• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1997

Novel measurement method has been performed for the noninvasive study of the swelling effect detected in hydrophilic polymers using Magnetic Resonance Microscopy. iN NMR images were acquired to measure geometric changes due to the swelling effect occurred in the polymer specimens. In addition to the geometric changes, the water ingress process was visualized noninvgsively. The measurement method performed .in the present study utilized some of NMR's valuable properties, both noninvasiveness and parameter selectivity. It is believed that the method used in the present study may be applicable to the study of biopolymers in which noninvasiveness is particularly important.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.129-132
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• 1987

Two cases of bleeding Meckel's diverticulum diagnosed by $^{99m}$Technetium-pertechnetate scanning are presented. $^{99m}TC$-pertechnetate was used in the diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum by Jewette et al. in 1970 for the first time. The affinity of this isotope for the parietal cell of the gastric mucosa makes it ideal for delineating ectopic gastric tissue. Its noninvasiveness can be used in early screening test for occult gastrointestinal bleeding in pediatric age group.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 1997

pH sensitive polymers have long been utilized as one important type among many interesting drug delivery systems. This is due to the reason of different pH environments in human organs, which requires different pH control mechanism depending upon the organs. In the present study the pH sensitivity was investigated for both pH sensitive and pH insensitive biopolymers using the diffusion effect along with the swelling effect. NMR microscopy was performed along with optical microscopy. For the analysis of diffusion effect, UMR Microscopy was perFormed to measure diffusion coefficients for various liquids such as distilled water, acetone and DMSO(dimethyl sulfoxide). Also, this technique is expected to contribute to the studies for many pH drug delivery systems.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2020

Our objective is to evaluate the applicability of segmental phase angle (PhA) via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for post-stroke complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Due to its noninvasiveness and convenience, various studies have used BIA in clinical conditions. We measured segmental PhA in 4 patients at the time of CRPS diagnosis and repeated 4 weeks after 2 weeks of steroid pulse therapy. In 3 cases, the affected-to-unaffected ratio of the upper limb PhA decreased at the time of diagnosis. In 2 cases with improvement of more than 5 points in the CRPS severity score (CSS), increased ratios were observed. In other 2 cases with improvement of less than 4 points in the CSS, no remarkable changes in the ratios were found. We suggest that the segmental PhA can be helpful in assessment of post-stroke CRPS and its recovery.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.308-321
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• 2022

Transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) is useful in all aspects of lesion screening, monitoring activity, or treating/diagnosing any related complications of inflammatory bowel disease. Its ability to screen or diagnose complications is almost the same as that of other methods, such as CT or MRI. Moreover, its noninvasiveness makes it a first-line examination method. A TAUS image depicting ulcerative colitis will show large intestinal wall thickening that is continuous from the rectum, which is mainly due to mucosal layer thickening, while for Crohn's disease, a TAUS image is characterized by a diversity in the areas affected, distribution, and layer structure. Indicators of activity monitoring include wall thickness, wall structure, and vascular tests that use Doppler ultrasound or contrast agents. While all of these have been reported to be useful, at this time, no single parameter has been established as superior to others; therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of these parameters is justified. In addition, evaluating the elasticity of lesions using elastography is particularly useful for distinguishing between fibrous and inflammatory stenoses. However, the lack of objectivity is the biggest drawback of using ultrasound. Standardizing and popularizing the ultrasound process will be necessary, including scanning methods, equipment settings, and image analysis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.sup1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2016

Background: Coronary angioplasty has been replacing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of the relative advantage in terms of recovery time and noninvasiveness of the procedure. Compared to other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, Korea has experienced a rapid increase in coronary angioplasty volumes. Methods: We analyzed changes in procedure volumes of CABG and of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from three sources: the OECD Health Data, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) surgery statistics, and the National Health Insurance claims data. Results: We found the ratio of procedure volume of PCI to that of CABG per 100,000 population was 19.12 in 2014, which was more than triple the OECD average of 5.92 for the same year. According to data from NHIS statistics, this ratio was an increase from 11.4 to 19.3 between 2006 and 2013. Conclusion: We found that Korea has a higher ratio of total procedure volumes of PCI with respect to CABG and also a more rapid increase of volumes of PCI than other countries. Prospective studies are required to determine whether this increase in absolute volumes of PCI is a natural response to a real medical need or representative of medical overuse.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.165-170
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• 2006

Objectives : The determination of oxalate in urine is required for the diagnosis and treatment of primary hyperoxaluria, idiopathic stone disease and various intestinal diseases. We examined the possibility of using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy analysis to quantitate urinary oxalate. The practical advantages of this method include ease of the sample preparation and operation technique, the absence of sample pre-treatments, rapid determination and noninvasiveness. Methods : The range of oxalate concentration in standard urine solutions was $0-221mg/{\ell}$. These 80 different samples were scanned in the region of 780-1,300 nm with a 0.5 nm data interval by a Spectrum One NTS FT-NIR spectrometer. PCR, PLSR and MLR regression models were used to calculate and evaluate the calibration equation. Results : The PCR and PLSR calibration models were obtained from the spectral data and they are exactly same. The standard error of estimation (SEE) and the % variance were $10.34mg/{\ell}$ and 97.86%, respectively. After full cross validation of this model, the standard error of estimation was $5,287mg/{\ell}$, which was much smaller than that of the pre-validation. Furthermore, the MCC (multiple correlation coefficient) was 0.998, which was compatible with the 0.923 or 0.999 obtained from the previous enzymatic methods. Conclusions : These results showed that FT-NIR spectroscopy can be used for rapid determination of the concentration of oxalate in human urine samples.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.1 s.258
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• pp.42-47
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• 2006

Background: The new Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) is useful in visualization of complex coronary artery anatomy. We investigated usefulness comparing of invasive coronary angiography with noninvasive MDCT in judgment of functional degree of coronary arteries grafts after coronary artery bypass graft operation. Material and Method: We analyzed the patency of 52 conduits from 15 patients whom consented to take both 32 Channel MDCT and coronary angiography from November 2003 to November 2004. Comparisons were performed for sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value and negative prediction value between coronary angiography and 3 dimensional reconstruction image using MDCT. Result: The average graft used was 3.4 $\pm$ 0.8 per patient. Average heart rate during MDCT was 86/minute (Range, 60$\∼$110/minute) without administration of $\beta$-blocker. All patients could hold breath as much as necessary. The average graft patency obtained through corollary angiography was 96.2$\%$. In MDCT group, the sensitivity, the specificity, the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value for diagnosis was 100$\%$, 98.0$\%$, 100$\%$ and 66.6$\%$ respectively. Conclusion: The effectiveness of 32 Channel MDCT may be compared to coronary angiography in grasping about patency and bloodstream of graft conduits after coronary artery bypass graft. Also MDCT has the advantage of noninvasiveness and inexpensiveness compared to coronary angiography.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.597-603
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• 1994

Background: Because of the power of HRCT to detect the minute changes in lung parenchyme and the advantage of noninvasiveness, it may be the ideal method of follow-up evaluation of the patients with diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. So the aim of the study is to find out whether the change of HRCT during the course of the disease can represent the change in symptom and pulmonary function test. Method: Thirteen patients with diagnosis of diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis who had more than two times of HRCT during the course of disease were studied. The extent of the disease in HRCT was measured at three levels using image analyzer. The ralationship between the percent change in the disease extent in HRCT, symptom score, and pulmonary function tests were analysed. Results: The change of disease extent in HRCT has good correlation with the change in dyspnea and diffusion capacity(r=0.716, p=0.0012). But there was no correlation between the change of HRCT and FVC or TLC. Also significant inverse correlation was noted between the change in dyspnea and diffusion capacity(r=-0.707, p=0.0047). Conclusion: These data suggest that HRCT may be a good method of follow-up in diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.846-855
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• 1999

Background : Secondary pulmonary hypertension is an important final endpoint in patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, accompanied by deterioration of pulmonary hemodynamics. The clinical diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and/or cor pulmonale could be difficult, and simple noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary artery pressures has been an relevant clinical challenge for many years. Doppler echocardiography might to be a more reliable method for evaluating pulmonary hemodynamics in such patients in terms of the accuracy, reproducibility and easiness for obtaining an appropriate echocardiographic window than M-mode echocardiography. The aim of this study was to assess echocardiographic parameters associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, defined by increasing right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP), calculated from trans-tricuspid gradient in patients with chronic hypoxic lungs. Method : We examined 19 patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, suspected pulmonary hypertension under the clinical guidelines by two dimensional echocardiography via the left parasternal and subcostal approach in a supine position. Doppler echocardiography measured RVSP from tricuspid regurgitant velocity in continuous wave with 2.5MHz transducer and acceleration time(AT) on right ventricular outflow tract in pulsed wave for the estimation of pulmonary arterial pressure. Results : On echocardiography, moderate to severe degree of pulmonary arterial hypertension was defined as RVSP more than 40mmHg, presenting tricuspid regurgitation. Increased right ventricular endsystolic diameter and shortened AT were noted in the increased RVSP group. Increased RVSP was correlated negatively with the shortening of AT. Other clinical data, including pulmonary functional parameters, arterial blood gas analysis and M mode echocardiographic parameters were not changed significantly with the increased RVSP. Conclusion : These findings suggest that shortened AT on pulsed doppler can be useful when quantifying pulmonary arterial pressure with increased RVSP in patients with chronic lung disease with hypoxemia. Doppler echocardiography in pulmonary hypertension of chronic hypoxic lungs is an useful option, based on noninvasiveness under routine clinical practice.