• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 2013

Objectives: We compared the characteristics of the pain threshold and pain experience between demented group and non-demented group. Methods: This study was part of Gangwon projects for early detection of dementia in 2010. We recruited 8302 local resident ages over 65 years old. Of theses, 1259 people who scored low MMSE were selected and 365 of them completed CERAD-K(Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease). Finally, 90 in non-demented group and 57 in demented group(mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease) were analyzed. Pain threshold was experimentally measured by pressure algometer and we investigated the pain experience, by Brief pain inventory (BPI), a self-report test. Results: In the demographic characteristics, there are more female, higher ages, lower education in the demented group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the pain threshold. On the BPI results, 'shoulder pain', 'the number of pain' and 'interference of working' were significantly more prevalent in non-demented group. However, there are no significant differences between the groups in the 'pain severity', 'prevalence of pain' and 'pain treatment'. Conclusions: Demented group report less pain experience but, still perceived pain. It support previous studies that patient with dementia have increased pain tolerance but preserved pain threshold. Thus, active pain assessment and treatment for patients with dementia is needed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.6284-6289
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• 2013

With the application of k-space trajectory in a different manner and analyzing the influence of noise and its direction, this study was conducted to obtain high-quality images with minimal influence of noise during an MRI examination for cerebrovascular disease, which has a low signal for imaging. To evaluate influence of the noise of different k-space trajectories, a linear Cartesian coordination trajectory and non-Cartesian coordination trajectory were applied to 38 people who had received a high-resolution MRI examination for the early detection of cerebrovascular disease. As a result, the non-Cartesian coordination trajectory showed a 43.32% lower signal of lumens in the internal carotid artery than a linear Cartesian coordination trajectory, and the noise level was also 50.19% lower in a non-Cartesian coordination trajectory. This result shows that noise occurs less in a non-Cartesian coordination trajectory than a linear Cartesian coordination trajectory, and a non-Cartesian coordination trajectory is more effective in low-signal and low-resolution MRI examination. Therefore, when performing high-resolution MRI examination with a low-signal cerebrovascular system, the use of non-Cartesian coordination k-space trajectory will minimize the influence of noise and provide good images.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.478-486
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• 2000

Purpose: The sentinel lymph node is defined as the first draining node from a primary tumor and reflects the histologic feature of the remainder of the lymphatic basin status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative radioguided gamma probe for identification and removal of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Lymphoscintigraphy was performed preoperatively in 15 patients with biopsy proven primary breast cancer. Tc-99m antimony sulfide colloid was injected intradermally at four points around the tumor. Imaging acquisition included dynamic imaging, followed by early and late static images at 2 hours. The sentinel lymph node criteria on lymphoscintigraphy is the first node of the highest uptake in early and late static images. We tagged the node emitting the highest activity both in vivo and ex vivo. Histologic study for sentinel and axillary lymph node investigation was done by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Results: On lymphoscintigraphy, three of 15 patients had clear lymphatic vessels in dynamic images, and 11 of 15 patients showed sentinel lymph node in early static image and three in late static 2 hours image. Mean detection time of sentinel lymph node on lymphoscintigraphy was $33.5{\pm}48.4$ minutes. The sentinel lymph node localization and removal by lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe were successful in 14 of 15 patients (detection rate: 93.3%). On lymphoscintigraphy, 14 of 15 patients showed $2.47{\pm}2.00$ sentinel lymph nodes. On intraoperative gamma probe, $2.36{\pm}1.96$ sentinel lymph nodes were detected. In 7 patients with positive results of sentinel lymph node metastasis, 5 patients showed positive results of axillary lymph node (sensitivity: 72%) but two did not. In 7 patients with negative results of sentinel lymph node metastasis, all axillary nodes were free of disease (specificity: 100%). Conclusion: Sentinel lymph node biopsy with lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe is a reliable method to predict axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer, and unnecessary axillary lymph node dissection can be avoided.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.206-213
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• 1994

We studied 90 patients(179 femoral heads) with avascular necrosis of femoral head, who had been performed X-ray, bone scan and MRI to compare of the findings of AVN on bone scan between each other, retrospectively. The patients were 82 males and 9 females, their mean age was 45 years. Radiographic stages were classified by Steinberg modification, radionuclide stages were classified as followed; stage o(or type 0) : normal, stage 1 : faint ring like uptake around the femoral head, stage 2: intense ring like uptake, stage 3: irregular increased uptake with central photon defect, stage 4 : Intense diffuse increased uptake at femoral head and stage 5 : hip joint deformity with relatively mild increased uptake. The findings of MRI were classified according to extent, location, early or advanced lesion, signal intensity of the lesion and joint effusion. 156(87%) of 179 femoral heads had avascular necrosis, 68(75.5%) of 90 patients had bilateral AVN, 35 femoral heads had early stage and 120 had advanced stage. The detection rate of AVN by X-ray and bone scan were 85% (134), 91.6% (143), respectively. Early AVN with atypical types of bone scan showed larger extent, moderate to large amount of joint effusion, soft tissue hypertrophy within joint, and secondary degenerative changes. Bone scan had relatively high detection rate in the diagnosis of AVN of femoral head, and demonstrated various types depending on the disease stage.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1104-1109
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• 2007

Purpose : Since 1998, school urinary screening tests have been performed on Korean school children. We could detect and treat so many asymptomatic chronic renal disease in early stage. We investigated the efficacy of school urinary screening tests from children with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) type I. Methods : We analyzed the characteristics and prognosis of 18 patients with MPGN type I who admitted after 1996 and received steroid therapy with or without cyclosporine. These patients were divided into two groups. Group A (asymptomatic patients detected by school urinary screening tests) consisted of 7 patients; Group S (symptomatic patients) consisted 11 patients. Results : Mean follow-up duration was 6.3 years (from 2 to 11 years). Urinary protein excretion was 1.1 g/day in group A and 6.6 g/day in group S. 24 hour creatinine clearance (mL/min/$1.73m^2$) was 134.3 in group A and 82.3 in group S. No patients in group A had renal insufficiency, but three patients in group S had renal insufficiency and one patient required peritoneal dialysis. Conclusion : Early detection by school urinary screening tests improves prognosis of MPGN type I.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.526-534
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• 2009

Purpose: We retrospectively investigated the diagnostic performance of $^{18}F$-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT for cancer detection in asymptomatic health-check examinees. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 5091 PET or PET/CT conducted as part of annual health examination at one hospital from March 1998 to February 2008. To find the incidence of cancers, medical records of the subjects were thoroughly reviewed for a follow-up period of one year. The patterns of formal readings of PET and PET/CT were analyzed to assess the sensitivity and specificity for cancer detection. The histopathology and stage of the cancers were evaluated in relation to the results of PET. Results: Eighty-six cancers (1.7%) were diagnosed within one year after PET or PET/CT. When PET and PET/CT results were combined, the sensitivity was 48.8% and specificity was 81.1% for cancer detection. PET only had a sensitivity of 46.2% and a specificity of 81.4%, and PET/CT only had a sensitivity of 75.0% and a specificity of 78.5% respectively. There were no significant differences in cancer site, stage and histopathology between PET positive and PET negative cancers. In 19.3% of formal readings of PET and PET/CT, further evaluation to exclude malignancy or significant disease was recommended. Head and neck area and upper gastrointestinal tract were commonly recommended sites for further evaluation. Conclusions: PET and PET/CT showed moderate performance for detecting cancers in asymptomatic adults in this study. More experience and further investigation are needed to overcome limitations of PET and PET/CT for cancer screening.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.369-376
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• 2013

Prepared her for the early detection of the risk of cardiovascular disease prevention for the various attempts being made ill through a lot of research to the criteria of coronary artery calcification, but the figure is more than 100 the progress of the flow can be expected to be was. In this study, we quantify the correlation between body composition analysis, blood lipid levels of calcium and public asymptomatic even at low calcium levels in comparison with the existing studies by analyzing potential risk of cardiovascular disease will be represented on the were evaluated. Studies, the calcium scores in the body composition analysis "1-10", and when "11-100" when there was a significant correlation in BMI and WHR look more normal frequency range of the mean values in the normal range meomulreoteuna 21% relative HDL and TG in lipid profiles, no significant correlation look more normal frequency range of risk were derived from the mean values in the normal range, 21% to 40% of the relative risk were derived. meomulreoteuna. In addition, there is no correlation between BFM and BMR Also, average increases in the frequency of a higher standard was higher relative risk derived 31 to 93%, and geological correlation test TC above 20mg/dl atherosclerotic sclerosis seems to be the value of HDL to act to remove cholesterol from atheroma already looking at the same time to suppress the occurrence of atherosclerosis, increased LDL showed higher values occurs rapidly increasing. At this time, the relative risk of 43-50% have been identified. In other words, even when calcium levels are low, that is inherent in the incidence of cardiovascular disease was unknown.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 2005

Malaria is a re-emerging infectious disease that is spreading to areas where it had been eradicated, such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia. To avoid the mortality from malaria, early detection of the parasite is a very important issue. The peripheral blood smear has been the gold standard method for the diagnosis of malaria infection. Recently, several other methods have been introduced for quantitative detection of malaria parasites. Real time PCR that employs fluorescent labels to enable the continuous monitoring of PCR product formation throughout the reaction has recently been used to detect several human malaria parasites. 18S rRNA sequences from malaria parasites have been amplified using Taqman real time PCR assay. Here, a SYBR Green-based real time quantitative PCR assay for the detection of malaria parasite-especially, Plasmodium vivax - was applied for the evaluation of 26 blood samples from Korean malaria patients. Even though SYBR Green-based real time PCR is easier and cheaper than Taqman-based assay, SYBR Green-based assay cannot be used because 18S rRNA cannot be specifically amplified using 1 primer set. Therefore, we used DBP gene sequences from Plasmodium vivax, which is specific for the SYBR Green based assays. We amplified the DBP gene from the 26 blood samples of malaria patients using SYBR Green based assay and obtained the copy numbers of DBP genes for each sample. Also, we selected optimal reference gene between ACTB and B2M using real time assay to get the stable genes regardless of Malaria titer. Using selected ACTB reference genes, we successfully converted the copy numbers from samples into titer, ${\sharp}$ of parasites per microliter. Using the resultant titer from DBP based SYBER Green assay with ACTB reference gene, we compared the results from our study with the titer from Taqman-based assay. We found that our results showed identical tendency with the results of 18S rRNA Taqman assay, especially in lower titer range. Thus, our DBP gene-utilized real time assay can detect Plasmodium vivax in Korean patient group semi-quantitatively and easily.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.923-933
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• 1995

Background: Pleural abnormality is the the most common respiratory change caused by asbestos dust inhalation and also develop other asbestos related disease after cessation of asbestos exposure. So we conducted epidemiologic study to investigate if the pleural abnormality is associated with pulmonary function change and what factors are influenced on pulmonary function impairment. Methods: Two hundred and twenty two asbestos workers from 9 industries using asbestos in Korea were selected to measure the concentration of sectional asbestos fiber. Ouestionnaire, chest X-ray, PFT were also performed. All the data were analyzed by student t-test and chi-square test using SAS. Regressional analysis was performed to evaluate important factors, for example smoking, exposure concentration, period and the existence of pleural thickening, affecting to the change of pulmonary function. Results: 1) All nine industries except two, airborn asbestos fiber concentration was less than an average permissible concentration. PFT was performed on 222 workers and the percentage of male was 88.3%, their mean age was $41{\pm}9$ years old, and the duration of asbestos exposure was $10.6{\pm}7.8$ yrs. 2) The chest X-ray showed normal(89.19%), pulmonary Tb(inactive)(2.7%), pleral thickening (7.66%), suspected reticulonodular shadow(0.9%). 3) The mean values of height, smoking status, concentration of asbestos fiberwere not different between the subjects with pleural thickening and others, but age, cumulative pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure were higher in subjects with pleural thickening. 4) All the PFT indices were lower in the subjects with pleural thickening than in the subjects without pleural thickening. 5) Simple regression analysis showed there was a significant correlation between $FEF_{75}$ which is sensitive in small airway obstruction and cumulative smoking pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure and the concentration of asbestos fiber. 6) Multiple regression analysis showed all the pulmonary function indices were decreased as the increase of cumulative smoking pack-years and especially in the indices those are sensitive in small airway obstruction. Pleural thickening was associated with reduction in FVC, $FEV_1$, PEFR and $FEF_{25}$. Conclusion: The more concentration of asbestos fiber and the more duration of asbestos exposure, the greater reduction in $FEF_{50}$, $FEF_{75}$. Therefore PFT was important in the evaluation of early detection for small airway obstruction. Furthermore pleural thickening without asbesto-related parenchymal lung disease is associated with reduction in pulmonary function.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.280-284
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• 2010

Background: The postoperative management following lung transplantation has dramatically improved in the recent decade. However, some complications still remain as troublesome problems. We retrospectively reviewed the gastrointestinal complications and their management after lung transplantation. Material and Method: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of 25 cases in 23 patients who underwent lung and heart-lung transplantations from July 1996 to March 2009. The definition of gastrointestinal complication was the gastrointestinal tract-related disease that occurred after lung transplantation. There were eight postoperative deaths (within postoperative 30 days) that were excluded from the analysis. Result: Twenty three gastrointestinal complications occurred in 11 (64.7%) of the 17 cases. The median follow-up period was 6.9 months (range: 2 months to 111 months), and chronic gastritis (23.5%, 4 of 17 cases) was the most common complication. Severe, prolonged (more than 2 weeks) diarrhea occurred in 3 cases. Three patients had gastric ulcer with one case requiring gastric primary closure for gastric ulcer perforation. This patient had gastric bleeding due to recurrent gastric ulcer 2 months after laparotomy. Cytomegalovirus gastritis and esophagitis occurred in 2 cases and 1 case, respectively, and esophageal ulcer occurred in 2 cases. There were esophageal strictures in 2 patients who underwent esophageal stent insertion. Other complications were one case each of ileus, early gastric cancer requiring endoscopic mucosal resection, gall bladder stone accompanied with jaundice, and pseudomembranous colitis. Conclusion: The incidence of gastrointestinal complication is relatively high in patients after they undergo lung transplantation. Since gastrointestinal complications can induce malnutrition, which might be related to considerable morbidity and mortality, close follow-up is necessary for the early detection and proper management of gastrointestinal complications.