PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) is being rapidly spread and installed in many hospitals, but most of the system do not include nuclear medicine field. Although additional costs of hardware for nuclear medicine PACS is low, the complexity in developing viewing software and little market have made the nuclear medicine PACS not popular. Most PACS utilize DICOM 3.0 as standard format, but standard format in nuclear medicine has been Interfile. Interfile should be converted into DICOM format if nuclear images are to be stored and visualized in most PACS. Nowadays, many vendors supply the DICOM option in gamma camera and PET. Several hospitals in Korea have already installed nuclear PACS with DICOM, but only the screen captured images are supplied. Software for visualizing pseudo-color with color lookup tables and expressing with volume view should be developed to fulfill the demand of referring physicians and nuclear medicine physicians. PACS is going to integrate not only radiologic images but also endoscopic and pathologic images. Web and PC based PACS is now a trend and is much compatible with nuclear medicine PACS. Most important barrier for nuclear medicine PACS that we encounter is not a technical problem, but indifference of investor such as administrator of hospital or PACS. Now it is time to support and invest for the development of nuclear medicine PACS.
Administrative Personnel ; Commerce ; Gamma Cameras ; Humans ; Korea ; Nuclear Medicine*

Recently the 2nd generation laboratory composite resins were introduced. Although the mechanical properties of these composite resins have been improved, there were some disadvantages such as discoloration, low abrasion resistance and debonding between metal and resin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tensile bond strength between non-pecious dental alloy(verabond) and four veneering reinforced composite resins: Targis(Ivoclar Co.,U.S.A.), Artglass(Kulzer CO., Gemany). Sculpture(Jeneric Pentron Co., U.S.A.), and Estenia(Kurary Co., Japan). All test metal specimens were polished with #1,000 SiC paper, and sandblasted with 250micrometer aluminum oxide. After then, according to manufacturer's instructions metal adhesive primer and veneering resins were applied. All test specimens were divided into two groups. One group was dried in a desiccator at 25degrees C for 3 days, the other group was subjected to thermal cycling(2,000x) in water(5/55degrees C). Tensile bond strength was measured using Instron Universal Testing machine and the fractured surface was examined under the naked eyes and scanning microscope. Within the limitations imposed in this study, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. in no-thermal cycling groups, there were no significant differences between Estenia and VMK68 but there were significant differences between Targis, Artglass, Sculpture and VMK68(p<0.05). 2. in no-thermal cycling resin groups, the highest tensile bond strength was observed in Estenis and there were significant differences between Estenia and the other resins(p<0.05). 3. Before and after thermal cycling, there were significant differences in tensile bond strength of Targis and Artglass(p<0.05). The tensile bond strength of Artglass was decreased and that of Targis was increased. 4. in no-thermal cycling groups, Artglass showed mixed fracture modes(95%), but after thermal cycling, Artglass showed adhesive fracture modes(75%).
Adhesives ; Aluminum Oxide ; Composite Resins* ; Dental Alloys* ; Sculpture

No abstract available.
Durapatite* ; Dust* ; Rabbits* ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present various clinical etiologies of hypermetabolic pelvic lesions on postoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images for patients with rectal and sigmoid cancer. METHODS: Postoperative PET/CT images for patients with rectal and sigmoid cancer were retrospectively reviewed to identify hypermetabolic pelvic lesions. Positive findings were detected in 70 PET/CT images from 45 patients; 2 patients who were lost to follow-up were excluded. All PET findings were analyzed in comparison with contrast-enhanced CT. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were classified into 2 groups: patients with a malignancy including local recurrence (n = 30) and patients with other benign lesions (n = 13). Malignant lesions such as a local recurrent tumor, peritoneal carcinomatosis, and incidental uterine malignancy, as well as various benign lesions such as an anastomotic sinus, fistula, abscess, reactive lymph node, and normal ovary, were observed. CONCLUSION: PET/CT performed during postoperative surveillance of rectal and sigmoid colon cancer showed increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake not only in local recurrence, but also in benign pelvic etiologies. Therefore, physicians need to be cautious about the broad clinical spectrum of hypermetabolic pelvic lesions when interpreting images.
Abscess ; Carcinoma ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Electrons* ; Female ; Fistula ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Ovary ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sigmoid Neoplasms* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Purpose: This study examined the subjective frame of patient satisfaction in the comprehensive nursing care services and explored future directions by investigating subjective frame types. Methods: P-Samples were collected from 30 patients who underwent the comprehensive nursing care service. To enable a forced normal distribution, 31 Q-samples were classified on a 9-point scale considering the degree of agreement. The collected data were analyzed by principal component factor analysis and varimax rotation using the PQ method program. Results: The subjective frame of patient satisfaction with the comprehensive nursing care service was divided into four types. Considering the characteristics of each, the types were labeled as “the formation of relationships with the surroundings”, “autonomous decision-making”, “non-verbal empathy”, and “therapeutic support resources”. Each type can be classified into therapeutic relationship and therapeutic process categories. Conclusion This study revealed changes in expectations regarding new medical services and that the subjective frames that affect the formation of satisfaction are diverse. The study results are expected to be used as basic data to develop strategies for creating a therapeutic environment that improves patient satisfaction in the comprehensive nursing care service.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyzing the relationship between perceived health status, health locus of control, self-esteem, self-efficacy and HPB in patients with multiple myeloma to identify factors influencing health promoting behavior (HPB). METHODS: One hundred patients were recruited into the study. The data were collected by personal interviews using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used with SPSS program to were analyze the data. RESULTS: There were significant relationships between self-esteem (r=.787, p<.001), self-efficacy (r=.681, p<.001), internal health locus of control (r=.557, p<.001), powerful others health locus of control (r=.517, p<.001), chance health locus of control (r=-.251, p=.012), perceived health status (r=.532, p<.001) and HPB. Significant factors in explaining HPB were self-esteem, powerful others health locus of control, self-efficacy and perceived health status and together they accounted for 71% of variance. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that self-esteem, powerful others health locus of control, self-efficacy, and perceived health status were important factors in explaining HPB in patients with multiple myeloma. As self-esteem was an important variable in HPB, health promotion program designed for this population should focus on self-esteem and these other factors to enhance effective health promotion behavior.
Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Internal-External Control ; Multiple Myeloma ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.

Objectives: We descriptively reviewed a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak at a nursing hospital in Gyeonggi Province (South Korea) and assessed the effectiveness of the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in a real-world population. Methods: The general process of the epidemiological investigation included a public health intervention. The relative risk (RR) of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups was calculated and compared to confirm the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARSCoV-2) infection, and vaccine effectiveness was evaluated based on the calculated RR. Results: The population at risk was confined to ward E among 8 wards of Hospital X, where the outbreak occurred. This population comprised 55 people, including 39 patients, 12 nurses, and 4 caregivers, and 19 cases were identified. The RR between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups was 0.04, resulting in a vaccine effectiveness of 95.3%. The vaccination rate of the nonpatients in ward E was the lowest in the entire hospital, whereas the overall vaccination rate of the combined patient and non-patient groups in ward E was the third lowest. Conclusion The first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (ChAdOx1-S) was effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. To prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in medical facilities, it is important to prioritize the vaccination of healthcare providers

PURPOSE: We reviewed the operative outcome and the cause of failure for performing subureteral injection of polydimethylsiloxane (PDS, Macroplastique(R), Uroplasty Inc. Geleen, The Netherlands), when it is used as a bulking agent for the endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 29 patients (a total of 37 ureters), with primary grades I to V VUR were treated with a single subureteral injection from 2001 to 2004; these patients were followed for an average of 21.5 months. Each patient underwent preoperative voiding cystourethrography, renal ultrasound, a dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) scan and urine culture. With the patient under general anesthesia, the PDS implant was injected transurethrally at the 6 o'clock position of the ureteral opening in the affected renal unit by a modified subureteral transurethral injection (STING) procedure. Renal ultrasound was done at 1 week and voiding cystourethrography was done at 3 months to rule out obstruction at the injection site and/or persistent reflux, respectively. Cure was defined as an absence of VUR on voiding cystourethrography at 3 months after injection. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi-square test. RESULTS: The grade of reflux was I, II, III, IV and V in 6, 4, 12, 9 and 6 ureteral units respectively. After a single injection, the VUR was cured in 30 ureteral units (81.1%). There were 7 (18.9%) patients who received a second injection after a failed single injection. In these patients, the injected PDS volume was not changed on ultrasound. On the other hand, cystoscopy showed mound displacement in 4 patients, no volcano appearance but rather a broad elevation in 2 patient, and distal ureteral fistula and mound extrusion in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that endoscopic subureteral polydimethylsiloxane injection is an effective treatment of VUR. The efficacy of subureteral injection can be improved by using the correct injection technique.
Anesthesia, General ; Cystoscopy ; Fistula ; Hand ; Humans ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

No abstract available.
Abruptio Placentae* ; Female ; Pregnancy