Smell used to be a common diagnostic tool in medicine, and physicians were trained to use their sense of smell during their medical training. Latterly, odor disgnostics have been relegated to secondary status as a diagnostic method. Array-based gas sensors ("Electronic Nose") now offer the potential of a robust analytical approach to exhaled breath analysis for medical use. Many diseases are accompanied by characteristic odor, and their recognition can provide diagonostic clues, guide the laboratory evaluation, and affect the choice of immediate therapy. We are developing an intelligent sensor system for non-invasive health care monitoring combined laboratory based sensor module, pattern recognition subsystem and non-invasive sampling of volatile emitted from a patient into a highly intelligent sensor system that allows the rapid processing of these samples. It is capable to assist early and rapid disgnosis of changes in state of patient, and aid decision making by medical personnel in the treatment of such patients. In this paper, we introduce exhaled breath analysis for potential primary lung disease screening using electronic nose system incorporating an automated solid-phase microextraction (SPME) desorption to enable the system to be used. Aiming to increase the sensitivity, SPME preconcentration is used for sampling of headspace air and the response of sensor module to variable concentration of volatile emitted from SPME fiber is evaluated. The initial result shows the distinguished difference between the lung cancer patients and healthy normal individuals according to the analysis of the respective expiratory gases.
Decision Making ; Delivery of Health Care ; Electronic Nose* ; Exhalation ; Gases ; Humans ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mass Screening ; Odors ; Smell

Nasal fractures are the most common type of facial fractures. Nowdays computed tomography is found to be very helpful in diagnosing nasal fracture, especially in findings the nasal septal fractures. From August 2004 to July 2005, 36 cases of nasal fracture were admited and reviewed to oral and maxillofacial surgery of Ulsan University Hospital, not including other facial bone fracture. Out of 223 cases of facial bone fractures, we treated 47 cases of nasal fractures. We reviewed and examined the 36 patients of nasal fractures 2months postoperative. The results were 28cases of male and 8cases of female. The highest age frequency was in the fourth decades group. The most frequent causes of injury were falling down and fist trauma. The 25(69%) patients were found to have septal fractures, after computed tomography findings. The treatment methods of nasal fracture were closed reduction(13cases), open reduction(20cases), ORIF(1case), non operation(2cases). Complications of nasal deformity were found in 2patients. Septoplasty was performed on 21 patients. Septal fractures in combination with nasal fracture are usually unrecognized and untreated at the time of injury, usually ended in nasal deformities. It is important to find out the exact type of nasal fractures. We will report the results of treatment of nasal fractures with a literature review.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Facial Bones ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surgery, Oral ; Ulsan

Recent studies of molecular biology have suggested that infection with human papillomavirus(HPV) is implicated in the pathogenesis of cervical carinoma. HPV infection alone, however, does not appear to be sufficient for the process of maliganant transformation, suggesting the requirement of additional cellular events. The mutation of p53, which is involved in negative control of cell proliferation, may play a role in the carcinogenesis of cervical carcinoma. The present study was designed to clarify the association between infection with HPV and p53 alteration in primary carcinoma of human uterine cervix. We investigated 46 prim-ary cervical carcinomas for the presence of HPV DNA by in situ hybridization(ISH) with probe specific for HPV 16/18, and examined the accumulation of p53 protein by immunohis-tochemistry(IHC) and the p53 alteration by polymerase chain reaction-single strand confor-mation polymorphism(PCR-SSCP) using formalin fixed, paraffin -embedded tissue. HPV DNA 16/18 was detected in 18 cases(39.1%) of 46 cervical carcinomas. The accumulation of p53 was identified in tumor cells: low level 43.5%(20/46) and high level 32.6% difference of positive reaction by IHC method. But there was no statistical significant between the infection of HPV and the accumulation of p53(p=0.847). Mutations in exons 4 through 9, where the vast majority of point mutations were reported in human neoplasms, were screened by PCR-SSCP analysis. Altered mobilities of the PCR product of p53 were also found in 9 cases(26.5%) of 34 cervical carcinoma: one in exon 4, four in exon 5/6, two in exon 7, and two in exon 8/9. The mutation of p53 was observed in 41.1%(19/46) respective of the result of IHC and PCR-SSCP, and there was slightly higher p53 alteration in HPV negative cases(23.8%, 11/46) than in HPV positive cases(17.4%, 8/46) without statistical significance(p=0.729). The conclusion of these observations suggests that HPV infection and alteration of p53 may play a critical role in tumorigenesis of carcinoma of the human uterine cervix independently, ant there is important difference in the tumorigenic pathway between two factors.
Ants ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Proliferation ; Cervix Uteri ; DNA ; Exons ; Female ; Formaldehyde ; Genes, p53* ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; Paraffin ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Radionuclide therapy has been an important field in nuclear medicine. In radionuclide therapy, relevant evaluation of internally absorbed dose is essential for the achievement of efficient and sufficient treatment of incurable disease, and can be accomplish by means of accurate measurement of radioactivity in body and its changes with time. Recently, the advances of nuclear medicine imaging and multi?modality imaging processing techniques can provide chance of more accurate and easier measurement of the measures commented above, in cooperation of conventional imaging?based approaches. In this review, basic concept for internal dosimetry using nuclear medicine imaging is summarized with several check points which should be considered in real practice.
Nuclear Medicine* ; Radioactivity ; Radiometry*

Radionuclide therapy has been an important field in nuclear medicine. In radionuclide therapy, relevant evaluation of internally absorbed dose is essential for the achievement of efficient and sufficient treatment of incurable disease, and can be accomplish by means of accurate measurement of radioactivity in body and its changes with time. Recently, the advances of nuclear medicine imaging and multi?modality imaging processing techniques can provide chance of more accurate and easier measurement of the measures commented above, in cooperation of conventional imaging?based approaches. In this review, basic concept for internal dosimetry using nuclear medicine imaging is summarized with several check points which should be considered in real practice.
Nuclear Medicine* ; Radioactivity ; Radiometry*

PURPOSE: we often find variable degrees of FDG uptake and patterns in stomach, which can make difficult to distinguish physiologic uptake from pathologic uptake on FDG PET. The purpose of this study was to find out the significant findings of stomach on FDG PET. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients who underwent both FDG PET and endoscopy within one week from Jun. 2003, to Aug. 2004 were included in this study. We reviewed 38 patients (18 for medical check up, 15 for work up of other malignancies, and 5 for the evaluation of stomach lesion). Their mean age was 56 years old (range: 32~79), men and women were 28 and 10, respectively. Two nuclear physicians evaluated five parameters on FDG PET findings of stomach with a consensus: 1) visual grades 2) maximum SUV (max.SUV) 3) focal 4) diffuse and 5) asymmetric patterns. We correlated the lesions of FDG PET findings of stomach with those of endoscopy. We considered more than equivocal findings on FDG PET as positive. RESULTS: The six of 38 patients were proven as malignant lesions by endoscopic biopsy and others were inflammatory lesions (ulcer in 3, chronic atrophic gastritis in 12, uncommon forms of gastritis in 5), non-inflammatory lesions (n=3), and normal stomach (n=9). By the visual analysis, malignant lesions had higher FDG uptake than the others. The max.SUV of malignant lesions was 7.95 4.83 which was significantly higher than the other benign lesions (2.9 0.69 in ulcer, 3.08 1.2 in chronic atrophic gastritis, 3.2 1.49 in uncommon forms of gastritis (p=0.044) ). In the appearance of stomach on FDG PET, malignant lesions were shown focal (5 of 6) and benign inflammatory lesions were shown diffuse (9 of 20) and asymmetric (14 of 20). Benign lesions and normal stomach were shown variable degrees of uptake and patterns. Some cases of benign inflammatory lesions such as ulcer and gastritis were shown focal and mimicked cancerous lesion (4 of 15). CONCLUSION: Gastric malignant lesions had higher FDG uptake and focal pattern. However, benign inflammatory lesions had moderate degrees of uptake and diffuse and asymmetric patterns rather than focal. It is difficult to differentiate between benign lesions including normal.
Biopsy ; Consensus ; Electrons* ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Gastritis ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

OBJECTIVE: The link among carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), vascular elastic property and the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not well defined. We investigated the association between carotid atherosclerosis, elastic properties of the carotid arterial wall and clinical parameters of SLE. METHODS: Fifty-one SLE patients and fifty healthy controls were included. Peak systolic global circumferential and posterior radial strains of carotid artery were measured to assess the elastic properties. Beta stiffness index was used as conventional method for the distensibility of the carotid artery. Information concerning SLE duration, cumulative dose of steroids and/or immunosuppressive drug intake was recorded, and SLE activity was assessed by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score. RESULTS: Carotid plaques were more common in SLE patients. SLE patients with plaques were older and showed the increased mean IMT, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP), IgG anti-cardiolipin antibody (aCL), and longer disease duration compared with those without plaques. Peak systolic global circumferential and posterior radial strain as well beta stiffness index were significantly lower in SLE group. Age, disease duration, hsCRP, IgG aCL showed significant correlations with mean IMT and parameters of carotid elastic property (all P's<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Carotid atherosclerosis was more common in SLE patients, and carotid arterial stiffness had significant correlation with disease duration, hsCRP and IgG aCL level. Speckle tracking strain imaging is a comparative method for the assessment of elastic properties of carotid artery of SLE patients.
C-Reactive Protein ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Diseases* ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Steroids ; Ultrasonography ; Vascular Stiffness

PURPOSE: ⁶⁸Ga-labeled 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid-D-Phe1-Tyr3-octreotide (⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC) is taken up by activated macrophages, which accumulate in active inflammatory lesions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT for assessment of vulnerable plaque, by evaluating correlation between aortic uptake of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Fifty patients with neuroendocrine tumors who underwent ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT were retrospectively enrolled. The uptakes in the thoracic aorta were measured by two methods: multi-sample region-of-interest (ROI) method and single volume-of-interest (VOI) method. TBRmax-avg, TBRmean-avg, TBRmax-VOI, and TBRmean-VOI were defined by maximum and mean target-to-background ratio (TBR) from the multi-sample ROI method and the single VOI method, respectively. RESULTS: Framinghamrisk score (FRS) exhibited significant correlations with TBRmax-avg and TBRmean-avg, aswell as TBRmax-VOI (r = 0.3389–0.4593, P < 0.05 for all). TBRmax-avg and TBRmax-VOI were significantly higher in high FRS group than in low FRS group (1.48 ± 0.21 vs. 1.70 ± 0.17, P < 0.001 for TBRmax-avg and 1.90 ± 0.33 vs. 2.25 ± 0.36, P = 0.002 for TBRmax-VOI). TBR exhibited high correlations between the two measuring methods (r = 0.9684, P < 0.001 for TBRmean-avg and TBRmean-VOI and r = 0.8681, P < 0.001 for TBRmax-avg and TBRmax-VOI). CONCLUSIONS ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC uptake in the thoracic aorta exhibited a significant correlation with cardiovascular risk factors, which suggests the feasibility of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET for vulnerable plaque imaging, with a simple measurement of the single VOI method that is comparable to the multi-sample ROI-based approach.

PURPOSE: ⁶⁸Ga-labeled 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid-D-Phe1-Tyr3-octreotide (⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC) is taken up by activated macrophages, which accumulate in active inflammatory lesions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT for assessment of vulnerable plaque, by evaluating correlation between aortic uptake of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC and cardiovascular risk factors.METHODS: Fifty patients with neuroendocrine tumors who underwent ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT were retrospectively enrolled. The uptakes in the thoracic aorta were measured by two methods: multi-sample region-of-interest (ROI) method and single volume-of-interest (VOI) method. TBRmax-avg, TBRmean-avg, TBRmax-VOI, and TBRmean-VOI were defined by maximum and mean target-to-background ratio (TBR) from the multi-sample ROI method and the single VOI method, respectively.RESULTS: Framinghamrisk score (FRS) exhibited significant correlations with TBRmax-avg and TBRmean-avg, aswell as TBRmax-VOI (r = 0.3389–0.4593, P < 0.05 for all). TBRmax-avg and TBRmax-VOI were significantly higher in high FRS group than in low FRS group (1.48 ± 0.21 vs. 1.70 ± 0.17, P < 0.001 for TBRmax-avg and 1.90 ± 0.33 vs. 2.25 ± 0.36, P = 0.002 for TBRmax-VOI). TBR exhibited high correlations between the two measuring methods (r = 0.9684, P < 0.001 for TBRmean-avg and TBRmean-VOI and r = 0.8681, P < 0.001 for TBRmax-avg and TBRmax-VOI).CONCLUSIONS: ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC uptake in the thoracic aorta exhibited a significant correlation with cardiovascular risk factors, which suggests the feasibility of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC PET for vulnerable plaque imaging, with a simple measurement of the single VOI method that is comparable to the multi-sample ROI-based approach.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Macrophages ; Methods ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: We assessed the absorbed dose to the tumor (Dosetumor) by using pretreatment FDG-PET and whole-body (WB) planar images in repeated radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with 131I rituximab for NHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with NHL (n=4) were administered a therapeutic dose of (131)I rituximab. Serial WB planar images after RIT were acquired and overlaid to the coronal maximum intensity projection (MIP) PET image before RIT. On registered MIP PET and WB planar images, 2D-ROIs were drawn on the region of tumor (n=7) and left medial thigh as background, and Dosetumor was calculated. The correlation between Dosetumor and the CT-based tumor volume change after RIT was analyzed. The differences of Dosetumor and the tumor volume change according to the number of RIT were also assessed. RESULTS: The values of absorbed dose were 397.7+/-646.2cGy (53.0~2853.0cGy). The values of CT-based tumor volume were 11.3+/-9.1 cc (2.9~34.2cc), and the % changes of tumor volume before and after RIT were -29.8+/-44.3% (-100.0%~+42.5%), respectively. Dosetumor and the tumor volume change did not show the linear relationship (p>0.05). Dosetumor and the tumor volume change did not correlate with the number of repeated administration (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We could determine the position and contour of viable tumor by MIP PET image. And, registration of PET and gamma camera images was possible to estimate the quantitative values of absorbed dose to tumor.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Gamma Cameras ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Radioimmunotherapy ; Thigh ; Tumor Burden ; Rituximab