• Journal of International Society for Simulation Surgery
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2015

Purpose When a surgeon examines the morphology of skull of patient, locations of craniometric landmarks of 3D computed tomography(CT) volume are one of the most important information for surgical purpose. The locations of craniometric landmarks can be found manually by surgeon from the 3D rendered volume or 2D sagittal, axial, and coronal slices which are taken by CT. Since there are many landmarks on the skull, finding these manually is time-consuming, exhaustive, and occasionally inexact. These inefficiencies raise a demand for a automatic localization technique for craniometric landmark points. So in this paper, we propose a novel method through which we can automatically find these landmark points, which are useful for surgical purpose. Materials and Methods At first, we align the experimental data (CT volumes) using Frankfurt Horizontal Plane (FHP) and Mid Sagittal Plane(MSP) which are defined by 3 and 2 cranial landmark points each. The target landmark of our experiment is the anterior nasal spine. Prior to constructing a statistical cubic model which would be used for detecting the location of the landmark from a given CT volume, reference points for the anterior nasal spine were manually chosen by a surgeon from several CT volume sets. The statistical cubic model is constructed by calculating weighted intensity means of these CT sets around the reference points. By finding the location where similarity function (squared difference function) has the minimal value with this model, the location of the landmark can be found from any given CT volume. Results In this paper, we used 5 CT volumes to construct the statistical cubic model. The 20 CT volumes including the volumes, which were used to construct the model, were used for testing. The range of age of subjects is up to 2 years (24 months) old. The found points of each data are almost close to the reference point which were manually chosen by surgeon. Also it has been seen that the similarity function always has the global minimum at the detection point. Conclusion Through the experiment, we have seen the proposed method shows the outstanding performance in searching the landmark point. This algorithm would make surgeons efficiently work with morphological informations of skull. We also expect the potential of our algorithm for searching the anatomic landmarks not only cranial landmarks.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.103-118
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to understand the process and investigate basic theory of fatigue experience of shift work nurses. The present study adopted grounded theory methodology on fatigue of shift work nurses. The participants for this study were 15 shift work nurses who were in the age of 25 to 35, the clinical experience of 2 to 14 years and the work department of ICU. ER. ward and delivery room. The data were collected from 2000 to 2003 by using interviews and observations. The contents of the interviews were tape-recorded and were drawn through repeated method. And then were analyzed into the concept, subcategories, and categories with the open coding process and axial coding was done to identify the relationships of the concepts and categories according to the paradigm models. The core category generated, which was a central phenomena of the exhaustion process. The causal condition is change events. The central condition of exhaustion were sorted as physical discomfort, decreasing vigor, psychological instability, feeling of sleeping desire, changing face impression and being heavy body. The intervening condition were discovered as social$\cdot$ psychology$\cdot$physical resist and positive$\cdot$negative interaction strategies. The consequences of the fatigue process is the short term exhaustion relief and long term residual exhaustion. The fatigue process of this study was 'break through exhaustion' of change event-exhaustion-resist-resolve intervention-adaptation. This study offers better understanding on fatigue process of shift work nurses and may facilitate more appropriate interventive strategies to support, information and knowledges according to fatigue process.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.147-154
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• 2006

Surgical intervention in the posterior maxillary region requires detailed knowledge of maxillary sinus anatomy and the possible anatomical variations. This study evaluated the incidence, location of maxillary sinus septa by using radiographic (panoramic radiography and computed tomography) findings and comparison of panoramic radography with CT in antral anatomical variation. This study was based on data from 70 sinuses in partial dentate maxilla. The sample consisted of 61 patients(25 women and 36 men, with ages ranging between 19 and 77 years and a mean age of $49.4{\pm}11.3$ years) who were being treatment-planned to receive implant-supported restorations. First, the panoramic images were examined for the presence of antral septa by radiologist and examiner who don't know about CT findings. And incidence of antral septa was evaluated using an axial plane of CT image. The incidence of septa was compared between panoramic radiography and CT. The accuracy of the incidence was compared between radiologists and dentists. A total of 20 septa were found in 70 sinuses on CT image and the prevalence of one or more septa per sinus was found to be 28.6%. The assumed incidence of septa on panoramic radiography was $27.6%{\pm}2.2%$ in radiologist and $31.9%{\pm}5.8%$ in dentists. Erroneous diagnosis rate was 11.42% in radiologist and 15.96% in dentists. 40% of antral septa were located in the anterior(premolar) region, 30% of septa were located in the middle(first molar) and posterior(second molar) region separately. Prior to implant placement, it seems appropriate to consider panoramic radiography as a standard radiographic examination and periapical radiographs may be used to complete the findings in regions not sharply depicted in the panoramic radiograph. And cross-sectional imaging should be used in sites with severe bone loss and close proximity of the maxillary sinus.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 1998

The characteristics of the patients after the calcaneal fracture that were associated with an unsatisfactory outcome were subtalar incongruity, decreased Bohler angle ratio of the fractured to the normal side, an age of more than fifty years, work involving strenuous labor, and increased time missed from work due to the injury. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of measurements of the range of motion of the subtalar joint. To determine reliability, evaluates of the correlatioinship between the degree of the displacement of the subtalar joint and Circle draw test after the calcaneal fracture. Fifty patients who had had fifty five calcaneal fractures were managed with open reduction and internal fixation. The results were reviewed retrospectively, between 4months and three years after the operation, with use of an evaluation system for the subtalar joint and with plain radiographs. At follow up evaluation, the result was assessed on the basis of restoration of anatomy and function of the subtalar joint. We evaluated the subtalar joint with plain films that consist of anteroposterior projection, lateral projection, calcaneal axial view, and Broden's view, and the measurements of the displacement of the subtalar joint surface after the calcaneal fracture. And we evaluated the range of motion of the subtalar joint with Circle draw test for physical evaluation. Circle draw test was evaluated and demonstrated the motion of flexion-supination-adduction and extension-pronation-abduction of the subtalar joint. And there are correlationship between the degree of the displacement and range of motion of the subtalar joint after the calcaneal fracture. The report critically reviews methords used to measure Circle draw test for physical examination of the follow up after the calcaneal fracture.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2015

Background: This study aimed to investigate sternal healing over time and the incidence of poor sternal healing in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery using bilateral internal thoracic arteries. Methods: This study enrolled 197 patients who underwent isolated CABG using skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic arteries (sBITA) from 2006 through 2009. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) angiography was performed on all patients at monthly intervals for three to six months after surgery. In 108 patients, an additional CT study was performed 24 to 48 months after surgery. The axial CT images were used to score sternal fusion at the manubrium, the upper sternum, and the lower sternum. These scores were added to evaluate overall healing: a score of 0 to 1 reflected poor healing, a score of 2 to 4 was defined as fair healing, and a score of 5 to 6 indicated complete healing. Medical records were also retrospectively reviewed to identify perioperative variables associated with poor early sternal healing. Results: Three to six months after surgery, the average total score of sternal healing was $2.07{\pm}1.52$ and 68 patients (34.5%) showed poor healing. Poor healing was most frequently found in the manubrium, which was scored as zero in 72.6% of patients. In multivariate analysis, the factors associated with poor early healing were shorter post-surgery time, older age, diabetes mellitus, and postoperative renal dysfunction. In later CT images, the average sternal healing score improved to $5.88{\pm}0.38$ and complete healing was observed in 98.2% of patients. Conclusion: Complete sternal healing takes more than three months after a median sternotomy for CABG using sBITA. Healing is most delayed in the manubrium.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.96-106
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• 2022

Objective : The most common complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is cage subsidence and maintenance of disc height affects postoperative clinical outcomes. We considered cage subsidence as an inappropriate indicator for evaluating preservation of disc height. Thus, this study aimed to consider patients with complications such as reduced total disc height compared to that before surgery and evaluate the relevance of several factors before ACDF. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 40 patients who underwent stand-alone single-level ACDF using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage at our institution between January 2012 and December 2018. Our study population comprised 19 male and 21 female patients aged 24-70 years. The minimum follow-up period was 1 year. Twenty-seven patients had preoperative bone mineral density (BMD) data on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical parameters included sex, age, body mass index, smoking history, and prior medical history. Radiologic parameters included the C2-7 cobb angle, segmental angle, sagittal vertical axis, disc height, and total intervertebral height (TIH) at the preoperative and postoperative periods. Cage decrement was defined as the reduction in TIH at the 6-month follow-up compared to preoperative TIH. To evaluate the bone quality, Hounsfield unit (HU) value was calculated in the axial and sagittal images of conventional computed tomography. Results : Lumbar BMD values and cervical HU values were significantly correlated (r=0.733, p<0.001). We divided the patients into two groups based on cage decrement, and 47.5% of the total patients were regarded as cage decrement. There were statistically significant differences in the parameters of measuring the HU value of the vertebra and intraoperative distraction between the two groups. Using these identified factors, we performed a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Based on the ROC curve, the cut-off point was 530 at the HU value of the upper cortical and cancellous vertebrae (p=0.014; area under the curve [AUC], 0.727; sensitivity, 94.7%; specificity, 42.9%) and 22.41 at intraoperative distraction (p=0.017; AUC, 0.722; sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 57.9%). Using this value, we converted these parameters into a bifurcated variable and assessed the multinomial regression analysis to evaluate the risk factors for cage decrement in ACDF. Intraoperative distraction and HU value of the upper vertebral body were independent factors of postoperative subsidence. Conclusion : Insufficient intraoperative distraction and low HU value showed a strong relationship with postoperative intervertebral height reduction following single stand-alone PEEK cage ACDF.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1055-1066
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• 2022

Objective: The clinical relevance of myosteatosis has not been well evaluated in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although sarcopenia has been extensively researched. Therefore, we evaluated the prognostic value of muscle quality, including myosteatosis, in patients with resectable PDAC treated surgically. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 347 patients with resectable PDAC who underwent curative surgery (mean age ± standard deviation, 63.6 ± 9.6 years; 202 male). Automatic muscle segmentation was performed on preoperative computed tomography (CT) images using an artificial intelligence program. A single axial image of the portal phase at the inferior endplate level of the L3 vertebra was used for analysis in each patient. Sarcopenia was evaluated using the skeletal muscle index, calculated as the skeletal muscle area (SMA) divided by the height squared. The mean SMA attenuation was used to evaluate myosteatosis. Diagnostic cutoff values for sarcopenia and myosteatosis were devised using the Contal and O'Quigley methods, and patients were classified according to normal (nMT), sarcopenic (sMT), myosteatotic (mMT), or combined (cMT) muscle quality types. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the effects of muscle type on the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after surgery. Results: Eighty-four (24.2%), 73 (21.0%), 75 (21.6%), and 115 (33.1%) patients were classified as having nMT, sMT, mMT, and cMT, respectively. Compared to nMT, mMT and cMT were significantly associated with poorer OS, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.49 (95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.22) and 1.68 (1.16-2.43), respectively, while sMT was not (HR of 1.40 [0.94-2.10]). Only mMT was significantly associated with poorer RFS, with an HR of 1.59 (1.07-2.35), while sMT and cMT were not. Conclusion: Myosteatosis was associated with poor OS and RFS in patients with resectable PDAC who underwent curative surgery.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.322-332
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• 2022

Objective: CT plays a central role in determining the resectability of pancreatic cancer, which directs the use of neoadjuvant therapy. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CT in predicting circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement in patients with resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic head cancer. Materials and Methods: Seventy-seven patients who were scheduled for upfront surgery for resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic head cancer were prospectively enrolled, and 75 patients (38 male and 37 female; mean age ± standard deviation, 68 ± 11 years) were finally analyzed. The CRM status was evaluated separately for the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and posterior and superior mesenteric vein/portal vein (SMV/PV) margins. Three independent radiologists reviewed the preoperative CT images and evaluated the resection margin status. The reference standard for CRM status was pathologic examination of pancreaticoduodenectomy specimens in an axial plane perpendicular to the axis of the second portion of the duodenum. The diagnostic accuracy of CT was assessed for overall CRM involvement, defined as involvement of the SMA or posterior margins (per-patient analysis), and involvement of each of the three resection margins (per-margin analysis). The data were pooled using a crossed random effects model. Results: Forty patients had pathologically confirmed overall CRM involvement in pancreatic cancer, while CRM involvement was not seen in 35 patients. For overall CRM involvement, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 15% (95% confidence interval: 7%-49%) and 99% (96%-100%), respectively. For each of the resection margins, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 14% (9%-54%) and 99% (38%-100%) for the SMA margin, 12% (8%-46%) and 99% (97%-100%) for the posterior margin; and 37% (29%-53%) and 96% (31%-100%) for the SMV/PV margin, respectively. Conclusion: CT showed very high specificity but low sensitivity in predicting pathological CRM involvement in pancreatic cancer.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1210-1219
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• 2001

Introduction : The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety, pullout strength and radiographic characteristics of unicortical and bicortical screws of cervical facet within cadaveric specimens and evaluate the influence of level of training on the positioning of these screws. Methods : Twenty-one cadavers, mean 78.9 years of age, underwent bilateral placement of 3.5mm AO lateral mass screw from C3-C6(n=168) using a slight variation of the Magerl technique. Intraoperative imaging was not used. The right side(unicortical) utilized only 14mm screws(effective length of 11mm) while on the left side to determine the length of the screw after the ventral cortex had been drilled. Three spine surgeons(attending, fellow, chief resident) with varying levels of spine training performed the procedure on seven cadavers each. All spines were harvested and lateral radiographs were taken. Individual cervical vertebrae were carefully dissected and then axial radiographs were taken. The screws were evaluated clinically and radiographically for their safety. Screws were graded clinically for their safety with respect to the spinal cord, facet joint, nerve root and vertebral artery. The grades consisted of the following categories : "satisfactory", "at risk" and "direct injury". Each screw was also graded according to its zone placement. Screw position was quantified by measuring a sagittal angle from the lateral radiograph and an axial angle from the axial radiograph. Pull-out force was determined for all screws using a material testing machine. Results : Dissection revealed that fifteen screws on the left side actually had only unicortical and not bicortical purchase as intended. The majority of screws(92.8%) were satisfactory in terms of safety. There were no injuries to the spinal cord. On the right side(unicortical), 98.9% of the screws were "satisfactory" and on the left side(bicortical) 68.1% were "satisfactory". There was a 5.8% incidence of direct arterial injury and a 17.4% incidence of direct nerve root injury with the bicortical screws. There were no "direct injuries" with the unicortical screws for the nerve root or vertebral artery. The unicortical screws had a 21.4% incidence of direct injury of the facet joint, while the bicortical screws had a 21.7% incidence. The majority of "direct injury" of bicortical screws were placed by the surgeon with the least experience. The performance of the resident surgeon was significantly different from the attending or fellow(p<0.05) in terms of safety of the nerve root and vertebral artery. The attending's performance was significantly better than the resident or fellow(p<0.05) in terms of safety of the facet joint. There was no relationship between the safety of a screw and its zone placement. The axial deviation angle measured $23.5{\pm}6.6$ degrees and $19.8{\pm}7.9$ degrees for the unicortical and bicortical screws, respectively. The resident surgeon had a significantly lower angle than the attending or fellow(p<0.05). The sagittal angle measured $66.3{\pm}7.0$ degrees and $62.3{\pm}7.9$ degrees for the unicortical and bicortical screws, respectively. The attending had a significantly lower sagittal angle than the fellow or resident(p<0.05). Thirty-three screws that entered the facet joint were tested for pull-out strength but excluded from the data because they were not lateral mass screws per-se and had deviated substantially from the intended final trajectory. The mean pull-out force for all screws was $542.9{\pm}296.6N$. There was no statistically significant difference between the pull-out force for unicortical($519.9{\pm}286.9N$) and bicortical($565.2{\pm}306N$) screws. There was no significant difference in pull-out strengths with respect to zone placement. Conclusion : It is our belief that the risk associated with bicortical purchase mandates formal spine training if it is to be done safely and accurately. Unicortical screws are safer regardless of level of training. It is apparent that 14mm lateral mass screws placed in a supero-lateral trajectory in the adult cervical spine provide an equivalent strength with a much lower risk of injury than the longer bicortical screws placed in a similar orientation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2011

Objective : The intralaminar screw (ILS) fixation technique offers an alternative to pedicle screw (PS) and lateral mass screw (LMS) fixation in the C7 spine. Although cadaveric studies have described the anatomy of the pedicles, laminae, and lateral masses at C7, 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) imaging is the modality of choice for pre-surgical planning. In this study, the goal was to determine the anatomical parameter and optimal screw trajectory for ILS placement at C7, and to compare this information to PS and LMS placement in the C7 spine as determined by CT evaluation. Methods : A total of 120 patients (60 men and 60 women) with an average age of $51.7{\pm}13.6$ years were selected by retrospective review of a trauma registry database over a 2-year period. Patients were included in the study if they were older than 15 years of age, had standardized axial bone-window CT imaging at C7, and had no evidence of spinal trauma. For each lamina and pedicle, width (outer cortical and inner cancellous), maximal screw length, and optimal screw trajectory were measured, and the maximal screw length of the lateral mass were measured using m-view 5.4 software. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test. Results : At C7, the maximal PS length was significantly greater than the ILS and LMS length (PS, $33.9{\pm}3.1$ mm; ILS, $30.8{\pm}3.1$ mm; LMS, $10.6{\pm}1.3$; p<0.01). When the outer cortical and inner cancellous width was compared between the pedicle and lamina, the mean pedicle outer cortical width at C7 was wider than the lamina by an average of 0.6 mm (pedicle, $6.8{\pm}1.2$ mm; lamina, $6.2{\pm}1.2$ mm; p<0.01). At C7, 95.8% of the laminae measured accepted a 4.0-mm screw with a 1.0 mm of clearance, compared with 99.2% of pedicle. Of the laminae measured, 99.2% accepted a 3.5-mm screw with a 1.0 mm clearance, compared with 100% of the pedicle. When the outer cortical and inner cancellous height was compared between pedicle and lamina, the mean lamina outer cortical height at C7 was wider than the pedicle by an average of 9.9 mm (lamina, $18.6{\pm}2.0$ mm; pedicle, $8.7{\pm}1.3$ mm; p<0.01). The ideal screw trajectory at C7 was also measured ($47.8{\pm}4.8^{\circ}$ for ILS and $35.1{\pm}8.1^{\circ}$ for PS). Conclusion : Although pedicle screw fixation is the most ideal instrumentation method for C7 fixation with respect to length and cortical diameter, anatomical aspect of C7 lamina is affordable to place screw. Therefore, the C7 intralaminar screw could be an alternative fixation technique with few anatomic limitations in the cases when C7 pedicle screw fixation is not favorable. However, anatomical variations in the length and width must be considered when placing an intralaminar or pedicle screw at C7.