• Journal of Breast Cancer
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.425-432
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is rare, and its cause and prognosis are not well known. Additionally, treatment is limited with respect to the risk to the fetus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and treatment trends of PABC and the survival rate according to the treatment. Methods: In the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry database, women younger than 50 years and who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 1996 to 2015 were included. PABC was defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery. Results: We examined 411 patients with PABC and 83,381 patients with non-PABC. Over time, the proportions of patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy increased, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy administration rates also increased. In the past, the overall survival of patients with PABC was poorer than that of patients with non-PABC, but there was no difference in overall survival rates in more recent years. There was no difference in overall survival rates between patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-2.49; p=0.459), but PABC conferred poorer prognosis than non-PABC in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.27-2.08; p<0.001). Conclusion: There was no difference in the prognosis between patients with PABC and those with non-PABC receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The increase in neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to current treatment guidelines is expected to improve the survival rate of patients with PABC.

• 핵의학기술
• /
• 제22권2호
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2018

Purpose Quality control of instrument takes up a large part in the Radioimmunoassays. The gamma-ray instrument, which is one of the important instruments in the laboratory, observes the condition and performance of instrument and performs quality control of the instrument by measuring the Normalization, Calibration, Background and etc. However, there are some automation instruments which can't measure the counting efficiency of gamma-ray meters, resulting in insufficient management in terms of performance evaluation of gamma-ray meters. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to manage the quality control continuously and regularly by suggesting how to measure the counting efficiency of gamma-ray instruments. Materials and Methods In case of a comparative measurement method to a gamma-ray instrument dedicated to nuclear medical examination, the CPM and counting efficiency can be obtained after the measurement of normalization by inserting the I-125 $200{\mu}L$(CPM 50,000~500,000) into the test tube. With this CPM and counting efficiency values, it's possible to calculate the measurement of the DPM value and count the CPM from the automation instrument from the same source, and enter the DPM to calculate the counting efficiency using a comparative measurement method. Another method is to calculate the counting efficiency by estimating the half life using the radiation source information of the tracer in B test reagents of company A. Results According to the calculation formula using the DPM obtained by counting the normalization of gamma-ray meters, the detection efficiency was 75.16% for Detector 1, 76.88% for Detector 2, 77.13% for Detector 3, 75.36% for Detector 4 and 73.2% for Detector 5 respectively. Using another calculation formula estimated from the shelf life, the data of the detection efficiency from Detector 1 to Detector 5 were 74.9%, 75.1%, 76.5%, 74.9% and 73.2% respectively. Conclusion Although the accuracy of counting efficiencies of both methods are insufficient, this is considered to be useful for ongoing management of quality control if counting efficiency is managed after setting the acceptable ranges. For example, if the measurement efficiency is set to 70% or higher, the allowed %difference between measurements is within 3% and the %difference with the detector wall is set within 5%.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제64권1호
• /
• pp.4-12
• /
• 2021

Spinal metastases can present with varying degrees of mechanical instability. The Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score (SINS) was developed as a tool to assess spinal neoplastic-related instability while helping to guide referrals among oncology specialists. Some previous papers suggested that the SINS was accurate and reliable, while others disagreed with this opinion. We performed a systematic review regarding the SINS to evaluate its accuracy and precision in predicting vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). The 21 included studies investigated a total of 2118 patients. Thirteen studies dealt with the accuracy of SINS to predict post-radiotherapy VCFs, and eight dealt with the precision. Among 13 studies, 11 agreed that the SINS categories showed statistically significant accuracy in predicting VCF. Among eight studies, body collapse was effective for predicting VCFs in six studies, and alignment and bone lesion in two studies. Location has no statistical significance in predicting VCFs in any of the eight studies. The precision of SINS categories was substantial to excellent in six of eight studies. Among the six components of the SINS, the majority of the included studies reported that location showed near perfect agreement; body collapse, alignment, and posterolateral involvement showed moderate agreement; and bone lesion showed fair agreement. Bone lesion showed significant accuracy in predicting VCFs in half of eight studies, but displayed fair reliability in five of seven studies. Although location was indicated as having near perfect reliability, the component showed no accuracy for predicting VCFs in any of the studies and deleting or modifying the item needs to be considered. The SINS system may be accurate and reliable in predicting the occurrence of post-radiotherapy VCFs for spinal metastasis. Some components seem to be substantially weak and need to be revised.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.191-202
• /
• 2021

Purpose: A near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is a promising tool for cancer-specific image guided surgery. Human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the candidate markers for gastric cancer. In this study, we aimed to synthesize HER2-specific NIR fluorescence probes and evaluate their applicability in cancer-specific image-guided surgeries using an animal model. Materials and Methods: An NIR dye emitting light at 800 nm (IRDye800CW; Li-COR) was conjugated to trastuzumab and an HER2-specific affibody using a click mechanism. HER2 affinity was assessed using surface plasmon resonance. Gastric cancer cell lines (NCI-N87 and SNU-601) were subcutaneously implanted into female BALB/c nu (6-8 weeks old) mice. After intravenous injection of the probes, biodistribution and fluorescence signal intensity were measured using Lumina II (Perkin Elmer) and a laparoscopic NIR camera (InTheSmart). Results: Trastuzumab-IRDye800CW exhibited high affinity for HER2 (K_D=2.093(3) pM). Fluorescence signals in the liver and spleen were the highest at 24 hours post injection, while the signal in HER2-positive tumor cells increased until 72 hours, as assessed using the Lumina II system. The signal corresponding to the tumor was visually identified and clearly differentiated from the liver after 72 hours using a laparoscopic NIR camera. Affibody-IRDye800CW also exhibited high affinity for HER2 (K_D=4.71 nM); however, the signal was not identified in the tumor, probably owing to rapid renal clearance. Conclusions: Trastuzumab-IRDye800CW may be used as a potential NIR probe that can be injected 2-3 days before surgery to obtain high HER2-specific signal and contrast. Affibody-based NIR probes may require modifications to enhance mobilization to the tumor site.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.301-306
• /
• 2021

전산화단층촬영장치 (Computed tomography, CT)의 의료 방사선량을 낮추기 위한 방법으로 주석필터의 사용을 통해 직접적으로 환자의 선량을 낮추는 방법이 있다. 그러나 주석필터의 사용으로 바뀐 X선 스펙트럼으로 인해 기존의 영상과 다른 인상의 영상으로 나타나기 때문에 질병 진단에 영향을 줄 수 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 흉부 저선량 CT에서 주석필터의 적용 및 high pitch에 따른 영상평가를 진행함으로써 주석필터 사용 시 영상의 변화 양상을 살펴보았다. 본 연구에서는 비교를 위해 총 3개의 그룹으로 나누어 영상을 획득하였다. Group 1은 주석필터를 사용하지 않았으며, 기존에 사용하던 pitch인 0.8의 영상을 획득하였다. Group 2는 주석필터를 사용하였고, pitch는 0.8이며 Group 3은 주석필터를 사용하였으며 pitch는 2.5이다. 영상의 화질을 비교하기 위해 no-reference 기반으로 사용되는 블라인드 품질 평가 인자 중 natural image quality evaluator (NIQE)와 blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator (BRISQUE)를 사용하였다. 그 결과 NIQE 수치는 Group 1, Group 3, Group 2 의 순서대로 낮게 나타났다. BRISQUE 수치는 Group 3, Group 2, Group 1 의 순서대로 낮게 나타났다. 이를 통해 흉부 저선량 CT에서 주석필터 및 high pitch 기술의 영상의 우수성을 확인함으로써 특히 호흡 조절이 어려운 흉부 저선량 CT 환자에 있어서 더 정확한 영상에 대한 기대감을 가질 수 있는 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이라 사료된다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제16권3호
• /
• pp.295-302
• /
• 2022

희박뷰 전산화단층촬영(computed tomography; CT) 영상화 기술은 피폭 방사선량을 감소시킬 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 획득한 투영상의 균일성을 유지하고 잡음을 감소시킬 수 있는 장점이 있다. 하지만 재구성 영상 내 인공물 발생으로 인하여 화질 및 피사체 구조가 왜곡되는 단점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 희박뷰 CT 영상의 인공물 감소를 위해 wavelet 변환과 잔차 학습(residual learning)을 적용한 콘볼루션 신경망(convolutional neural network; CNN) 기반 영상화 모델을 개발하고, 개발한 모델을 통한 희박뷰 CT 영상의 인공물 감소 정도를 정량적으로 분석하였다. CNN은 wavelet 변환 층, 콘볼루션 층 및 역 wavelet 변환 층으로 구성하였으며, 희박뷰 CT 영상과 잔차 영상을 각각 입출력 영상으로 설정하여 영상화 모델 학습을 진행하였다. 영상화 모델 학습을 위해 평균제곱오차(mean squared error; MSE)를 손실함수로, Adam 함수를 최적화 함수로 사용하였다. 학습된 모델을 통해 입력 희박뷰 CT 영상에 대한 예측 잔차 영상을 획득하고, 두 영상간의 감산을 통해 최종 결과 영상을 획득하였다. 또한 최종 결과 영상에 대한 시각적 특성, 최대신호대잡음비(peak signal-to- noise ratio; PSNR) 및 구조적유사성지수(structural similarity; SSIM)를 측정하였다. 연구결과 본 연구에서 개발한 영상화 모델을 통해 희박뷰 CT 영상의 인공물이 효과적으로 제거되며, 공간분해능이 향상되는 결과를 확인하였다. 또한 wavelet 변환과 잔차 학습을 미적용한 영상화 모델에 비해 본 연구에서 개발한 영상화 모델은 결과 영상의 PSNR 및 SSIM을 각각 8.18% 및 19.71% 향상시킬 수 있음을 확인하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서 개발한 영상화 모델을 이용하여 희박뷰 CT 영상의 인공물 제거는 물론 공간분해능 향상 및 정량적 정확도 향상 효과를 획득할 수 있다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.589-595
• /
• 2023

관상동맥 경련 유발로 혈관 완전 폐색이 발생할 경우 악성 부정맥 출현으로 사망까지 이를 수 있으므로 관상동맥 경축 협심증 조기 검사는 반드시 필요한 검사이다. 검사 방법 중 관상동맥 조영술을 통한 약물 주입 검사가 일반적으로 시행되고 있다. 따라서 관상동맥 조영 검사 중 경축 협심증 검사의 시술 시간과 조영제 사용량, 방사선 피폭 영향과의 연관성 등을 방사선학적 관점으로 이형성 협심증 조영 검사의 이점을 평가하고자 한다. 2021년 09월부터 2023년 02월까지 관상동맥 조영술과 변이형 협심증 검사를 시행한 142명 환자의 후행적 데이터를 이용하였다. 관상동맥 조영술과 변이형 협심증 검사 비교 분석 결과 체질량 지수를 제외하고 조영제 사용량 67.47 ± 21.81 cc, 흡수선량 15.98 ± 13.8 uGy/m², 공기 중 입사선량 236.73 ± 135.91 mGy, 촬영 시리즈 수 13 장, 검사 시간 1573.6 ± 428.77 s로 관상동맥 조영술만 시행했을 때의 조영제 사용량 49.1 ± 7.73 cc, 흡수선량 9.93 ± 7.81 uGy/m², 공기 중 입사선량 140.6 ± 79.76 mGy, 촬영 시리즈 수 6 장, 검사 시간 544.48 ± 185.76 s보다 통계적으로 유의할 만큼 높은 차이를 나타냈다. (p<0.001) 결론적으로 관상동맥 조영술 외 추가적인 변이형 협심증 검사가 방사선학적 관점에서 더 부정적일 수 있어 과도한 변이형 협심증 검사는 지양하는 것이 좋을 것으로 생각된다. 결론적으로 관상동맥 조영술 외 추가적인 변이형 협심증 검사가 방사선학적 관점에서 더 부정적일 수 있어 과도한 변이형 협심증 검사는 지양하는 것이 좋을 것으로 생각된다. 그럼에도 불구하고 변이형 협심증 검사를 진행해야 할 경우 검사 시간이 길어 질수록 투시 시간과 조영제 사용량도 증가하게 되므로 가능한 빠른 검사 또는 단축 검사를 진행해야 환자의 방사선학적 관점의 부정적인 측면도 해소할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제22권8호
• /
• pp.1240-1252
• /
• 2021

Objective: To compare the accuracy for detecting breast cancer in the diagnostic setting between the use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), defined as DBT alone or combined DBT and digital mammography (DM), and the use of DM alone through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, Cochrane Library and five Korean local databases were searched for articles published until March 25, 2020. We selected studies that reported diagnostic accuracy in women who were recalled after screening or symptomatic. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. A bivariate random effects model was used to estimate pooled sensitivity and specificity. We compared the diagnostic accuracy between DBT and DM alone using meta-regression and subgroup analyses by modality of intervention, country, existence of calcifications, breast density, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category threshold, study design, protocol for participant sampling, sample size, reason for diagnostic examination, and number of readers who interpreted the studies. Results: Twenty studies (n = 44513) that compared DBT and DM alone were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86-0.93) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.84-0.94), respectively, for DBT, which were higher than 0.76 (95% CI 0.68-0.83) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73-0.89), respectively, for DM alone (p < 0.001). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.97) for DBT and 0.86 (95% CI 0.82-0.88) for DM alone. The higher sensitivity and specificity of DBT than DM alone were consistently noted in most subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Conclusion: Use of DBT was more accurate than DM alone for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Women with clinical symptoms or abnormal screening findings could be more effectively evaluated for breast cancer using DBT, which has a superior diagnostic performance compared to DM alone.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제22권2호
• /
• pp.159-167
• /
• 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the survival rates of Korean females aged 40 to 49 years with breast cancer detected by supplemental screening ultrasound (US) or screening mammography alone. Materials and Methods: This single-institution retrospective study included 240 patients with breast cancer (mean age, 45.1 ± 2.8 years) detected by US or mammography who had undergone breast surgery between 2003 and 2008. Medical records were reviewed for clinicopathologic characteristics and detection methods. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with breast cancer in the US and mammography groups using the log-rank test. Multivariable cox regression analysis was used to identify independent variables associated with DFS and OS. Results: Among the 240 cases of breast cancer, 43 were detected by supplemental screening US and 197 by screening mammography (mean follow-up: 7.4 years, 93.3% with dense breasts). There were 19 recurrences and 16 deaths, all occurring in the mammography group. While the US group did not differ from the mammography group in tumor stage, the patients in this group were more likely to undergo breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy than the mammography group. The US group also showed better DFS (p = 0.016); however, OS did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.058). In the multivariable analysis, the US group showed a lower risk of recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.097; 95% confidence interval, 0.001-0.705) compared to the mammography group. Conclusion: Our study found that Korean females aged 40-49 years with US-detected breast cancer showed better DFS than those with mammography-detected breast cancer. However, there were no statistically significant differences in OS.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제24권6호
• /
• pp.529-540
• /
• 2023

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance and clinical outcomes of 2-mSv computed tomography (CT) and conventional-dose CT (CDCT), following radiology residents' interpretation of CT examinations for suspected appendicitis. Materials and Methods: Altogether, 3074 patients with suspected appendicitis aged 15-44 years (28 ± 9 years, 1672 females) from 20 hospitals were randomly assigned to the 2-mSv CT (n = 1535) or CDCT (n = 1539) groups in a pragmatic trial from December 2013 and August 2016. Overall, 107 radiology residents participated in the trial as readers in the form of daily practice after online training for 2-mSv CT. They made preliminary CT reports, which were later finalized by attending radiologists via addendum reports, for 640 and 657 patients in the 2-mSv CT and CDCT groups, respectively. We compared the diagnostic performance of the residents, discrepancies between preliminary and addendum reports, and clinical outcomes between the two groups. Results: Patient characteristics were similar between the 640 and 657 patients. Residents' diagnostic performance was not significantly different between the 2-mSv CT and CDCT groups, with a sensitivity of 96.0% and 97.1%, respectively (difference [95% confidence interval {CI}], -1.1% [-4.9%, 2.6%]; P = 0.69) and specificity of 93.2% and 93.1%, respectively (0.1% [-3.6%, 3.7%]; P > 0.99). The 2-mSv CT and CDCT groups did not significantly differ in discrepancies between the preliminary and addendum reports regarding the presence of appendicitis (3.3% vs. 5.2%; -1.9% [-4.2%, 0.4%]; P = 0.12) and alternative diagnosis (5.5% vs. 6.4%; -0.9% [-3.6%, 1.8%]; P = 0.56). The rates of perforated appendicitis (12.0% vs. 12.6%; -0.6% [-4.3%, 3.1%]; P = 0.81) and negative appendectomies (1.9% vs. 1.1%; 0.8% [-0.7%, 2.3%]; P = 0.33) were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Diagnostic performance and clinical outcomes were not significantly different between the 2-mSv CT and CDCT groups following radiology residents' CT readings for suspected appendicitis.