• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
• /
• v.19 no.7
• /
• pp.1208-1215
• /
• 2016

This study suggests efficient production of game with spine tool that is 2D game tool. For this, the researcher studies process and efficiency of game development by focusing on production of a game "Shooting Monster" Version 1 in service of Google Store at present. Production tools in a contents field are sharply changed. In addition, these tools are automatized into new version and efficient product. These tools help manufacturers in increasing quality of contents and time efficiency. Therefore, the researcher examines understanding of development process of existing 2D game and problems in development stage of graphic character, and analyzes production stage of character animation using spine tool, so suggests effective process of production in terms of production. The purpose of this study is to suggest the direction about graphic efficiency of tool by accessing production process to train working-level talented people in 2D mobile game field.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.200-203
• /
• 2012

Objective : The sub-axial injury classification (SLIC) and severity scale was developed to decide whether to operate the cervical injured patient or not, but the reliability of SLIC and severity scale among the different physicians was not well known. Therefore, we evaluated the reliability of SLIC among a spine surgeon, a resident of neurosurgery and a neuro-radiologist. Methods : In retrograde review in single hospital from 2002 to 2009 years, 75 cases of sub-axial spine injured patients underwent operation. Each case was blindly reviewed for the SLIC and severity scale by 3 different observers by two times with 4 weeks interval with randomly allocated. The compared axis was the injury morphology score, the disco-ligamentous complex score, the neurological status score and total SLIC score; the neurological status score was derived from the review of medical record. The kappa value was used for the statistical analysis. Results : Interobserver agreement of SLIC and severity scale was substantial agreement in the score of injury morphology [intraclass correlation (ICC)=0.603] and total SLIC and severity sacle (ICC value=0.775), but was fair agreement in the disco-ligamentous complex score (ICC value= 0.304). Intraobserver agreements were almost perfect agreement in whole scales with ICC of 0.974 in a spine surgeon, 0.948 in a resident of neurosurgery, and 0.963 in a neuro-radiologist. Conclusion : The SLIC and severity scale is comprehensive and easily applicable tool in spine injured patient. Moreover, it is very useful tool to communicate among spine surgeons, residents of neurosurgery and neuro-radiologists with sufficient reproducibility.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to report the comparison of X-ray and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI) of a patient with idiopathic scoliosis. Method: The patient in this case was a 25-year-old female. Her chief complaint was a pain in lumbar, scapular and shoulder regions. We examined her with DITI and X-ray. And then We compared DITI and X-ray. Results: Cobb's angle of thoracic spine was $24.78^{\circ}$ as a primary curve. Cobb's angle of thoracolumbar spine was $17.63^{\circ}$. Temperature on convex side of the thoracic spine was $0.3^{\circ}C$ higher than the other side. Temperature on convex side of cervical spine was $1.4^{\circ}C$ higher than the other side. There was no correlation curvature degree with temperature difference. Conclusion : There was a tendency that the temperature on convex side of the spine is higher than the other side of the spine. DITI is a useful assessment tool when it is used with X-ray as a diagnostic tool of idiopathic scoliosis. Further studies are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.81-93
• /
• 2013

This review was described to investigate the feasibility of using ultrasound as an image tool for interventions of lumbar spine. This article will first provide an overview of lumbosacral spine surface anatomy and sonoanatomy. A detailed understanding of anatomy is critical for interpretation of ultrasound and procedural performance at spine. Fluoroscopy is most commonly used in interventional spine procedures, but radiation exposure is the major concern when obtaining fluoroscopic images. Ultrasound is radiation-free, is easy to use, and can provide real-time images with high accuracy. Also this device can be used in virtually any clinical setting. Ultrasound guidance offers a reliable alternative to fluoroscopy or computed tomography for lumbar interventions and can be safely performed without radiation exposure.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.346-349
• /
• 2015

Objective : To investigate the value of lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in fracture risk assessment (FRAX) tool. Methods : One hundred and ten patients aged over 60 years were enrolled and divided into 2 groups as non-osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) and OVF groups. The 10-year-risk of major osteoporotic vertebral fracture of each group was calculated by FRAX tool with femoral and lumbar spine BMDs to compare the usefulness of lumbar spine BMD in prediction of OVF. The blood level of osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) as markers of activities of osteoblast and osteoclast, respectively were analyzed using the institutional database. Results : In the OVF group, the ratio of patients with previous fracture history or use of glucocorticoid was higher than those in non-OVF group (p=0.000 and 0.030, respectively). The levels of T-score of femur neck and lumbar spine in OVF group were significantly lower than those in non-OVF group (p=0.001 and 0.000, respectively). The risk of OVF in FRAX using femur BMD in non-OVF and OVF groups was $6.7{\pm}6.13$ and $11.4{\pm}10.06$, respectively (p=0.007). The risk of using lumbar BMD in the 2 groups was $6.9{\pm}8.91$ and $15.1{\pm}15.08$, respectively (p=0.002). The areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve in the FRAX risk with lumbar and femur neck BMD were 0.726 and 0.684, respectively. The comparison of osteocalcin and CTX was not significant (p=0.162 and 0.369, respectively). Conclusion : In our study, the 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fracture in the OVF group of our study was lower than the recommended threshold of intervention for osteoporosis. Hence, a lower threshold for the treatment of osteoporosis may be set for the Korean population to prevent OVF. In the prediction of symptomatic OVF, FRAX tool using lumbar spine BMD may be more useful than that using femur neck BMD.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.375-383
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess the inter-segmental trunk motion during which multi-segmental movements of the spinal column was designed to interpret the effect of segmentation on the total measured spine motion. Also it analyzed the relative motion at three types of the spine models in drop landing. A secondary goal was to determine the intrinsic algorithmic errors of spine motion and the usefulness of such an approach as a tool to assess spinal motions. College students in the soccer team were selected the ten males with no history of spine symptoms or injuries. Each subject was given a fifteen minute adaptation period of drop landing on the 30cm height box. Inter-segmental spine motion were collected Vicon Motion Capture System (250 Hz) and synchronized with GRF data (1000 Hz). The result shows that Model III has a more increased range of motion (ROM) than Model I and Model II. And the Lagrange energy has significant difference of at E3 and E4 (p<.05). This study can be concluded that there are differences in the three models of algorithm during the phase of load absorption. Especially, Model III shows proper spine motion for the inter-segmental joint motion with the interaction effects using the seven segments. Model III shows more proper observed values about dynamic equilibrium than Model I & Model II. The findings have shown that the dynamic stability strategy of Model III toward multi-directional spinal motion supports for better function of the inter-segmental motor-control than the Model I and Model II.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.5
• /
• pp.448-453
• /
• 2015

Objective : Recently, the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been prolonged with improvements in various diagnostic tools and medical treatment modalities. Consequently, spine metastases from HCC are being diagnosed more frequently. The accurate prediction of prognosis plays a critical role in determining a patient's treatment plan, including surgery for patients with spinal metastases of HCC. We investigated the clinical features, surgical outcomes, and prognostic factors of HCC presenting with spine metastases, in patients who underwent surgery. Methods : A retrospective review was conducted on 33 HCC patients who underwent 36 operations (three patients underwent surgical treatment twice) from February 2006 to December 2013. The median age of the patients was 56 years old (range, 28 to 71; male : female=30 : 3). Results : Overall survival was not correlated with age, sex, level of metastases, preoperative Child-Pugh classification, preoperative ambulatory function, preoperative radiotherapy, type of operation, administration of Sorafenib, or the Tokuhashi scoring system. Only the Tomita scoring system was shown to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Comparing the Child-Pugh classification and ambulatory ability, there were no statistically differences between patients pre- and post-operatively. Conclusion : The Tomita scoring system represents a practicable and highly predictive prognostic tool. Even though surgical intervention may not restore ambulatory function, it should be considered to prevent deterioration of the patient's overall condition. Additionally, aggressive management may be needed if there is any ambulatory ability remaining.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2008

Purpose: National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) criteria and the Canadian Cervical Spine rule (CCR) are commonly used in cervical trauma patients to determine whether a plain cervical X-ray should be performed. However, plain cervical X-rays are so inaccurate that cervical spine computed tomography (CT) is often considered as a screening test. We studied the usefulness of the NEXUS criteria and the CCR for determining the need for a CT evaluation in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from January 2007 to March 2008. Plain X-ray and CT scans of the cervical spine were performed on blunt trauma patients with neck pain. The relevancy of CT was examined using the NEXUS criteria and the CCR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, and negative predicted value analyses were performed to diagnose the cervical spine injury. Results: During the study period, 284 patients were enrolled in this study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, and negative predicted value of the NEXUS criteria were 87.5%, 1.1%, 5.0%, and 60.0% respectively, while those of the CCR were 87.5%, 8.2%, 5.3%, and 91.6%. There were two missed fracture cases when the NEXUS criteria and the CCR were applied independently, however, no cases were missed when both were applied. Conclusion: This study suggests the NEXUS and the CCR in combination can be used as a guide to CT evaluation for cervical spine injury in the ED.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.9-14
• /
• 2023

Background: The detectors of both computed radiography (CR) and direct digital radiography (DR) have a wide dynamic range that could tolerate high values of exposure factors without an adverse effect on image quality. Therefore, this study aims to assess patient radiation dose and proposes institutional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for two teaching hospitals in Ghana. Materials and Methods: CR and DR systems were utilized in this study from two teaching hospitals. The CR system was manufactured by Philips Medical Systems DMC GmbH, while the DR system was manufactured by General Electric. The entrance skin doses (ESDs) were calculated using the standard equation and the tube output measurements. Free-in-air kerma (µGy) was measured using a calibrated radiation dosimeter. The proposed institutional DRLs were estimated using 75^th percentiles values of the estimated ESDs for nine radiographic projections. Results and Discussion: The calculated DRLs were 0.4, 1.6, 3.4, 0.5, 0.4, 1.1, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.7 mGy for chest posteroanterior (PA), lumbar spine anteroposterior (AP), lumbar spine lateral (LAT), cervical spine AP, cervical spine LAT, skull PA, pelvis AP, and abdomen AP, respectively in CR system. In the DR system, the values were 0.3, 1.6, 3.1, 0.4, 0.3, 0.7, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.3 for chest PA, lumbar spine AP, lumbar spine LAT, cervical spine AP, cervical spine LAT, skull PA, pelvis AP, and abdomen AP, respectively. Conclusion: Institutional DRLs in nine radiographic projections have been proposed for two teaching hospitals in Ghana for the first time. The proposed DRLs will serve as baseline data for establishing local DRLs in the hospitals and will be a valuable tool in optimizing patient doses.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2020

Background: Thoracic spine self-mobilization exercise is commonly used to manage patients with neck pain. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of thoracic spine self-mobilization exercise alone in patients with chronic neck pain. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of thoracic self-mobilization using a tool on cervical range of motion (ROM), disability level, upper body posture, pain and fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) in patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: The subjects were 49 patients (21 males, 28 females) with chronic neck pain. The subjects were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG, n = 23) and control group (CG, n = 26). For the EG, thoracic self-mobilization was applied. We placed a tool (made with 2 tennis balls) under 3 different vertebral levels (T1-4, T5-8, T9-12) of the thoracic spine and the subjects performed crunches, which included thoracic flexion and extension in supine position. Five times × 3 sets for each levels, twice a week, for 4 weeks. Cervical pain, disability, upper body posture, FABQ results, and ROM were evaluated at baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention, and at 8 weeks of follow-up. Assessments included the quadruple visual analogue scale (QVAS); Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire (NPQ); craniovertebral angles (CVA), forward shoulder angle (FSA) and kyphosis angle (KA) measurements for upper body posture; FABQ and cervical ROM testing. Results: The EG showed a statistically significant improvement after intervention in the QVAS (-51.16%); NPQ (-53.46%); flexion (20.95%), extension (25.32%), left rotation (14.04%), and right rotation (25.32%) in the ROM of the cervical joint; KA (-7.14%); CVA (9.82%); and FSA (-4.12%). Conclusion: These results suggest that, for patients with chronic neck pain, thoracic self-mobilization exercise using a tool (tennis balls) is effective to improve neck pain, disability level, the ROM, and upper body posture.