The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical utility of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) in patient with non-obstrcutive acute pyelonephritis (APN).

From 2007 to 2013, 537 APN patients who underwent a CE-CT scan within 24 hours after hospital admission were enrolled. We divided these patients into greater (50% or greater involvment, n = 143) and lesser (less than 50% involvement, n = 394) groups based on renal parenchymal involvement in CE-CT examination. We compared clinical characteristics between two groups and analyzed the clinical value of CE-CT scan as a reliable marker for predicting clinical severity and disease course in patient with non-obstructive APN.

The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 70.6 ± 25.5 mL/min/1.73m². Compared with patients in lesser group, the patients in greater group had lower serum albumin levels (3.5 ± 0.5 vs 3.8 ± 0.6, P < 0.01) and longer hosptal stay (10.1 ± 4.7 vs 8.8 ± 4.5, P < 0.05). In addition, acute kidney injury (AKI) (23.1% vs 11.4%, P < 0.005) and bacteremia (36.4% vs 26.8%, P = 0.02) were frequently developed in greater group, respectively. The overall incidence of AKI was 14.8% based on RIFLE criteria. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis for predciting AKI, age, presence of diabetes mellitus and the presence of renal parenchymal involvement of greater than 50% in CE-CT were significant predictors of AKI.

The CE-CT scan could be useful to predict the clinical severity and course in non-obstructive APN patients with preserved renal function.

To identify the relationship between surgical success rate and preoperative nasal mucosal thickness around the lacrimal sac fossa, as measured using computed tomography.

We reviewed 33 eyes from 27 patients who underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy after diagnosis of primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction and who were followed-up with for at least six months between 2011 and 2014. We measured preoperative nasal mucosal thickness around the bony lacrimal sac fossa using computed tomography and analyzed patient measurements after classifying them into three groups: the successfully operated group, the failed operation group, and the non-operated group.

Surgery failed in six of the 33 eyes because of a granuloma at the osteotomy site and synechial formation of the nasal mucosa. The failed-surgery group showed a clinically significantly greater decrease in nasal mucosal thickness at the rearward lacrimal sac fossa compared with the successful-surgery group. However, nasal mucosal thickness of fellow eyes (i.e., non-operated eyes) was not significantly different between the two groups, and the location of the uncinate process did not appear to influence mucosal thickness. In the failed group, posteriorly located mucosal thickness of operated eye fossa was thinner than that of the non-operated eyes, but not significantly so.

Our results from this quantitative anatomical study suggest that nasal mucosal thickness is a predictor of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy results.

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinico-radiologic features and microbiologic data of patients with SPE in a tertiary care hospital in Busan.

We retrospectively analyzed clinical and radiologic features of 6 cases with septic pulmonary embolism that occurred from March 2009 to March 2011 in Dong-A university medical center.

The mean age of the study population was 58 years, and two men and four women were included. Clinical symptoms included general weakness (5 patients), febrile sensation (4 patients) and pleuritic chest pain (2 patients). Underlying conditions were chemoport infection (4 patients), dental abscess (1 patients), and cellulitis of hip (1 patient). Chest computed tomography revealed bilateral multiple nodular opacities in most patients, and cavitation, central necrosis, feeding vessels were identified. All patients received parenteral antimicrobial therapy with or without central catheter removal, drainage of the extrapulmonary infection. Causative organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2 patients), Candida albicans (1 patient), Bacillus species (1 patient), and Klebsiella pneumonia (1 patient).

Clinical and radiologic features of septic pulmonary embolism were various and nonspecific. The diagnosis was usually suggested by the presence of a predisposing factor of septic pulmonary embolism and CT findings of bilateral multiple nodular opacities in patients with infectious signs and symptoms. Most important underlying condition was intravascular device infection.