• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1333-1339
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• 2000

Objective : The goal of this study is to identify the significant radiologic abnormalities in patients complaining headache and to determine predictive factors for clinically significant radiological abnormalities. Method : The study population was 410 patients having underwent CT or MRI study among 1000 patients complaining headache in outpatient basis between 1996-1999. All of these patients answered self-administered questionaire about their headaches. We reviewed the patient's charts and the questionaires and examined the radiologic study results. Result : Of the 410 patients referred for CT or MRI study, male : female ratio was 1 : 1.97. Twenty-five patients(6.1%) revealed clinically significant organic lesions. Mean age was 46.1 in radiologic abnormal group and 48.4 in normal group. Short symptom duration(p<0.01), motor weakness(p<0.05), vomiting(p<0.05), cranial nerve palsy(p<0.05), and trauma history(p<0.05) were factors indicated higher incidence of radiologic abnormality. But, patients age, and severity of headache were not associated with clinically significant radiologic lesion. The ratio of radiologic abnormality was 0.8% in patients not having any risk factor. Conclusion : The results indicate that radiologic study should be done in headache patients having the risk factors such as short symptom duration, motor weakness, vomiting, cranial nerve palsy, trauma history. For patients without any such a risk factor, the radiologic study doesn't seem mandatory.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate predictable risk factors for radiologic degeneration of adjacent segment after lumbar fusion and preoperative radiologic features of patients who underwent additional surgery with adjacent segment degeneration. Methods : Between January 1995 and December 2002, 201 patients who underwent lumbar fusion for degenerative conditions of lumbar spine were evaluated. We studied radiologic features, the method of operation, the length of fusion, age, sex, osteoporosis, and body mass index. Special attention was focused on, preoperative radiologic features of patients who required additional surgery were studied to detect risk factors for clinical deterioration. Results : Follow-up period ranged from 3 to 11 years. In our study, 61 [30%] patients developed adjacent segment degeneration, and 15 [7%] patients required additional surgery for neurologic deterioration. Age, the postoperative delay, facet volume, motion range, laminar inclination, facet tropism, and preexisting disc degeneration of adjacent segment considered as possible risk factors. Among these, laminar inclination and preexisting disc degeneration of adjacent segment were significantly correlated with clinical deterioration. Conclusion : The radiologic degeneration of adjacent segment after lumbar fusion can be predicted in terms of each preoperative radiologic factor, age and the postoperative delay. Laminar inclination and preexisting disc degeneration of adjacent segment have shown as strong risk factors for neurologic deterioration. Thus, careful consideration is warranted when these risk factors are present.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.173-181
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• 2022

Background: Healing of the tendon itself is not always related to successful clinical outcomes after rotator cuff repair. It was hypothesized that certain radiologic factors affecting clinical outcomes could exist in case of the retear after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) and the radiologic factors could help predict clinical process. The purpose of this study was to identify the radiologic factors associated with clinical outcomes of the retear after ARCR. Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2019, among patients with sufficient footprint coverage for ARCR, 96 patients with Sugaya classification 4 or higher retear on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging were included. The association between clinical outcomes such as American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Constant score and range of motion and radiologic variables such as initial tear dimension, retear dimension, variance of tear dimension, critical shoulder angle, acromial index, and acromiohumeral distance was analyzed. Results: Preoperatively, the ASES and Constant scores were 59.81±17.02 and 64.30±15.27, respectively. And at the last follow-up, they improved to 81.56±16.29 and 78.62±14.16, respectively (p<0.01 and p<0.01). In multiple linear regression analysis, the variance of the mediolateral dimension of tear had statistically significant association with the ASES and Constant scores (p<0.01 and p=0.01). Conclusions: In patients with the retear after ARCR, the variance in the mediolateral dimension of tear had significantly negative association with the clinical outcomes. This could be considered to be reference as relative criteria and needed more sample and mechanical study.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.96-105
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• 2019

Objective : The aims in the management of thoracolumbar spinal fractures are not only to restore vertebral column stability, but also to obtain acceptable alignment of the thoracolumbar junction (T-L junction) to prevent complications. However, insufficient surgical correction of the thoracolumbar spine would be likely to cause late progression of abnormal kyphosis. Therefore, we identified the surgical factors that affected unfavorable radiologic outcomes of the thoracolumbar spine after surgery. Methods : This study was conducted in a single institution from January 2007 to December 2013. A total of 98 patients with unstable thoracolumbar spine fracture were included. In these patients, fixation was done through transpedicular screws with rods by three surgical patterns. We reviewed digital radiographs and analyzed the images preoperatively and postoperatively during follow-up visits to compare the change of the thoracolumbar Cobb angle with radiologic parameters and clinical outcomes. The unfavorable radiologic group was defined as the patients who were measured as having greater than 20 degrees of thoracolumbar Cobb angle on the last follow-up, or who underwent kyphotic progression of thoracolumbar Cobb angle greater than 10 degrees from the immediate postoperative state to final follow-up, or who had overt instrument failure with/without additional surgery. We assessed the risk factors that affected the unfavorable radiologic outcomes. Results : We had 43 patients with unfavorable radiologic outcomes, including 35 abnormal thoracolumbar alignments and 14 instrumental failures with/without additional surgery. The multivariate logistic regression test showed that immediate postoperative T-L junction Cobb angle less than 10.5 degrees was a statistically significant risk factor, as well as the presence of osteoporosis (p=0.017 and 0.049, respectively). Conclusion : Insufficient correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis was considered to be a major factor of an unfavorable radiological outcome. The spinal surgeon should consider that having a T-L junction Cobb angle larger than 10.5 degrees immediately after surgery could result in an unfavorable radiological outcome, which is related to a poor clinical outcome.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 2011

Students enrolled in Department of Radiologic Science were surveyed on satisfaction of clinical practice. Purpose of the survey was to cultivate field-oriented talents capable of changing medical environment. Total 302 students in three-year and four-year school system were surveyed withSPSS/PC+ Win 13 version. Firstly, frequency analysis was used for distribution of general characteristics and clinical practice characteristics. Secondly, one-way analysis of variance was used to identify difference in the level of satisfaction based on variables. Thirdly, simple product-moment co-relation was used to analyze relations between variables. Among other variables, which include support to clinical practice class, instructors' expertise, practice subjects, practice environment, practice time, evaluation after practice and overall practice, students were most satisfied with overall practice, which was followed by practice subjects and time. This indicates high co-relation between factors affecting satisfaction of clinical practice education.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2016

Objective : The purpose of this study was to figure out the radiologic findings and risk factors related to adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using 3-year follow-up radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance image (MRI). Methods : A retrospective matched comparative study was performed for 64 patients who underwent single-level ACDF with a cage and plate. Radiologic parameters, including upper segment range of motion (USROM), lower segment range of motion (LSROM), upper segment disc height (UDH), and lower segment disc height (LDH), clinical outcomes assessed with neck and arm visual analogue scale (VAS), and risk factors were analyzed. Results : Patients were categorized into the ASD (32 patients) and non-ASD (32 patients) group. The decrease of UDH was significantly greater in the ASD group at each follow-up visit. At 36 months postoperatively, the difference for USROM value from the preoperative one significantly increased in the ASD group than non-ASD group. Preoperative other segment degeneration was significantly associated with the increased incidence of ASD at 36 months. However, pain intensity for the neck and arm was not significantly different between groups at any post-operative follow-up visit. Conclusion : The main factor affecting ASD is preoperative other segment degeneration out of the adjacent segment. In addition, patients over the age of 50 are at higher risk of developing ASD. Although there was definite radiologic degeneration in the ASD group, no significant difference was observed between the ASD and non-ASD groups in terms of the incidence of symptomatic disease.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.294-297
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• 2002

For the quality control procedure of diagnostic x ray units, a method for simultaneous measurement of air kerma, half value layer and tube potential was developed utilizing a computed radiography system for intraoral radiography and film badge case. The response of average pixel values under the windows were calibrated by x rays generated at tube potentials from 40 to 140 kV with filtration from 1.5 to 3.7 mmAl. The calibration curves for half value layer and tube potential were derived as functions of attenuation factors by the 1.4 mmAl filter and the 0.2 mmCu filter. The energy dependency of the open window response was corrected by the calibration factor as a function of the attenuation factor by the 1.4 mmAl filter. The uncertainty of the estimated half value layer, tube potential and air kerma were 0.2 mmAl, 3.6 % and 5 %, respectively. It was thus suggested that this system could be applied to quality control program to detect the variation of working condition of x ray units in clinical use.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.1 s.21
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• pp.56-66
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• 1987

Information on productivity of hospital personnel is required for optimum staffing and hospital management. This study deals with the quantitative aspects of workload of medical personnel in training hospitals by their specific characteristics. Specifically this study attempted to find relevant determinants of the productivity of medical personnel using multiple stepwise regression analysis based on data obtained from 135 training hospitals. The findings of this study were as follows: 1) Daily average number of outpatients and inpatients treated by a physician were 20.4 and 10.2, respectively. 2) Daily average number of patients cared by a nurse was 8.2. Daily average number of tests performed by pathologic technician and radiologic technician were 83.2 and 21.5, respectively. 3) Productivity of medical personnel were significantly different for the three groups of factors: hospital sire (number of beds, number of medical personnel per 100 beds): institutional characteristics (medical school affiliation, training type, profit status); and environmental factors (location, number of physician and beds per 1,000 population in the region). 4) The factors a(footing the productivity varied according to the types of medical profession: the number if beds, the number of physicians per 100 beds, training type, and profit status for physicians; the number of nurses per 100 beds, the number of beds, medical school affiliation for nurses; the number of physicians per 100 beds, the number of technicians per 100 beds, and ownership for pathologic technicians; the number o( technicians, training type, and the number of physicians per 100 beds for radiologic technician.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2012

Objective : This study was conducted to assess the clinical significance of traumatic brain stem injury (TBSI) reflected on Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) by various clinical variables. Methods : A total of 136 TBSI patients were selected out of 2695 head-injured patients. All initial computerized tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging studies were retrospectively analyzed according to demographic- and injury variables which result in GCS and GOS. Results : In univariate analysis, mode of injury showed a significant effect on combined injury (p<0.001), as were the cases with skull fracture on radiologic finding (p<0.000). The GCS showed a various correlation with radiologic finding (p<0.000), mode of injury (p<0.002), but less favorably with impact site (p<0.052), age (p<0.054) and skull fracture (p<0.057), in order of statistical significances. However, only GOS showed a definite correlation to radiologic finding (p<0.000). In multivariate analysis, the individual variables to enhance an unfavorable effect on GCS were radiologic finding [odds ratio (OR) 7.327, 95% confidence interval (CI)], mode of injury (OR; 4.499, 95% CI) and age (OR; 3.141, 95% CI). Those which influence an unfavorable effect on GOS were radiologic finding (OR; 25.420, 95% CI) and age (OR; 2.674, 95% CI). Conclusion : In evaluation of TBSI on outcome, the variables such as radiological finding, mode of injury, and age were revealed as three important ones to have an unfavorable effect on early stage outcome expressed as GCS. However, mode of injury was shown not to have an unfavorable effect on late stage outcome as GOS. Among all unfavorable variables, radiological finding was confirmed as the only powerful prognostic variable both on GCS and GOS.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 2012

Nowadays, digital Radiography (DR) systems are widely used in clinical sites and substitute the analog-film x-ray imaging systems. The resolution of DR images depends on several factors such as characteristic contrast and motion of the object, the focal spot size and the quality of x-ray beam, x-ray scattering, the performance of the DR detector (x-ray conversion efficiency, the intrinsic resolution). The DR detector is composed of an x-ray capturing element, a coupling element and a collecting element, which systematically affect the system resolution. Generally speaking, the resolution of a medical imaging system is the discrimination ability of anatomical structures. Modulation transfer function (MTF) is widely used for the quantification of the resolution performance for an imaging system. MTF is defined as the frequency response of the imaging system to the input of a point spread function and can be obtained by doing Fourier transform of a line spread function, which is extracted from a test image. In clinic, radiologic technologists, who are in charge of system maintenance and quality control, have to evaluate or make routine check on their imaging system. However, it is not an easy task for the radiologic technologists to measure MTF accurately due to lack of their engineering and mathematical backgrounds. The objective of this study is to develop and provide for radiologic technologists a medical system imaging evaluation tool, so that they can measure and quantify system performance easily.