 809 micrograms. Also repeated measurements of plasma noradrenaline on supine position revealed averages of 2.45 ng/ml. These high levels of catecholamines, clinical manifestations, and provocative tests including a metoclopramide test were strongly suggestive of pheochromocytoma, and further studies for determination of the localization were performed. Results of computed tomography (CT), adrenal scintigraphy using 131I-adosterol and selective venous sampling for catecholamines were equivocal. Then she was followed in an outpatient clinic and treated with alpha- and beta-blocker. In October 1985, she was readmitted to our hospital because of paroxysms which had gradually increased in frequency and severity. Extensive venous sampling in order to determine the localization of the tumor was performed after demonstration of an increased uptake area in the anterior thorax in 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy. Further, an anterior mediastinal mass was identified in the CT scan of the chest with contrast material. Finally, a thoracic angiogram revealed that the tumor was highly vascular and was fed by the branch of the left internal mammary artery. In January 1986, the patient underwent middle sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. A 4.5 by 3.5 by 3.0 cm soft, dark brown tumor was found on the anterior surface of the heart and excised without difficulty. The tumor seemed to arise from the root of the aorta and main pulmonary artery, and extended inferiorly over the anterior surface of the right ventricle. It was also fed by branches of the right coronary artery. Histologically, the resected tumor was compatible with pheochromocytoma. The tumor content of noradrenaline was 3.34 mg/g wet tissue; however, adrenaline and dopamine were not detected. The postoperative course was uneventful.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)