• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the clinical significance IV-contrasted helical abdomen computed tomography (CT) as a diagnostic screening tool to evaluate hollow viscus injury in blunt abdominal trauma patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study encompassing 108 patients, presenting to Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) Emergency Department (ED) from January 2007 to December 2007, with an initial CT finding suggestive of intra-abdominal injury. An initial non-enhanced abdomen CT was taken, followed by an enhanced CT with intravenous contrast. Patients' demographic data, as well as the mechanisms of injury, were inquired upon and obtained, initial diagnosis, as dictated by specialized radiologists, were added to post-operational (post-OP) findings and to additional CT findings acquired during their hospital stays, and all were combined to arrive at final diagnosis. Initial CT findings were further compared with the final diagnosis, yielding values for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, as well as positive and negative predictive values. Patients were further divided into two groups, namely, those that underwent operational intervention and those that did not. The initial CT findings of each group were subsequently compared and analyzed. Results: Initial CT scans revealed abnormal findings in a total of 212 cases - solid organ injuries being the most common finding, as was observed in 97 cases. Free fluid accumulation was evident in another 69 cases. Based on the CT findings, 77 cases (71.3%) were initially diagnosed as having a solid organ injury, 20 cases (18.5%) as having a combined (solid organ + hollow viscus) injury, and 11 cases (10.2%), as having an isolated hollow viscus injury. The final diagnosis however, were somewhat different, with only 67 cases (62.0%) attributed to solid organ injury, 31 cases (28.7%) to combined injury (solid + hollow), and 10 cases (9.3%) to hollow viscus injury. The sensitivity (CI 95%) of the initial helical CT in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was 75.6%, and its specificity was 100%. The accuracy in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was also meaningfully lower compared to that in diagnosis of solid organ injury. Among patients initially diagnosed with solid organ injuries, 10 patients (2 from follow-up CT and 8 from post-OP finding) turned out to have combined injuries. A total of 38 patients underwent an operation, and the proportion of initial CT findings suggesting free air, mesenteric hematoma or bowel wall thickening turned out to be significantly higher in the operation group. Conclusion: Abdominal CT was a meaningful screening test for hollow viscus injury, but the sensitivity of abdominal CT was significantly lower in detecting hollow viscus injury as compared to solid organ injury. This calls for special consideration and careful observation by the ED physicians when dealing with cases of blunt abdominal trauma.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.494-500
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• 2020

Objective: This study presents a preliminary report on the chest radiographic and computed tomography (CT) findings of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia in Korea. Materials and Methods: As part of a multi-institutional collaboration coordinated by the Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology, we collected nine patients with COVID-19 infections who had undergone chest radiography and CT scans. We analyzed the radiographic and CT findings of COVID-19 pneumonia at baseline. Fisher's exact test was used to compare CT findings depending on the shape of pulmonary lesions. Results: Three of the nine patients (33.3%) had parenchymal abnormalities detected by chest radiography, and most of the abnormalities were peripheral consolidations. Chest CT images showed bilateral involvement in eight of the nine patients, and a unilobar reversed halo sign in the other patient. In total, 77 pulmonary lesions were found, including patchy lesions (39%), large confluent lesions (13%), and small nodular lesions (48%). The peripheral and posterior lung fields were involved in 78% and 67% of the lesions, respectively. The lesions were typically ill-defined and were composed of mixed ground-glass opacities and consolidation or pure ground-glass opacities. Patchy to confluent lesions were primarily distributed in the lower lobes (p = 0.040) and along the pleura (p < 0.001), whereas nodular lesions were primarily distributed along the bronchovascular bundles (p = 0.006). Conclusion: COVID-19 pneumonia in Korea primarily manifested as pure to mixed ground-glass opacities with a patchy to confluent or nodular shape in the bilateral peripheral posterior lungs. A considerable proportion of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia had normal chest radiographs.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2021

Objective: To identify the CT findings associated with treatment failure after antibiotic therapy for acute appendicitis. Materials and Methods: Altogether, 198 patients who received antibiotic therapy for appendicitis were identified by searching the hospital's surgery database. Selection criteria for antibiotic therapy were uncomplicated appendicitis with an appendiceal diameter equal to or less than 11 mm. The 86 patients included in the study were divided into a treatment success group and a treatment failure group. Treatment failure was defined as a resistance to antibiotic therapy or recurrent appendicitis during a 1-year follow-up period. Two radiologists independently evaluated the following CT findings: appendix-location, involved extent, maximal diameter, thickness, wall enhancement, focal wall defect, periappendiceal fat infiltration, and so on. For the quantitative analysis, two readers independently measured the CT values at the least attenuated wall of the appendix by drawing a round region of interest on the enhanced CT (HU_post) and non-enhanced CT (HU_pre). The degree of appendiceal wall enhancement (HU_sub) was calculated as the subtracted value between HU_post and HU_pre. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the CT findings associated with treatment failure. Results: Sixty-four of 86 (74.4%) patients were successfully treated with antibiotic therapy, with treatment failure occurring in the remaining 22 (25.5%). The treatment failure group showed a higher frequency of hypoenhancement of the appendiceal wall than the success group (31.8% vs. 7.8%; p = 0.005). Upon quantitative analysis, both HU_post (46.7 ± 21.3 HU vs. 58.9 ± 22.0 HU; p = 0.027) and HU_sub (26.9 ± 17.3 HU vs. 35.4 ± 16.6 HU; p = 0.042) values were significantly lower in the treatment failure group than in the success group. Conclusion: Hypoenhancement of the appendiceal wall was significantly associated with treatment failure after antibiotic therapy for acute appendicitis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1417-1421
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• 2001

Objective : The purposes of this study are to compare imaging features with operative findings and to determine significance of imaging studies for early detection of craniosynostosis(CS). Methods : Plain radiograph of skull and three-dimensional(3D) CT reconstruction were analyzed in 10 consecutive patients with CS to assess the presence and the extent of synostosis. The radiological findings were investigated and compared with operative findings. Results : The locations of lesion were coronal suture in 6, sagittal suture in 3 and multiple sutures in one patient, and the age ranged 1 to 53 months(mean age : 17.4 months). Reconstructive procedures with or without advancement of supraorbital rim were performed in coronal CS patients and ${\pi}$-procedures or synostectomy were done in sagittal CS patients. Radi-ological abnormalities such as sutural indistinctness or sclerosis, bony ridge, bossing and other bony deformities were nearly consistent with surgical findings. Conclusion : The interpretation of imaging study are very important for early detection of craniosynostosis, especially, the plain radiographs of skull. Also 3D CT imaging is helpful in diagnosis and surgical planing of craniosynostosis. There are no significant differences between imaging features and operative findings in CS patients.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2003

Purpose: Primary malignant bone tumors are classified with mesenchymal sarcomas (MS) such as osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma and small round cell sarcomas (SRS) such as Ewing's sarcoma and lymphoma. Radiological examinations for skeletal sarcoma were using MR scan in tubular bone sarcomas and CT scan in flat bone sarcomas recently. Both MR and CT scans show some findings of bone destruction and soft tissue mass but MR scans don't reveal a finding with mineralization relatively. So we investigated bone destructive pattern of skeletal sarcomas on both MR and CT scans for differentiation of MS and SRS. Materials and Methods: There are 28 MS and 26 SRS examined with MR or CT scans. The findings according to bone destructive pattern were divided to eccentric and concentric in 26 cases of tubular bone sarcomas with MR scan and 28 cases of flat bone sarcomas with CT scan. Results: MR images revealed eccentric destruction in 12 cases of 16 MS and concentric in all cases of 10 SRS (p>.01). CT images showed eccentric destruction in 10 cases of 12 MS and concentric bone destruction in 13 cases of 16 SRS (p>.01) Conclusion: The findings divided to eccentric and concentric bone destructive patterns were useful for differential diagnosis of MS from SRS on both MR and CT scans.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1810-1820
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of Ramulus et Uncus Uncariae DM fraction on CT105-injuried neuronal cells. We were examined by ROS formation, neurite outgrowth assay and DPPH scravage assay. Additionally, we investigated the association between the CT105 and neurite degeneration caused by CT105-induced apoptotic response in neurone cells. We studied on the regeneratory and inhibitory effects of anti-Alzheimer disease in pCT105-induced neuroblastoma cell lines by REUD. Findings from our experiments have shown that REUD inhibits the synthesis or activities of CT105, which has neurotoxityies and apoptotic activities in cell line. In addition, treatment of REUD(>50㎍/㎖ for 12 hours) partially prevented CT105-induced cytotoxicity in SK-N-SH cell lines, and were inhibited by the treatment with its. REUD(>50㎍/㎖ for 12 hours) repaired CT105-induced neurite outgrowth when SK-N-SH cell lines was transfected with CT105. As the result of this study, In REUD group, the apoptosis in the nervous system was inhibited, the repai: against the degeneration of Neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression was promoted. Base on these findings, REUD may be beneficial for the treatment of AD.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2001

Purpose : To describe the MRI findings in the bronchial anthracofibrosis mimicking lung cancer on CT examination. Materials and methods : Ten patients, who showed CT findings mimicking lung cancer, were selected among fifty patients of bronchial anthracofibrosis proven by bronchoscopic biopsy, consisting of two men and eight women, ranging in age from 58 to 79 years old faverage age, 68 years old). CT scan and MRI were performed in all patients (n=10). Percutaneous lung biopsy on mass was performed in one patient. MRI findings were analyzed with the emphasis on the signal intensity of the mass (n=4), collapsed lung (n=4) and Iymph node (n=10) on axial T1 and T2-weighted images by two radiologists in consensus. No contrast enhancement was used in all cases. Results : CT scan revealed mass (n=4), atelectasis with obstructive pneumonia(n=4) and bronchial wall thickening(n=2). All patients showed enlarged medistinal Iymph nodes(n=10). The mass showed low signal intensity on T1WI and T2WI (n =4). The collapsed lung in patients with atelectasis indicated intermediate signal intensity on T1WI and low signal intensity on T2WI (n= 4). Nine patients showed low sisnal intensity of Iymph node on T1WI and T2WI, except one patient who showed central high signal intensity with peripheral rim of low signal intensity in right lower paratracheal llmph node on T2WI. Conclusion : Low signal intensity of a mass, collapsed lung, and lymph nodes on T2WI in anthracofibrosis patients may be helpful in differentiation of the lesion from lung cancer.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.355-360
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• 2009

Background: Benign teratoma is mostly asymptomatic, but this tumor rarely ruptures into the adjacent structure such as the pleural space, pericardium, lung parenchyma or tracheobronchial tree. Thus, it is important to differentiate ruptured teratoma from unruptured teratoma. This study evaluated the difference between ruptured and unruptured benign teratoma. Material and Method: Twenty-four cases of surgically resected benign teratomas were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical symptoms, chest CT findings and operative findings of the ruptured teratoma were compared with those of the unruptured teratoma. Especially, the tumor size, wall thickness, location of the mass, internal septation, homogeneity, calcification and ancillary findings were evaluated on CT. Result: Of the 24 patients, 7 patients were diagnosed with ruptured teratoma. Severe symptoms were more commonly found for ruptured teratoma than for unruptured teratoma. The ruptured teratoma had a tendency to display calcification and such ancillary findings as collapse or consolidation of the lung parenchyma. For the ruptured teratoma, the resection was performed by sternotomy or thoracotomy, and more lung resection was included. Conclusion: Calcification within the mass and changes in the lung parenchyma on the preoperative CT findings can be diagnostic signs of a ruptured teratoma. The demonstration of ruptured teratoma is important not only for making the early diagnosis, but also for the surgical planning.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.994-1004
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• 2021

Objective: To extract pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics from chest CTs of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using a fully automated deep learning-based approach and assess their potential to predict patient management. Materials and Methods: All initial chest CTs of patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at our emergency department between March 25 and April 25, 2020, were identified (n = 120). Three patient management groups were defined: group 1 (outpatient), group 2 (general ward), and group 3 (intensive care unit [ICU]). Multiple pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics were extracted from the chest CT images using deep learning. Additionally, six laboratory findings indicating inflammation and cellular damage were considered. Differences in CT metrics, laboratory findings, and demographics between the patient management groups were assessed. The potential of these parameters to predict patients' needs for intensive care (yes/no) was analyzed using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves. Internal and external validity were assessed using 109 independent chest CT scans. Results: While demographic parameters alone (sex and age) were not sufficient to predict ICU management status, both CT metrics alone (including both pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79-0.97) and laboratory findings alone (C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, white blood cell count, and albumin; AUC = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.77-0.94) were good classifiers. Excellent performance was achieved by a combination of demographic parameters, CT metrics, and laboratory findings (AUC = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.85-0.98). Application of a model that combined both pulmonary CT metrics and demographic parameters on a dataset from another hospital indicated its external validity (AUC = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.66-0.88). Conclusion: Chest CT of patients with COVID-19 contains valuable information that can be accessed using automated image analysis. These metrics are useful for the prediction of patient management.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2005

The introduction of high-resolution CT (HRCT) in recent years has improved the ability of radiologists to detect and characterize the diffuse infiltrative lung disease (DILD). The detection and diagnosis of diffuse lung disease using HRCT are based on the recognition of specific abnormal findings. In this article, pattern recognition of HRCT findings is reviewed in the differential diagnosis of diffuse infiltrative lung disease. In general, HRCT findings of lung disease can be classified into four categories based on their appearances. These categories consist of (1) nodules and nodular opacities, (2) linear and reticular opacities, (3) increased lung opacity, and (4) decreased lung opacity, including cystic lesions.