T2*-weighted dynamic MR imaging in renal artery or vein stenosis.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
T Murakami
Publications and source records attributed to T Murakami.
Detection and characterization of hepatic tumors: value of combined helical CT hepatic arteriography and CT during arterial portography.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of combining helical CT hepatic arteriography (CTA) with helical CT during arterial portography (CTAP) for detecting and characterizing hepatic tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1994 to September 1995, combined helical CTA and CTAP were performed in 52 patients (38 men and 14 women, 37-83 years old [mean, 64.1 years old]) with suspected primary or metastatic hepatic tumors before they were evaluated for hepatic resection. Retrospectively, two radiologists reviewed the CTAP images alone and subsequently matched CTA and CTAP images. The radiologists recorded a confidence level on a five-point scale for their evaluation of visible perfusion abnormalities as true lesions, and diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver-operating-characteristic analysis. Using the data sets obtained at the interpretation sessions by the radiologists, we determined sensitivities for CTAP alone and for combined CTA and CTAP in 28 malignant hepatic tumors that were confirmed in 19 patients who underwent definitive surgery. RESULTS: CTA revealed one hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with severe cirrhosis and six adenomatous hyperplasias in another cirrhotic patient that CTAP failed to reveal. In comparison with CTAP alone, the combination of CTA and CTAP allowed significantly more accurate detection of lesions (area under receiver-operating-characteristic curve: 0.889 for CTAP alone versus 0.954 for CTA and CTAP combined, p < .01). The combination of CTA and CTAP also significantly raised the accuracy for characterizing hepatic tumors. Sensitivities for malignant hepatic tumors revealed in the 19 patients who underwent surgery were identical: 93% (26 of 28 tumors) with CTAP alone and with CTA and CTAP combined. CONCLUSION: Although combining CTA and CTAP does not significantly increase sensitivity for detecting hepatic tumors, the combined techniques significantly raise specificity in detecting hepatic tumors and accuracy in characterizing hepatic tumors.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
Helical CT during arterial portography and hepatic arteriography for detecting hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether helical CT hepatic arteriography (CTHA) improves detection of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) when used in conjunction with helical CT obtained during arterial portography (CTAP). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred two patients with 254 hypervascular HCC nodules underwent both CTHA and CTAP. CTHA and CTAP were separately interpreted for detection of hypervascular HCC nodules by three observers who were unaware of tumor burden in the liver, lodized oil CT performed 1 week and 1 month after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with iodized oil was the gold standard. Sensitivity and positive predictive value for CTHA alone, CTAP alone, and CTAP and CTHA combined were calculated and compared using the McNemar test. RESULTS: We found no significant difference between the sensitivity of CTAP (85%) and CTHA (87%) for revealing hypervascular HCC nodules. The combination of CTAP and CTHA showed significantly higher sensitivity than either CTAP or CTHA alone for revealing HCC nodules smaller than 20 mm in diameter (p < .01). CONCLUSION: The combination of CTHA and CTAP is recommended to improve the detection sensitivity of small hypervascular HCC nodules.
Adult↗
Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis: MR imaging versus angiographically assisted helical CT.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to compare the combination of conventional spin-echo, phase-shift gradient-recalled echo (GRE), and triple-phasic dynamic GRE MR imaging with the combination of helical CT hepatic arteriography (CTA) and CT performed during arterial portography (CTAP) in the preoperative detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with cirrhosis underwent MR imaging and angiographically assisted CT imaging. Paired T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo images, paired in-phase and out-of-phase GRE images, triple-phasic dynamic GRE images, the combined MR images, and the paired CTA and CTAP images were retrospectively and independently reviewed by three radiologists. Image review was done on a segment-by-segment basis. Of the 280 liver segments, 58 segments contained 79 HCCs that were 0.5-8.0 cm (mean, 2.0 cm) in diameter. The diagnostic value of each pair of images was rated by means of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of combined CTA and CTAP (mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [Az] = 0.94) was significantly better than that of spin-echo (Az = 0.86, p < .0001), phase-shift GRE (Az = 0.83, p < .0001), dynamic GRE (Az = 0.85, p < .0001), and all combined (Az = 0.91, p < .001) MR imaging. The relative sensitivity of combined CTA and CTAP (89%) was also significantly (p < .0005) better than that of the combined MR imaging (75%). CONCLUSION: Angiographically assisted helical CT imaging was superior to MR imaging combined with conventional spin-echo, phase-shift GRE, and triple-phasic dynamic GRE techniques in the detection of HCC in patients with cirrhosis. The noninvasive dedicated combined MR imaging could not obviate invasive angiographically assisted CT imaging. Combined CTA and CTAP is recommended, especially in the preoperative examination of patients with HCC.
Aged↗
Leptin receptor of Zucker fatty rat performs reduced signal transduction.
Zucker fatty (fa/fa) rats exhibit overt obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia as recessive traits. The fa mutation has been determined to be a missense mutation in the extracellular domain of the leptin receptor. We report herein the construction of CHO cells that stably express the fa-type leptin receptor and the characterization of this receptor using mRNA expression levels of the immediate early genes, c-fos, c-jun, and jun-B, which are induced by leptin as a criterion of signal transduction. The fa-type receptor not only exhibits a slightly reduced leptin-binding affinity, but also performs reduced signal transduction.
Animals↗
Treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars by iontophoretic transdermal delivery of tranilast.
The feasibility of iontophoretic transdermal delivery of tranilast (N-(3,4-dimethoxycinnamoyl) anthranilic acid) for the treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars was evaluated in hairless rats and humans. A drug electrode containing tranilast 1.5 ml (8 mg/ml in ethanol/water (8/2, v/v) mixture) was placed on the dorsal skin surface of anaesthetised rats or the affected parts of patients, and connected to the negative pole; an electric current (0.5-4 mA for rats, 2 mA for people) was pulsed through at one minute intervals. Tranilast was effectively delivered transdermally iontophoretically into the restricted skin tissues of hairless rats and the affected parts of four patients with hypertrophic scars with no skin damage. In four other patients tranilast given iontophoretically for a period of 30 minutes a week reduced the patients' complaints of pain and itching after only one or two treatments although there were some variations among patients. These results indicate that the transdermal iontophoretic delivery of tranilast is a useful treatment for keloid and hypertrophic scars, particularly for relieving pain and itching, and is more beneficial than tranilast given orally.
Administration, Cutaneous↗
Vasodepressor effects of exercise are accompanied by reduced circulating ouabainlike immunoreactivity and normalization of nitric oxide synthesis.
Our object was to evaluate the effects of regular mild exercise on blood pressure and on circulating level of ouabainlike factors (OLF) and of nitrate anion, an endproduct of nitric oxide (NO) in humans. We measured plasma ouabainlike immunoreactivity (OLI) and nitrate ions (NO3.) before and after mild exercise for 3 months' duration in 16 patients with essential hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, or hyperlipidemia. Plasma OLI was measured using an amplified ELISA system with anti-ouabain antibody and biotinyl-tyramide. Serum NO3. was measured with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an anion-exchange column. With the reverse phase HPLC system with an octa decylsilyl silicagel column, the elution volume of plasma OLI of a healthy volunteer matched that of authentic ouabain in a gradient elution system of acetonitrile/H2O. Plasma OLI levels decreased significantly by about 34% after mild exercise, and NO3. levels tended to be within the reference interval in normal volunteers. Body weight, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, serum triglyceride and acetylcholine esterase (a marker of the fatty liver) were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) after 3 months of regular mild exercise. The plasma OLI level was significantly correlated with plasma NO3., there was a trend toward a correlation with diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.06) before and after regular exercise. Regular mild exercise led to a decrease in plasma levels of OLI, and acetylcholine esterase activity and blood pressure in adult patients. Results suggest that changes in OLF production contribute to the blood pressure regulation seen in patients who exercise regularly.
Adult↗
Suppressive action of docosahexaenoic acid enriched-Euglena on reduction of endothelium-dependent relaxation in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP).
Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were fed a diet containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched Euglena glacilis (DHA-Euglena) as the protein source from 5 weeks of age. The effects on endothelial functions were investigated by perfusion experimentation using mesenteric vasculature, and compared with the effects of antihypertensive drugs. (1) At 13 weeks of age, SHRSP fed the DHA-Euglena diet showed an average blood pressure of 220 mmHg, which was 20 mmHg lower (p < 0.05) than that in the control group, while SHRSP of the captopril-treated group (angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor: 200 mg/L drinking water) and hydralazine-treated group (vasodilator: 60 mg/L drinking water) showed marked hypotensive effects with blood pressures of 150-160 mmHg and 180-190 mmHg, respectively. (2) The constriction response to norepinephrine (NE) was lower (p < 0.01) in the mesenteric vasculature isolated from the DHA-Euglena-treated SHRSP than in that from the control group. (3) When the mesenteric vasculature isolated from 13-week-old SHRSP fed the DHA-Euglena diet was perfused with an acetylcholine solution (10(-6) M) in the presence of NE (8 x 10(-6) M), the relaxation rate was 81%, which was higher (p < 0.01) than that in the control group (61%). Among the antihypertensive-treated groups, the captopril-treated group gave nearly the same relaxation rate as the DHA-Euglena diet group, while the hydralazine-treated group indicated a slightly lower rate (65%). At 18 weeks of age, the endothelium-dependent relaxation of SHRSP in the control group was further reduced (28%), but in both the DHA-Euglena diet group and antihypertensive-treated groups, the relaxation rates were not substantially different from the levels at 13 weeks of age. Reduction of the endothelium function in SHRSP occurs due to aging and blood pressure elevation. However, by improving nutritional conditions by the feeding of a DHA-Euglena diet, the endothelial functions were protected without a fall in blood pressure unlike antihypertensive drugs. It is hence considered that nutritional improvement helps maintain a sound architecture for the vascular wall, thereby leading to the suppression and delay of onset of cerebrovascular diseases, and subsequently to the prolongation of life-span.
Animals↗
Visualization of the CMT1A duplication and HNPP deletion by FISH on stretched chromosome fibers.
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Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease↗
Self-injurious behavior and dopaminergic neuron system in neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat: 2. Intracerebral microinjection of dopamine agonists and antagonists.
Intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine treatment to newborn rats caused massive and permanent damage of brain dopaminergic neurons, and many of these animals show self-injurious behavior (SIB) when loaded by systemic injection of L-dihydroxyphenuylalanine (L-DOPA) or D1 agonist, SKF-38393. SIB occurred at life-long time in neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, because SIB confirmed rats at 4 to 6 wk all showed SIB at 3 to 5 mo and at 12 to 13 mo after L-DOPA loading. To elucidate the brain locus important for the induction and cessation of SIB, in our study, we microinjected dopamine agonists and antagonists into various dopamine neuron innervating areas. L-DOPA-induced SIB was inhibited by the injection of a D1 antagonist, SCH-23390 (5 microg), into the bilateral substantia nigra, but not into the bilateral caudate-putamen or nucleus accumbens. The microinjection of YM-09151-2 (10 microg), a D2 antagonist, into these regions could not stop SIB. For examining the important area for the induction of SIB, we microinjected SKF-38393, D1 agonist, and/or LY-141865, D2 agonist (each 1 microg) into bilateral (or ipsilateral) caudate-putamen and substantia nigra. SIB was induced only in the case of D1 and D2 receptors in both the bilateral caudate putamen and bilateral substantia nigra being stimulated simultaneously by the mixed application of SKF-38393 and LY-141865. SIB was not induced by the sole injection of SKF-38393 into bilateral caudate-putamen or bilateral substantia nigra. These observations suggest that both caudate-putamen and nigral D1- and D2-like receptors are important for the induction of SIB, but, for cessation of SIB, up-regulated nigral D1 receptor is crucial.
2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
[A case of hepatocellular carcinoma detected by dynamic CT and MRI but not digital subtraction angiography].
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Aged↗
[Preliminary evaluation of the apparent diffusion coefficient of the kidney with a spiral IVIM sequence].
We examined the usefulness of the spiral intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) sequence in measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the kidneys. Five volunteers and five patients with chronic renal failure underwent diffusion-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging of the kidneys with the spiral IVIM sequence. The ADC values in patients with chronic renal failure were significantly lower than those in the renal cortex of volunteers. The mean value of ADC in patients with chronic renal failure was lower than that in volunteers, although there was no statistically significant difference. In volunteers, the ADC of the renal cortex was significantly higher than that of the renal medulla. The phantom study indicated that the accuracy of ADC depended on the signal to noise ratio. A spiral IVIM sequence with a high enough signal to noise ratio may be useful in evaluating renal function especially that of the cortex.
Adult↗
In situ observation of bovine serum albumin-adsorbed stearic acid monolayer by Brewster angle microscopy.
The morphology of protein-adsorbed stearic acid monolayers containing a fluorescent probe (rhodamine B octadecylester perchloride: RBO) was observed by using fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The quenching of fluorescence of RBO was observed at the limiting area of the stearic acid monolayer. Thus, the fluorescence of RBO could be a good marker for packing of the matrix monolayer. On the other hand, the BAM image showed the morphology of not the matrix monolayer, but the adsorbed protein monolayer. Thus, the packing processes of the two could be distinguished. The present method is available for a protein that does not have visible absorption, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA). It is suggested that electrostatic interaction between matrix and protein molecules greatly affects the change in the morphology of the protein-adsorbed monolayer.
Adsorption↗
[A successful emergency reoperation of thrombosed CarboMedics valve in the mitral position].
We report a successful emergency reoperation of a thrombosed CarboMedics valve five years after the original implantation of the prosthesis. A 53-year-old mentally retarded woman suffered acute heart failure due to a thrombosed CarboMedics valve, which was caused by inadequate control of anticoagulants. The patient was reoperated on immediately after thrombolytic therapy failed to show an improvement in leaflets' excursion. The excised prosthesis demonstrated that organized thrombi originating at both sides of the hinge portions extended to the atrial side of one of the leaflets. The bileaflet valve is supposed to prohibit catastrophic heart failure by preventing simultaneous malfunction of both leaflets. However, we believe that prompt surgical treatment is essential even for the thrombosed bileaflet valve, because a thrombus originating in the hinge area seems to develop into a fatal simultaneous malfunction of both leaflets.
Emergencies↗
[Recurrent intrathoracic dissemination of thymoma with myasthenia gravis: a case report].
A 48-year-old man was readmitted to our hospital with a chief complaint of left anterior chest mass. He had a past history of thymo-thymomectomy six years earlier. On chest CT examination, multiple tumor shadows were noted within the left thoracic cavity. All visible tumors were resected. His postoperative course was favorable, and no signs of recurrence have been recognized on CT to date (three years and six months postoperatively). However, in view of the possible recurrence of the present disease after a long period, strict observation of the course of the disease is necessary.
Humans↗
Hepatocellular carcinoma patients showing long-term complete responses to chemoembolization.
The objective was to evaluate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients showing a long-term complete response (CR) to chemoembolization. We defined the criteria of CR as normalized tumor marker, no enhanced tumor in diagnostic images, and no tumor cells found at autopsy. Five HCC patients showing long-term CR to chemoembolization were evaluated. The CR period ranged from 3.5 to 7 years (mean, 5.7 years). The survival period ranged from 3.5 to 9 years (mean, 6.7 years). Four cases (80%) were stage IV according to the TNM classification due to a portal tumor thrombus. The liver function was rated as Child's A in four cases (80%). Long-term CR to chemoembolization can be achieved even in some advanced HCC cases with a tumor thrombus. We speculate that the good antitumor effect is brought about by the stagnation of both the arterial and portal blood flows to the HCC. Good liver function is also considered to be an important factor for long-term CR and a long survival period. If the liver function is good, advanced HCC with a portal tumor thrombus should be treated aggressively with chemoembolization.
Aged↗
[Blood cyst of the pulmonary valve in an adult--a case report].
Blood cysts of the heart valves are commonly reported at postmortem examination of infants but are rare seen in older children and adults. A 42-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for cardiac evaluation because of dyspnea on exertion and heart murmur. There was no history of cyanosis or cardiac failure. Cardiac catheterization revealed valvular pulmonary stenosis and atrial septal defect. Right ventricular angiography showed the circular filling defect 0.7 x 0.7 cm in size at the suprapulmonary valve. However, this preoperative abnormal finding was diagnosed as a blood cyst after surgery. At operation a blood cyst originating from the right cusp of the pulmonary valve was found and resected, and was followed by commissurotomy of the pulmonary valve and direct closure of the atrial septal defect. Her postoperative course was uneventful.
Adult↗
[Chemokines and HIV-1 second receptors].
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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗