• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2008

Purpose : Whole blood interferon-$\gamma$ assay was developed and many studies showed its usefulness in diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) including latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). However, assessment in children has been limited. This study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of QuantiFERON-TB Gold for the diagnosis of LTBI in children exposed to pulmonary TB. Methods : Children who visited Seoul National University Bundang Hospital with a history of TB exposure were enrolled from January 2006 to December 2007. They were evaluated with chest x-rays, tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold test. TST was retested 3 months later for those with initial negative reactivity. Definition of LTBI was made on the basis of the TST reactivity. Results : Among the 103 children with a history of TB exposure, 49 children were tested with chest x-ray, TST, and QuantiFERON-TB Gold. Twenty-two were males. Median age was 7.5 years (range; 3 months to 14.7 years). According to TST reactivity, LTBI was in 8 (19%), no infection was in 21 (50%), possible LTBI was in 13 (31%). QuantiFERON-TB Gold test was positive in 5 of the 49 subjects (10%); 3 of the 13 subjects (23.1%) in unknown status, 1 of the 8 subjects (13%) in LTBI, and 1 of the 21 subjects (5%) without infection. The agreement between the QuantiFERON-TB Gold and the TST was poor (${\kappa}=0.101$). Conclusion : QuantiFERON-TB Gold showed poor sensitivity for the diagnosis of LTBI in children with exposure to TB. QuantiFERON-TB Gold alone does not seem to be useful in the diagnosis of LTBI in children.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 2009

Purpose: Automated system that immunoassay examination are used widely. However, sample to sample carryover can cause that the next patient sample is false positive. Materials and Methods: We test HBs Ag, HBs Ab, HBc Ab(IgG) with Automated pipetting system (Tecan). It was placed with very high concentrations followed by saline solution. During this experiment, The fixed tip of Automated system wash With 0.25 moL/L NaOH. The Measurement results of saline solution confirm the occurrence of carryover. Results: Results of saline solution with 0.25 moL/L NaOH cleaning process was measured 100% negative, And results of patient serum with 0.25 moL/L NaOH cleaning process is similar reported results. Conclusion: As Results, 0.25 moL/L NaOH cleaning process was avoid carryover in experiment, And we know results of the hepatitis test did not affected by this solution we recommend 0.25 moL/L NaOH cleaning process as the Prevention of carryover in the automated system with fixed Tips.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 1999

Background and Objectives : Recently, many people suffering from voice change visit otolaryngologist. So, it is important to study vocal function in patients with glottic or laryngeal disease. Aerodynamic investigation is valuable information about the efficiency of the larynx in translating air pressure to acoustic signal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the aerodynamic data in patients with vocal polyp, compare this data with that of the normal Korean. Materials and Methods : In aerodynamic study, maximum phonation time, mean air flow rate, phonatory flow volume and subglottal pressure were tested by using Aerophone II voice function analyzer in 157 normal korean and 143 patients with vocal polyp, aged from 20 to 69 years randomly selected. Results and Conclusion : In vocal polyp, maximum phonation time was significantly decreased and mean air How rate was increased. Phonatory flow volume was significantly decreased and subglottic pressure was increased only in female with vocal polyp. These data will be served as basic data of evaluation after treatment and postoperative assessment of the patients with vocal polyp.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2020

Breathing is the voice's driving force and also acts as a regulator of larynx function and efficiency. Respiratory distress is a side effect of general anesthesia in thyroid surgery. Therefore, this study's objective was to provide practical and complementary information for voice recovery after thyroid surgery, based on aerodynamic evaluation pre- and post-thyroidectomy. From May 2014 to July 2015, aerodynamic evaluations were performed on 34 female patients diagnosed with thyroid papillary cancer one week before surgery (PRE), one month after surgery (P1), and three months after surgery (P3). The Phonatory Aerodynamic System (model 6600, KayPENTAX, USA) was employed for this purpose, and a total of 29 analysis parameters were selected. The results showed statistically significant differences in peak expiratory airflow (p=0.004), mean pitch (p<0.01), expiration airflow duration (p=0.001), and expiratory volume (p=0.018), based on time factors. In the comparison of time factors, peak expiratory airflow and mean pitch parameters were different in PRE-P1 and PRE-P3. Expiration airflow duration and expiratory volume parameters were different in PRE-P3 and P1-P3. The interaction effect of time and surgical range was significant only for expiratory volume (p=0.024). Female patients who undergo thyroidectomy require post-operative breathing training, and exhalation improvement is considered to reflect a positive lifestyle after surgery.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.374-381
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• 2007

Background: This study evaluated which CT findings could be used to predict the negative results of a sputum smear in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and multiple cavities. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and multiple cavities on CT were classified into 2 groups: smear-positive (n = 30) and -negative (n = 8). The CT findings were reviewed retrospectively. The maximum internal diameter of the largest cavity, the number of the cavities and lobes with cavities, and the characteristics of the associated findings such as consolidation, ground glass opacity, micronodules and nodule were accessed. The number of cavities above 20 mm in the maximum internal diameter and a necrotizing pneumonia-like pattern were also evaluated. Result: The maximum internal diameter and number of cavities was $32.23{\pm}17.66mm$ and $15.50{\pm}11.12mm$ (p = 0.0042), and $5.53{\pm}3.17$ and $2.43{\pm}1.13$ (p = 0.0002) in the smear-positive and -negative group, respectively. Three or more cavities were observed at 76.7% and 12.5% in the smear-positive and -negative group, respectively (p < 0.005). There were $2.00{\pm}1.34$ and $0.25{\pm}0.46$ (p = 0.001), and $1.5{\pm}1.50$ and $0.38{\pm}0.52$ (p =0.0016) lobes with consolidation and ground glass opacity in the smear-positive and -negative group, respectively. A necrotizing pneumonia-like pattern was observed in 43.3% of the smear-positive group only. The other findings were similar in both two groups. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value for the presence of at least a finding of consolidation, more than 3 cavities or the largest cavity > 20 mm in the maximum internal diameter were 100%, 62.5%, 90.9%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: Two cavities 20 mm or less in the maximum internal diameter without consolidation on CT might be associated with a negative result of the sputum smear in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and multiple cavities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2000

To determine what is the change of pre and postoperative voice and image analysis parameters and correlations between them, videostroboscopy was analyzed in each 18 patients with unilateral vocal cord paralyses or vocal polyps before and after the surgery from November, 1996 to April, 1999. The correlation between acoustic and aerodynamic parameters was investigated. The software-Videolink and $\pi$-View(Mediface Co, Seoul, Korea)-was used in a quantitative analysis. In unilateral vocal cord paralysis, the glottic angle is well correlated with maximum phonation time, jitter and shimmer preoperatively. The postoperative glottic angle is also correlated with preoperative maximum phonation time. In patients with the vocal polyp, the chink is postoperatively decreased, but the size of the chink and the polyp is not correlated with pre and postoperative voice analysis parameters. These findings reveal that glottic an and vocal fold angle are good indicators of e postoperative glottic configuration in unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Vocal fold ratio is also a useful indicator that represents the length of vocal folds. We consider that the computerized analysis through videostroboscopy is one of objective diagnostic methods in many voice disorders if we can measure a distance between the telelaryngoscope and vocal folds.

• Laboratory Medicine Online
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2017

Background: We evaluated a sensitive and quantitative method utilizing fragment analysis of the fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), simultaneously measuring mutant allele burden and length, and verified the analytical performance. Methods: The number and allelic burden of FLT3-ITD mutations was determined by fragment analysis. Serial mixtures of mutant and wild-type plasmid DNA were used to calculate the limit of detection of fragment analysis, conventional PCR, and Sanger sequencing. Specificity was evaluated using DNA samples derived from 50 normal donors. Results of fragment analysis were compared to those of conventional PCR, using 481 AML specimens. Results: Defined mixtures were consistently and accurately identified by fragment analysis at a 5% relative concentration of mutant to wild-type, and at 10% and 20% ratios by conventional PCR and direct sequencing, respectively. No false positivity was identified. Among 481 AML specimens, 40.1% (193/481) had FLT3-ITD mutations. The mutant allele burden (1.7-94.1%; median, 28.2%) and repeated length of the mutation (14-153 bp; median, 49 bp) were variable. The concordance rate between fragment analysis and conventional PCR was 97.7% (470/481). Fragment analysis was more sensitive than conventional PCR and detected 11 additional cases: seven had mutations below 10%, three cases represented conventional PCR failure, and one case showed false negativity because of short ITD length (14 bp). Conclusions: The new fragment analysis method proved to be sensitive and reliable for the detection and monitoring of FLT3-ITD in patients with AML. This could be used to simultaneously assess ITD mutant allele burden and length.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.961-968
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• 2022

Rotator cuff tears are a leading cause of shoulder pain in adults. Due to the increase in social activities, the number of patients complaining of shoulder pain is increasing, and interest in shoulder diseases is also increasing. With the development of ultrasound equipment, the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis are high, and it is used to diagnose rotator cuff tears in musculoskeletal disease. Ultrasound is recognized as a complementary method to MRI examination in rotator cuff tears. Therefore, this study aimed to find out the diagnostic usefulness of ultrasound and MRI examinations in the diagnosis of shoulder rotator cuff tears.A retrospective analysis was performed on 262 patients who were diagnosed with final rotator cuff damage by arthroscopy after completing ultrasound and MRI examinations. Sensitivity, feature, positive predictive value, image predictive value, and touch were disassembled for the test results. In addition, the degree of clavicular tear was scored and recorded in 5 stages. Ultrasound examination was similar to MRI examination results for both full-thickness and partial tears, and there was no statistically significant difference. Partial tear test results showed higher positive predictive value and accuracy than MRI test. In conclusion, ultrasound can be fully utilized as a screening test for rotator cuff disease, and it is thought that it will be selected and used clinically according to the patient's constitution and situation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.414-419
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is any difference in the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with autoantibody-positive and patients with autoantibody-negative type 1 diabetes at initial presentation. Methods : We analyzed 96 patients under 18 years of age with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. One or both of the pancreatic autoantibodies-glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA) and insulin autoantibody (IAA)-were measured in all patients, and we reviewed clinical and laboratory characteristics according to the presence of these autoantibodies. Results : GADA was examined in 48 of 87 patients, and 55.2% of patients were positive. IAA was checked in 88 patients, and 39.8% were positive. Both GADA and IAA were measured in 83 patients, and 22.8% had both antibodies. The patients who had one or both autoantibodies (autoantibody-positive group) were younger than those not having any autoantibody (autoantibody-negative group). The autoantibody-positive group had lower BMI, corrected sodium level, and serum effective osmolarity, compared to the autoantibody-negative group (P <0.05). Similar differences were found between the GADA-positive and GADA-negative groups. However, there were no significant differences between the IAA-positive and IAA-negative groups. Conclusion : The prevalence of pancreatic autoantibodies was significantly higher in the under-6 years age group than in the other age groups. These findings suggest that measurement of autoantibodies at the initial diagnosis of diabetes is very useful for detecting immune-mediated type 1 diabetes and providing intensive insulin therapy, especially in younger children.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2011

Purpose : Early diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB) in children is difficult. The widely used tuberculin skin test has low sensitivity and cross reactivity with non-tuberculous mycobacteria or Bacille Calmette-Gu$\acute{e}$rin vaccination. Interferon gamma release assays have been shown good diagnostic accuracy for active in adults. But studies in children were limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot) as an initial test in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in children. Methods : In a hospital-based study, we prospectively examined the performance of ELISPot in 33 children suspected of active TB. TB was confirmed bacteriologically or histologically. Results : Among 33 patients, 9 had active tuberculosis. When tested, they all had a positive test result from the ELISpot. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 100% (95% CI, 66.4-100%) and 95.8% (95% CI, 78.9-99.9%) respectively. Conclusion : ELISpot might be an useful and improved clinical diagnostic method for the detection of active TB in children.