• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of changing the kilovoltage peak (kVp) on the radiographic assessment of dental caries. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five extracted posterior teeth with proximal caries or apparently sound proximal surfaces were radiographed with conventional E-speed films and a photostimulable phosphor system using 60 kVp and 70 kVp for the caries assessment. The images were evaluated by three oral radiologists and compared with the results of the stereomicroscope analysis. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between 60 kVp and 70 kVp for the caries detection, determination of caries extension into dentin, and caries severity in either the conventional or the digital images. Good to very good inter-observer and intra-observer agreements were found for both kilovoltage values on the conventional and digital images. Conclusion: Changing the kilovoltage between 60 kVp and 70 kVp had no obvious effect on the detection of proximal caries or determination of its extension or severity.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of moxibustion for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Methods: For relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we searched the following databases from their inception to September 1, 2020: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Koreanstudies Information Service System (KISS), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), and National Digital Science Library (NDSL). The key search terms were 'stress urinary incontinence' and 'moxibustion'. Data extraction and assessment of risk of bias were conducted by two authors independently. Results: A total of 11 RCTs were finally included in this systematic review. In all studies, moxibustion treatment was applied as an adjuvant therapy to the conventional treatment, and the most common conventional treatment was pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT). The treatment group (conventional treatment plus moxibustion) showed statistically more significant effect than the control group (conventional treatment only) in various evaluation indicators including urinary incontinence frequency, 1 hour urine pad test, quality of life, the clinical efficacy rate, and pelvic muscle strength. Conclusions: In this study, we investigated the efficacy of moxibustion as an adjuvant therapy for female SUI patients. Further studies are needed to supplement the safety of moxibustion and the evaluation of moxibustion dose.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2016

Background : This case is to report a gallbladder cancer patient treated with Korean Medicine who could not receive conventional cancer therapies such as operation and chemotherapy due to her underlying diseases, old age and poor performance. Method and Results : An eighty-year-old female patient was diagnosed with stage IV gallbladder cancer on Feb. 2014 and she already had hypertension, diabetes and Parkinsonism. Comprehensive Korean Medicine (KM) treatments instead of operation and chemotherapy were administrated due to her poor condition and old age. KM treatments were done focused on improving symptoms and quality of life combined with best supportive care. During KM treatments her abdominal pain was generally managed and she survived for 22 months. Conclusion : Further studies should be performed in the future to clarify the survival benefit and symptom management of comprehensive KM treatments.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.47-66
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• 2016

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to present the clinical practice guidelines for breast cancer through the analysis of existing clinical practice guidelines in Western and Chinese medicine. Methods : The literature search was performed regarding conventional and integrative medical treatment of breast cancer using Google Scholar, KIOM OASIS, PUBMED and Jisan library of Daejeon university. Results : Breast cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Korea. Recent studies revealed that combining conventional and integrative medical treatment can reduce the sequela of surgical operation and improve survival rate. However there isn’t still a systemic clinical guideline for breast cancer in korean medicine. This study will be a preliminary study to establish clinical practice guidelines of Korean Medicine for breast cancer.Conclusions : Further objective and systemic clinical studies related to Korean Medicine are needed to develope more advanced clinical practice guidelines of breast cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the insemination method on the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture performed between January 2011 and December 2014. Results: There were 2,003 cycles of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and 336 cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), including 25,652 and 4,164 embryos that underwent sequential blastocyst culture, respectively. No significant differences were found in the female patients' age, basal follicle-stimulating hormone level, basal luteinizing hormone level, body mass index, number of oocytes, maturity rate, fertilization rate, or good-quality embryo rate. However, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate were significantly higher in the conventional IVF group than in the ICSI group (54.70% vs. 50.94% and 51.09% vs. 47.65%, respectively, p<0.05). The implantation/pregnancy rate (IVF, 50.93%; ICSI, 55.10%), miscarriage rate (IVF, 12.57%; ICSI, 16.29%), and live birth rate (IVF, 42.12%; ICSI, 44.08%) were similar (p>0.05). No cycles were canceled due to the formation of no usable blastocysts. Conclusion: Although the fertilization method had no effect on clinical outcomes, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate in the ICSI group were significantly lower than those observed in the conventional IVF group. Therefore, more care should be taken when choosing to perform blastocyst culture in ICSI patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.820-827
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• 2017

The prevalence of breast cancer is very high in Korea. Although the patients receive standard treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, they frequently experience recurrence or metastasis of their tumors. In addition, many patients with breast cancer also suffer from side effect symptoms induced by these standard treatments. Therefore, increasing numbers of patients now want to undergo treatment with traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in addition to conventional treatment. We present a case of 46-year-old female with recurred breast cancer. She first received two kinds of chemotherapy and then underwent surgery. She then also received 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. At a follow-up examination, she was informed of recurrent lesions on the right anterior chest wall. She started to receive TKM treatments together with a new chemotherapy. After about one month, the size of the recurred tumor in right chest wall had decreased. Her symptoms, such as shoulder pain, chest pain, and nausea induced by conventional therapy, were also improved. We suggest that a combination of TKM and chemotherapy is a promising treatment for breast cancer.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.244-247
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• 2018

Multiple vertebral compression fractures are a rare condition and are a serious consequence of postpartum osteoporosis. This report describes the case of a 35-year-old woman who had given birth to her first child 2 months before the onset of pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed compression fractures of 7 vertebrae. The patient was treated with both conventional, and Korean medicine methods including acupuncture and herbal prescriptions. The patient's progress was assessed using self-reported symptoms, scale scores and laboratory test results. Her pain was gradually alleviated and biochemical inflammation marker levels improved, but her functional status remained severely impaired. Clinical practitioners who treat women in the postpartum period must be aware of osteoporosis and potential vertebral fractures and need to consider Korean medicine as an alternative therapy to help such patients.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

Purpose : To investigate the applicability of the new three-dimensional overlapped reconstruction MR angiography (3-D ORMRA) technique in patients with hemifacial spasm and to compare the new 3-D reconstruction images with conventional MRA source images. Materials and Methods : The study group comprised 27 patients with surgically proven hemifacial spasm. In all patients, conventional MRA source images and 3-D fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (FIESTA) images were obtained prospectively. After 3-D MR angiographic images were obtained, the 3-D MRA and FIESTA images were overlapped at the workstation by using GE A/W 4.2 add/sub software. We analyzed the relationship between the offending vessels and root exit zone of the facial nerve using both 3-D ORMRA images and conventional MRA source images. Results : In 25 of 27 patients, the offending vessel at the REZ of the facial nerve could be correctly identified on conventional MRA source images. In all patients, the presumed offending vessels depicted by the overlapped 3-D reconstruction MRA image corresponded well with the intraoperative findings. The 3-D reconstruction image showed more clear visualization of the spatial relationship between the offending vessels and the root exit zone of the facial nerve. Conclusion : The overlapped 3-D reconstruction MR angiography technique is very useful and informative in patients with hemifacial spasm, as compared with conventional MRA angiography technique.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.199-204
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• 2011

Background: Although many clinicians know about the reducing effects of the pulsed and low-dose modes for fluoroscopic radiation when performing interventional procedures, few studies have quantified the reduction of radiation-absorbed doses (RADs). The aim of this study is to compare how much the RADs from a fluoroscopy are reduced according to the C-arm fluoroscopic modes used. Methods: We measured the RADs in the C-arm fluoroscopic modes including 'conventional mode', 'pulsed mode', 'low-dose mode', and 'pulsed + low-dose mode'. Clinical imaging conditions were simulated using a lead apron instead of a patient. According to each mode, one experimenter radiographed the lead apron, which was on the table, consecutively 5 times on the AP views. We regarded this as one set and a total of 10 sets were done according to each mode. Cumulative exposure time, RADs, peak X-ray energy, and current, which were viewed on the monitor, were recorded. Results: Pulsed, low-dose, and pulsed + low-dose modes showed significantly decreased RADs by 32%, 57%, and 83% compared to the conventional mode. The mean cumulative exposure time was significantly lower in the pulsed and pulsed + low-dose modes than in the conventional mode. All modes had pretty much the same peak X-ray energy. The mean current was significantly lower in the low-dose and pulsed + low-dose modes than in the conventional mode. Conclusions: The use of the pulsed and low-dose modes together significantly reduced the RADs compared to the conventional mode. Therefore, the proper use of the fluoroscopy and its C-arm modes will reduce the radiation exposure of patients and clinicians.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2011

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and convenience of a pen device for the self-administration of follitropin ${\beta}$ with a conventional syringe delivering follitropin ${\beta}$ solution in patients undergoing IVF-ET. Methods: GnRH agonist long protocol was used for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in all subjects. A total of 100 patients were randomized into the pen device group or the conventional syringe group on the first day of COS. Local tolerance reactions were assessed within 5 minutes, at 1 hour and at 3 hours after each injection. On the day of hCG injection, patients were asked to rate their overall pain and convenience experienced with self-injection on a visual anlaogue scale (VAS). Results: There were no differences in patients' characteristics between the two groups. The duration of COS was significantly shorter in the pen device group than in the conventional syringe group. Patients included in the pen device group needed a significantly smaller amount of follitropin ${\beta}$. However, no differences between the two groups were found in IVF results and pregnancy outcome. The incidence of local pain within 5 minutes, at 1 hour and at 3 hours after the injection was significantly lower in the pen device group. VAS scores indicated that injections using the pen device were significantly less painful and more convenient. Conclusion: The pen device for self-administration of follitropin ${\beta}$ is less painful, safer and more convenient for the patients, and can be more effective because of the shorter duration and smaller dose of follitropin ${\beta}$ when compared with the conventional syringe.