• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2021

Purpose Plasma renin activity (PRA) test is important for the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. PRA is an easily deformed substance in vitro and affected by temperature changes. Laboratory of ASAN medical center has consistently found that there was a difference between the initial and re-experimental results. We compared and analyzed the differences in PRA test results according to the sample storage status. Materials and Methods The measurement of PRA was performed by using the radioimmunoassay. From August to September 2020, 43 PRA re-test samples were tested with different sample storage condition. The first group was re-examined by freezing the plasma-separated samples at -18℃, and the second group was re-examined with refrigerated EDTA sample. Also, additional tests were conducted on 13 PRA samples to verify the effect on thawing temperature differences in plasma-separated samples. The same samples were divided into two parts and stored frozen at -18℃, respectively, and thawing samples in room temperature and those in refrigerator were were conducted. Each result was compared and analyzed based on the initial experimental results. Results The results of re-examination after frozen storing plasma separation samples showed a lower correlation than the results of re-examination with EDTA plasma samples in refrigerator. When calculating the percentage based on the initial test results, the average percentage of each was 404.9% and 133.8%. The correlation coefficient was also R=0.8501 and R=0.9966, respectively, showing a higher correlation between plasma in the refrigerated sample EDTA tube. In comparison experiments with differences in thawing temperature, average percentage of the results of initial test and room temperature thawing was 94.3% and the average percentage of the results of refrigerated thawing was 88.0%. After again freezing the sample, the average percentage of the second room temperature thawing result is 107.5%, and the second refrigerated thawing group is 112.7%. Both groups showed an increase from first thawing. Conclusion A comparative analysis of retesting according to differences in sample storage methods in PRA tests showed a higher correlation between the results of retesting of the refrigerated EDTA plasma. And repeated freezing and melting of plasma separation samples, regardless of temperature during defrosting, has been shown to affect results. Therefore, retest of PRA should re-collect plasma from original EDTA plasma to increase reproducibility.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.476-487
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• 2020

Purpose: This study evaluated the accuracy of the 24-hour diet recall method for estimating energy intakes in elderly women using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method. Methods: The subjects were 23 elderly women with a mean age of 70.3 ± 3.3 years and body mass index (BMI) of 23.9 ± 2.8 kg/㎡. The total energy expenditure (TEE_DLW) was determined by using the DLW and used to validate the 24-hour diet recall method. The total energy intake (TEI) was calculated from the 24-hour diet recall method for three days. Results: TEI (1,489.6 ± 211.1 kcal/day) was significantly lower than TEE_DLW (2,023.5 ± 234.9 kcal/day) and was largely under-reported by -533.9 ± 228.0 kcal/day (-25.9%). The accurate prediction rate of elderly women in this study was 8.7%. The Bland-Altman plot, which was used to evaluate the TEI and the TEE_DLW, showed that the agreement between them was negatively skewed, ranging from -980.8 kcal/day to -86.9 kcal/day. Conclusion: This study showed that the energy intake of elderly women was underreported. Strategies to increase the accuracy of the 24-hour diet recall methods in the elderly women should be studied through analysis of factors that affect underreporting rate. Further studies will be needed to assess the validity of the 24-hour diet recall method in other population groups.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.336-341
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for energy are derived from total energy expenditure (TEE) measured using the doubly labelled water (DLW) method. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of DRI for predicting the energy requirements of elementary school-age children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The present study involved 25 elementary school-age children aged between 9 and 11 years. TEE was assessed by the DLW method, and the results were compared with the TEE predicted by the DRI equations in order to evaluate accuracy. RESULTS: The subjects' TEE measured by the DLW method was $1,925.2{\pm}380.9kcal/day$ in boys and $1,930.0{\pm}279.4kcal/day$ in girls, whereas resting energy expenditure was $1,220.2{\pm}176.9kcal/day$ in boys and $1,245.9{\pm}171.3kcal/day$ for girls. The physical activity level was $1.58{\pm}0.20$ in boys and $1.55{\pm}0.13$ in girls. The mean bias between the predicted and measured TEE was 12.6% in boys and -1.6% in girls, and the percentage of accurate predictions was 28.6% and 63.6%, respectively. In boys, the equation resulted in underprediction of TEE among the subjects having low TEE values, whereas there was overprediction among subjects having high TEE values as shown by the Bland-Altman plot. On the contrary, this proportional bias was not observed in girls. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that the DRI equation for energy could result in the overestimation of energy requirements in elementary school-age boys. In the case of girls, the equations could be accurate at the group level. However, the DRI appears to be invalid for individual girls, as more than one third of girls had their TEE inaccurately predicted. We recommend more studies for confirmation of these results.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2020

Purpose: A stability-measuring device that utilizes damping capacity analysis (DCA) has recently been introduced in the field of dental implantology. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and reliability of this device by measuring the implant stability of ex vivo samples in comparison with a resonance frequency analysis (RFA) device. Methods: Six implant beds were prepared in porcine ribs using 3 different drilling protocols to simulate various implant stability conditions. Thirty-six pork ribs and 216 bone-level implants measuring 10 mm in height were used. The implant beds were prepared using 1 of the following 3 drilling protocols: 10-mm drilling depth with a 3.5-mm-diameter twist drill, 5-mm drilling depth with a 4.0-mm-diameter twist drill, and 10-mm drilling depth with a 4.0-mm-diameter twist drill. The first 108 implants were external-connection implants 4.0 mm in diameter, while the other 108 implants were internal-connection implants 4.3 mm in diameter. The peak insertion torque (PIT) during implant placement, the stability values obtained with DCA and RFA devices after implant placement, and the peak removal torque (PRT) during implant removal were measured. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of the implant stability quotient (ISQ) results obtained using the RFA device at the medial, distal, ventral, and dorsal points were 0.997, 0.994, 0.994, and 0.998, respectively. The ICCs of the implant stability test (IST) results obtained using the DCA device at the corresponding locations were 0.972, 0.975, 0.974, and 0.976, respectively. Logarithmic relationships between PIT and IST, PIT and ISQ, PRT and IST, and PRT and ISQ were observed. The mean absolute difference between the ISQ and IST values on a Bland-Altman plot was -6.76 (-25.05 to 11.53, P<0.05). Conclusions: Within the limits of ex vivo studies, measurements made using the RFA and DCA devices were found to be correlated under a variety of stability conditions.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1221-1231
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• 2023

Objective: To clinically validate the feasibility and accuracy of cine images acquired through the multitasking method, with no electrocardiogram gating and free-breathing, in measuring left ventricular (LV) function indices by comparing them with those acquired through the balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) method, with multiple breath-holds and electrocardiogram gating. Materials and Methods: Forty-three healthy volunteers (female:male, 30:13; mean age, 23.1 ± 2.3 years) and 36 patients requiring an assessment of LV function for various clinical indications (female:male, 22:14; 57.8 ± 11.3 years) were enrolled in this prospective study. Each participant underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the multiple breath-hold bSSFP method and free-breathing multitasking method. LV function parameters were measured for both MRI methods. Image quality was assessed through subjective image quality scores (1 to 5) and calculation of the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the myocardium and blood pool. Differences between the two MRI methods were analyzed using the Bland-Altman plot, paired t-test, or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, as appropriate. Results: LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was not significantly different between the two MRI methods (P = 0.222 in healthy volunteers and P = 0.343 in patients). LV end-diastolic mass was slightly overestimated with multitasking in both healthy volunteers (multitasking vs. bSSFP, 60.5 ± 10.7 g vs. 58.0 ± 10.4 g, respectively; P < 0.001) and patients (69.4 ± 18.1 g vs. 66.8 ± 18.0 g, respectively; P = 0.003). Acceptable and comparable image quality was achieved for both MRI methods (multitasking vs. bSSFP, 4.5 ± 0.7 vs. 4.6 ± 0.6, respectively; P = 0.203). The CNR between the myocardium and blood pool showed no significant differences between the two MRI methods (18.89 ± 6.65 vs. 18.19 ± 5.83, respectively; P = 0.480). Conclusion: Multitasking-derived cine images obtained without electrocardiogram gating and breath-holding achieved similar image quality and accurate quantification of LVEF in healthy volunteers and patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1777-1785
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of the Agatston score obtained with the ultra-high-pitch (UHP) acquisition mode using tin-filter spectral shaping (Sn150 kVp) and a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm to reduce the radiation dose. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 114 patients (mean ± standard deviation, 60.3 ± 9.8 years; 74 male) who underwent a standard 120 kVp scan and an additional UHP Sn150 kVp scan for coronary artery calcification scoring (CACS). These two datasets were reconstructed using a standard reconstruction algorithm (120 kVp + Qr36d, protocol A; Sn150 kVp + Qr36d, protocol B). In addition, the Sn150 kVp dataset was reconstructed using a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm (Sn150 kVp + Sa36d, protocol C). The Agatston scores for protocols A and B, as well as protocols A and C, were compared. The agreement between the scores was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot. The radiation doses for the 120 kVp and UHP Sn150 kVp acquisition modes were also compared. Results: No significant difference was observed in the Agatston score for protocols A (median, 63.05; interquartile range [IQR], 0-232.28) and C (median, 60.25; IQR, 0-195.20) (p = 0.060). The mean difference in the Agatston score for protocols A and C was relatively small (-7.82) and with the limits of agreement from -65.20 to 49.56 (ICC = 0.997). The Agatston score for protocol B (median, 34.85; IQR, 0-120.73) was significantly underestimated compared with that for protocol A (p < 0.001). The UHP Sn150 kVp mode facilitated an effective radiation dose reduction by approximately 30% (0.58 vs. 0.82 mSv, p < 0.001) from that associated with the standard 120 kVp mode. Conclusion: The Agatston scores for CACS with the UHP Sn150 kVp mode with a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm and the standard 120 kVp demonstrated excellent agreement with a small mean difference and narrow agreement limits. The UHP Sn150 kVp mode allowed a significant reduction in the radiation dose.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.276-283
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• 2007

Background: A national health care initiative recommends routine spirometry screening of all smokers over age 45 or patients with respiratory symptoms. In response to the recommendation, new, simple, and inexpensive desktop spirometers for the purpose of promoting widespread spirometric screening were marketed. The performance of these spirometers was evaluated in vivo testing with healthy subjects. However, the clinical setting allows spirometric assessment of various pathologic combinations of flow and volume. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of a desktop spirometer to a standard laboratory spirometer, in a clinical setting with pathologic pulmonary function. Method: In a health check-up center, where screening pulmonary funct test was performed using the HI-801 spirometer. Subjects who revealed the ventilation defect in screening spirometry, performed the spirometry again using the standard Vmax spectra 22d spirometer in a tertiary care hospital pulmonary function laboratory. Pulmonary function test with both spirometer was performed according to the guidelines of the American Thoracic Society. Results: 109 patients were enrolled. Pulmonary function measurements (FVC, $FEV_1$, PEFR, FEF25%-75%) from the HI-801 correlated closely (r=0.94, 0.93, 0.81, 0.84, respectively) with those performed with the Vmax spectra 22d and showed the good limits of agreement and differences between the 2 devices; FVC +0.35 L, $FEV_1$ +0.16 L, PEFR +1.85 L/s, FEF25%-75%-0.13 L/s. With the exception of $FEV_1$, FEF25%-75%, these differences were significant(p<0.05) but small. Conclusion: The HI-801 spirometer is comparable to the standard laboratory spirometer, Vmax spectra 22d, with high accurary for $FEV_1$ and FVC and acceptable differences for clinical use.