• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2011

To examine the possible changes in the SNRs, CNRs, and ADC values for lumbar spines with metastasis based on the DW images before and after contrast agent injection taken from metastatic spinal cancer patients using a 1.5 T MR machine. The quantitative analysis revealed that in case of spinal cancer subjects, both SNRs and CNRs at all of those assessed locations significantly increased on the DWI after contrast agent injection compared to before, while on the ADC map images, SNRs significantly decreased. On the other hand, significantly decreased ADC values at all the assessed locations were found on the ADC map images. With reference to the normal group, significantly increased SNRs were found at all of the assessed locations on the DWI image after injection compared to before, while significantly decreased SNRs were found on the ADC map images. Also, significantly decreased ADC values at all the assessed locations were found on the ADC map images. For the qualitative analysis, after contrast agent injection, significantly increased signal intensities were found at the locations with spinal cancer on the DWI. In contrast, significantly decreased signal intensities were found on the ADC map images. The implication from the results showing that SNR and CNR significantly increased while ADC value significantly decreased at, above, and below the location of metastatic spinal cancer on DWI after contrast agent injection is that DWI obtained after contrast agent injection can be made available for wider application to vertebral disorders.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.90-98
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• 2003

Purpose : A new virtual simulation technique for craniospinal irradiation (CSI) that uses a CT-simulator was developed to improve the accuracy of field and shielding placement as well as patient positioning. Materials and Methods : A CT simulator (CT-SIM) and a 3-D conformal radiation treatment planning system (3D-CRT) were used to develop CSI. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask while the rest of the body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetric image was then obtained with the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and body. Virtual fluoroscopy was performed with the removal of visual obstacles, such as the treatment table or immobilization devices. After virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and on the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment fields was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR) and digitally composited radiography (DCR) images from virtual simulation. Port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for geometric verification. Results : We successfully performed virtual simulations on 11 CSI patients by CT-SIM. It took less than 20 minutes to affix the immobilization devices and to obtain the volumetric images of the entire body. In the absence of the patient, virtual simulation of all fields took 20 min. The DRRs were in agreement with simulation films to within 5 mm. This not only reducee inconveniences to the patients, but also eliminated position-shift variables attendant during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyes and the spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. Differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 m in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : Our analysis showed that CT simulation of craniospinal fields was accurate. In addition, CT simulation reduced the duration of the patient's immobility. During the planning process. This technique can improve accuracy in field placement and shielding by using three-dimensional CT-aided localization of critical and target structures. Overall, it has improved staff efficiency and resource utilization by standard protocol for craniospinal irradiation.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to utilize Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) to analyze intracerebral regional distributions (hot spot) of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases which were characterized by stenosis and occlusion cerebral vasculature, except for cerebrovascular diseases induced by rupture of cerebral vasculature in terms of Korean people's cerebrovascular diseases, so that it could apply the findings of analysis to clinical practices. This study focused only on analyzing intracerebral regional distributions of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases that are characterized by stenosis and occlusion cerebral vasculature, because there are different etiologic mechanisms of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases like hemorrhagic cerebrovascular diseases (caused by rupture of cerebral vasculature) and cerebral infarction (induced by atheromatous arteriosclerosis). As a result, this study could come to the following findings of analysis: 1. According to sex ratio analysis, it was found that male group comprised larger portion of total 626 subjects in this study than female one (55.0% > 45.0%). 2. According to analysis on actual intracerebral regional distributions of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, it was found that most subjects (37.5 %) were attacked by such diseases on the right side of cerebral vasculature, which was followed by left side of cerebral vasculature (35.1%) and bilateral cerebral vasculature (27.3%) respectively. 3. According to analysis on actual intracerebral regional distributions of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, it was found that internal carotid artery (ICA) comprised the largest portion (38.9%) of those distributions, which was followed by middle cerebral artery (MCA, 35.7%), posterior cerebral artery (PCA, 13.4%), anterior cerebral artery (ACA, 6.0%) and vertebral artery (VA, 3.3%) respectively. 4. It was found that there was no subject attacked by any disease on A-com region, and there was only one male subject attacked by cerebrovascular diseases on P-com region. 5. It was found that female group was more susceptible to the attack of cerebrovascular diseases on MCA region than male one (54.6% > 42.2%), which means significant differences depending upon sex on statistical basis ($x^2$ = 9.64, p < .01). 6. It was found that male group was more susceptible to the attack of cerebrovascular diseases on ICA region (56.4% > 46.8%), which means significant differences depending upon sex on statistical basis ($x^2$ = 5.71, p < .05). 7. Moreover, it was also found that male group was more susceptible to the attack of cerebrovascular diseases on BA region (2.3% > 0.4%), which means significant differences depending upon sex on statistical basis ($x^2$ = 4.25, p < .05). 8. However, it was found that there was not any significant difference in intracerebral vasculature-specific distributions of cerebrovascular diseases depending on age of subjects, and stenosis comprised larger portion of cerebrovascular diseases than occlusion.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.211-215
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• 2001

Purpose : This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose radiation in reduction of thoracic vertebral metastases in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods : 109 patients who were treated for bone metastasis from breast cancer from June, 1988 to June, 1998 in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University were included. Of the 109 patients, 40 patients had been previously treated by postoperative radiotherapy and 69 had not. Postoperative radiotherapy had been given using Co-60 teletherapy device in 30 patients or 6 MV linear accelerator in 10. Thoracic spines from 1 to 10 were usually irradiated except in 1 patient and cervical vertebrae 6 and/or 7 were partially included in ,: patients. A total of 50.4 Gy was given with 1.8 Gy fraction. Metastatic bone diseases were scored in 11 regions, i. e., skull, conical spine, thoracic spine from 1 to 4, from 5 to 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12, lumbar spine, pelvis, femur, ribs and others. Results : In no postoperative parasternal irradiation group, lumbar vertebrae were the most common metastatic sites $(55.1\%)$ followed by pelvis $(44.9\%)$, ribs $(40.6\%)$, thoracic vertebrae 11 and 12 $(37.7\%)$, thoracic vertebrae between 5 and 8 $(36.2\%)$, thoracic vertebrae 9 and 10 $(34.8\%)$, and thoracic vertebrae between 1 and 4 $(26.1\%)$. In postoperative parasternal irradiation group, lumbar vertebrae and pelvis were also the most common sites of metastases ($55.0\%$, respectively) followed by ribs $(37.5\%)$, and thoracic vertebrae 11 and 12 $(32.5\%)$. But significant less metastases were seen at thoracic vertebrae from 1 to 10. Conclusion : We can find that the were significantly less bony metastases at thoracic vertebrae which had been previously irradiated postoperatively.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of 6 Dimensional Skull Tracking(6DST) in Cyberknife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy(SBRT) for the first and second cervical vertebrae(C1 and C2) metastasis. Methode and material : The Computed Tomography (Lightspeed VCT 64, General Electric Co. Waukesha, WI, USA) was used to acquire the CT images of the 9 patients with cervical vertebrae(C1 and C2) metastasis. Treatment plans for Xsight spine tracking and 6 Dimensional skull tracking were established with planning system (Multiplan system Version 4.6, Accuray, US). The results of XST and 6DST for each patient were analyzed with Microsoft Excel 2010. Result : The Maximum offsets of XST for C1 were 0.9 mm in Y(supero-inferior), 0.9 mm in Z(antero-posterior), 0.7 mm in X(left-right) direction, and rotations were and 1.0 degrees roll, 1.0 degrees pitch and 1.2 degrees yaw. The Maximum offsets of 6DST for C1 were 0.7 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.9 mm and $1.0^{\circ}$, $1.0^{\circ}$, $1.2^{\circ}$ for Y, Z, X and Roll, Pitch, Yaw. The Maximum offsets of XST and 6DST for C2 were 0.7 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm and $0.9^{\circ}$, $1.0^{\circ}$, $1.8^{\circ}$, and 0.9 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.9 mm and $0.9^{\circ}$, $0.9^{\circ}$, $1.0^{\circ}$ for Y, Z, X and Roll, Pitch, Yaw, respectively. Conclusion : XST and 6DST showed identical results for translations and rotations within the tolerance. It is possible to simplify the treatment time and procedure by using the 6DST. Therefore, 6DST is very useful methode with XST among the various tracking methods in Cyberknife for the patients with C1, C2 vertebral metastasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.201-210
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• 2021

This study was conducted not only to find out the effect of straight body exercise on neck pain, necks disability and neck length change of turtle neck syndrome patients but also to provide fundamental data for this field in the future. Number of 60 persons were selected by pre-test and divided to 21 persons in straight body exercise group, 19 persons in exercise group and 20 persons in control group(non-exercise group). 5 kinds of straight body exercise were applied in straight body exercise group, 8 kinds of strengthening cervical vertebral exercise were applied in exercise group and no exercise was applied in control group. Neck pain, necks disability index and neck length were measured before and after exercise and 10 weeks later as well. The data were analyzed by SPSS(v18.0). In straight body exercise group and exercise group, neck length, neck pain and necks disability index were significantly decreased after eight weeks of exercise and there was no significant difference in control group. Neck length which was checked every week in straight body exercise group and exercise group was significantly decreased and there were significant differences after 3 weeks.. After 2 weeks of 8 weeks exercise, neck length, neck pain and necks disability were checked again in post test and those results were maintained just like 8 weeks exercise status. As above results, it was more efficient in the straight body exercise group than exercise group and control group to decrease neck pain, necks disability and neck length of turtle neck syndrome patients. Furthermore, after 2 weeks of 8 weeks exercise, the results were maintained just like 8 weeks exercise status. Therefore, the author consider that straight body exercise will be effective exercise for turtle neck syndrome patients, and this study would provide fundamental data for this field in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.491-497
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• 2021

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis or osteopenia via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry bone mineral density (DEXA BMD) in adult males who showed radiolucent lumbar vertebra on the plain radiographs. Materials and Methods: The DEXA BMD values of 98 adult males, who showed radiolucent vertebrae on plain X-rays, were compared with those of the control group (n=168) and osteoporosis-related fracture group (n=113) by statistical analysis. The World Health Organization (WHO) method (lower value between the mean lumbar and femur neck) and the Hansen's method (lowest lumbar vertebra) were used to determine osteoporosis. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the BMD value of each group was -1.4 (±1.2) in the suspicious group, -0.8 (±1.1) in the control group, and -2.4 (±1.0) in the fracture group, respectively; the difference was statistically significant. Using the WHO method, the prevalence ratio of osteoporosis was 17.3% in the suspicious group, 8.3% in the control group, and 45.1% in the fracture group, respectively. Osteopenia was observed in 40.8% of the suspicious group. Hansen's method (lowest lumbar vertebra) revealed the prevalence of osteoporosis in 30.6% of the suspicious group, 17.9% of the control group, and 62.0% of the fracture group. Conclusion: Approximately 17.3% of the suspicious group was diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 40.8% were osteopenic by a confirmative BMD study (WHO criteria) among the adult males showing apparent radiolucency on plain X-rays. The control group also showed an 8% prevalence of osteoporosis. These results suggest that males also are vulnerable to osteoporosis. Therefore, a BMD study should also be used for males, especially for the people showing lumbar vertebrae with radiolucent features.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2006

Objectives : Transcranial Doppler (TCD) has been reported to be established as useful in detecting spasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage and to be probably useful in diagnosing stenosis or occlusion in intracranial arteries. In the detection of intracranial stenosis using TCD there have been reported some kinds of diagnostic criteria. This study was aimed to evaluate the accordance between TCD and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in detection of intracranial stenosis and to find out more accurate criteria for intracranial stenosis using TCD. Methods : Seventy-six stroke patients were evaluated by TCD and MRA. TCD criteria for middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis were used by 3 methods; ≥ 80cm/sec of mean velocity(Vm), ≥ 140 cm/sec of systolic velocity(Vs), and both. For stenosis of vertebral(VA) and basilar arteries(BA), the TCD criteria followed by 2 methods; ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm and ≥ 100 cm/sec of Vs. The stenosis of intracranial artery in MRA followed by the interpretation of specialist in the department of radiology. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic accuracy and kappa agreement were calculated in each criteria of TCD compared with the result of MRA. Results : The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, diagnostic accuracy and kappa agreement using ≥ 80cm/sec of Vm for MCA stenosis were 55.6%, 81%, 34.5%, 91.0%, 77.1%, and 0.293, respectively. Using 140 cm/sec of Vs, those were 44.4%, 92.0%, 50.5%, 90.2%, 84.7%, 0.380, and using both criteria those were 44.4%, 95.0%, 61.5%, 90.5%, 87.3%, 0.445, respectively. Those using ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm for VA and BA stenosis were 71.4%, 93.7%, 26.3%, 99.0%, 93.0%, 0.186 and using ≥ 100 cm/sec of Vs those were 71.4%, 97.3%, 45.5%, 99.1%, 96.5%, 0.539, respectively. Conclusion : These results suggested that for the diagnosis of MCA stenosis using TCD we should use the criteria of both ≥ 80cm/sec of Vm and 140 cm/sec of Vs, and for the VA and BA stenosis we adapt the criteria of ≥ 70 cm/sec of Vm.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.273-284
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• 1996

Embryos and fetuses are more sensitive to various environmental agents than are adults or children. The biological effects such as intrauterine death and malformation are closely connected with prenatal exposure very various agents. The sensitivity of these embryonic/fetal effects depends on the stage of pregnancy. From the viewpoint of fetal development, embryonic and fetal stages can be divided into three stages : Preimplantation, organogenetic and fetal. Each stage corresponds to 0 to 4.5days, 4.5 to 13.5days, and 13.5days of gestation in mice, respectively. Many studies on the biologcal effects of mice irradiated by ${\gamma}-rays$ at various stages during organogenesis and fetal period have been performed. Based on these results, the dose-effect and dose-response relationships in malformations, intrauterine death, or retardation of the physical growth have been practically modeled by the ICRP(International Commission on Radiological Protection) and other international bodies for radiation protection. Many experimental studies on mice have made it clear that mice embryos in the preimplantation period have a higher sensitivity to radiation for lethal effects than the embryos/fetuses on other prenatal periods. However, no eratogenic effects of radiation at preimplantation stages of mice have been described in many textbooks. It has been believed that 'all or none action results' for radiation of mice during the preimplantation period were applied. The teratogenic and lethal effects during the preimplantation stage are one of the most important problems from the viewpoint of radiological protection, since the preimplantation stage is the period when the pregnancy itself is not noticed by a pregnant woman. There are many physical or chemical agents which affect embryos/fetuses in the environment. It is assumed that each agents indirectly effects a human. Then, a safety criterion on each agent is determined independently. The pregnant ICR mice on 2, 48, 72 or 96 hours post-conception (hpc), at which are preimplantation stage of embryos, were irradiated whole body Cesium-gamma radiation at doses of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 Gy with dose rate of 0.2 Gy/min. In the embryos from the fetuses from the mice irradiated at various period in preimplantation, embryonic/fetal mortalities, incidence of external gross malformation, fetal body weight and sex ratio were observed at day 18 of gestation. The sensitivity of embryonic mortalities in the mice irradiated at the stage of preimplantation were higher than those in the mice irradiated at the stage of organogenesis. And the more sensitive periods of preimplantation stage for embryonic death were 2 and 48 hpc, at which embryos were one cell and 4 to 7 cell stage, respectively. Many types of the external gross malformations such as exencephaly, cleft palate and anophthalmia were observed in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at 2, 72 and 96 hpc. However, no malformations were observed in the mice irradiated at 48 hpc, at which stage the embryos were about 6 cell stage precompacted embryos. So far, it is believed that the embryos on preimplantation stage are not susceptible to teratogens such as radiation and chemical agents. In this study, the sensitivity for external malformations in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at preimplantation were higher than those in the fetuses on stage of organogenesis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.39-61
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• 2008

Objectives : The present study was performed to investigate whether acupuncture stimulation in the rats affected regeneration properties of the injured sciatic nerve. A differential effect of acupuncture stimulation on the one point near the spinal nerve root controlling sciatic nerve activity and the other point in the peripheral area subordinated by injured nerve was compared. Materials and Methods: Rat sciatic nerves were injured by crush, and the effects on axonal regeneration on injured sciatic nerves were evaluated by acupuncture stimulation at two different regions. In proximal acupuncture stimulation group, acupuncture stimulation was performed on Huatuo Jiaji(EX B2) points located from L5 to S1 vertebral levels to stimulate the nearest spinal nerve root that innervates sciatic nerves. In distal acupuncture stimulation group, acupuncture stimulation was performed on Zusanli(ST 36) and Weizhong(BL 40) points to stimulate at peripheral area dominated by injured sciatic nerves. Acupuncture stimulation was given every other days for 1 or 2 weeks. Sciatic nerve tissues collected from acupuncture stimulation experimental groups, injury control group, and intact animal group were used for protein analysis by Western blotting or Hoechst nuclear staining. To determine axonal regeneration, Dil fluorescence dye was injected into the sciatic nerve 0.5 cm distal to the injury site in individual animal groups and Dil-labeled cells by retrograde tracing were measured in the DRG at lumbar 5 or in the spinal cord. DRG sensory neurons prepared from individual animal groups were used to measure the extent of neurite outgrowth and for immunofluorescence staining with anti-GAP-43 antibody. Results : Animal groups given proximal or distal acupuncture stimulation showed upregulation of GAP-43 and Cdc2 protein levels in the sciatic nerve at 7 days after injury. Cdk2 protein levels were strongly induced by nerve injury, but did not show changes by acupuncture stimulation. Phospho-Erk1/2 protein levels were elevated by acupuncture stimulation above those present in the injury control animals. These increase in regeneration-associated protein levels appeared to be related with increase cell proliferation in the injured sciatic nerves. Hoechst 33258 staining of sciatic nerve tissue to visualize nuclei of individual cells showed increased Schwann cell number in the distal portion of the injured nerve 7 and 14 days after injury and further increases by acupuncture stimulation particularly at the proximal position. Measurement of axonal regeneration by retrograde tracing showed significantly increased Dil-labeled cells in proximal acupuncture stimulation group compared to distal acupuncture stimulation group and injury control group. Finally, an evaluation of axonal regeneration by retrograde tracing showed increased number of Dil labeled cells in the DRG at lumbar 5 or in the ventral horn of the spinal cord at lower thoracic level at 7 days after nerve injury. Conclusions : The present data show that the proximal acupuncture stimulation at Huatuo Jiaji(EX B2) points governing injured sciatic nerves was more effective for axonal regeneration than the distal acupuncture stimulation. Further studies on functional recovery or associated molecular mechanisms should be critical for developing animal models and clinical applications.