• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2008

Purpose: National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) criteria and the Canadian Cervical Spine rule (CCR) are commonly used in cervical trauma patients to determine whether a plain cervical X-ray should be performed. However, plain cervical X-rays are so inaccurate that cervical spine computed tomography (CT) is often considered as a screening test. We studied the usefulness of the NEXUS criteria and the CCR for determining the need for a CT evaluation in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from January 2007 to March 2008. Plain X-ray and CT scans of the cervical spine were performed on blunt trauma patients with neck pain. The relevancy of CT was examined using the NEXUS criteria and the CCR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, and negative predicted value analyses were performed to diagnose the cervical spine injury. Results: During the study period, 284 patients were enrolled in this study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value, and negative predicted value of the NEXUS criteria were 87.5%, 1.1%, 5.0%, and 60.0% respectively, while those of the CCR were 87.5%, 8.2%, 5.3%, and 91.6%. There were two missed fracture cases when the NEXUS criteria and the CCR were applied independently, however, no cases were missed when both were applied. Conclusion: This study suggests the NEXUS and the CCR in combination can be used as a guide to CT evaluation for cervical spine injury in the ED.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.365-374
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the eruption pattern and root resorption of the bovine anterior dentition in relation to growth-related parameters based on dental maturity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 110 bovine anterior mandibles by using standard radiography, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and actual measurements. We determined the relationships between the stages of dental maturity by using a modification of Demirjian's method and various growth-related parameters, such as the activity of the root-resorbing tissue and mobility of the deciduous teeth. The correlation of growth-related parameters with interdental spacing and distal unusual root resorption (DRR) of the deciduous fourth incisor was assessed. The cause of mesial unusual root resorption (MRR) of the deciduous fourth incisor was determined on the basis of the arrangement of the permanent third incisor. Results: An independent t-test and chi-square test indicated significant differences in growth-related parameters associated with dental arch length discrepancy and factors related to the shedding of deciduous teeth between the low and high dental maturity groups. The samples with interdental spacing and DRR showed a larger sum of mesiodistal permanent crown widths and higher dental maturity than did the respective controls. Samples with MRR tended to show a lingually rotated distal tip of the adjacent tooth crown. Conclusions: Dental maturity has relevance to the interdental spaces and unusual root resorption of mixed dentition. The position of the adjacent tooth crown on CBCT may be correlated with the occurrence of unusual root resorption of the incisor.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.202-206
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• 2006

A 7-year-old, spayed female, Yorkshire terrier dog with polyuria/polydipsia (PU/PD), interdigital edema, pruritus and abdominal enlargement was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the present university. Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocortisim (PDH) was diagnosed by clinical signs, physical examination, laboratory examination (complete blood count, serum chemistry, urinalysis, ACTH stimulation test and high dose dexamethasone suppression test) and diagnostic imaging (radiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography). Clinical signs were improved after trilostane treatment, and maintenance therapy with trilostane still continued after successful induction therapy. Trilostane can be used as an alternative to mitotane therapy in hyperadrenocortisim in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.79.1-79.16
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• 2023

Background: The need for a storage method capable of preserving the intrinsic properties of bones without using toxic substances has always been raised. Supercooling is a relatively recently introduced preservation method that meets this need. Supercooling refers to the phenomenon of liquid in which the temperature drops below its freezing point without solidifying or crystallizing. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the preservation efficiency and applicability of the supercooling technique as a cortical bone allograft storage modality. Methods: The biomechanical effects of various storage methods, including deep freezing, cryopreservation, lyophilization, glycerol preservation, and supercooling, were evaluated with the three-point banding test, axial compression test, and electron microscopy. Additionally, cortical bone allografts were applied to the radial bone defect in New Zealand White rabbits to determine the biological effects. The degree of bone union was assessed with postoperative clinical signs, radiography, micro-computed tomography, and biomechanical analysis. Results: The biomechanical properties of cortical bone grafts preserved using glycerol and supercooling method were found to be comparable to those of normal bone while also significantly stronger than deep-frozen, cryopreserved, and lyophilized bone grafts. Preclinical research performed in rabbit radial defect models revealed that supercooled and glycerol-preserved bone allografts exhibited significantly better bone union than other groups. Conclusions: Considering the biomechanical and biological superiority, the supercooling technique could be one of the optimal preservation methods for cortical bone allografts. This study will form the basis for a novel application of supercooling as a bone material preservation technique.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 2008

This study was performed to quantify the pleural effusion in radiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography(CT) and to evaluate and compare the usefulness of these methods. Normal saline of 10 ml/kg was infused into the pleural space until a final loading volume of 60 ml/kg body weight was reached in six Beagle dogs. The radiographic examination was performed for the detection and quantification of pleural effusion. On the ultrasonographic study, the maximum perpendicular distance was measured between the surface of the lung and the thoracic wall to evaluate pleural effusion. On the CT image, pleural effusion was evaluated as the perpendicular distance to the thoracic surface in the maximum pleural effusion volume on any transverse images with soft tissue window. Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression test. The volume of pleural effusion and measurements of radiography and ultrasonography had no statistical relationship. However, a significant correlation was identified between the volume of pleural effusion and the depth at right ($r^2=0.715$), left ($r^2=0.745$), and mean right and left depth ($r^2=0.844$) on the CT images. All of the thoracic radiographs, ultrasonography, and CT are useful in recognition of pleural effusion. In quantification of pleural effusion, the CT measurement method is superior to radiographic and ultrasonographic measurements.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 2010

The objectives of this study is to figure out the unknown image processing methods of commercial CR system. We have implemented the processing curve of each Look up table(LUT) in REGIUS 150 CR system by using virtual digital test pattern method. The characteristic of Dry Imager was measured also. First of all, we have generated the virtual digital test pattern file with binary file editor. This file was used as an input data of CR system (REGIUS 150 CR system, KONICA MINOLTA). The DICOM files which were automatically generated output files by the CR system, were used to figure out the processing curves of each LUT modes (THX, ST, STM, LUM, BONE, LIN). The gradation curves of Dry Imager were also measured to figure out the characteristics of hard copy image. According to the results of each parameters, we identified the characteristics of image processing parameter in CR system. The processing curves which were measured by this proposed method showed the characteristics of CR system. And we found the linearity of Dry Imager in the middle area of processing curves. With these results, we found that the relationships between the curves and each parameters. The G value is related to the slope and the S value is related to the shift in x-axis of processing curves. In conclusion, the image processing method of the each commercial CR systems are different, and they are concealed. This proposed method which uses virtual digital test pattern can measure the characteristics of parameters for the image processing patterns in the CR system. We expect that the proposed method is useful to analogize the image processing means not only for this CR system, but also for the other commercial CR systems.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.143-150
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• 2011

Purpose : The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images and bitewing images in detection of secondary caries. Materials and Methods : One hundred and twenty proximal slots of Class II cavities were randomly prepared on human premolar and molar teeth, and restored with amalgam (n=60) and composite resin (n=60). Then, artificial secondary caries lesions were randomly created using round steel No. 4 bur. The teeth were radiographed with a conventional bitewing technique and two CBCT systems; Pax-500ECT and Promax 3D. All images were evaluated by five observers. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve ($A_z$) was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. Significant difference was tested using the Friedman test (p value<0.05). Results : The mean $A_z$ values for bitewing, Pax-500ECT, and Promax 3D imaging systems were 0.882, 0.995, and 0.978, respectively. Significant differences were found between the two CBCT systems and film (p=0.007). For CBCT systems, the axial plane showed the greatest $A_z$ value. Conclusion : Based on the design of this study, CBCT images were better than bitewing radiographs in detection of secondary caries.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2020

Background: Latent tuberculosis (TB) infection among TB contacts is diagnosed using plain chest radiography and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs). However, plain chest radiographs often miss active TB, and the results of IGRA could fluctuate over time. The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in the results of the serial IGRAs and in the findings of the serial submillisievert chest computed tomography (CT) scans among the close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients. Methods: Patients age 20 or older with active pulmonary TB and their close contacts were invited to participate in this study. Two types of IGRA (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay [QFT-GIT] and the T-SPOT.TB test [T-SPOT]) and submillisievert chest CT scanning were performed at baseline and at 3 and 12 months after enrollment. Results: In total, 19 close contacts participated in this study. One was diagnosed with active pulmonary TB and was excluded from further analysis. At baseline, four of 18 contacts (22.2%) showed positive results for QFT-GIT and T-SPOT; there were no discordant results. During the follow-up, transient and permanent positive or negative conversions and discordant results between the two types of IGRAs were observed in some patients. Among the 17 contacts who underwent submillisievert chest CT scanning, calcified nodules were identified in seven (41.2%), noncalcified nodules in 14 (82.4%), and bronchiectasis in four (23.5%). Some nodules disappeared over time. Conclusion: The results of the QFT-GIT and T-SPOT assays and the CT images may change during 1 year of observation of close contacts of the active TB patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.951-958
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) obtained using dual-layer dual-energy CT (DL-DECT) for evaluating brain tumors. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 32 patients with brain tumors who had undergone non-contrast head CT using DL-DECT. Among them, 15 had glioblastoma (GBM), 7 had malignant lymphoma, 5 had high-grade glioma other than GBM, 3 had low-grade glioma, and 2 had metastatic tumors. Conventional polychromatic images and VMIs (40-200 keV at 10 keV intervals) were generated. We compared CT attenuation, image noise, contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between tumor and white matter (WM) or grey matter (GM) between VMIs showing the highest CNR (optimized VMI) and conventional CT images using the paired t test. Two radiologists subjectively assessed the contrast, margin, noise, artifact, and diagnostic confidence of optimized VMIs and conventional images on a 4-point scale. Results: The image noise of VMIs at all energy levels tested was significantly lower than that of conventional CT images (p < 0.05). The 40-keV VMIs yielded the best CNR. Furthermore, both contrast and CNR between the tumor and WM were significantly higher in the 40 keV images than in the conventional CT images (p < 0.001); however, the contrast and CNR between tumor and GM were not significantly different (p = 0.47 and p = 0.31, respectively). The subjective scores assigned to contrast, margin, and diagnostic confidence were significantly higher for 40 keV images than for conventional CT images (p < 0.01). Conclusion: In head CT for patients with brain tumors, compared with conventional CT images, 40 keV VMIs from DL-DECT yielded superior tumor contrast and diagnostic confidence, especially for brain tumors located in the WM.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea CI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.56-62
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• 2008

This paper proposes the use of decision tree classification for the measuring pattern recognition from industrial Computed Radiography(CR) images used in nondestructive evaluation(NDE) of steel-tubes. It appears that NDE problems are naturally desired to have machine learning techniques identify patterns and their classification. The attributes of decision tree are taken from NDE test procedure. Geometric features, such as radiative angle, gradient and distance, are estimated from the analysis of input image data. These factors are used to make it easy and accurate to classify an input object to one of the pre-specified classes on decision tree. This algerian is to simplify the characterization of NDE results and to facilitate the determination of features. The experimental results verify the usefulness of proposed algorithm.