• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2021

Purpose: Meconium obstruction of prematurity (MOP) predisposes premature infants to intestinal perforation and prolonged hospitalization if not diagnosed and treated promptly. A standard contrast enema is less effective to treat infants with distal ileal obstructions because the contrast may not reach the obstructed areas. In an effort to avoid risky surgery, we administered oral contrast media to seven clinically diagnosed patients with MOP whose obstructions were not relieved via conventional sonography-guided contrast enema. We retrospectively evaluated whether oral nonionic water-soluble contrast media relieves MOP. Methods: Seven of 67 premature infants with MOP were administered oral contrast media from June 2015 to January 2019. Patients were followed-up radiographically for bowel distention and evacuation of contrast media after oral administration. We recorded radiographic improvements, meconium evacuation, time to first feeding after oral contrast media administration, maternal history, and neonatal clinical factors. Results: We evaluated five male and two female infants. The median gestational ages and body weights at birth were 27⁺⁵ weeks and 890 g, respectively. Radiography in five infants revealed multiple distended intestinal loops without air-fluid interfaces. Two infants had gasless abdomens, in which only stomach gas was visible. Oral contrast media (median, 2.5 mL) were administered at a median age of 7 days; five infants (5/7, 71.4%) responded to this treatment. The remaining two infants, who had ileal stenosis and hypoganglionosis, were surgically managed. Five infants (5/7, 71.4%) had maternal risk factors, and two (28.6%) were small for gestational age. Conclusion: Nonionic oral water-soluble contrast medium can serve as a valuable adjunct treatment in premature infants with meconium obstruction.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.165-169
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• 2011

Barium suspension, oral iodine contrast medium and water were applied in eight dogs to evaluate (1) distension of gastrointestinal tract, (2) the effect of the oral contrast media on the identification of the pancreas from surrounding organs, and (3) image quality and the presence of artifacts in canine pancreas computed tomography (CT) images. Oral iodine contrast medium, gastrografin, produced significant artifacts that deteriorated the CT images of the pancreas. The use of water did not provide the fullness of the gastrointestinal lumens. Barium suspension was effective for the identification of the pancreas from the surrounding gastrointestinal tract, without significantly increasing image noise. Barium suspension can be used as an optimal contrast medium that will not cause an adverse effect on the pancreatic density and image quality.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of visualizing soft tissue lesions and vascular structures using contrast-enhanced cone-beam computed tomography (CE-CBCT) after the intravenous administration of a contrast medium in an animal model. Materials and Methods: CBCT was performed on six rabbits after a contrast medium was administered using an injection dose of 2 mL/kg body weight and an injection rate of 1 mL/s via the ear vein or femoral vein under general anesthesia. Artificial soft tissue lesions were created through the transplantation of autologous fatty tissue into the salivary gland. Volume rendering reconstruction, maximum intensity projection, and multiplanar reconstruction images were reconstructed and evaluated in order to visualize soft tissue contrast and vascular structures. Results: The contrast enhancement of soft tissue was possible using all contrast medium injection parameters. An adequate contrast medium injection parameter for facilitating effective CE-CBCT was a 5-mL injection before exposure combined with a continuous 5-mL injection during scanning. Artificial soft tissue lesions were successfully created in the animals. The CE-CBCT images demonstrated adequate opacification of the soft tissues and vascular structures. Conclusion: Despite limited soft tissue resolution, the opacification of vascular structures was observed and artificial soft tissue lesions were visualized with sufficient contrast to the surrounding structures. The vascular structures and soft tissue lesions appeared well delineated in the CE-CBCT images, which was probably due to the superior spatial resolution of CE-CBCT compared to other techniques, such as multislice computed tomography.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of (widely used) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: Images were obtained with CT performance phantoms (The American Association of Physicists in Medicine; AAPM). CT phantom as the destination by using PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system (Asahi Roentgen Ind. Co., Ltd., Japan) and i-CAT CBCT (Imaging Science International Inc., USA) that have different kinds of detectors and field of view, and compared these images with the CT number for linear attenuation, contrast resolution, and spatial resolution. Results: CT number of both PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and i-CAT CBCT did not conform to the base value of CT performance phantom. The contrast of i-CAT CBCT is higher than that of PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system. Both contrasts were increased according to thickness of cross section. Spatial resolution and shapes of reappearance was possible up to 0.6 mm in PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and up to 1.0 mm in i-CAT CBCT. Low contrast resolution in region of low contrast sensitivity revealed low level at PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and i-CAT CBCT. Conclusion: CBCT images revealed higher spatial resolution, however, contrast resolution in region of low contrast sensitivity was the inferiority of image characteristics.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.186-187
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• 2006

A 64-year-old female with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) was assigned to our department for whole body PET/CT scan. She ingested 1 liter of pure water as negative oral contrast just before PET/CT examination. FDG-PET/CT images showed a very intense hypermetabolic, focal lesion in the abdominal cavity around descending colon. The SUVmax of the lesion was 17.2. But there was no abnormal lesion corresponded to the area of PET scan in the combined contrast enhanced CT scan. We suggested considering a malignant lesion due to very intense glycolytic activity. Conventional abdominal CT scan & colonoscopy were accomplished within one week after PET/CT evaluation. There was no abnormality in both examinations. We executed follow-up PET/CT evaluation after 1 month and couldn't find any abnormality around the corresponding area. So we concluded the hypermetabolism was colonic physiologic uptake. A colonic physiologic uptake is a well known cause of false positive finding. Nuclear physicians should be considered the possibility of malignancy when interpret focal colonic uptake, especially incidental finding. There are a few reports that using of negative oral contrast is able to reduce gastrointestinal physiologic uptakes. But as we can see in this case, although we used negative oral contrast, intense physiologic uptake is detected and maxSUV is able to up to 17.2. So, it is important to keep a fact in mind. Even though there is a colonic physiologic uptake in PET/CT image, it may be able to show very intense hypermetabolism regardless of using negative oral contrast.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to evaluate how chemiluminescent lighting($ViziLite^{(R)}$) could increase the sharpness of margin and contrast to normal mucosa in the diagnosis of oral lichen planus(OLP), the most frequent oral premalignant lesion, compared with direct visual inspection under incandescent light. Methods: 41 consecutive patients, diagnosed to have OLP with visual inspection under incandescent light, were further examined with chemiluminescent light. The degrees of margin sharpness and lesion contrast were ranked on a scale from 1 to 3 for all patients under visual inspection and chemiluminescent light. The presence of additional lesion only detected by chemiluminescent light, complication, and discomfort were checked for each patient. After both screening tests, biopsy specimens were harvested from all patients with scalpels and histopathologic assessments were done. Results: All 41 patients were diagnosed to have OLP by both visual inspection and chemiluminescent light examination. This result was definitively diagnosed by histopathology. Degrees of margin sharpness and lesion contrast were increased by chemiluminescent light compared with visual inspection, but only the difference of lesion contrast was statistically significant. In 22.0% of patients, additional lesions were detected and 88.9% of them were diagnosed to have OLP histopathologically. 17.1% of patients noted discomfort and 9.8% of patients showed complications after chemiluminescent test. Conclusion: Chemiluminescent light may not be proper for the screen test of oral cancer or premalignant lesion but showed some possibility for additional diagnostic tool for definitively diagnosed patients in determination of lesion margin and scope.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to objectively detect simulated tooth ankylosis using a novel method involving cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Tooth ankylosis was simulated in single-rooted human permanent teeth, and CBCT scans were acquired at different current levels (5, 6.3, and 8 mA) and voxel sizes (0.08, 0.125, and 0.2). In axial reconstructions, a line of interest was perpendicularly placed over the periodontal ligament space of 21 ankylosed and 21 non-ankylosed regions, and the CBCT grey values of all voxels along the line of interest were plotted against their corresponding X-coordinates through a line graph to generate a profile. The image contrast was increased by 30% and 60% and the profile assessment was repeated. The internal area of the resulting parabolas was obtained from all images and compared between ankylosed and non-ankylosed regions under different contrast enhancement conditions, voxel sizes, and mA levels using multi-way analysis of variance with the Tukey post hoc test(α=0.05). Results: The internal area of the parabolas of all non-ankylosed regions was significantly higher than that of the ankylosed regions(P<0.05). Contrast enhancement led to a significantly greater internal area of the parabolas of non-ankylosed regions (P<0.05). Overall, voxel size and mA did not significantly influence the internal area of the parabolas(P>0.05). Conclusion: The proposed novel method revealed a relevant degree of applicability in the detection of simulated tooth ankylosis; increased image contrast led to greater detectability.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.197-207
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• 1987

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationships between film and processing solution at different processing temperatures. Three kinds of periapical film were used for this study. They included EP-2l film, DF-58, and A film Each film was processed by automatic film processor with RD-Ⅲ X-dol 90, and A processing solutions at 68° 74° 80° 86° and 92°F. Film density was measured with the densitometer, and base plus fog density, film relative speed, film contrast, and subject contrast were evaluated. The following results were obtained; 1. As the processing temperature was increased, base plus density was increased. Inadequate base plus fog densities were obtained with three films in combination with three processing solutions at 92°F. 2. Lowest base plus fog densities were obtained with A film, followed in ascending order by EP-21, and DF-58 film in combination with A or RD-Ⅲ processing solutions. The sequence of base plus fog densities was in ascending order by EP-21, A, and DF-58 film in combination with X-dol 90 processing solution. 3. The sequence of film relative speed values was in ascending order of EP-21, A, and DF-58 film in combination with A and RD-Ⅲ processing solutions, respectively. 4. As the processing temperature was increased, film contrast values was increased. The sequence of film contrast values was in descending order solution. The sequence of film contrast values was in descending order of EP-2l, DF-58, and A film in combination with RD-Ⅲ, X-dol 90 processing solution at 80°F. 5. As the processing temperature was increased, subject contrast was increased. The sequence of subject contrast was in descending order of A, X-dol 90, and RD-Ⅲ processing solution in combination with three films at 80°F. The sequence of subject contrast was in descending order of EP-21, A, and DF-58 film in combination with A processing solution at different processing temperatures.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.113-124
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• 1990

For the study of the influence of kilovoltage and exposure time on radiographic density and contrast, we measured radiographic density of aluminum step wedge which composed of contiguous 8 steps wedges of 2-16㎜ thickness with densitometer. Aluminum step wedge was radiographed on Kodak ultraspeed DF-58 and Ektaspeed EP-21 film with range of 60-90 kVp and 5-60 impulse and subject contrast of aluminum step wedge with constant radiographic density and image contrast percentage without radiographic density was evaluated. Then we evaluated the film quality of teeth and their surrounding structure according to the change of kVp and exposure time by score rating method. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Radiographic density was related to the change of kilovoltage, especially in increased exposure time. 2. With constant radiographic density, subject contrast of thin aluminum step wedges was greater in low kilovolt age than high kilovoltage, but kilovolt age had not great influence on subject contrast of thick aluminum step wedge. On the other hand, radiographic density difference between 2mm and 16mm aluminum step wedge was decreased according to in- creasing kilovoltage. 3. Without constant radiographic density, image contrast percentage was decreased with increasing kilovoltage, but was not related with the change of exposure time. 4. Radiographic contrast of teeth and their surrounding structure which was taken with the range of 60-90 kVp and 6-30 impulse had not great influence on film quality.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 1990

This study was undertaken to determine (1) the usefulness of chromium intensifier to improve the dignostic quality of light radiograph; (2) the effect of chromium intensifier on density, contrast; and (3) the effect of various chemical concentrations on density. The following results obtained: 1. CHROMIUM INTENSIFIER is useful for intensifying and improving the diagnostic quality of a light dental radiograph. 2. The degree of intensification can be controlled by varying bleaching time, repeating the processing, varying the proportions of the potassium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid solutions. 3. The image produced is black and permanent. 4. The intensifier increases density and contrast.