With the widespread dissemination of picture archiving and communication systems (PACSs) in hospitals, the amount of imaging data is rapidly increasing. Effective image retrieval systems are required to manage these complex and large image databases. The authors reviewed the past development and the present state of medical image retrieval systems including text-based and content-based systems. In order to provide a more effective image retrieval service, the intelligent content-based retrieval systems combined with semantic systems are required.
Radiology Information Systems ; Semantics

No abstract available.
Axilla* ; Paget Disease, Extramammary*

PURPOSE: Severe burns induce multiple derangements in normal homeostasis. In this conditions, the value of proper nutritional supports can not be overemphasized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional, immunological, catabolic and clinical effects of early enteral support in major burn patients. METHODS: The subjects were 49 major burned adults admitted to the Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital between June 1, 2003 and August 31, 2003. The patients qualified for study participation if they were over 20 years of age, sustained burns in excess of a 35% total body surface area or a 25% full-thickness burn. The early feeding (EF) group started enteral feeding within 48 hours of injury, and the delayed feeding (DF) group started after 48 hours. Each patients received entreral feeing through a nasogastric tube. The calorifice requirements were calculated by a modified Long's formula. Enteral feeding was discontinued when the patients could voluntarily orally take at least 60~70 percent of their estimated calorific or protein needs. The serum prealbumin, transferrin and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA and IgM) concentrations, total lymphocyte counts and cortisol were monitored as a nutritional, immunological and catabolic marker. The clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Several of the markers were in an arithmtically high state for the EF group, but these were not statistical significance. There were no significant differences in the clinical outcomes between the two groups. CONCLUSION: More active trials and many-sided studies will be needed to maximize the effect of early enteral nutritional support as a method to improve treatment for major burned patients.
Adult ; Body Surface Area ; Burns* ; Enteral Nutrition* ; Fees and Charges ; Heart ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymphocyte Count ; Nutritional Support ; Prealbumin ; Transferrin

PURPOSE: Inhalation injury is one of the most severe morbidity and mortality factors in burn patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of inhalation injury to the prognosis of burn patients and to investigate the relationship between the inhalation injury assessment and the prognosis of patients. METHODS: Bronchoscopy was performed in 170 patients who had the suspicion of inhalation injury and the patients were reviewed retrospectively from January 2008 to December 2009. Mortality was compared between the factors of brochoscopic findings, age, total body surface area (TBSA) burned, carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level, PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio. RESULTS: Of 170 patients, 28 patients had no inhalation bronchoscopic finding. 109 patients had mild inhalation, 31 patients had moderate inhalation, only 2 patients had severe inhalation findings. The patients of moderate and severe inhalation findings had higher mortality (48.5%) than mild inhalation patients (31.1%). The larger total burnsurface area in inhalation patients, the greater the mortality. When compared to total admitted burn patients during the same period, inhalation patients showed higher mortality in the patients between 10 to 40% total burn surface area. Inhalation patients whose P/F ratio was below 300 showed higher mortality than above 300. But inhalation patients whose COHb level was below 1.5 had no difference in mortality with patients above 1.5. The COHb level and P/F ratio was the statistically different factors between inhalation patients and non-inhalation group in the mortality. CONCLUSION: Bronchoscopic findings, age, TBSA burned, P/F ratio were related with mortality in inhalation patients. When the international standardization of bronchoscopic classification developed, it can be possible to assess the inhalation patients more objectively and that will lead to the advancement in inhalation treatment and research.
Body Surface Area ; Bronchoscopy ; Burns ; Carboxyhemoglobin ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: This study was planned to evaluate the effect of plant extracts contained dressing material which is rich in procyanidins for treatment of deep second degree burn. METHODS: This study conducted from September 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014. Patients with the deep dermal burn wound which is larger than 200 cm2 were enrolled in this study. The test material was applied total 3 times every 2 days when the wounds were relatively clean, with thin eschar and scab removed and the dermal layer exposed. The test and control sites were treated with hydro-foam equally. The effectiveness was evaluated by comparing the re-epithelialization rates between the test and control sites. Two burn surgeons blindly evaluated for re-epithelialization. Evaluation of adverse reaction was also performed during study period. RESULTS: Total of 40 patients were enrolled. Mean total body surface area burned% was 12.3+/-5.5% and the test material was first applied at mean post burn day # 7.2+/-2.0.The re-epithelialization period was 9.0+/-1.7 days in the test site and 11.1+/-2.0 days in the control site. In the test site, re-epithelialization was 2.1+/-1.0 days faster than in the control site (P<0.0001). There was no significant adverse reaction during study period. CONCLUSION: The plant extracts contained dressing material which is rich in procyanidins accelerates wound healing time and shows the safety.
Bandages* ; Body Surface Area ; Burns* ; Humans ; Plant Extracts* ; Proanthocyanidins* ; Re-Epithelialization ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: To compare the scar formation after laughter therapy in facial burn scar and to make facial burn rehabilitation program. METHODS: In a prospective clinical trial, laughter therapy was done in 12 facial burn injury patients. One group pretest-posttest design was done. After 8 weeks group laughter therapy session, we measured scar condition. Facial burn scar were checked. Scars were assessed with objective measurement tools such as pigmentation, erythema, pliability, transepidermal water loss, thickness and perfusion. RESULTS: Pigmentation value was decreased significantly: 211.6+/-71.9 to 177.8+/-57.1 (p<0.05). Erythema value increased from 432.3+/-62.5 to 451.1+/-49.7 (p>0.05). Transepidermal water loss value changed from 40.7+/-15.9 g/h/m2 to 37.8+/-15.4 g/h/m2 (p>0.05). Microcirculation value was decreased significantly (0.80+/-0.05 volt to 0.43+/-0.19 volt)(p<0.05). Skin elasticity level (R0) was significantly increased (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Laughter therapy in burn patients could be an alternative treatment to control burn scar contracture. In the future, more studies are needed how laughter therapy may affect the skin condition of the burn injuries.
Burns ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Contracture ; Elasticity ; Erythema ; Humans ; Laughter ; Laughter Therapy ; Microcirculation ; Pigmentation ; Pliability ; Prospective Studies ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: Trauma patients have attentional bias which enforces traumatic memories and causes cognitive errors. Understanding of such selective attention may explain many aspects of the posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: We used the rapid serial visual presentation(RSVP) method to verify attentional blink in burn patients with PTSD. International affective picture system(IAPS) was used as stimuli and distracters. In the 'neutral test', patients have been presented series of pictures with human face picture as target stimuli. Each picture had 100ms interval. However the distance between target facial pictures was randomized and recognition of second facial picture accuracy was measured. In the 'stress test', the first target was stress picture which arouses patient emotions instead of the facial picture. Neutral and Stress tests were done with seven PTSD patients and 20 controls. In '85ms test' the interval was reduced to 85ms. The accuracy of recognition of second target facial picture was rated in all three tests. Eighty-five ms study was done with eighteen PTSD patients. RESULTS: Attentional blinks were observed in 100-400ms of RSVP. PTSD patients showed increased recognition rate in the'stress test' compared with the 'neutral test'. When presentation interval was decreased to 85 ms, PTSD patient showed decrease of attentional blink effect when target facial picture interval was 170ms. CONCLUSION: We found attentional blink effect could be affected by stress stimulus in burn patients. And attentional blink may be affected by stimulus interval and the character of stimulus. There may be some other specific mechanism related with selective attention in attentional blink especially with facial picture processing.
Attentional Blink ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Burns ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare the quality of life and physical function after group education program in burn rehabilitation program. METHODS: In a prospective clinical trial, group rehabilitation education program was done in 20 burn injury patients. One group pretest-post test design was done. After 2 weeks group education session, we measured stress test, quality of life (Burn specific health scale) and range of motion. Stress status was assessed with objective measurement tools such as heart rate variability. RESULTS: Stress resistance and parameter value was changed significantly (P<0.05). Heart stability increased (P=0.05). Total range of motions were changed significantly (P<0.05). Quality of life evaluation using BSHS does not show significant change (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Group therapy in burn rehabilitation patients could be an alternative rehabilitation treatment for quality of life. In the future, more studies are yet to come how group education program may affect the burn rehabilitation patients' disability.
Burns ; Exercise Test ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Psychotherapy, Group ; Quality of Life ; Range of Motion, Articular

PURPOSE: Massive pediatric burns are subject to progress to wound infection and sepsis at early stage. Early escharectomy and allograft made it safer to treat the pediatric burn patients from this morbidity. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of the early escharectomy and temporary wound coverage with allograft on massive pediatric burns. METHODS: From January 1999 to August 2010, 55 pediatric burn patients aged 1 to 10 years whose total burn surface area was over 20% were reviewed. Among them, only 19 patients underwent escharectomy (Pediatric escharectomy group, PEG) and 36 patients underwent escharectomy and allograft (Pediatric allograft group, PAG) And 533 allograft patients (Allograft group, AG) aged over 10 whose total burn surface area were over 20% were reviewed to compare with the pediatric allograft patients. RESULTS: PAG was operated earlier (mean 3.6 days from injury) than PEG (mean 5.9 days). The mortality of PAG (8.3%) was lower than the mortality of PEG (31.6%) significantly. And the PAG were operated earlier than AG (mean 5.8 days from injury). But the difference of mortality was not significant statistically between PAG and AG. CONCLUSION: Early escharectomy and allograft is safe and effective treatment procedure for massive pediatric burn patients by preventing wound sepsis.
Aged ; Burns ; Humans ; Sepsis ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND: Topical 5% minoxidil solution stimulates new hair growth and it helps stop the loss of hair on individuals with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). OBJECTIVE: We wanted to assess the efficacy and safety of topical 5% minoxidil solution for treating Korean men with AGA. METHODS: This was a 24-week, open label, clinical trial that was conducted at 14 university dermatologic centers nationwide throughout South Korea as a multicenter study of the Korean Hair Research Society. The eligible subjects for this study were 18- to 65 year-old men with androgenetic alopecia, as defined by the Norwood scale as type III vertex, IV and IVA. A total of 175 men (20~62 years old) with AGA applied topical 5% minoxidil solution twice daily. Efficacy was evaluated by 1) the total hair count per 1 cm2 and 2) the mean hair diameter and 3) the patient assessment and 4) the investigator assessment of the change in scalp coverage and the benefit of treatment. RESULTS: At week 24 as compared with baseline, there was a statistically significant increase in the total hair counts and the mean hair diameter (p<.0001). Topical 5% minoxidil solution helped improve the investigator and patient assessments. The topical 5% minoxidil solution was well tolerated over a 24-week period. CONCLUSION: We believe that topical 5% minoxidil solution is a safe and effective drug for Korean men with AGA.
Alopecia ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Minoxidil ; Republic of Korea ; Research Personnel ; Scalp