• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2007

This study is to evaluate the factors that affect to the bone mineral density(BMD) of postpartum women by comparing BMD between postpartum and general women who are ages from 20 to 39, and to identify correlation between various factors weight, height, body mass index(BMI), hemoglobin(Hb) and BMD. Study subjects were postpartum(n=159) and general(n=180) women. We checked the BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine by using dual energy X-ray bone densitometry. The mean age was $30.69{\pm}3.32$ in postpartum care group and $31.22{\pm}5.66$ in general women group. In postpartum care group, the mean BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine were -0.187 and -0.076. In general women group, the mean BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine were -0.029, and -0.169. According to BMI level, each group was divided into two subgroups. One was 23 or more BMI subgroup, and the other was under 23 BMI subgroup. There was a significant difference in BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine between two subgroups in general women group, but only a significant difference in BMD of lumbar spine is noted between two subgroups of postpartum group. According to Hb level, each group was divided into two subgroups. One was 11g/dl or more subgroup, and the other was under 11g/dl subgroup. There was not a statistically significant difference of BMD in all subgroups. BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine showed a significant correlation with weight, height, BMI in both groups. There was a significant correlation between BMD and Hb level in postpartum care group, but a significant correlation was not noted in general women group. The postpartum women showed a significant correlation between BMD and various factors such as weight, height, BMI just like in general women. There was a significant correlation between BMD and Hb in postpartum women, but not in general women.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2007

In recent years, mammography system is changed rapidly from conventional screen-film system to digital system for application to screening and diagnosis. Digital mammography system provides several advantages over screen-film mammography system. According to the information provided by the manufacturer, digital mammography system offers radiation dose reduction in comparison with screen-film mammography system, because of digital detector, particularly direct digital detector has higher x-ray absorption efficiency than screen-film combination or imaging plate(IP). We measured average glandular doses(AGD) in screen-film mammography(SFM) system with slow screen-film combination, computed mammography(CM) system, indirect digital mammography(IDM) system and direct digital mammography(DDM) system using brest tissue-equivalent phantom(glandularity 30%, 50% and 70%). The results were shown as follows : AGD values for DDM system were highest than those for other systems. Although automatic exposure control(AEC) mode was selected, the curve of the AGD values against thickness or glandularity increased significantly for the SFM system with the uniform target/filter(Mo/Mo) combination. Therefore, the AGD values for the high energy examinations were highest in the SFM system, and those for the low energy examinations were highest in the DDM system. But the curve of the AGD values against thickness and glandularity increased gently for CM system with the automatic selection of the target/filter combination (from Mo/Mo to Mo/Rh or from Mo/Rh to Rh/Rh), and the AGD values were lowest. Consequently, the parameters in mammography for each exposure besides detection efficiency play an important role in oder to estimate a patient radiation dose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiation dose for clinical PET/CT protocols in clinical environments using Alderson phantom and TLDs. Radiation doses were evaluated for both Philips GEMINI 16 slice PET/CT system and GE DSTe 16 slice PET/CT system. Specific organ doses with $^{137}Cs$ transmission scan, high quality CT scan and topogram in philips GEMINI PET/CT system were measured. Specific organ doses with CT scan for attenuation map, CT scan for diagnosis and topogram in GE DSTe PET/CT system were also measured. The organs were selected based on ICRP60 recommendation. The TLDs used for measurements were selected for within an accuracy of ${\pm}5%$ and calibrated in 10 MV X-ray radiation field. The effective doses for $^{137}Cs$ transmission scan, high qualify scan, and topogram in Philips GEMINI PET/CT system were $0.14{\pm}0.950,\;29.49{\pm}1.508\;and\;0.72{\pm}0.032mSv$ respectively. The effective doses for CT scan to make attenuation map, CT scan to diagnose and topogram in GE DSTe PET/CT system were $20.06{\pm}1.003,\;24.83{\pm}0.805\;and\;0.27{\pm}0.008mSv$ respectively. We evaluated the total effective dose by adding effective dose for PET Image. The total PET/CT doses for Philips GEMINI PET/CT (Topogram+$^{137}Cs$ transmission scan+PET, Topogram+high qualify CT+PET) and GE DSTe PET/CT (Topogram +CT for attenuation map+ PET, Topogram+diagnostic CT+ PET) are $7.65{\pm}0.951,\;37.00{\pm}1.508,\;27.12{\pm}1.003\;and\;31.89{\pm}0.805mSv$ respectively. Further study may be needed to be peformed to find optimal PET/CT acquisition protocols for reducing the patient exposure with good image qualify.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.339-348
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• 2004

This study was peformed to assess the relationships among bone mineral density (BMD), Physiological characteristics and lifestyle factors in 61 premenopausal working women aged 30∼49 y in Busan. The BMDs of the lumbar spines (Ll∼L4), femoral necks (FN), ward's triangles (WT) and trochanters (TC) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data for physiological characteristics and physical activity was assessed by questionnaire and usual intakes of coffee, green tea, alcohol, Coca cola by food frequency questionnaire. The BMDs of L14, FN, WT and TC were 1.02 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 0.76 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$,0.69 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and 0.66 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$respectively The BMD of FN was assessed as osteopenia by T-score. The BMD of WT was positively correlated with age of monarch (p<0.05) and the BMD of Ll4 was positively correlated with delivery number (p<0.05). The BMD of Ll4 was positively correlated with hours of outdoor activity per weekend and week (p<0.05, p<0.05). The BMDs of FN and WT (p<0.05, p<0.05) were positively correlated with intake of green tea per month and the BMD of FN (p<0.05) was positively correlated with intake of wine per month. But the BMD of Ll (p<0.05) was negatively correlated with intake of Coca cola per month. So nutritional education for increasing hours of outdoor activity and decreasing intake frequency of beverage contributing to diminishment of bone mineral density is needed for premenopausal working women to prevent osteoporosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1051-1062
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• 1997

Background : In asthma, airway obstruction is usually reversible, either spontaneously or with treatment. However, the responses to treatment are variable and some patients show an irreversible component of airflow obstruction. This may be associated with structural changes in the airway. To assess the relationship between the difference in airway reversibility and structural changes, we evaluated the HRCT findings and pulmonary function test. Methods : We studied 40 asthmatic subjects who had had acute exacerbation of symptoms and had showed normal chest X-ray findings. They had monitered PEFR daily, and had performed PFT and HRCT within three days after initiation of treatment. According to serial PEFR, they were grouped into 3 categories (Group 0 ; initial PEFR was within normal limit, Group 1 ; revealed increment of 30% in PEFR within 3 days after initiation of treatment, Group 2 ; revealed within 2 weeks) and then grouped again into 4 (Group 0, Group 3 ; reached to normal value of PEFR within 3 days after initiation of treatment, Group 4 ; within 2 weeks, Group 5 ; not within 2 weeks). Results : (1) Age in Group 0 was significantly lower than other groups(p<0.05), but there was no significance in other groups. (2) Duration of asthma in Group 2 was significantly longer than Group 0, 1(p<0.05). (3) FVC(%) and FEV1(%) were significantly decreased with delayed response to the treatment (p<0.05). (4) $FEV_1$/FVC(%) in Group 1, 2 were significantly lower than Group 0(p<0.05). $FEV_1$/FVC(%) in Group 5 was significantly lower than Group 0,3,4 (p<0.05). (5) Air trapping was increased significantly with delayed response to the treatment (p<0.05). (6) Mucus impaction in Group 0 was significantly larger than Group 1,2 (p<0.05). $FEV_1$/FVC(%) in Group 0,4,5 were significantly larger than Group 3 (p<0.05). Conclusion : Difference in reversibility of airway obstruction was associated with age, duration of asthma and severity of initial airflow obstruction There was no definite difference in HRCT findings in asthma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2008

Background: Residual pleural thickening (RPT) is the most frequent complication of tuberculous pleurisy (TP), and this can happen despite of administering adequate anti-tuberculous (TB) therapy. Yet there was no definite relation between RPT and other variables. The aim of this study was to examine matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and to identify the factors that can predict the occurrence of RPT. Methods: The patients with newly-detected pleural effusions were prospectively enrolled in this study from January 2004 to June 2005. The levels of MMP-1, -2, -8 and -9, and TIMP-1 and -2 were determined in the serum and pleural fluid by ELISA. The residual pleural thickness was measured at the completion of treatment and at the point of the final follow-up with the chest X-ray films. Results: The study included 39 patients with pleural fluid (PF). Twenty-three had tuberculous effusion, 7 had parapneumonic effusion, 7 had malignant effusion and 2 had transudates. For the 17 patients who completed the anti-TB treatment among the 23 patients with TP, 7 (41%) had RPT and 10 (59%) did not. The level of PF TIMP-1 in the patients with RPT ($41,405.9{\pm}9,737.3ng/mL$) was significantly higher than that of those patients without RPT ($29,134.9{\pm}8,801.8$) at the completion of treatment (p=0.032). In 13 patients who were followed-up until a mean of $8{\pm}5$ months after treatment, 2 (15%) had RPT and 11 (85%) did not. The level of PF TIMP-2 in the patients with RPT ($34.4{\pm}6.5ng/mL$) was lower than that of those patients without RPT ($44.4{\pm}15.5$) at the point of the final follow-up (p=0.038). Conclusion: The residual pleural thickening in TP might be related to the TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels in the pleural fluid.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.487-502
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• 2012

This paper is focused on mineral compositions, microstructures and distributional characters of remained grains in the fault rocks collected from a fault developed in Yongdang-ri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, Korea, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscope, laser grain size analysis and fractal dimension analysis methods. The exposed fault core zone is about 1.5 meter thick. On the average, the breccia zone is 1.2 meter and the gouge zone is 20cm thick, respectively. XRD results show that the breccia zone consists predominantly of rock-forming minerals including quartz and feldspar, but the gouge zone consists of abundant clay minerals such as chlorite, illite and kaolinite. Mineral vein, pyrite and altered minerals commonly observed in the fault rock support evidence of fault activity associated with hydrothermal alteration. Fractal dimensions based on box counting, image analysis and laser particle analysis suggest that mineral grains in the fault rock underwent fracturing process as well as abrasion that gave rise to diminution of grains during the fault activity. Fractal dimensions(D-values) calculated by three methods gradually increase from the breccia zone to the gouge zone which has commonly high D-values. There are no noticeable changes in D-values in the gouge zone with trend being constant. It means that the bulk-crushing process of mineral grains in the breccia zone was predominant, whereas abrasion of mineral grains in the gouge zone took place by continuous fault activity. It means that the bulk-crushing process of mineral grains in the breccia zone was predominant, whereas abrasion of mineral grains in the gouge zone took place by continuous fault activity. Mineral compositions in the fault zone and peculiar trends in grain distribution indicate that multiple fault activity had a considerable influence on the evolution of fault zones, together with hydrothermal alteration. Meanwhile, fractal dimension values(D) in the fault rock should be used with caution because there is possibility that different values are unexpectedly obtained depending on the measurement methods available even in the same sample.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.401-407
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• 2018

For the treatment of heavy metals in the mine drainage from the closed mine area, various methods such as passive, active and semi-active treatments are considered. Among contaminated elements in the mine drainage, Mn is one of the difficult elements for the treatment because it needs high pH over 9.0 for its concentration to be reduced. In this study, the efficiency of various slag complex reactors (slag (S), slag+limestone (SL) and slag+Mn coated gravel (SG)) on Mn removal in the presence of Fe, which is a competitive element with Mn, was evaluated to investigate effective methods for the treatment of Mn in mine drainage. As a result of experiments on Mn removal without Fe during 358 days, using influent with $30{\sim}50Mn{\cdot}mg/L$ and pH 6.7 on the average, S reactor showed continuously high Mn removal efficiency with the average of 99.9% with pH 8.9~11.4. Using the same reactors, Mn removal experiments with Fe during 237 days were conducted with the influent with $40{\sim}60Mn{\cdot}mg/L$. The pH range of effluent reached to 6.1~10.0, which is slightly lower than that of effluent without Fe. S reactor showed the highest range of pH with 7.1~9.9, followed by S+L and S+G reactor. However, the efficiency of Mn removal showed S+L>S>S+G with the range of 94~100%, 68~100% and 68~100%, respectively in spite of relatively low pH range. S+L reactor showed the most resistance on Fe input, which means other mechanisms such as $MnCO_3$ formation by the carbonate prouced from the limestone or autocatalysis reaction of Mn contributed to Mn removal rather than pH related mechanisms. The evidence of reactions between carbonates and Mn, rhodochrosite ($MnCO_3$), was found from the X-ray diffraction analysis of precipitates sample from S+L reactor. From this study, the most effective reactors on Mn removal in the presence of Fe was S+L reactor. The results are expected to be applied for the Mn containing mine water treatment in the presence of Fe within the relatively low range of pH.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2007

1. Purpose : This study is to present effective exposure conditions to acquire the best image of simple abdomen in Film Screen (F.S) system and Computed Radiography (C.R) system. 2. Method : In the F.S system, while an exposure condition was fixed as 70kVp, images of a patients simple abdomen were taken under the different mAs exposure conditions. Among these images, the best one was chosen by radiologists and radiological technologists. In the C.R system, the best image of the same patient was acquired with the same method from the F.S system. Both characteristic curves from F.S system and C.R system were analyzed. 3. Results : In the F.S system, the best exposure condition of simple abdomen was 70kVp and 20mAs. In the CR system, with the fixed condition at 70kVp, the image densities of human organs, such as liver, kidney, spleen, psoas muscle, lumbar spine body and iliac crest, were almost same despite different environments (3.2mAs, 8mAs, 12mAs, 16mAs and 20mAs). However, when the exposure conditions were over or under (below) 12mAs, the images between the abdominal wall and the directly exposed part became blurred because the gap of density was decreased. In the C.R system, while the volume of mAs was decreased, an artifact of quantum mottle was increased. 4. Conclusion : This study shows that the exposure condition in the C.R system can be reduced 40% than in the F.S system. This paper concluded that when the exposure conditions are set in CR environment, after the analysis of equipment character, such as image processing system(EDR : Exposure Data Recognition processing), PACS and so on, the high quality of image with maximum information can be acquired with a minimum exposure dose.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2014

Purpose: There has been little research regarding the effectiveness of oseltamivir for influenza B infections. We sought to identify the different clinical manifestations between patients treated with and without oseltamivir. Methods: We retrospectively studied the medical records of 72 inpatients or outpatients from two medical centers diagnosed with influenza B infections by either a rapid antigen test or multiplex reverse transcriptase PCR between January 2012 and July 2012. We compared gender, age, past medical history, admission period, total fever duration, fever duration after hospitalization, post-oseltamivir medication peak temperature, laboratory test, chest X-ray, antibiotic medication, and the presence of concomitant viral or bacterial infections. Results: The number of subjects in our study was 72 who were diagnosed with influenza B pneumonia, acute bronchitis, acute bronchiolitis, croup, and mean age was $3.6{\pm}2.8$ year old. The demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations of oseltamivir and the non-oseltamivir groups, including hospitalization period ($4.18{\pm}2.10$ vs $4.79{\pm}1.49$ days, P=.17) and total fever duration ($5.32{\pm}2.07$ vs $6.41{\pm}3.25$ days, P =.09), demonstrated no significant differences. Notably, the oseltamivir group did have significantly reduced usage of antibiotic treatment than the non-oseltamivir group (P=.04). When we limited our patient group to patients under the age of three, similar results were seen. The group prescribed oseltamivir within 48 hours of fever onset had less antibiotic usage, in addition to a shorter fever duration. Conclusion: Oseltamivir appeared to have no benefit in improving the clinical course. However, if it is prescribed within the first 48 hours of symptoms, it may be more effective.