• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.3-9
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Our goals were to evaluate the effect of high dose radioiodine treatment for thyroid cancer by taking in laxatives. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients(M:F=13:7, age $46.3{\pm}8.1\;yrs$) who underwent high dose radioiodine treatment were seperated into Group 1 taking $^{131}I$ 5,500 MBq and Group 2 with the use of laxatives after taking $^{131}I$ 5,500 MBq. The whole body was scanned 16 hours and 40 hours after taking radioactive iodines by using gamma camera, the ROIs were drawn on the gastro-intestinal tract and thigh for calculation of reduction ratio. At particular time during hospitalization, the radioactivity remaining in the body was measured in 1 meter from patient by using survey meter (RadEye-G10, Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). Schematic presentation of an Origin 8.5.1 software was used for spatial dose rate. Statistical comparison between groups were done using independent samples t-test. P value less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: The reduction ratio in gastro-intestinal 16 hours and 40 hours after taking laxatives is $42.1{\pm}6.3%$ in Group 1 and $72.1{\pm}6.4%$ in Group 2. The spatial dose rate measured when discharging from hospital was $23.8{\pm}6.7{\mu}Sv/h$ in Group 1 and $8.2{\pm}2.4{\mu}Sv/h$ in Group 2. The radioactivity remaining in the body is much decreased at the patient with laxatives(P<0.05). Conclusion: The use in combination with laxatives is helpful for decreasing radioactivity remaining in the body. The radioactive contamination could be decreased at marginal individuals from patients.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.241-246
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To study of difference among primary aldosteronism patients and normal groups and essential hypertension patients and to confirm aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio increase in secondary hypertension group which was diagnosed as primary aldosteronism. Materials and method: 1. Period: from April 2006 to March 2008. 2.Targets: 901 patients who visited seoul national university bundang hospital. 3. Groups: we divided by three groups. (normal group (n=147), essential hypertension (n=709), primary aldosteronism (n=45)) 4. Then calculated aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio. 5. We used ROC curve to measure sensitivity and specificity. Results: 1. normal groups aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio: $52.8{\pm}52.46$ essential hypertension patients aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio: $171.04{\pm}291.56$ primary aldosteronism patients aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio: $2325{\pm}2200$. 2. Aldosterone/renin ratio was significant in comparing each groups (p<0.001). 3. The sensitivity was 91.1% and the specificity was 92.4% when cut off of aldosterone/renin ratio was 485. Conclusion: It was confirmed that aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio in primary aldosteronism was higher than normal group. According to this result, we can tell that aldosterone/ plasma renin activity ratio is very useful in diagnosis of primary aldosteronism.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.60-65
• /
• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of limited vastus lateralis release for treatment of painful bipartite patella. Materials and Methods: From Jan. 1995 to Jun. 2002, we performed limited lateral retinacular release in 14 patients(16 cases) for treatment of painful bipartite patella. All patients were men and mean age was 22.3 years old. The opeative techique was that insertion of the vastus lateralis to the painful patellar fragment is detached subperiosteally. We evaluated the clinical results by degree of pain and level of activity. Also we analyzed the radiologic findings by measuring fragment tilting angle and gap between fragments. The mean follow up period was 14 months. Results: At final follow up, all of the patients showed pain relief and can be returned to more than recreational sports activity after the operation. On radiologic findings, fragment tilting angle and gap between fragments were reduced at statistically significant level. Conclusion: The limited lateral retinacular release for treatment of painful bipartite patella is one of good methods which is less invasive and shows good results in clinical and radiologic findings.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.173-181
• /
• 1996

Background : Several studies have suggested that impaired mucociliary clearance plays a role in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma. Cough productive of mucoid sputum is common, and mucous plugs in the airways are frequently observed. These clinical features are in keeping with the histologic lesions of asthma, which involve primarily the epithelial and mucous-producing structures of the conducting airways. Some studies have shown that the mucociliary clearance is impaired in adult asthma, but it has not been studied in childhood asthma. The objectives of this study were to examine whether the mucociliary clearance is impaired in childhood asthma and to estimate the degree of impairment in comparison with that of immotile cilia syndrome. Method : Thirteen children with mild stable asthma and eight patients with immotile cilia syndrome completed this study. Ten healthy children were recruited as a normal control group. The whole-lung mucociliary clearance was measured by the radioaerosol technique. Aerosols, tin colloid particles tagged with the radionuclide technetium-99m($^{99m}Tc$), were generated by means of nebulizer, and inhaled via a mouthpiece. The retention of radioactivity was measured at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes by gamma camera, and mucociliary clearance was calculated as percent retention at each time. Results: 1) In each subject, the percent retention decreased variably with the lapse of time. 2) The percent retention of radionuclide decreased at each time in order of normal control, bronchial asthma and immotile cilia syndrome and the percent retention of immotile cilia syndrome was significantly higher than that of normal control at each time(p<0.05). 3) At two hours, the percent retention of bronchial asthma($65.0{\pm}1.8$(SE)%) was significantly higher than that of the normal control($54.4{\pm}3.5%$, p<0.05), and significantly lower than that of immotile cilia syndrome($73.3{\pm}1.4%$, p<0.01). 4) When the percent retention was analyzed according to $PC_{20}$ in the children with bronchial asthma, they had no relationship with each other. Conclusion: Mucociliary clearance in the children with bronchial asthma was significantly lower than normal control. This finding indicates that impaired mucociliary clearance operates in childhood asthma as well, and suggests that it may be one contributing factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. The degree of impairment, however, was not so severe as immotile cilia syndrome.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.34-38
• /
• 2017

Purpose During PET/CT examinations, the movements of internal organs caused by respiration are captured in images during multiple breathing cycles, resulting in the increases in tumor size and effects on SUV. Respiratory synchronized systems were used to evaluate tumor sizes and SUV changes. Materials and Methods Biograph mCT 64 was used for the equipment, and RPM and Anzai systems were used for the respiratory synchronized systems. We used point source and micro-phantom for an experimentation. We were performed on 12 patients who had solid tumors discovered at the base of the lung or at the top of the liver from August through September 2016. The PET images of the exhalation-to-breathing state and the CT images of the post-exhalation suspension state were gained to evaluate changes in radioactivity concentration (KBq/mL), SUVmax, cylinder diameter (mm), and tumor diameter (cm) under the conventional Static, RPM, and Anzai methods. Results The result of measuring the radioactivity concentration of the point source was RPM 94% and Anzai 91% against Static, respectively. In the two cylinders of different radioactivity in the micro-phantom, the SUVmax increased to RPM 61% and 78%, and Anzai 58% and 77% against Static, whereas the cylinder diameters decreased by RPM -26% and -28%, and Anzai -28% and -26%, each respectively. Among the patients, the SUVmax increased from a minimum of RPM 8.2% to a maximum of 94.4% against Static, and from a minimum of Anzai 7.6% to a maximum of 68.3%, respectively. As for the tumor diameters, a minimum of RPM -7.6% to a maximum of -28.9% were achieved, while the Anzai fell by a minimum of -9.6% to a maximum of -27.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference discovered in the phantom study between the RPM and Anzai, yet there was a meaningful difference in the patients' tumors (P<0.05). Conclusion The respiratory synchronized systems of RPM and Anzai yielded no significant difference in the phantom study in which the respiration was executed at regular intervals. However, it was discovered that the patients had a meaningful difference for the irregular respiratory cycle and inter-system differences. Still, the respiratory synchronized systems would be useful for the accurate diagnosis and SUV measurement as the tumor decreased in size against the existing Static and the SUV increased.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.76-82
• /
• 2017

Purpose Whole body bone scan is one of the most frequently performed in nuclear medicine. Basically, both the anterior and posterior views are acquired simultaneously. Occasionally, it is difficult to distinguish the lesion by only the anterior view and the posterior view. In this case, accurate location of the lesion through SPECT / CT or additional static scan images are important. Therefore, in this study, various improvement activities have been carried out in order to enhance the work capacity of technologists. In this study, we investigate the effect of technologist training and standardized work process processes on bone scan error reduction. Materials and Methods Several systems have been introduced in sequence for the application of new processes. The first is the implementation of education and testing with physicians, the second is the classification of patients who are expected to undergo further scanning, introducing a pre-filtration system that allows technologists to check in advance, and finally, The communication system called NMQA is applied. From January, 2014 to December, 2016, we examined the whole body bone scan patients who visited the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea Results We investigated errors based on the Bone Scan NMQA sent from January 2014 to December 2016. The number of tests in which NMQA was transmitted over the entire bone scan during the survey period was calculated as a percentage. The annual output is 141 cases in 2014, 88 cases in 2015, and 86 cases in 2016. The rate of NMQA has decreased to 0.88% in 2014, 0.53% in 2015 and 0.45% in 2016. Conclusion The incidence of NMQA has decreased since 2014 when the new process was applied. However, we believe that it will be necessary to accumulate data continuously in the future because of insufficient data until statistically confirming its usefulness. This study confirmed the necessity of standardized work and education to improve the quality of Bone Scan image, and it is thought that update is needed for continuous research and interest in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.38-42
• /
• 2019

Purpose Although computed tomography (CT) is used for coronary artery calcification, it is difficult to differentiate between high risk microcalcifications. Studies have shown that $^{18}F$-sodium fluoride ($^{18}F-NaF$) is very useful for the diagnosis of microcalcifications. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of $^{18}F-NaF$ PET imaging in quantitative evaluation of calcification. Materials and Methods A total of 45 patients ($67.1{\pm}6.9years\;old$) were injected with 250 MBq of $^{18}F-NaF$ for 1 hour and images were acquired for 30 minutes. All patients underwent CT angiography (CTAngiography, CTA) before the PET scan. The SUVmax of calcification was measured and the background radioactivity of the left atrium was measured to determine Target to Background (TBR) and quantitatively analyzed. High risk group was classified through ROC curve (Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve). Results There were 226 coronary artery calcifications in the cohort and SUVmax was $1.15{\pm}0.39$. Of the 28 patients (62%), 58 were classified as high risk (TBR > 1.25). The remaining 168 were $TBR{\leq}1.25$. Conclusion $^{18}F-NaF$ PET images were available for quantitative assessment of microcalcifications and could be classified into high-risk groups. The combination of angiographic CT and $^{18}F-NaF$ PET may be a new method for early diagnosis of high-risk microcalcifications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.48-54
• /
• 2021

Purpose In ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, the absorption of ¹⁸F-FDG due to the activation of Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) greatly interferes with the discrimination of lymph node malignant metastasis. Warming the patient's body temperature before and after injection of ¹⁸F-FDG to prevent FDG absorption by BAT is a safe and non-pharmacological approach. The purpose of this study was to identify and select patients with a high potential for BAT activation in advance, and to investigate whether BAT can inhibit FDG absorption when the body temperature is raised for a short time by directly applying heat to the target patient. Materials and Methods Among the patients who underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT at the National Cancer Center from January 2020 to December 2020, 825 female patients (415 in the thermal group, 410 in the non-thermal group) under 50 years old were included. The thermal group was administered heat for 10 minutes before injection of ¹⁸F-FDG. For statistical analysis, the Z test comparing the ratios between the two groups was used, and logistic regression analysis was performed to correct for important variables (BMI, outdoor temperature, blood sugar) according to the results of the previous retrospective study. Results Among 825 patients, 19 patients with BAT activated (Thermal group: 5(1.2%), Non-thermal group: 14(3.41%)) accounted for 2.3% of the total. As a result of performing the Z test to compare the ratios between the two groups, the activation of BAT in the thermal group was significantly decreased (P=0.034). In the univariate logistic regression analysis, the activation of BAT was also decreased in the thermal group (OR: 0.34, P<0.05). In the multivariate results, BAT activation increased in patients younger than 45 years old (OR: 4.46, P<0.05) and outdoor temperature less than 13.2 degrees (OR: 9.97, P<0.05). BAT activation tended to decrease in the thermal group, but there was no significant difference (OR: 0.37, P=0.066). Conclusion We confirmed that the activation of BAT tends to decrease by 62.5% in the group subjected to the thermal method, and it will be of great help in preventing FDG absorption of BAT more effectively in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.95-100
• /
• 2013

Purpose: Since 2008, hepatitis A patients was rapidly increasing. So, Most of the health checkup examinees were interested in whether hepatitis A antibody was a lot. thereby The number of tests was increasing. In recent years, Antibody test results in the range of cut-off values were increased. According to the cause analysis, most examinees had a hepatitis A vaccine. This study was conducted to classify hepatitis A antibody as natural antibody and antibody after vaccination and compared the titer for seroconversion rate based on cut-off values. Materials and Methods: For a month in August 2012, First, We surveyed 185 health examinees and classified 119 health examinees who had acquired natural antibody. Second, for employees who were inoculated against hepatitis at our hospital, We classified into 53 primary inoculators and 59 secondary inculators. when the standard of cut-off value was 1, The seroconversion rate was compared the titer divided by 0.90-1.10 (${\pm}$), 0.60-0,89 (1+), 0.30-0.59 (2+), 0.01-0.29 (3+) and we compared the titer for seroconversion rate by each manufacturer after vaccination. Results: When the standard of cut-off value was 1, the titer of 119 health examinees who had acquired natural antibody was 0.90-1.10 (${\pm}$): 0%, 0.60-0.89 (1+): 0%, 0.30-0.59 (2+): 4.2%, 0.01-0.29 (3+): 96% and the titer of <0.60 ($${\geq_-}2+$$) was 100%. The titer of 53 primary inoculators was 0.90-1.10 (${\pm}:59.1%$), 0.60-0.89 (1+): 18.1%, 0.30-0.59 (2+): 18.1%, 0.01-0.29 (3+): 4.6% and the seroconversion rate was 45.3%. The titer of $${\geq_-}0.60$$ ($${\leq_-}1+$$) was 77.3%. The titer of 59 secondary inoculators was 0.90-1.10 (${\pm}:1.9%$), 0.60-0.89 (1+): 15.4%, 0.30-0.59 (2+): 36.54%, 0.01-0.29 (3+): 46.2% and the seroconversion rate was 88.1%. The titer of <0.60 ($${\geq_-}2+$$) was 82.7%. When we compared the titer for seroconversion rate by each manufacturer after vaccination, the seroconversion rate of 53 primary inoculators was BNIBT: 20.8% (${\pm}:24.5%$), GB: 15.7% (${\pm}:7.8%$), RIAKEY: 94.3% (${\pm}:3.8%$), ROCHE: 83% (${\pm}:0%$), ABBOTT: 73.1% (${\pm}:5.8%$) and the seroconversion rate of 59 secondary inoculators was BNIBT : 86.4% (${\pm}:1.7%$), GB: 88.5% (${\pm}:1.9%$), RIAKEY: 100% (${\pm}:0%$), ROCHE: 98.3% (${\pm}:0%$), ABBOTT: 98.2% (${\pm}:0%$). Conclusion: The study show that the titer of natural immune antibodies is higher than the titer of vaccination and the titer of secondary inoculation is mainly higher than the titer of primary inoculation. Consequently, if we know the titer of hepatitis A antibodies, it will help to give resullt reports. And then, when we compared the titer and the seroconversion rate by each manufacturer, There was a very distinct difference. As the test subjects inoculate against hepatitis A (HAV), it is considered BNIBT, GB will occur false negative rate and RIAKEY, ROCHE, ABOTT will occur false positive rate.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.57-61
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The multi-gated cardiac blood pool scan is to evaluate the function of left ventricle (LV) and usefully observe a value of ejection fraction (EF) for a patient who is receiving chemotherapy. To calculate LVEF, we should adjust an angle of left anterior oblique (LAO) view to separate both ventricles. And by overlapped ventricles, it is possible to affect LVEF. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare quantitative indices by changing an angle of LAO view. Materials and methods: We analyzed the 49 patients who were examined by multi-gated cardiac blood pool scan in department of nuclear medicine at Asan Medical Center from June to September 2011. Firstly, we acquired "Best septal" view. And then, we got images by addition and subtraction of angle for LAO view to anterior and lateral. We compared three LAO views for 20 people by 5 degrees and 39 people by 10 degrees. And we analyzed quantitative indices, EF, end diastole and end systole counts, by automated and manual region of interest (ROI) modes. Results: Firstly, we analyzed quantitative indices by automated ROI mode. In case of 5 degrees, the averages of EF are $61.0{\pm}7.5$, $62.1{\pm}7.1$, $60.9{\pm}6.7%$ ($p$=0.841) in LAO, LAO $-5^{\circ}$ and LAO $+5^{\circ}$ respectively. And there is no difference in end diastole and end systole counts ($p$<0.05). In case of 10 degrees, the averages of EF are $62.4{\pm}9.5$, $62.3{\pm}10.8$, $61.6{\pm}.9.3%$ ($p$=0.938) in LAO, LAO $-10^{\circ}$ and LAO $+10^{\circ}$ respectively. And there is no difference in end diastole and end systole counts ($p$<0.05). Secondly, we analyzed quantitative indices by manual ROI mode. In case of 5 degrees, the averages of EF are $62.8{\pm}7.1$, $63.6{\pm}7.5$, $62.7{\pm}7.3%$ ($p$=0.903) in LAO, LAO $-5^{\circ}$ and LAO $+5^{\circ}$ respectively. And there is no difference in end diastole and end systole counts ($p$<0.05). In case of 10 degrees, the averages of EF are $65.5{\pm}9.0$, $66.3{\pm}8.7$, $63.5{\pm}.9.3%$ (p=0.473) in LAO, LAO $-10^{\circ}$ and LAO $+10^{\circ}$ respectively. And there is no difference in end diastole and end systole counts ($p$<0.05). Conclusion: When an image is nearly "Best septal" view, the difference of LAO angle would not affect to change LVEF. Although there was no difference in quantitative analysis, deviations could happen when to interpret wall motion qualitatively by reading physicians.