• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.574-580
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• 2022

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.408-416
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• 2001

Objectives : To evaluate the diagnostic value of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in the prediction of osteoporosis as defined by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in postmenopausal women. Methods : Questionnaires and height and weight measurements were used in the investigation of 176 postmenopausal women. QUS measurements were taken on the right calcaneus while bone mineral density (BMD) measurements of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were made with DEXA. The areas under the curves (AUC) of the speed of sound (SOS) for osteoporosis in the lumbar spine and femoral neck were obtained through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and evaluated. A comparison was made, for osteoporosis in the lumbar spine and femoral neck, between the AUCs of the logistic model with clinical risk factors and SOS. Results : Pearson's correlation coefficients of SOS and lumbar spine BMD, and of SOS and femoral neck BMD were 0.26 and 0.37. The AUC for the logistic model in its discrimination for lumbar spine osteoporosis was 0.764, and for SOS 0.605. The AUCs for the logistic model in its discrimination for femoral neck osteoporosis and for SOS were 0.890 and 0.892, respectively. Conclusions : These results suggest that the diagnostic value of QUS as a screening tool for osteoporosis is moderate for the femoral neck, but merely low for the lumbar spine and that the predictability provided by SOS is no better than that by the sole use of clinical risk factors in postmenopausal women.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 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
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.533-541
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• 2019

Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been increasingly utilized, especially in screening for high-risk cases, because of its high sensitivity and superior ability to detect cancers as compared with mammography and ultrasound. Several limitations such as higher cost, longer examination time, longer interpretation time, and low availability have hindered the wider application of MRI, especially for screening of average-risk women. To overcome some of these limitations and increase access to MRI screening, an abbreviated breast MRI protocol has been introduced. Abbreviated breast MRI is becoming popular and challenges the status quo. This review aims to present an overview of abbreviated MRI, discuss the current findings, and introduce ongoing prospective trials.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) as an alternative testing of invasive diagnostic testing in pregnancies with ultrasound abnormalities. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of pregnant women with abnormal ultrasound findings before 24 weeks of gestation between April 2016 and March 2017. Abnormal ultrasound findings included isolated increased nuchal translucency, structural anomalies, and soft markers. The NIPT or diagnostic test was conducted and NIPT detected trisomy 21 (T21), T18, T13 and sex chromosomal abnormalities. We analyzed the false positive and residual risks of NIPT based on the ultrasound findings. Results: During the study period, 824 pregnant women had abnormal ultrasound findings. Among the study population, 139 patients (16.9%) underwent NIPT. When NIPT was solely performed in the patients with abnormal ultrasound findings, overall false positive risk was 2.2% and this study found residual risks of NIPT. However, the discordant results of NIPT differed according to the type of abnormal ultrasound findings. Discordant results were significant in the group with structural anomalies with 4.4% false positive rate. However, no discordant results were found in the group with single soft markers. Conclusion: This study found different efficacy of NIPT according to the ultrasound findings. The results emphasize the importance of individualized counseling for prenatal screening or diagnostic test based on the type of abnormal ultrasound.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.853-857
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• 2013

Objectives: Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Breast screening in normal and/or asymptomatic women is essential to reduce the burden of breast malignancies. Our study aimed to identify possible risk- and/or co-factors associated with breast screening in North Indian women. Methods: A public health research survey was conducted among 100 women of North Indian ethnicity during clinic visits in a 6-month timeline (April-October 2012). Demographic and clinical data, including mammography screening, were recorded in the questionnaire-based proforma after conducting a 10 minute interview. Written informed consent was taken from all the participants. Results: The mean age of the participants was $32.2{\pm}9.9$ years. Out of 100 women, 6% had family history of breast disease. Breast-related complaints/malignancy, including galactorrhoea, mastitis, axillary lump, fibrocystic disease, fibroadenosis and adenocarcinoma were observed in 41% participants; age stratification revealed that 82.9% of this group (n=41) were <30 years, while 9.7% and 7.3% were >30 years and 30 years of age, respectively. 32% participants underwent mammography screening and 8% had breast ultrasound imaging. Age stratification in the mammography screening group demonstrated that 24 women were <40 years, while 7 women were >40 years. Conclusions: Our pilot study identified possible co-factors affecting breast screening in North Indian women. These findings may be beneficial in early detection of breast abnormalities, including malignancies in women susceptible to breast cancer, and thus aid in future design of cost-effective screening strategies to reduce the increasing burden of breast carcinoma in women worldwide.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2022

Breast ultrasonic reading is critical as a primary screening test for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. However, breast ultrasound examinations show significant differences in diagnosis based on the difference in image quality according to the ultrasonic equipment, experience, and proficiency of the examiner. Accordingly, studies are being actively conducted to analyze the texture characteristics of normal breast tissue, positive tumors, and malignant tumors using breast ultrasonography and to use them for computer-assisted diagnosis. In this study, breast ultrasonography was conducted to select 247 ultrasound images of 71 normal breast tissues, 87 fibroadenomas among benign tumors, and 89 malignant tumors. The selected images were calculated using a statistical method with 21 feature parameters extracted using the gray level co-occurrence matrix algorithm, and classified as normal breast tissue, benign tumor, and malignancy. In addition, we proposed five feature parameters that are available for computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer classification. The average classification rate for normal breast tissue, benign tumors, and malignant tumors, using this feature parameter, was 82.8%.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.134-145
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• 2024

Abnormalities on breast ultrasound (US) images which do not meet the criteria for masses are referred to as nonmass lesions. These features and outcomes have been investigated in several studies conducted by Asian researchers. However, the term "nonmass" is not included in the American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 5th edition for US. According to the Japan Association of Breast and Thyroid Sonology guidelines, breast lesions are divided into mass and nonmass. US findings of nonmass abnormalities are classified into five subtypes: abnormalities of the ducts, hypoechoic areas in the mammary glands, architectural distortion, multiple small cysts, and echogenic foci without a hypoechoic area. These findings can be benign or malignant; however, focal or segmental distributions and presence of calcifications suggest malignancy. Intraductal, invasive ductal, and lobular carcinomas can present as nonmass abnormalities. For the nonmass concept to be included in the next BI-RADS and be widely accepted in clinical practice, standardized terminologies, an interpretation algorithm, and outcome-based evidence are required for both screening and diagnostic US.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.347-354
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• 2014

Korea Central Cancer Registry reported in 2011 that the prevalence rate of thyroid cancer was about 19.6% (the highest) in both men and women. The ratio of thyroid cancer, among cancers that women suffer from, was about 31.1%, the highest among female cancers and about five times more than men. Regarding the incidence of thyroid cancer by age group, the crude rate was highest in women and men aged 15~34. From these figures it can be inferred that there is a greater relationship between thyroid cancer and hormones compared with other cancers. Therefore, young women aged 20~25, even if they are in full health, should undergo a medical examination. This study is aimed at examining changes in thyroid gland detected through self evaluation tests and the analysis of ultrasound screening images in persons aged 20~25. According to the study, 213 persons (about 46.6%) out of 457 people who took part in the study had abnormal echo patterns. With regard to women's abnormal patterns, about 73.4% of them were found to have calcified cystic, 11.8% diffuse-type low-echo and 7.3% cystic echo. With regard to male participants, about 61.1% were found to have calcified cystic, followed by 19.4% with the size of the isthmus increased and 13.9% with diffuse-type low-echo. According to the outcomes of an analysis regarding self-testing for hyperthyroidism, the average points of participants who were found to have abnormal echo patterns in ultrasound tests were 6.85 and the figure was 5.88 in persons with normal patterns. The figure was about 15% higher in abnormal respondents.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2019

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of occult spinal dysraphism (OSD) and subsequent neurosurgery in pediatric patients with isolated or combined dorsal midline cutaneous stigmata with or without other congenital malformations. Methods: We carried out a retrospective review of patients who underwent sonography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for OSD because of suspicion of dorsal midline cutaneous stigmata (presumed to be a marker for OSD) between January 2012 and June 2017. Information about patient characteristics, physical examination findings, spinal ultrasound and MRI results, neurosurgical notes, and accompanying congenital anomalies was collected. Results: Totally 250 patients (249 ultrasound and one MRI screening) were enrolled for analysis. Eleven patients underwent secondary MRI examinations. The prevalence of OSD confirmed by an MRI was 2.4% (6 patients including one MRI screening). Five patients (2%) had tethered cord and underwent prophylactic neurosurgery, 3 of whom had a sacrococcygeal dimple and a fibrofatty mass. Prevalence of tethered cord increased as markers associated with a sacrococcygeal dimple increased (0.5% of the isolated marker group, 8.1% of the 2-marker group, and 50% of the 3-marker group). Incidence of OSD with surgical detethering in 17 other congenital anomaly patients was 11.8%, which was higher than the 1.3% in 233 patients without other congenital anomalies. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the presence of dorsal midline cutaneous stigmata, particularly fibrofatty masses, along with a sacrococcygeal dimple is associated with OSD or cord tethering requiring surgery. OSD should be suspected in patients with concurrent occurrence of other congenital anomalies.