• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.84 no.6
• /
• pp.1367-1372
• /
• 2023

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare vasculitis in the central nervous system. Herein, we report a case of diagnosis and treatment of necrotic pattern PACNS, which was difficult to differentiate from a brain abscess. A 19-year-old male presented with blurred vision and a headache. Brain MRI revealed irregular rim-enhancing necrotic masses with central diffusion-high signal intensity in the corpus callosum and peripheral diffusion-high signal intensity in the left parietotemporal periventricular area. Susceptibility-weighted imaging revealed multiple punctate hemorrhages in the lesions. The patient was diagnosed with unusual abscess or tumefactive PACNS. Therefore, we initially treated the patient with antibiotics to rule out brain abscess. However, the brain lesions did not improve on follow-up MRI after the antibiotic treatment. Surgical biopsy was performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was PACNS with a necrotic pattern. The necrotic lesions became smaller on follow-up MRI after high-dose corticosteroid treatment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.154-161
• /
• 2013

This study assessed compared photon and proton treatment techniques, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), uniform scanning proton therapy (USPT), and intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), for a total of 10 prostate cancers. All treatment plans delivered 70 Gy to 95% of the planned target volume in 28 fractions. IMRT plans had 7 fields for the step and shoot technique, while USPT and IMPT plans employed two equally weighted, parallel-opposed lateral fields to deliver the prescribed dose to the planned target. Inverse planning was then incorporated to optimize IMPT. The homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) for the target and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for organ at risk (OAR) were calculated. Although the mean HI and CI for target were not significantly different for each treatment techniques, the NTCP of the rectum was 2.233, 3.326, and 1.707 for IMRT, USPT, and IMPT, respectively. The NTCP of the bladder was 0.008, 0.003, and 0.002 respectively. The NTCP values at the rectum and bladder were significantly lower using IMPT. Our study shows that using proton therapy, particularly IMPT, to treat prostate cancer could be beneficial compared to 7-field IMRT with similar target coverage. Given these results, radiotherapy using protons, particularly optimized IMPT, is a worthwhile treatment option for prostate cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.120-125
• /
• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to present the preliminary results of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for the treatment of tonsillar cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 12 patients who underwent IMRT for tonsillar cancer at Asan Medical Center between November 2002 and February 2007. Seven patients (58%) received definitive treatment, and five (42%) were treated in the postoperative setting. Among the definitively treated patients, 6 patients received cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens. Simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) was used in nine patients. The prescribed dose was 72 Gy at 2.4 Gy/fraction for the definitively treated cases and 61.6 Gy at 2.2 Gy/fraction for the postoperative cases. The median follow-up period was 34 months. Results: All twelve patients completed treatment without interruption, and eleven showed a complete response. One patient had persistent loco-regional disease after treatment. The three-year estimates of loco-regional control, disease-free survival and overall survival were 91.7%, 91.7%, and 100%. The worst acute mucositis was Grade 1 in four patients, Grade 2 in five patients, Grade 3 in two patients and Grade 4 in one patient. Grade 3 xerostomia was observed in six patients. Conclusion: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy was shown to be a safe and effective treatment modality for tonsillar cancer. Further studies with a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up period are needed to evaluate the ultimate tumor control and late toxicity of IMRT for treating tonsillar cancer.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 2002

The forming conditions of X-ray storage phosrhors $BaFBr_{1-x}I_x:Eu^{2+}$, $Na^+$ have been investigated, and measured the PSL emission spectra and its intensity, fading characteristics and does dependence of the prepared phosphors. These characteristics were compared with those of commercial image plate (ST-III) obtained from Fuji Photo Film Co. The optimal preparing conditions of $BaFBr_{1-x}I_x:Eu^{2+}$, $Na^+$ Phosphor were 0.5 mol% of $EuF_3$, 4.0 mol% of NaF and composition ratio x=0.3, and the sintering temperature were $950^{\circ}C$ in $H_2$ atmosphere. When the composition ratio x was equal to 0, the spectral range of the luminescence of $BaFBr_{1-x}I_x:Eu^{2+}$, $Na^+$ phosphor was $365{\sim}420\;nm$, and its maximum luminescence intensity appeared at 390 nm. When composition ratio x was not equal to 0, the wavelength ranges and peak of the spectra were shifted to the longer wavelength with the growth of composition ratio x. A good linearity was shown between the PSL intensity and X-ray irradiation dose. The phosphor sample with x=0.3 exhibited better fading characteristics than that of other $BaFBr_{1-x}I_x:Eu^{2+}$ phosphor samples, and the fading characteristics of the PSL intensity at room temperature were shown poorer with increasing $I^-$ ion concentration. The lattice constant of the phosphor becomes larger with increasing the $I^-$ ion concentration.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.157-163
• /
• 2008

Formation of ${\beta}$-amyloid $(A{\beta})$ fibrils has been identified as one of the major characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibition of $A{\beta}$ fibril formation in the CNS would be attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of AD. Several small compounds that inhibit amyloid formation or amyloid neurotoxicity in vitro have been known. Citrate has surfactant function effect because of its molecular structure having high anionic charge density, in addition to the well-known antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Therefore, we hypothesized that citrate might have the inhibitory effect against $A{\beta}$ fibril formation in vitro and have the protective effect against $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. We examined the effect of citrate against the formation of $A{\beta}$ fibrils by measuring the intensity of fluorescence in thioflavin-T (Th-T) assay of between $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ groups treated with citrate and the control with $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ alone. The neuroprotective effect of citrate against $A{\beta}$-induced toxicity in PC12 cells was investigated using the WST-1 assay. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that citrate inhibited dose-dependently the formation of $A{\beta}$ fibrils from ${\beta}$-amyloid peptides. The inhibition percentages of $A{\beta}$ fibril formation by citrate (1, 2.5, and 5 mM) were 31%, 60%, and 68% at 7 days, respectively in thioflavin-T (Th-T) assay. WST-1 assay revealed that the toxic effect of $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ was reduced, in a dose-dependent manner to citrate. The percentages of neuroprotection by citrate (1, 2.5, and 5 mM) against $A{\beta}-induced$ toxicity were 19%, 31 %, and 34%, respectively. We report that citrate inhibits the formation of $A{\beta}$ fibrils in vitro and has neuroprotective effect against $A{\beta}$-induced toxicity in PC12 cells. Neuroprotective effects of citrate against $A{\beta}$ might be, to some extent, attributable to its inhibition of $A{\beta}$ fibril formation. Although the mechanism of anti-amyloidogenic activity is not clear, the possible mechanism is that citrate might have two effects, salting-in and surfactant effects. These results suggest that citrate could be of potential therapeutic value in Alzheimer's disease.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.51-60
• /
• 1995

Lithium Fluoride (LiF; TLD-100) crystal chips are normally used as thermolu minescence dosimeters (abbreviated as NC-100) for estimating the absorbed dose to the skin of a patient or in a solid water phantom undergoing radiotherapy with megavoltage photon (6 and 15MV) beams. In general, investigation has revealed a reduction in the sensitivity of NC-100 chips after many runs through heating cycles. A TLD-100 chip laminated with gold plate (140${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) on the upper surface layer of its face toward the photon beam (abbreviated as GC-100) has properties different from that of a NC-100 chip activated by incident photons and contaminant electrons with various lower energies coming from the gantry head and air. Activation of the valence band electrons of GC-100 chips by incident photons, positrons and electrons-which come from the gold plate by mainly pair production process and partly from Compton scattering-results in more enhanced signal intensity, higher response per monitor unit, as well as a good linearity with monitor units and independence of dose rate. Since the electron beams (6 and 15 MeV) do not have the probability of pair production process with gold plate, there is only a small difference (about a 3.3％ increase for 15 MeV) in the signal gaps in the TL readout for electron beams between GC- and NC-100 chips. The 3.3％ increase is entirely due to the buildup caused by the 140 m gold plate. The sensitivity of GC-100 chips is much more susceptible to high energy photon beams than electron one because of pair production. The interaction of high energy photon with a material of high atomic number, such as the good plate in this case, results in a considerably significant probability of pair production. The gold plate on the NC-100 chips acts as not only an intensifier of their signals but also acts as a filter of contaminant electrons in therapeutic high energy X-ray beams.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.164-171
• /
• 2008

One of the most important task in commissioning intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) into a clinic is the characterization of dosimetry performance under small monitor unit delivery conditions. In this study, method of evaluating dose monitor linearity, beam flatness and symmetry, and MLC positioning accuracy using a diode array is investigated. Siemens Primus linear accelerator (LA) with 6 and 10 MV x-rays was used to deliver radiation and the characteristics were measured using a multi array diodes. Monitor unit stabilities were measured for both x-ray energies. The dose linearity errors for the 6 MV x-ray were 2.1, 3.4, 6.9, 8.6, and 15.4 % when 20 MU, 10 MU, 5 MU, 4 MU, and 2 MU was delivered, respectively. Greater errors were observed for 10 MV x-rays with a maximum of 22% when 2 MU was delivered. These errors were corrected by adjusting D1_C0 values and reduced to less than 2% in all cases. The beam flatness and symmetry were appropriate without any correction. The picket fence test performed using diode array and film measurement showed similar results. The use of diode array is a convenient method in characterizing beam stability, symmetry and flatness, and positioning accuracy of MLC for IMRT commissioning. In addition, adjustment of D1-C0 value must be performed when a Siemens LA is used for IMRT because factory value usually gives unacceptable beam stability error when the MU/segment is smaller than 20.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.20
• /
• pp.8661-8666
• /
• 2014

Background: Docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with fluorouracil (DCF) regimen is accepted to be one of the standard regimens in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. However, substantial toxicity has limited its use in daily clinical practice. Therefore, modification of DCF regimens, including introduction of capecitabine has been investigated to improve the safety profiles. In the present study, the efficacy and toxicity of a regimen with a modified dose of docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with oral capecitabine (DCX) was evaluated in untreated patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients with HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer were included in this cohort. Patients received docetaxel $60mg/m^2$ plus cisplatin $60mg/m^2$ (day 1) combined with capecitabine $1650mg/m^2$ (days 1-14) every 3 weeks. Treatment response, survival, and toxicity were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median age was 54 years (range: 24-76). The majority of patients (70%) had metastatic disease, while 11 patients (21%) had recurrent disease and underwent curative gastrectomy, and 5 patients (9%) had locally advanced disease (LAD). The median number of DCX cycles was 4. There were 28 partial responses and 11 complete responses, with an overall response rate of 72%. Curative surgery could be performed in four patients among five with LAD. At the median follow-up of 10 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort of patients were 7.4 and 12.1 months, respectively. Dose modification was done in 12 patients due to toxicity in 8 and noncompliance in 4 patients. The most common hematological toxicity was neutropenia, which occurred at grade 3-4 intensity in 10 of 54 patients (27.7%). Febrile neutropenia was diagnosed only in two cases. Conclusions: DCX regimen offers prominent anti-tumor activity and considered to be effective first-line treatment with manageable toxicity for patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.725-731
• /
• 2015

Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis was conducted for eight different kinds of dried seafood products to investigate their gamma-irradiation status. The specimens consisted of 0~10 kGy-irradiated bones, which included five dried fishes (plaice, hairtail, saury, herring, and dried filefish) and three dried mollusks (beca squid, dried squid, and mitra squid) without flesh or marrow. ESR analysis showed that irradiated specimens exhibited typical asymmetric signals as compared to non-irradiated specimens. ESR signal intensities of all dried fishery samples significantly increased depending on irradiation dose, whereas hydroxyapetite radicals clearly appeared in irradiated plaice, saury, and hairtail. In comparing hydroxyapatite (HA) ratio, irradiated hairtail showed a greater hydroxyapatite-radical generation rate than plaice and saury, and the HA ratio significantly increased with elevated irradiation dose. However, all irradiated plaice and hairtail samples, including 5 and 10 kGy-irradiated saury, showed radiation-derived radicals, whereas filefish and mollusks did not. From the results, ESR spectroscopy was found to have potential to be applied for identifying irradiated plaice, hairtail, and saury, which all contained bones.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.159-165
• /
• 2013

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Cinnamomum cassia Blume (CC) extract on the repair of damaged cartilage in a rat model of osteoarthritis (OA) by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) and medial meniscus resection (MMx). Forty-eight rats were assigned to six groups (n = 8 per group): sham as negative control (NC), positive control (PC), diclofenac sodium (DS, 2 mg/kg), CC 25 mg/kg, CC 50 mg/kg and CC 100 mg/kg groups. Treatments were 12 weeks from 7 days after ACLT + MMx. Loss of cartilage and joint instability were significantly reduced in response to treatment with CC or DS compared to the PC (p < 0.05). CC significantly ameliorated cartilage degradation in a dose-dependent manner as assessed by histological findings (p < 0.01). A reduction in the severity of structural changes and a dose-dependent increase in Safranin-O staining intensity were observed in CC treatments, indicating that cartilage degradation was inhibited. Although DS did not affect the increase in active caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-induced apoptosis during the progression of OA, cells reactive to these apoptotic markers were decreased significantly by CC (p < 0.05). However, treatments with CC or DS did not influence the uptake of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. The findings suggest that CC can exert a chondroprotective action on OA through anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties.