No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine differential findings between Type I degenerative endplate changes and diskitis on MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images(T1, T2 weighted or Gradient echo) of L-spine in twelve patients with a Type I degenerative endplate change and nine patients with diskitis were reviewed for the morphologic and signal intensity changes of intervertebral disc, vertebral endplate and vertebral body. RESULTS: involvement of the marrow of one side of intervertebral disk was noted in 33%(4/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 11%(1/9) of diskitis. Decreased signal intensity of intervertebral disc was seen in 92% (11/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 11%(1/9) of diskitis on T2 weighted or Gradient echo image. Loss of intranuclear cleft signal was noted in 17%(2/12) of Type I endplate changes, and 78%(7/9) of diskitis. Even disc space narrowing was seen in all cases of Type I endplate changes, but uneven narrowing was seen in 44%(4/9) of diskitis. Only partial cortical disruption was noted in 42%(5/12) of Type I endplate changes, while partial or total cortical disruption was noted in 89%(8/9) of diskitis. The extent of marrow involvement more than 2/3 was noted in 8%(1/12) of Type I endplate changes, but 56%(5/9) of diskitis. The margin of signal intensity change was well defined in 33%(4/12) of Type I endplate changes, but that of diskitis was ill defined in all cases(9/9). Gadolinium enhancement was homogeneous in all cases(5/5) of Type I endplate changes, and 63%(5/8) of diskiris. CONCLUSION: We conclude that involvement of one side of endplate, decreased signal intensity of intervertebral disc on T2 weighted or gradient echo image, even narrowing of disc space, lesser extent of marrow involvement, well defined margin and homogeneous enhancement pattern are the findings of Type I degenerative endplate changes on MR images.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Discitis* ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Diffuse telangiectatic type of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an uncommon disease entity in which numerous small arteriovenous connections occur throughout the lungs. It has rarely been confirmed by pulmonary angiography. We report a case of diffuse telangiectatic pulmonary AVM occurring in a patient with dyspnea and confirmed by CT using the slab maximum intensity projection (MIP) technique and conventional direct pulmonary angiography.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Lung ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the official death registry in rural area. The base data used for the study was 379 deaths registered during the period of 1993 and 1994 in 4 rural townships of Chonnam Province. The interview survey for cause-of-death was performed on the next of kin and/or neighbor. Additional medical informations were collected from hospitals and medical insurance associations for the purpose of verification. The underlying cause-of-death of 278 cases presumed by the survey was compared to the cause on official death registry. There was a prominent disagreement of cause-of-death between the survey data and the registry data(agreement rate: 38.9~44.6%%, according to disease classification method). These results may be caused by extremely low rates of physicians' certification, which were mostly confined to the poisoning and injury. Symptoms, signs, and ill defined conditions on death registry could be classified into circulatory disease(32.3%), neoplasm(21.2%), digestive disease(7.l%), injury and poisoning(7.l%) and so on. These results suggest that careful attention and verification be required on utilization of death registry data in rural area.
Cause of Death ; Certification ; Classification ; Insurance ; Jeollanam-do ; Poisoning

OBJECTIVES: New organizational work systems, and their impact on the mental health of employees, are considered to beone of the most important topics in the area of industrial health. This study was conducted to compare job characteristics (job demand and decision latitude) levels, and psychosocial distress of workers in acompany introducing to new organizational work systems, to those of workers managed by traditional work systems. METHODS: A study sample of 627 shipbuilding workers (446the new work organizational system and 181the traditional system) were recruited for this study. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, job characteristics (work demand, decision latitude), and psychosocial distress. RESULTS: The decision latitude was not significantly higher in the new work system compared to the traditional system. However, the job demand was significantly higher in the new work system than in the traditional system. The psychosocial distress was higher within the new work system than the traditional system, but no significant relationships were found. The proportion of increased strain was significantly greater with the new system than the traditional system. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increases in the decision latitude did not sufficiently compensate for higher job strain or increased work intensity. If the increase in the decision latitude was temporary, with the typical job demand remaining high, such work can be still be considered to have a job strain. Future research should consider psychosocial distress and fatigue as important problems caused by new work organizational systems, and should be performed to assess their impact through out industry.
Fatigue ; Mental Health ; Occupational Health

To evaluate MR findings of soft tissue masses in extremities and to find the helpful findings of distinguish benignity from malignancy, 28 soft tissue masses (22 benign and 6 malignant) in extremities were reviewed. T1-weighted, proton density, T2-weighted and Gd-DTPA enhanced images were obtained. MR images allowed a specific diagnosis in a large number of benign masses, such as hemangioma(8/9), lipoma(2/2), angiolipoma(1/1), epidermoid cyst(2/2), myositis ossificans(1/1), synovial chondromatosis(1/1) and pigmented villonodular synovitis (1/2). Specific diagnosis was difficult in the rest of the masses including malignancy. However, inhomogenous signal intensities with necrosis and inhomogenous enhancement may suggest malignant masses.
Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Myositis ; Necrosis ; Protons ; Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture leads to weakened quadriceps muscle strength and a decline in proprioception, impairing the neuromuscular control of the lower extremities. ACL reconstruction, aimed at addressing such structural and functional instability, has become a primary treatment method for young and active patients. Consequently, there have been significant advancements in surgical techniques, resulting in improved clinical outcomes. However, achieving successful outcomes after ACL reconstruction is not solely dependent on the surgery itself; pre- and postoperative rehabilitation and management are equally crucial. A well-designed functional recovery program based on medical evidence before and after ACL reconstruction plays a vital role in restoring function to preinjury levels. The process of the functional recovery program, from presurgery to sports return, should adhere to certain principles. These principles involve prompt and accurate clinical diagnosis and patient classification after injury, systematic programs addressing joint swelling and inflammation control, reduction of arthrogenic muscle inhibition, restoration of range of motion, muscle strength recovery, and proprioception restoration. Postoperatively, it is essential to go beyond traditional methods (such as range of motion restoration and muscle strengthening) by implementing a functional recovery program that includes enhancement of proprioception and neuromuscular control system from the early stages, considering the biological healing response of the graft. This comprehensive approach is vital for achieving optimal outcomes in the recovery of function after ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: This study was carrid out to assess the feasibility of cancer registry program (KCR) in Kwangju metropolitan city, Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The incidence cases and mortality data were mainly collected from the Korean national cancer registry system (NCR) and other resources such as medical insurance records, hospital records, pathology reports, radiation records and death certificates of 1996 in Kwangju metropolitan city. RESULTS: This study identified 1,422 cases of cancer in 1996, which was about 1379o more than NCR. Cancer cases reported from the hospitals outside Kwangju metropolitan city reached almost 40% of total cases. Death certificate notification percent (DCN%) in 1996 was estimated about 31.1%. The proposed KCR would cover more than 95% of cancer cases in Kwangju metropolitan city. CONCLUSION: The proposed KCR seems feasible in collecting cancer date with reasonable accuracy.
Death Certificates ; Feasibility Studies* ; Gwangju* ; Hospital Records ; Incidence ; Insurance ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pathology

PURPOSE: To study the impact of inversion of soft-copy chest radiographs on the detection of small solitary pulmonary nodules using a high-resolution monitor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 80 patients who had undergone posterior chest radiography; 40 had a solitary noncalcified pulmonary nodule approximately 1 cm in diameter, and 40 were control subjects. Standard and inverse digital images using the inversion tool on a PACS system were displayed on high-resolution monitors (2048x2560x8 bit). Ten radiologists were requested to rank each image using a five-point scale (1=definitely negative, 3=equivocal or indeterminate, 5=definite nodule), and the data were interpreted using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: The area under the ROC curve for pooled data of standard image sets was significantly larger than that of inverse image sets (0.8893 and 0.8095, respectively; p<0.05). Interpretation of both standard and inversion images did not lead to more accurate detection of small pulmonary nodules (area under the ROC curve: 0.8835 and 0.8893, respectively; p>0.05). CONCLUSION: For detecting small solitary pulmonary nodules, inverse digital images were significantly inferior to standard digital images.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; ROC Curve* ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule* ; Thorax

The sectioned images (SIs) of the pelvis from a female cadaver are the best source of realistic three-dimensional (3D) models of the female urogenital system. The purpose of this research is to present SIs and outlined images of the female pelvis with improved quality, which may be used to produce 3D models to simulate virtual dissection or surgery of the female urogenital and adjacent structures. A pelvis of Korean female cadaver which preserved buttock curve was scanned with 3T MR and CT machines. The pelvis was embedded and milled at 0.1 mm intervals. All sectioned surfaces were photographed to create horizontal SIs. On the Photoshop, 73 structures were outlined in the SIs to create outlined images. Once the structures were outlined, volume and surface models of the structures could be produced. A total of 222 MRIs and 222 CTs of a female pelvis were obtained. 2,220 SIs of the pelvis were obtained (0.1x0.1x0.1mm3-sized voxels; 48 bits color). 222 outlined images of 73 structures were prepared at 1mm intervals. Once the structures were outlined, 3D volume and surface models of the structures were produced without the help of the computer programmers using MRIcro and Maya software. We have produced high quality SIs of the female pelvis accompanied by corresponding MRI and CT images. 3D volume and surface models of the female pelvic structures have been constructed. These computerized models may serve as the basis for future realistic medical simulation programs that may enhance clinical understanding of pelvic anatomy.
Anatomy, Cross-Sectional ; Buttocks ; Cadaver ; Computer Simulation ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pelvis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urogenital System