• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.525-532
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• 1999

The parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) is the most common causative peptide of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy. In contrast, the serum level of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is low to undetectable in the majority of patients with malignancy associated hypercalcemia. Few cases exist in which the production and secretion of PTH by malignant nonparathyroid tumors have been authenticated. To our knowledge, there is very rare case in which a nonparathyroid tumor expressed simultaneously both the PTH and PTHrP. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung with hypercalcemia which presented with simultaneous elevation of serum PTH and PTHrP. Severe hypercalcemia (serum calcium, 7.5 mEq/L) was found in a 65-year-old man who had a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung without any bony metastasis and detectable parathyroid abnormalities on isotope scintigraphy. The serum level of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) con centration was markedly elevated as measured in two site radioimmunoreactive PTH assays (intact PTH 150 pg/mL ; normal 9~55). The serum level of a PTHrP was also increased as measured in C-terminal region specific radioimmunoassay (PTHrP 99.1 pmol/L; normal 13.8~55.3). There are no evidences of coincidental primary hyperparathyroidism in parathyroid MIBI scan and other imaging studies including neck ultrasonography and computed tomography. These results suggest that simultaneous elevation of serum PTH and PTHrP in this patient can be caused by production of both PTHrP and PTH in other nonparathyroid lesions such as squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.669-679
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• 2022

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of pediatric low-dose facial CT reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) using adequate kernels. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and imaging data of children aged < 10 years who underwent facial CT at our emergency department. The patients were divided into two groups: low-dose CT (LDCT; Group A, n = 73) with a fixed 80-kVp tube potential and automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) and standard-dose CT (SDCT; Group B, n = 40) with a fixed 120-kVp tube potential and ATCM. All images were reconstructed with FBP using bone and soft tissue kernels in Group A and only bone kernel in Group B. The groups were compared in terms of image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Two radiologists subjectively scored the overall image quality of bony and soft tissue structures. The CT dose index volume and dose-length product were recorded. Results Image noise was higher in Group A than in Group B in bone kernel images (p < 0.001). Group A using a soft tissue kernel showed the highest SNR and CNR for all soft tissue structures (all p < 0.001). In the qualitative analysis of bony structures, Group A scores were found to be similar to or higher than Group B scores on comparing bone kernel images. In the qualitative analysis of soft tissue structures, there was no significant difference between Group A using a soft tissue kernel and Group B using a bone kernel with a soft tissue window setting (p > 0.05). Group A showed a 76.9% reduction in radiation dose compared to Group B (3.2 ± 0.2 mGy vs. 13.9 ± 1.5 mGy; p < 0.001). Conclusion The addition of a soft tissue kernel image to conventional CT reconstructed with FBP enables the use of pediatric low-dose facial CT protocol while maintaining image quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.4
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• pp.923-933
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• 2023

Purpose To evaluate the sensitivity of corticomedullary-phase imaging for detecting urinary stones in patients with renal colic who visited the emergency department. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 253 patients with suspected renal colic from two tertiary hospitals in South Korea, who visited the emergency department and underwent CT urography. Two radiologists blinded to the clinical history independently reviewed the corticomedullary-phase images. The sensitivity for identifying urinary stones were evaluated for each reviewer. After the initial evaluation, the images were re-evaluated based on patient history. The sensitivity of re-evaluation were recorded. Results Of 253 patients, 150 (59%) had urinary stones. Among them, significant stones were observed in 138 patients (92%), and obstructive changes on CT in 124 patients (82.7%). For identifying significant urinary stones, the sensitivity was 98.6% (136/138) for both the reviewers. For identifying significant urinary stones with urinary obstruction, the sensitivity was 99.2% (123/124) for reviewer 1, and 100% (124/124) for reviewer 2. The sensitivity for identifying significant stones increased from 98.6% to 100% for reviewer 1, and from 98.6% to 99.3% for reviewer 2 in the re-evaluation session. Conclusion The corticomedullary-phase CT urography was sensitive for diagnosing urolithiasis in patients with acute renal colic who visited the emergency department.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.5
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• pp.1123-1133
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• 2023

Purpose Our study aimed to evaluate the association between automated quantified body composition on CT and pulmonary function or quantitative lung features in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and Methods A total of 290 patients with COPD were enrolled in this study. The volume of muscle and subcutaneous fat, area of muscle and subcutaneous fat at T12, and bone attenuation at T12 were obtained from chest CT using a deep learning-based body segmentation algorithm. Parametric response mapping-derived emphysema (PRM^emph), PRM-derived functional small airway disease (PRM^fSAD), and airway wall thickness (AWT)-Pi10 were quantitatively assessed. The association between body composition and outcomes was evaluated using Pearson's correlation analysis. Results The volume and area of muscle and subcutaneous fat were negatively associated with PRM^emph and PRM^fSAD (p < 0.05). Bone density at T12 was negatively associated with PRM^emph (r = -0.1828, p = 0.002). The volume and area of subcutaneous fat and bone density at T12 were positively correlated with AWT-Pi10 (r = 0.1287, p = 0.030; r = 0.1668, p = 0.005; r = 0.1279, p = 0.031). However, muscle volume was negatively correlated with the AWT-Pi10 (r = -0.1966, p = 0.001). Muscle volume was significantly associated with pulmonary function (p < 0.001). Conclusion Body composition, automatically assessed using chest CT, is associated with the phenotype and severity of COPD.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2016

Purpose : To figure out if the treatment plan for rectum, bladder and prostate that have a lot of interfraction errors satisfies dosimetric limits without adaptive plan by analyzing MR image. Materials and Methods : This study was based on 5 prostate cancer patients who had IMRT(total dose: 70Gy) Using ViewRay MRIdian System(ViewRay, ViewRay Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA) The treatment plans were made on the same CT images to compare with the plan quality according to adaptive plan, and the Eclipse(Ver 10.0.42, Varian, USA) was used. After registrate the 5 treatment MR images to the CT images for treatment plan to analyze the interfraction changes of organ, we measured the dose volume histogram and the changes of the absolute volume for each organ by appling the first treatment plan to each image. Over 5 fractions, the total dose for PTV was $V_{36.25}$ Gy $${\geq_-}$$ 95%. To confirm that the prescription dose satisfies the SBRT dose limit for prostate, we measured $V_{100%}$, $V_{95%}$, $V_{90%}$ for CTV and $V_{100%}$, $V_{90%}$, $V_{80%}$ $V_{50%}$ of rectum and bladder. Results : All dose average value of CTV, rectum and bladder satisfied dose limit, but there was a case that exceeded dose limit more than one after analyzing the each image of treatment. After measuring the changes of absolute volume comparing the MR image of the first treatment plan with the one of the interfraction treatment, the difference values were maximum 1.72 times at rectum and maximum 2.0 times at bladder. In case of rectum, the expected values were planned under the dose limit, on average, $V_{100%}=0.32%$, $V_{90%}=3.33%$, $V_{80%}=7.71%$, $V_{50%}=23.55%$ in the first treatment plan. In case of rectum, the average of absolute volume in first plan was 117.9 cc. However, the average of really treated volume was 79.2 cc. In case of CTV, the 100% prescription dose area didn't satisfy even though the margin for PTV was 5 mm because of the variation of rectal and bladder volume. Conclusion : There was no case that the value from average of five fractions is over the dosimetric limits. However, dosimetric errors of rectum and bladder in each fraction was significant. Therefore, the precise delivery is needed in case of prostate SBRT. The real-time tracking and adaptive plan is necessary to meet the precision delivery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.5 s.250
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• pp.323-334
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• 2005

Background: Gene therapy is a new and promising option for the treatment of severe myocardial ischemia by therapeutic angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis by using VEGF165 in large animals. Material and Method: Twenty-one pigs that underwent ligation of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF (VEGF) or intramyocardial injection of pCK-Null (Control). Injections were administered 30 days after ligation. Seven pigs died during the trial, but eight pigs from VEGF and six from Control survived. Echo-cardiography was performed on day 0 (preoperative) and on days 30 and 60 following coronary ligation. Gated myocardial single photon emission computed tomography imaging (SPECT) with $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi was performed on days 30 and 60. Myocardial perfusion was assessed from the uptake of $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi at rest. Global and regional myocardial function as well as post-infarction left ventricular remodeling were assessed from segmental wall thickening; left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); end systolic volume (ESV); and end diastolic volume (EDV) using gated SPECT and echocardiography. Myocardium of the ischemic border zone into which pCK plasmid vector had been injected was also sampled to assess micro-capillary density. Result: Micro-capillary density was significantly higher in the VEGF than in Control ($386\pm110/mm^{2}\;vs.\;291\pm127/mm^{2};\;p<0.001$). Segmental perfusion increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 after intramyocardial injection of plasmid vector in VEGF ($48.4\pm15.2\%\;vs.\;53.8\pm19.6\%;\;p<0.001$), while no significant change was observed in the Control ($45.1\pm17.0\%\;vs.\;43.4\pm17.7\%;\;p=0.186$). This resulted in a significant difference in the percentage changes between the two groups ($11.4\pm27.0\%\;increase\;vs.\;2.7\pm19.0\%\;decrease;\;p=0.003$). Segmental wall thickening increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 in both groups; the increments did not differ between groups. ESV measured using echocardiography increased significantly from day 0 to day 30 in VEGF ($22.9\pm9.9\;mL\;vs.\;32.3\pm9.1\;mL;\; p=0.006$) and in Control ($26.3\pm12.0\;mL\;vs.\;36.8\pm9.7\;mL;\;p=0.046$). EF decreased significantly in VEGF ($52.0\pm7.7\%\;vs.\;46.5\pm7.4\%;\;p=0.004$) and in Control ($48.2\pm9.2\%\;vs.\;41.6\pm10.0\%;\;p=0.028$). There was no significant change in EDV. The interval changes (days $30\~60$) of EF, ESV, and EDV did not differ significantly between groups both by gated SPECT and by echocardiography. Conclusion: Intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF165 induced therapeutic angiogenesis and improved myocardial perfusion. However, post-infarction remodeling and global myocardial function were not improved.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.73-82
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of reducing the absorbed dose to the ovaries and the quality of the CBCT image when using the Halcyon^TM Fast kV CBCT of cervical cancer patients of child-bearing age who performed ovarian transposition Materials and Methods : Contouring of the cervix and ovaries required for measurement was performed on the computed tomography images of the human phantom (Alderson Rando Phantom, USA), and three Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeter(OSLD) were attached to the selected organ cross-section, respectively. In order to measure the absorbed dose to the cervix and ovaries in the Truebeam^TM pelvis mode (Hereinafter referred to as TP), The Halcyon^TM Pelvis mode (Hereinafter referred to as HP) and The Halcyon^TM Pelvis Fast mode (Hereinafter referred to as HPF), An image was taken with a scan range of 17.5 cm and also taken an image that reduced the Scan range to 12.5cm. A total of 10 cumulative doses were summed, It was replaced with a value of 23 Fx, the number of cervical cancer treatments, and compared In additon, uniformity, low contrast visibility, spatial resolution, and geometric distortion were compared and analyzed using Catphan 504 phantom to compare CBCT image quality between equipment. Each factor was repeatedly measured three times, and the average value was obtained by analysing with the Doselab (Mobius Medical Systems, LP. Versions: 6.8) program. Results: As a result of measuring absorbed dose by CBCT with OSLD, TP and HP did not obtain significant results under the same conditions. The mode showing the greatest reduction value was HPF versus TP. In HPF, the absorbed dose was reduced by 39.8% in the cervix and 19.8% in the ovary compared to the TP in the scan range of 17.5 cm. the scan range was reduced to 12.5 cm, absorbed dose was reduced by 34.2% in the cervix and 50.5% in the ovary. In addition, result of evaluating the quality of the image used in the above experiment, it complied with the equipment manufacturer's standards with Geometric Distortion within 1mm (SBRT standard), Uniformity HU, LCV within 2.0%, Spatial Resolution more than 3 lp/mm. Conclusion: According to the results of this experiment, Halcyon^TM can select more various conditions than Truebeam^TM in treatment of fertility woman who have undergone ovarian Transposition , because it is important to reduce the radiation dose by CBCT during radiation therapy. So finally we recommend Halcyon^TM Fast kV CBCT which maintains image quality even at low mAs. However, it is consider that the additional exposure to low doses can be reduced by controlling the imaging range for patients who have undergone ovarian transposition in other treatment machines.