• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.597-607
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• 1992

The present study examined effects of caffeine on coronary circulation myocardial oxygen me-tabolism and calcium release in isolated perfused guinea pig hearts. Intracoronary caffeine({{{{ {10 }^{-5 } }}}}∼{{{{ { 10}^{-3 } }}}}M) was employed for 10 minutes to measure coronary perfusate flow(CF) and coronary vascular sresistance(CVR) at a constant coronary perfusion pressure of 80 cmH2O Perfusate myocardial oxygen consumption(MVO2) and percent oxygen extraction(%EC2) were calcula-ted. In addition calcium contents in both perfusate samples were measured to calculate calcium release in coronary venous effluent. Caffeine significantly decreased CF and increased CVR during 10 minutes of caffeine perfusion regardless of dose of caffeine perfused exhibiting time-response. While % EO2 was significantly enhanced with caffeine MVO2 was markedly reduced. The coronary venous perfusate pH dcreased during the perfusion with caffeine. These changes were consistent with caffeine-induced metabolic acidosis. Calcium release appeared to be dose-dependent and high dose of caffeine greatly increased venous calcium release even 2 minutes after perfusion with carffeine. These finding in dicate that caffeine produced coronary vasoconst-riction with increased calcium release in isolated perfused guinea pig hearts. Additionaly this vasoconstrictor response mignt be due tin part to the direct actions of caffeine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1033-1039
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• 2023

Low-dose chest CT, which is used as a lung screening test, also includes information on coronary artery calcification within the scan range. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of determining coronary artery calcification using Low-dose chest CT. Those who underwent low-dose chest CT and coronary artery calcification score CT on the same day were eligible. Coronary artery calcium score CT results were divided into 4 groups (Low: 1〈CACS〈10, Mild: 10〈CACS〈100, Moderate: 100〈CACS〈400, High: 400〈CACS) by referring to the Coronary artery calcium score categories and risks. After selecting 30 people each group, five radiotechnologists with more than 15 years of experience in coronary artery calcium measurement retrospectively analyzed the presence or absence of coronary artery calcification in low-dose chest CT images. The results of the five observers' uniform interpretation of the low-dose chest CT image were consistent with the coronary artery calcium score CT results in Low group: 56%, Mild group: 96.6%, Moderate group: 100%, and High group: 100%. appeared. In the Low group, all 5 observers observed calcification in 17 out of 30 cases, and in 7 cases all 5 observers decided that calcification could not be identified. Coronary artery calcification could be observed in 100% of asymptomatic adults with a calcium score of 15 or higher in low-dose chest CT scans. The minimum calcium score that can be identified is 1, and it was found that even very small calcifications can be identified when the subject's body size is small or the scan is performed at a time when heart movement is minimal.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.2
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• pp.270-296
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• 2024

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is recognized for its role as a gatekeeper for invasive coronary angiography in patients suspected of coronary artery disease because it can detect significant coronary stenosis with high accuracy. However, heavy plaque in the coronary artery makes it difficult to visualize the lumen, which can lead to errors in the interpretation of the CCTA results. This is primarily due to the limited spatial resolution of CT scanners, resulting in blooming artifacts caused by calcium. However, coronary stenosis with high calcium scores often requires evaluation using CCTA. Technological methods to overcome these limitations include the introduction of high-resolution CT scanners, the development of reconstruction techniques, and the subtraction technique. Methods to improve reading ability, such as the setting of appropriate window width and height, and evaluation of the position of calcified plaque and residual visibility of the lumen in cross-sectional images, are also recommended.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1764-1776
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to validate a deep learning-based fully automatic calcium scoring (coronary artery calcium [CAC]_auto) system using previously published cardiac computed tomography (CT) cohort data with the manually segmented coronary calcium scoring (CAC_hand) system as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: We developed the CAC_auto system using 100 co-registered, non-enhanced and contrast-enhanced CT scans. For the validation of the CAC_auto system, three previously published CT cohorts (n = 2985) were chosen to represent different clinical scenarios (i.e., 2647 asymptomatic, 220 symptomatic, 118 valve disease) and four CT models. The performance of the CAC_auto system in detecting coronary calcium was determined. The reliability of the system in measuring the Agatston score as compared with CAC_hand was also evaluated per vessel and per patient using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis. The agreement between CAC_auto and CAC_hand based on the cardiovascular risk stratification categories (Agatston score: 0, 1-10, 11-100, 101-400, > 400) was evaluated. Results: In 2985 patients, 6218 coronary calcium lesions were identified using CAC_hand. The per-lesion sensitivity and false-positive rate of the CAC_auto system in detecting coronary calcium were 93.3% (5800 of 6218) and 0.11 false-positive lesions per patient, respectively. The CAC_auto system, in measuring the Agatston score, yielded ICCs of 0.99 for all the vessels (left main 0.91, left anterior descending 0.99, left circumflex 0.96, right coronary 0.99). The limits of agreement between CAC_auto and CAC_hand were 1.6 ± 52.2. The linearly weighted kappa value for the Agatston score categorization was 0.94. The main causes of false-positive results were image noise (29.1%, 97/333 lesions), aortic wall calcification (25.5%, 85/333 lesions), and pericardial calcification (24.3%, 81/333 lesions). Conclusion: The atlas-based CAC_auto empowered by deep learning provided accurate calcium score measurement as compared with manual method and risk category classification, which could potentially streamline CAC imaging workflows.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2009

The cardiovascular disease has been known as a common cause of death for a long time in the west. The eating habits of Asia, including Korea, have changed recently, so that this disease is also a problem in Asia now. Annual Report on the Cause of Death Statistics from 1996 to 2006 reported that the cardiovascular disease would become the number one cause of death in the next $5{\sim}10$ years. Therefore we realize that more accurate examination is required. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of Calcium-scoring CT and the relationship between risk factor and quantitative scores of Calcium-scoring CT. Through this study we expect that the national public health will be improved. Seventy patients with chest pain were chosen at random. The patients were undergone both coronary CT antigraphy and Calcium - scoring CT at G hospital in Incheon from February 1 to June 30, 2008. The result of the Calcium-scoring CT showed its usefulness for Ischemic cardiovascular disease, with an accuracy similar to that of exercise/pharmacologic stress or ECG when it is difficult for a patient to exercise due to joint problems, aging or for other reasons.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.333-341
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• 2011

To compare between calcium scoring CT (CSCT) and Low-dose CT (LDCT) image finding for coronary artery calcification (CAC) in screening of lung disease by MDCT. A total of 61 subjects who retired-workers exposed to inorganic dust were performed LDCT and CSCT by using a MDCT scanner on the same day, after be approved by the institutional review board, and obtaining the written informed consent from all subjects. LDCT images were read for detecting lung diseases as well as CAC by a experienced chest radiologist, then the subjects were divided either the positive group with CAC or the negative group without it. The CSCT was used to quantify and detect the presence of calcification in the coronary artery, and score of CAC calculated by using a Rapidia software (ver 2.8). In all coronary arteries, calcium score of positive group was higher better than that in negative group, especially in the total calcium (13.7 vs. 582.9, p=0.008) and the left anterior descending artery (3.2 vs. 249.0, p=0.006). CAC findings between CSCT and LDCT image were showed excellent agreement in cut-off point 100(K-value=0.80, 95% CI=0.69-0.91) from total calcium score. CAC findings on LDCT images showed the higher relation with CSCT. Therefore, the obstructive coronary artery disease could be predicted by CAC on LDCT images for screening of lung diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.603-612
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• 2021

The effect of Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction (ADMIRE) on the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score of computed tomography was evaluated. Coronary artery calcium images (348 calcium, 6 groups, total of 2088 calcium) were acquired by 128-slice dual-source CT of 89 patients.Volume score and Agatston score were measured from images reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and ADMIRE (1-5). The difference between FBP and ADMIRE Strength (1-5) was confirmed through the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the post-hoc analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test based on FBP. Both volume score and Agatston score showed statistically significant differences between FBP and ADMIRE (1-5) (P=0.015, P=0.0.38). As a result of post hoc analysis, the volume score decreased to 9.5% in ADMIRE 4 (Z=-2.359, P=0.018) and 13.2% in ADMIRE 5 (Z=-3.113, P=0.002) based on FBP. Agatston score decreased to 10.4% in ADMIRE 4 (Z=-2.051, P=0.040) and 14.0% in ADMIRE 5 (Z=-2.718, P=0.007) based on FBP. High ADMIRE strength affected the volume score and Agatston score due to the decrease in calcium area. In addition, the change in the Density factor due to the decrease in Maximum HU may affect the calculation of the Agatston score.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.136-141
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• 1990

The vasorelaxant effects of KR-30075 in guinea-pig pulmonary, bovine coronary and renal arterial strips contracted by either$K^+$depolarization, phenylephrine, or prostaglandin $F_{2a}$($PGF_{2a}$) were evaluated. KR-30075 was more potent than imazodan as a vasorelaxant against $PGF_{2a}$-induced contractions in bovine coronary and renal arteries, whereas against$K^+$induced contractions KR-30075 was less potent than imazodan in guieapig pulmonary arteries and more potent in bovine coronary arteries. KR-30075 was more potent against contractions induced by phenylephrine or $PGF_{2a}$ than the contractions induced by $K^+$ This profile of activity for KR-30075 was similar to that of imazodan and dissimilar from the calcium entry blocking agent nifedipine. There was no vascular selectivity of KR-30075 between bovine coronary and renal arterial strip preparations. In conclusion, this study shows that KR-30075 represents the vasorelaxant effects on guinea-pig pulmonary, bovine coronary and renal arteries without specific vascular selectivity. The vasorelaxant profile of KR-30075, with different sources of vascular smooth muscle, is unlike that of calcium entry blocking agent and more similar to the profile of the agent that inhibit cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 1992

The present study was undertaken to examine if endogenous nitric oxide is partly responsible for the high calcium induced vasorelaxation in vitro. Isolated porcine coronary arterial rings were suspended in the tissue chamber and their changes in isometric tension were recorded. KCI little affected the vascular tension in the calcium free media, but subsequent addition of cumulative doses of $CaCl_3$ from 1 to 40 mM caused a contraction followed by complete relaxation. The maximum tension was noted at the calcium concentration in the media of 5 mM, and then the tension progressively declined at 10-40 mM. The relaxation was slightly attenuated in the endothelium-denuded preparation. The relaxation was converted into a contraction by the addition of methylene blue. The relaxation response was not affected in the presence of indomethacin, but was significantly attenuated by $N^w-nitro-L-arginine$ methyl ester pretreatment. These results suggest that the calcium induced vasorelaxation is in part attributable to the release of endogenous nitric oxide.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.89-95
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• 2007

Polygala tenuifolia (PT) is one of the most well-known traditional herbal medicines in Korea which is commonly used for the treatment of cardiovascular symptoms. The anti-ischemic effects of PT in isolated rat heart was investigated by analyzing changes in blood pressure, aortic flow, coronary flow, and cardiac output. And, its underlying mechanism was examined by quantitating intracellular calcium content in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Rats were divided into two groups: an ischemia-induced group without any treatment, and an ischemia-induced group treated with PT. Ischemia of isolated heart was induced by stopping the supply of oxygen and buffer for 10 min. The isolated heart was exposed to PT for the first 5 min of 10 min ischemia. PT treatment significantly prevented the decreases of perfusion pressure, aortic flow, coronary flow, and cardiac output under ischemic conditions. In addition, hemodynamics (except heart rate) of the PT-treated group was significantly recovered 60 min after reperfusion compared to the control group (systolic aortic pressure: 83.3% vs. 64.9%, aortic flow volume: 69.5% vs. 48.7%, coronary flow volume: 77.7% vs. 58.4%, and cardiac output: 71.6% vs. 51.2%, p < 0.01). As for the underlying mechanism, PT significantly prevented intracellular calcium increase which was induced by isoproterenol (p < 0.01), suggesting that the anti-ischemic effect of PT is mediated by inhibition of intracellular calcium increase.