• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 1996

Background : Endobronchial tuberculosis(ET) is known to affect frequently young female and serious complication like bronchial stenosis would occur if early diagnosis and treatment for ET is not performed immediately. But ET shows normal chest roentgenogram in about 10% of patients, and is often confused with bronchial asthma because ET presents clinical features like cough, dyspnea, wheezing in history and physical examination. The pulmonary function test(PFT) feature of ET is not well known, but when we consider the fact that ET is pathophysiologically different from bronchial asthma, if there is any feature of PFT in ET, and we know it, PFT will be very helpful for diagnosis and follow up of ET. Methods : We performed both PFT and bronchoscopy in 68 ET patients who visited Boramae hospital, and were confirmed as ET by bronchoscopic biopsy and were followed prospectively from November 1991 to March 1995. After history taking and physical examination, we performed chest roentgenogram, complete blood count, sputum AFB stain and culture, and also performed PFT before anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. PFT was classified as restrictive, if only PVC was reduced below 80%, and obstructive, if only FEV1 was reduced below 75%. In the case of both FVC and FEV1 were reduced, PFT was classified as restrictive if FEY1/FVC was greater than 75%, and mixed if FEV1/FVC was reduced below 75%. We repeated the PFT and bronchoscopy for 68 ET patients who were proven by biopsy in the first month and sixth month after starting anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, and studied the feature and change of PFT of the ET and the relation between PFT and the bronchoscopic finding, and obtained following results. Results: 1) Number of male patients was 12, and that of female patient was 56, and mean age was $35.4{\pm}17yr$.(17-74yr). Clinical symptom was in the order of cough(86.8%), dyspnea(63.2%), fever(17.6%) and hemoptysis (10.3%), and the wheezing and stridor were audible among the 40 patients(58.4%) in the physical examination. 2) Hemoglobin level was below 12g/dl among 25 patients (36.8%), and WBC level was above $10,000/mm^3$ among 9 patients(13.2%) and ESR was above 20 among 46 patients (67.6%) and AFB stain and culture were positive among 50 patients(73.5%). 3) The dominant roentgenographic finding of ET was fibronodular feature in 35 patients(51.5%), pneumonic feature in 14 patients (20.6%), collapse in 11 patients(16.2%), mass-like lesion in 3 patients(4.4%), cavitary lesion in 2 patients(2.9%), and normal in 3 patients(4.4%). 4) PFT feature at the time of diagnosis of ET was normal in 16 patients(23.5%), restrictive pattern in 32 patients (47%), obstructive in 4 patients(5.8%), and mixed in 14 patients(23.5%). So restrictive pattern was the dominate feature of ET. 5) The PFT feature was little correlated with the gross finding of bronchoscopy, but the change of PFT during treatment of ET showed relatively good correlation with the change of bronchoscopic finding. 6) FVC(2.30L vs. 2.61L) and FEV1(1.74L vs. 2.06L) increased significantly (p < 0.01), but FEV1/FVC(82% vs. 83%) and PEF(3.45L/sec vs. 3.95L/sec) did not change significantly after 1 month of treatment (p > 0.01), and there was no significant change among all parameters during first and sixth month of treatment(p > 0.01). Conclusion : PFT may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment follow up of ET but further study would be needed to confirm it.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.128-138
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• 2014

In gated radiation therapy (gRT), due to residual motion, beam delivery is intended to irradiate not only the true extent of disease, but also neighboring normal tissues. It is desired that the delivery covers the true extent (i.e. clinical target volume or CTV) as a minimum, although target moves under dose delivery. The objectives of our study are to validate if the intended dose is surely delivered to the true target in gRT and to quantitatively understand the trend of dose delivery on it and neighboring normal tissues when gating window (GW), motion amplitude (MA), and CTV size changes. To fulfill the objectives, experimental and computational studies have been designed and performed. A custom-made phantom with rectangle- and pyramid-shaped targets (CTVs) on a moving platform was scanned for four-dimensional imaging. Various GWs were selected and image integration was performed to generate targets (internal target volume or ITV) for planning that included the CTVs and internal margins (IM). The planning was done conventionally for the rectangle target and IMRT optimization was done for the pyramid target. Dose evaluation was then performed on a diode array aligned perpendicularly to the gated beams through measurements and computational modeling of dose delivery under motion. This study has quantitatively demonstrated and analytically interpreted the impact of residual motion including penumbral broadening for both targets, perturbed but secured dose coverage on the CTV, and significant doses delivered in the neighboring normal tissues. Dose volume histogram analyses also demonstrated and interpreted the trend of dose coverage: for ITV, it increased as GW or MA decreased or CTV size increased; for IM, it increased as GW or MA decreased; for the neighboring normal tissue, opposite trend to that of IM was observed. This study has provided a clear understanding on the impact of the residual motion and proved that if breathing is reproducible gRT is secure despite discontinuous delivery and target motion. The procedures and computational model can be used for commissioning, routine quality assurance, and patient-specific validation of gRT. More work needs to be done for patient-specific dose reconstruction on CT images.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.283-294
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• 2003

Introduction : Rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (RGM) can produce numerous types of manifestations including a pulmonary infection. Managing a pulmonary infection due to RGM is unusually difficult to treat because the organism is invariably resistant to traditional antituberculous drugs and has a varying susceptibility to other antibiotics. The experiences of treatments for a RGM pulmonary infection with various antibiotics are also limited. This study evaluated the clinical manifestations, treatment, and the therapeutic outcomes of a RGM pulmonary infection. Subjects and method : Fifty-four cases with RGM from respiratory specimens were identified between November of 1996 and September of 2002 in the Asan medical center. The medical records and radiographic findings in 20 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease by ATS guidelines. The clinical, laboratory, and radiological parameters between subgroups. Results : Of the 20 patients, 15 were female. The mean age was 57.7 yrs (${\pm}7.5$), and all of the patients had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Most (90%) had an underlying lung disease. The majority of the isolates (80%) were M. abscessus. Chest radiography showed bilateral involvement in 80% of the patients. Bronchiectasis and multiple nodules were the main findings. Cavitation was present in 35% of the patients. Even though 70 % of the patients received antituberculous drugs prior to the correct diagnosis, all of the patients eventually received antibiotics. A mean of 3.5 antibiotics were given for an average of 439 days(${\pm}168$). After completing treatment, nine patients showed improvement after a mean 591(${\pm}311$) days of treatment, whereas the antibiotic treatment was unsuccessful in 2 patients. Conclusion : Many patients with a RGM pulmonary infection show an atypical pattern of radiological findings (bronchiectasis and multiple centrilobular nodules). It is very important to differentiate between M. tuberculosis and NTM and to identify the causative organisms among the NTM because a misdiagnosis can lead to an inappropriate and prolonged treatment. Combined antibiotic treatment yielded promising results, and is recommended for treating patients with a RGM pulmonary infection.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.286-293
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the set up accuracy using stereotactic body frame and frameless immobilizer for lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). For total 40 lung cancer patients treated by SBRT, 20 patients using stereotactic body frame and other 20 patients using frameless immobilizer were separately enrolled in each group. The setup errors of each group depending on the immobilization methods were compared and analyzed. All patients received the dose of 48~60 Gy for 4 or 5 fractions. Before each treatment, a patient was first localized to the treatment isocenter using room lasers, and further aligned with a series of image guidance procedures; orthogonal kV radiographs, cone-beam CT, orthogonal fluoroscopy. The couch shifts during these procedures were recorded and analyzed for systematic and random errors of each group. Student t-test was performed to evaluate significant difference depending on the immobilization methods. The setup reproducibility was further analyzed using F-test with the random errors excluding the systematic setup errors. In addition, the ITV-PTV margin for each group was calculated. The setup errors for SBF were $0.05{\pm}0.25cm$ in vertical direction, $0.20{\pm}0.38cm$ in longitudinal direction, and $0.02{\pm}0.30cm$ in lateral direction, respectively. However the setup errors for frameless immobilizer showed a significant increase of $-0.24{\pm}0.25cm$ in vertical direction while similar results of $0.06{\pm}0.34cm$, $-0.02{\pm}0.25cm$ in longitudinal and lateral directions. ITV-PTV margins for SBF were 0.67 cm (vertical), 0.99 cm (longitudinal), and 0.83 cm (lateral), respectively. On the other hand, ITV-PTV margins for Frameless immobilizer were 0.75 cm (vertical), 0.96 cm (longitudinal), and 0.72 cm (lateral), indicating less than 1 mm difference for all directions. In conclusion, stereotactic body frame improves reproducibility of patient setup, resulted in 0.1~0.2 cm in both vertical and longitudinal directions. However the improvements are not substantial in clinic considering the effort and time consumption required for SBF setup.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with neuroblastoma aged less than 1 year. Methods : From January 1997 to December 2007, 41 patients aged less than 1 year were diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Patients were divided into 3 risk groups according to the stage of the disease and N-myc amplification. Low-risk patients underwent surgery with (stage 2) or without (stage 1) short-term chemotherapy. Intermediate-risk patients underwent chemotherapy and surgery with or without local radiation therapy. High-risk patients underwent chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and high-dose chemotherapy/autologous stem cell rescue (HDCT/ASCR). Results : While tumor relapse occurred in only 1 patient, 7 patients died of treatment-related toxicities. Causes of treatment- related death included infection during conventional chemotherapy in 5 patients and acute myocarditis during HDCT/ASCR in 2 patients. The overall 5-year survival (${\pm}$ standard error) and 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates after diagnosis for all 41 patients were $82.8{\pm}5.9%$ and $80.0{\pm}$6.3%$, respectively, with a median follow-up of 58 (9-137) months. The 5-year EFS rates for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients were 100%, $68.4{\pm}10.8%$, and $66.7{\pm}19.3%$, respectively. Conclusion : Increased efforts to reduce infection-associated toxicity deaths during conventional chemotherapy are needed to further improve the survival of patients with neuroblastoma aged less than 1 year.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2005

Background : Endobronchial tuberculosis often complicates bronchostenosis, which can cause dyspnea due to an airway obstruction, and can be misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma or lung cancer. This study investigated the possible correlation between the $interferon-{\gamma}$($IFN-{\gamma}$) and transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$($TGF-{\beta}$) levels in the serum and bronchial washing fluid and the treatment results in endobronchial tuberculosis patients. Methods : Sixteen patients, who were diagnosed as endobronchial tuberculosis using bronchoscopy, and 10 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. The $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TGF-{\beta}$ levels were measured in the serum and bronchial washing fluid of 16 endobronchial tuberculosis patients before and after treatment using the ELISA method. The endobronchial tuberculosis patients were divided into those who showed bronchial fibrostenosis after treatment and those who did not. Results : The $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TGF-{\beta}$ levels in the bronchial washing fluid in endobronchial tuberculosis patients were elevated comparing to the control (p<0.05). After treatment, 7 of the 16 endobronchial tuberculosis patients showed bronchial fibrostenosis and the other 9 cases healed without this sequela. In the patients with fibrostenosis after treatment, the initial serum $TGF-{\beta}$ level was lower than the patients without fibrostenosis after treatment (p<0.05). Moreover, the serum $TGF-{\beta}$ level after treatment further decreased comparing to the patients without fibrostenosis after treatment(p<0.05). Conclusion : Elevated $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TGF-{\beta}$ levels in the bronchial washing fluid in endobronchial tuberculosis patients are believed to be related to the pathogenesis of endobronchial tuberculosis. The decreased initial serum $TGF-{\beta}$ level and the change in the serum $TGF-{\beta}$ level after treatment are believed to be involved in bronchial fibrostenosis during the course of the disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.519-531
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• 1993

Background: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis(LAM) is a very rare disease occurring in women of reproductive age and leading to progressive respiratory failure despite therapy. But the natural history of this disease is uncertain and although anti-estrogenic agents have been used for more than twenty years, it's efficacy is still in debate. This study was performed to enhance understanding of this fatal disease in Korea by examining clinical, radiological, and pathologic findings of all the previously reported cases of LAM on Korea along with four new cases of LAM whom we report in this paper. Method: Out of twlve cases of LAM previously unpublished and published in domestic papers, two cases whose diagnoses were considered doubtful after review of clinical, radiological, and pathologic findings at "Asian Congress on Lymphangioleiomyomatosis" at Kyoto, Japan in feburary of 1993 were excluded from this study. Six cases which were reported previously and four new cases of LAM whom we report in this paper were analysed for the clinical, radiological, and pathologic characteristics. Results: All ten patients were women with mean age of $33{\pm}7$. The most common symptom was exertional dyspnea and most patients had history of pneumothoraces. Pulmonary function tests showed decreased diffusing capacity. on high resolution computed tomography(HRCT), all the cases had characteristic cysts. Most of the patients did not respond to hormonal therapy. Conclusion: In women of reproductive age, presenting with dyspnea who has a history of pneumothorax, LAM should always be considered as one of the diagnostic possibilities. If suspected, HRCT should be done to look for characteristic cysts and if needed, open lung biopsy should be done to confirm the diagnosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.303-309
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• 2009

Purpose : To identify the short-term clinical outcomes of late preterm infants and to test the hypothesis that late preterm infants have more clinical problems during the early postnatal period than term infants. Methods : One hundred late preterm infants [gestational age (GA) $34^{+0}$-$36^{+6}$ weeks] and the same number of term infants (GA $37^{+0}$-$41^{+6}$ weeks) were randomly selected from 289 late preterm infants and 825 term infants born in the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2007 and December 2007, and their electronic medical records were reviewed and analyzed. Results : Compared to term infants, late preterm infants had significantly more medical problems such as temperature instability (odds ratio [OR] 8.7), hypoglycemia (OR 17.5), intravenous fluid infusion (OR 10.2), evaluation for sepsis (OR 9.4), respiratory problems (OR 7.5), apnea and bradycardia (OR 8.6), phototherapy for jaundice (OR 3.6), and feeding intolerance (OR 10.0). Hospital stay was also significantly longer in late preterm infants. Conclusion : Late preterm infants had significantly more medical problems and increased length of hospital stay compared to term infants. More attention should be given to caring for these late preterm infants in newborn nursery during the early postnatal period.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2007

In several treatment modalities for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), oral appliances mainly including mandibular advancement appliance (MAA) and tongue retaining device (TRD) are recognized as a non-invasive, reversible alternative with favorable results. Tongue bulb is a major component of TRD which prevents the tongue from approaching the posterior wall of the pharynx and can be combined with MAA. Determination of tongue bulb size for the patient is important for therapeutic effect, but frequently needs time-consuming work. For effective fabrication and standardization of tongue bulbs, this study aimed to categorize tongue bulb size for healthy young men and to examine its relation with maximum retention force and with physical parameters including tongue-related variables. 36 non-snoring, asymptomatic young men with normal occlusion were voluntarily participated in this study (mean age: $24.47{\pm}2.58$ years). Experimental procedures consisted of prefabrication of tongue bulb set (20 types with a width of 27-36mm and thickness of 8 and 10 mm), determination of tongue bulb size and the maximum retention force for each subject, and measurement of physical parameters including body mass index (BMI), neck circumference and width, thickness and length of tongue. This study showed that there was significant difference of retention force among the bulb size-related groups both in upright and supine position (p<0.05) and that retention force increased with bulb size. Correlation of tongue bulb size with physical parameters was not clearly verified and there was no significant difference in retention force between upright and supine positions. Based on our results, it can be suggested that retention force relates with tongue bulb size, ultimately with tongue volume. A further study needs to be performed in the patients with snoring and OSA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.5-11
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• 2009

When using Image Guided Radiation Therapy, the patient is placed using skin marker first and after confirming anatomical location using OBI, the couch is moved to correct the set up. Evaluation for the error made at that moment was done. Through comparing $0^{\circ}$ and $270^{\circ}$ direction DRR image and OBI image with 2D-2D matching when therapy planning, comparison between patient's therapy plan setup and actual treatment setup was made to observe the error. Treatment confirmation on important organs such as head, neck and spinal cord was done every time through OBI setup and other organs such as chest, abdomen and pelvis was done 2 ~ 3 times a week. But corrections were all recorded on OIS so that evaluation on accuracy could be made through using skin index which was divided into head, neck, chest and abdomen-pelvis on 160 patients. Average setup error for head and neck patient on each AP, SI, RL direction was $0.2{\pm}0.2cm$, $-0.1{\pm}0.1cm$, $-0.2{\pm}0.0cm$, chest patient was $-0.5{\pm}0.1cm$, $0.3{\pm}0.3cm$, $0.4{\pm}0.2cm$, and abdomen was $0.4{\pm}0.4cm$, $-0.5{\pm}0.1cm$, $-0.4{\pm}0.1cm$. In case of pelvis, it was $0.5{\pm}0.3cm$, $0.8{\pm}0.4cm$, $-0.3{\pm}0.2cm$. In rigid body parts such as head and neck showed lesser setup error compared to chest and abdomen. Error was greater on chest in horizontal axis and in AP direction, abdomen-pelvis showed greater error. Error was greater on chest in horizontal axis because of the curve in patient's body when the setup is made. Error was greater on abdomen in AP direction because of the change in front and back location due to breathing of patient. There was no systematic error on patient setup system. Since OBI confirms the anatomical location, when focus is located on the skin, it is more precise to use skin marker to setup. When compared with 3D-3D conformation, although 2D-2D conformation can't find out the rolling error, it has lesser radiation exposure and shorter setup confirmation time. Therefore, on actual clinic, 2D-2D conformation is more appropriate.