• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2004

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effects of diagnostic sonography in pediatric patients with inguinal hernias. The patients were classified into two groups. Group A included the patients who had been operated upon for inguinal hernia in 1980's, when diagnostic sonography was not available. Group B included the patients, operated upon for inguinal hernia from 2001 to 2002, when inguinal sonography was employed to detect potential bilateral hernias. The age distribution, sex ratio, laterality, bilaterality, and concomitant symptoms were compared between group A and group B. There were 296 cases in group A and 377 cases in group B. The prevalent age group was from 1 to 5 years. There was no difference in age group distribution between both groups. The male to female ratio was 5.3:1 in group A and 3.5:1 in group B. The ratio of unilateral to bilateral hernia was 5:1 in group A and 3:1 in group B. In cases with a unilateral hernia, the ratio of right to left was 1.5:1 in group A and 1.8:1 in group B. In cases with bilateral hernia, the simultaneous bilateral hernia was 33 cases (67.4 %) in group A and 75 cases (80.6 %) in group B. The sequential bilateral hernia was 16 cases (32.7 %) in group A and 18 cases (19.4 %) in group B. Although the ratio of bilateral hernia was increased in group B, the portion of the sequential bilateral hernia was significantly decreased in group B. In conclusion, there were no differences in the age distribution and the laterality between group A and B. The ratio of female patients and the incidence of bilateral hernia were increased in group B even though the portion of the sequential bilateral hernia was decreased. This result shows that the preoperative inguinal sonography in unilateral hernia with potential bilateral hernia is useful in early detection of the sequential contralateral hernia.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.109-114
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• 2012

Purpose: Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism are major causes of death after severe multiple trauma. Although various means of prevention have been presented and utilized, still, there are no standard guidelines for anticoagulation of multiple trauma because of some contraindications. Methods: A retrospective study of adult major trauma patients whose injury severity scores (ISSs) were over 16 and who had visited one university hospital in Daegu city was performed. We compared some features of patients diagnosed DVT or PTE with those of patients without DVT by computed tomography or ultra sonography. Those features included accompanying various kinds of intracranial hemorrhages, possibility of ambulation, emergent operation, early transfusion, and suspicious symptoms. Results: The mean age of the 58 subjects included in this study was $50.9{\pm}17.2years$, the mean ISS was $22.7{\pm}6.0$, and the mean hospital stay was $55.2{\pm}37.9days$. Ten(17.2%) patients had emergent surgery, and 44(75.9%) experienced delayed surgery. Early transfusion was needed in 34(58.6%) patients. Among the 18 patients diagnosed with DVT, accompanying intracranial hemorrhages were noted in 8(44.4%) patients; one of the 8 also had PTE. Among the same 18 patients, early transfusions were required in 11(61.1%) patients; one of the 11 also had PTE. Conclusion: The risk of DVT is increased in cases of severe multiple trauma, and many difficulties in applying anticoagulants are experienced. Though we need additional studies to decide proper prophylaxis for DVT and PTE, if the patient's general condition permits, a screening test for DVT as soon as possible could be an effective method to reduce the possibility of a bad outcome.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.402-408
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• 2016

Background: Ascertainment bias are common in epidemiologic studies to assess the association between thyroid cancer risk and living near nuclear power plants because many thyroid cancers are diagnosed by chance through health examination. We surveyed the ultra sonography (USG) examination history and conducted thyroid and breast USG in residents living near nuclear power plants. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised 2,421 residents living near nuclear power plants in Korea. Information on demographic characteristics, including diagnostic examination history, was collected by interview using questionnaires. USG examination was conducted to evaluate the presence of thyroid nodules and breast lesion. Study participants were divided into 3 groups according to the distance of their respective villages from a nuclear power plant. The proportions of USG examination history and prevalence of thyroid nodules and breast lesions were compared between groups. Results and Discussion: Examination histories of thyroid USG were 23.1%, 13.7%, and 10.5% in men and 31.3%, 26.7%, 18.3% in women in the short, intermediate, and long distance groups, respectively. There were significant inverse associations between thyroid USG history and the distance from nuclear power plants (P for trend = 0.001 for men and 0.017 for women). However, there was no association between the distance of villages from nuclear power plants and prevalence of thyroid nodules. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there may be an ascertainment bias in population-based studies examining the harmful effects of NPPs examination and researchers should pay attention to ascertainment bias resulted from differential health examination. Correction for ascertainment bias, active follow-up and examination for all study population to remove differential health examination is needed.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 2007

Purpose : It is difficult to diagnose acute pyelonephritis(APN) in young children, because of their nonspecific symptoms. The younger the age, the higher the risk of renal scars after APN, which can be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment. We compare the significance of renal imaging studies by age for diagnosis of APN in febrile urinary tract infection(UTI) in children. Methods : Fifty-three hospitalized children(34 patients under age 2 and 19 patients over age 2) with febrile UTI and who had undergone dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan, renal ultra sonography(RUS) and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) during the acute stage were re-viewed. We compared the renal imaging studies between the different age groups. Results : The DMSA scan showed cortical defects in 23.5% of patients under age 2, which was significantly lower than 63.2% of patents over age 2(P<0.05). The renal cortical defects on DMSA scan were associated only with a high peripheral leukocyte count, but not with fever duration, erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), and C-reactive protein(CRP). And there was no correlation between the DMSA scan, VCUG or RUS findings. Conclusions : The DMSA scan is not sensitive for diagnosis of APN in children less than 2 years of age and the findings cannot predict the presence of vesicoureteral reflux(VUR). VCUG may be necessary for proper management in this age group.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to determine if there are prognostic factors leading to permanent parenchymal damages to kidney in children after acute pyelonephritis. Methods : This study was conducted in 160 pediatric patients with acute pyelonephritis admitted to Ajou University Hospital from 2000 to 2005, whose renal cortical defects were confirmed by $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy (DMSA scan). Along with the follow-up DMSA scan after 6 months, they were classified into two groups; recovered group (106) and scarred group (54). The clinical characteristics of each group were compared. Results : Among the total of 160 patients, 106 (66.3%) showed recovery of the initial defect (the recovered group), while 54 (33.8%) showed permanent defects on the followup DMSA scan (scarred group). Recovery rate was poor for patients of 1 year and older, or patients with the duration of fever and pyuria longer than 7 days. The recovery rate was poor in the patients with history of frequent febrile episodes and abnormal results of imaging studies, such as voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), ultrasonography. Conclusion : The recovery rate of children with renal defects on DMSA scan with acute pyelonephritis was lower when the patient is older than 1 year, when the duration of fever and pyuria exceeded 7 days, and when the patients had the histories of frequent febrile episodes and had urinary tract abnormalities on imaging studies. These findings suggest that there may be under- or mis-diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis by pediatrician.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is surveyed diagnostic radiography (DR) examination in veterinary hospital (VC) including non-ionization radiation such as ultra-sonography and magnetic resonance imaging. From June 1 to June 20. 2021, we surveyed the VC in 00 metropolitan city by using a structural questionnaire which are location of VC and X-ray unit et al.. Data are expressed as a mean with standard deviation for continuous variable or percent for categorical variable using SPSS ver. 26.0. As the first animal to be visited, dogs were the highest with 61.9%, followed by cats with 12.9%. In 87.1% fo cases, DR units were used, and 4 VCs did not. In 27 VCs using DR units, 48.1% separated examination room and control room, 19.8% examined in animal visited, protective clothing was in all VCs, 55.6% were measured radiation exposure dose, 92.6% was responded a necessary for examination education. From the above results, it will help to revise the guidelines for DR units and examination in korea VCs.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2009

Ultrasonography has been used as a basic examination of a medical check up for prevention and diagnostics of diseases. Even the person who has no particular subjective symptoms can have a variety of diseases. Especially fatty liver is found in many cases. In this study, we tested 3582 persons who are in between the ages of 15 to 81 and observed that 1390 persons had fatty liver while 2192 persons are normal. We classified the grade of fatty liver and compared their life styles with the results of liver function test and BMI. The results are as follows. Ratio of the subjects who had a fatty liver is 38.8%. Male and female ratio was 46.2% and 24.2%. On the correlation among the fatty liver, the body mass index and the body fat%, the average value of body mass index and body fat% were significantly higher in the group of the fatty liver than in those of the normal liver. The influence of the related factor and the correlation on the fatty liver was shown that it was more related with the order of age, body mass index, triglyceride, ALT, body fat%, sex, HDL-Cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol, and GGT. The result of the ultrasonography carried out for the purpose of regular health check up indicates that even the 38.8% of those who was diagnosed as normal condition could have the fatty liver and have possibility of other diseases. Therefore, if there are any troubles related to liver function and lipid through hematologic examination or when practicing follow-up study with ultrasonography concerning the correlation relation between the body fat% and dietary preference, alcohol consumption and exercise, the ultrasonography is definitely useful for prevention and treatment of diseases.