• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.201-212
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• 2006

Purpose : Vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) is the major risk factor of urinary tract infection(UTI) in children and may result in serious complications such as renal scarring and chronic renal failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between VUR and renal scar formation, the usefulness and correlation of various imaging studies in reflux nephropathy, and the spontaneous resolution of VUR. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 106 patients with VUR with no accompanying urogenital anomalies in the Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Hospital during the period from Jan. 1996 to Mar. 2005. Ultrasonography and $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan were performed in the acute period of UTI. Voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) was performed 1 to 3 weeks after treatment with UTI. Follow-up DMSA scan was performed 4 to 6 months after treatment and a follow-up VCUG was performed every 12 months. Results : The mean age at detection of VUR was $13.8{\pm}22.2$ months and the male to female ratio was 2:1. The incidence of renal scarring showed a tendency of direct correlation between severity of VUR(P<0.001) and abnormal findings of renal ultrasonography(P<0.01). 63.2%(24 of 38 renal units) of renal parenchymal defects present in the first DMSA scan disappeared on follow-up DMSA scans. Follow-up DMSA scans detected renal scars in 7(14%) of 50 renal units with ultrasonographically normal kidneys. Meanwhile, ultrasonography did not show parenchymal defects in 7(36.8%) of 19 renal units where renal scarring was demonstrated on a follow-up DMSA scan. The spontaneous resolution rate of VUR was higher(75%) in cases with low grade(I to III) VUR(P<0.01). Conclusions : The presence and severity of VUR and abnormal findings of renal ultrasonography significantly correlated with renal scar formation. DMSA scan was useful in the diagnosis of renal defects. Meanwhile renal ultrasonography was an inadequate method for evaluating renal parenchymal damage. Therefore, follow-up DMSA scans should be performed to detect renal scars even in children with low-grade VUR and normal renal ultrasonography.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 2012

Taking history and ultrasonography is important to detect foreign body which might be located in the soft tissue. We encountered a case of soft tissue foreign body (transobturator tape) in a patient who had been treated with the impression of adductor myositis resulting from vagina fistula. The foreign body was found through ultrasonographic examination and the patient's symptom was relieved after removal of the foreign body from the ultrasonography-guided operation. Clinicians should keep in mind the fact that foreign bodies may exist when the inflammation persists without appreciable cause and ultrasonography can be useful tool in case of small fibrous band not detected with magnetic resonance imaging due to inflammatory change of the surrounding tissues.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2017

This paper proposes image processing techniques that improve usability and performance in a diagnostic system of the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. For a methodology for visualizing diagnostic parameter data in an ultrasonic medical image, an expression of transition time data with successive pixel values and a method of generating a lesion diagnostic parameter image with four categorized values are presented. We also introduce a MRF-based image enhancement technique to eliminate noises from generated parametric images. Such parametric image generation technique can overcome the difficulty of discriminating dynamic change in patterns in the ultrasonography. The technique clarifies the contour of the region in the original image and facilitates visual determination of the characteristics of the lesion through four colors. With regard to this MRF-based image enhancement, we define the energy function of consecutive pixel values and develop a technique to optimize it, and the usability of the proposed theory is examined through experiments with medical images.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2018

Purpose: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the common infectious diseases in children. Several imaging modalities can be used to confirm the presence of acute pyelonephritis (APN). Among them the 99mTcdimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan (DMSA scan) is used as a gold standard for diagnosis. Ultrasonography technology is evolving. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the sensitivity and specificity of Power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) compared to the results from the previous study. Methods: There were 260 patients included in this study, aged between 1 and 12 months old. The patients were admitted to the Yeungnam University Medical Center between January 2008 and December 2015. All patients underwent both DMSA scan and PDU within 5days of admission. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) was performed in 195 patients with abnormal DMSA scan or PDU. Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of APN using PDU was 45.5% and specificity was 85.5% in 260 patients following detection of a defect on DMSA scan that was defined as APN. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of PDU for VUR were 65.5 % and 60.1%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of DMSA scan for VUR were 95.7% and 14.1%, respectively. Conclusion: PDU has a high specificity but low sensitivity, so there are limitations in using it to replace a DMSA scan for the diagnosis of APN in children. DMSA scan and PDU have different sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of VUR, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that the sensitivity and specificity of each test can be helpful in diagnosing APN and VUR when used in conjunction.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2005

Purpose : To determine if ultrasonography is a reliable technique to assess masseter muscle sites within intra- and interobserver and the scanning level and/or the muscle condition affect local cross-sectional dismension (LCSD) measurements of masseter muscle. Materials and Methods : 10 subjects without sign and symptom of temporomandibular disorders and missing posterior teeth were examined by ultrasonography. Bilateral ultrasonographic examinations were performed with a linear (B-scan) 7.5 MHz small-part transducer to register LCSDS of the masseter muscle on three different levels. Scans were made on relaxed and clenching condition. Three oral and maxillofacial radiologists measured at two sessions with a time interval of at least 5 minutes. Results : Variables such as 'condition' and 'level' had a significant effect on muscle measurements (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between 'sessions'(p>0.05) and 'observers' (p>0.05). LCSDS on lower scan level were significantly thinner than those on upper and middle level. Those on clenching condition were significantly thicker than those on relaxed condition (p<0.05). The scanning level with the highest reproducibility was middle with clenching condition (ICC=0.90, $MSE=0.55\%$). Conclusion : The data suggested that ultrasonography was a reliable method for measuring LSCD of masseter muscle in intra- and Interobserver and middle scan level showed the most reliable data.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2015

We present a 53-year-old woman with a large chest wall mass in the interpectoral space, which was eventually confirmed as a lipogranuloma resulting from hydrogel implant rupture. Ultrasonography (US) showed reduced implant volume with surrounding peri-implant fluid collection, suggesting the possibility of implant rupture. A heterogeneously hypoechoic mass was found between the pectoralis major and minor muscles adjacent to the ruptured implant. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there was a large mass in the left interpectoral space of the upper inner chest wall. The mass showed slightly high signal intensity (SI) on pre-contrast T1-weighted image (WI) with mixed iso and high SI on T2-WI. The signal of the mass was suppressed using the water suppression technique but not with the fat suppression technique on T2-WI. The mass showed diffuse enhancement upon contrast enhancement. The enhancing kinetics showed persistent enhancement pattern. US-guided core needle biopsy revealed a lipogranuloma and removal confirmed a ruptured PIP hydrogel implant.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.150-153
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• 2009

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is an uncommon chronic renal infection, which is usually found on middle-aged women and is rare in infant. Sometimes it forms focal mass like lesion of kidney with pathologically characteristic lipid-laden macrophage. A 1-month female infant was admitted for fever and moaning sound. On work-up of urinary tract infection, abdomen ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a large mass on the upper portion of right kidney and PET/CT showed homogeneously increased $^{18}F$-FDG uptake. The radical nephrectomy of right kidney was performed and histology revealed a focal xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. To our knowledge, this is the first report presenting the finding of $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT in the childhood xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

Although ultrasonography is the most commonly used first-line imaging modality of the female pelvis because of diagnostic accuracy, low cost and safety, MRI is the best imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of the female pelvis. The indication of female pelvis MRI is diverse and includes the evaluation of M$\ddot{u}$llerian duct anomaly, differential diagnosis and characterization of uterine and ovarian tumors, and staging of malignant uterine and ovarian tumors. Understanding of MR protocols according to the specific gynecologic pathology allows accurate diagnosis and proper patient management.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.389-391
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• 2016

A 10-month-old, intact female Shih-tzu dog with a pelvic limb ataxic gait, and urinary and fecal incontinence since birth, was examined by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The butterfly hemivertebra of the fourth lumbar vertebra, agenesis of the third sacral and coccygeal vertebrae, and spina bifida of the remaining sacral vertebra were observed on the computed tomography images. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed traction of the conus medullaris. The dog was diagnosed with sacrocaudal dysgenesis with presumptive tethered cord syndrome, and concurrent infectious cystitis was found by ultrasonography and urinary analysis. The Shih-tzu recovered from the cystitis, but still has the ataxic gait and urinary and fecal incontinence. This report summarizes the case of a dog with sacrocaudal dysgenesis that was identified by imaging diagnosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.6
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• pp.1606-1612
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• 2021

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a syndrome characterized by digital clubbing, periosteal bone formation, and synovial effusions. Secondary HOA is associated with intrathoracic malignancy in most cases; however, in rare cases, HOA can be caused by extrathoracic conditions. We report early ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and bone scintigraphy findings of HOA in a patient with breast cancer. Its ambiguous clinical and imaging findings that mimicked malignant conditions are particularly interesting and informative.