Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a type of systemic amyloidosis, in which abnormal amyloid fibril is deposited in extracellular space of myocardium. Most common subtypes of CA are amyloidosis of immunoglobulin light chain (AL) and amyloidosis of transthyretin (ATTR). With increase in incidence of CA and development of new drugs, the needs of early and accurate diagnosis of CA are increasing. In CA, bone scan and SPECT/CT have long been used for diagnosis. Currently, bone scan is included in almost all practice guidelines as one of key diagnostic examinations for ATTR CA. In some specific scenarios, bone scan can be used as even a substitute for endomyocardial biopsy. Recently, amyloid-targeting PET that is used for Alzheimer dementia has also been attempted as an imaging method for CA. Although the study results are still insufficient, amyloid-targeting has shown promising potential as an imaging method for CA, particularly in AL. Here, imaging method and clinical application and implication of bone scan, SPECT/CT, and amyloid-targeting PET/CT in CA are reviewed.

PURPOSE: After the introduction of concept of osteointegration, dental implantology have been successful procedure in the dental field. Recently, it has shown successful results when used to restore single tooth missing. Considering the difference in bone quality of the mandible and maxilla, and the increased occlusal force in the posterior region, the success rates in each region may be different. In this study, success rates of single implants placed in the mandibular first and second molar areas were analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were patients (284 patients, 308 implants) who had been operated with single implant installation from 2002 to 2009 in seven dental clinics in Daegu city. One hundred sixty eight implants were placed in the mandibular 1st molar and 140 implants were placed in the mandibular 2nd molar. They were analyzed according to implant site, age, sex, length and diameter. RESULTS: The survival rates of single implant of this study were 97.6% in the mandibular 1st molar and 92.9% in the mandibular 2nd molar. In the mandibular 1st molar, 4 implants were failed. In the mandibular, 2nd molar, 10 implants were failed. CONCLUSION: The restoration of the mandibular 1st molar using single implant was found to be clinically acceptable treatment and showed higher survival rate than mandibular 2nd molar single implant. Single implant in mandibular 2nd molar needs careful consideration of poor bone quality, risk of overloading and anatomical structure of the mandible.
Bite Force ; Dental Clinics ; Dental implants* ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar* ; Survival Rate* ; Tooth

OBJECTIVES: Curettage and enucleation are two of the most common procedures performed in oral and maxillofacial surgery units. To access a cystic lesion, the buccal cortical plate is removed. The no reposition (NR) group underwent surgery without repositioning the buccal cortical plate. The reposition (R) group underwent surgery with a repositioning of the buccal cortical plate. This study compared the two surgical procedures in terms of bone healing and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent curettage and enucleation surgery were enrolled in this study. Panoramic radiographs of the patients in both the NR group (n=26) and R group (n=34) were taken at the baseline and at 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. The radiolucent area was calculated to evaluate bony healing in each radiograph. The complications were analyzed through a review of the medical records. RESULTS: The correlation between bony healing and surgical approach was not significant in the 6th, 12th, and 24th month (P<0.05). The complication rate was not associated with gender, graft material, bone graft and drain insertion (P<0.05). On the other hand, the R group had a higher complication rate (35.3%) than the NR group (0%). The difference in the mean lesion size between the NR group (37,024+/-3,617 pixel) and R group (92,863+/-15,931 pixel) was significant (independent t test, P=0.004). CONCLUSION: Although the reposition method is chosen when the lesion size is large, it is associated with more complications. Indeed, infection, discomfort and recurrence of the lesion were the most common complications in the R group. Furthermore, the R method does not have a strong point in terms of bone healing compared to the NR method. Therefore, the R method cannot be considered an ideal approach and should be used in limited cases.
Curettage ; Hand ; Humans ; Jaw ; Mandible ; Recurrence ; Surgery, Oral ; Transplants

50% Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) reduction plus post-MAD AHI <10, and the non-response group was defined as <50% AHI reduction. The lateral cephalogram was analysed including SNA, SNB, UL, MPH, PAS, PASU, and PAST using V-ceph(TM) (Cybermed, USA).RESULTS: The responsers were 23 patients, and non-responsers were 5 patients. The AHI was significantly reduced with temporary MAD (8.08+/-7.93) compared with baseline (28.51+/-20.56) in the response group (n=23). No significant difference was observed between pre MAD and post MAD except SNB on cephalometric analysis. Among 11 patients successfully treated with the temporary device, 9 patients said that using permanent device brings better effect too.CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the Temporary MAD could not be the only effective tools on OSA but also be used to predict patient's reactivity about permanent appliance treatment. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the relations between temporary MAD and permanent MAD.]]>
Adenine Nucleotides ; Female ; Humans ; Mandibular Advancement ; Mycophenolic Acid ; Phenazines ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Surgery, Oral ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) is a nuclear receptor that regulate adipocyte differentiation and modulate intracellular insulin-signaling events. As such, PPARgamma is a candidate gene for several human disorders including obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The objective of our study was to examine the relationship between genetic variation of PPARgamma2 and diabetes and obesity in Korean subjects. METHODS: We studied 99 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus, 128 obesity patients and 97 controls. Screening for mutation at codon 12 and 115 of PPARgamma2 were carried out by PCR-RFLP analyses. Statistical significance was evaluated by Chi-square test. RESULTS: The allele frequency of the Pro12Ala PPARgamma2 variant were 0.05 in controls, 0.06 in type 2 diabetes group, and 0.07 in obesity group (p=0.47). Pro115Gln variant were only proline homozygote in all groups. Genotype frequencies were also similar and conformed to expectations of the Hardy-Weinberg rule. The presence of PPARgamma2 gene variant was no associated with concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and also with fasting glucose. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the Pro12Ala and Pro115Gln PPARgamma2 missense mutation may not be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in Korean patients.
Adipocytes ; Cholesterol ; Codon ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fasting ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Glucose ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mass Screening ; Mutation, Missense ; Obesity* ; Peroxisomes ; PPAR gamma* ; Proline ; Triglycerides

Glucokinase is expressed only in both liver and pancreatic beta cells and has a key role in the regulation of glucose metabolism in these tissues. A number of gene defects associated with glucokinase gene and the cause of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are known, and the defects along the -30bp promoter site in particular are thought to be related to diabetes and glucose intolerance. To research on gene study related to diabetes, we looked into the relationship between the variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter and gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) in Korea. METHODS: Forty patients with GDM and 62 normal controls were studied. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocyte of patients with GDM and normal controls. The nucleotide variation at -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter was analyzed by PCR-SSCP methods. The sequences of amplified DNA were confirmed with direct sequencing method. The clinical features and the response of insulin secretion to oral glucose were analyzed between patients with GDM according to genotypes. RESULTS: Allelic frequency of position -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter did not differ between patients with GDM and normal subjects. However the frequency of G/A and A/A genotypes seemed to show a higher tendency in patients with GDM compare to the normal subjects. Clinical features, insulin response to oral glucose did not differ according to the type of variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that the variation at -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter in patients with GDM are unlikely to be one of the possibilities of the genetic factors in the development of GDM. Therefore more sophisticated studies will be needed to elucidate the role of variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter in the insulin secretion to oral glucose.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; DNA ; Female ; Genotype ; Glucokinase* ; Glucose ; Glucose Intolerance ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Pregnancy

Glucokinase is expressed only in both liver and pancreatic beta cells and has a key role in the regulation of glucose metabolism in these tissues. A number of gene defects associated with glucokinase gene and the cause of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are known, and the defects along the -30bp promoter site in particular are thought to be related to diabetes and glucose intolerance. To research on gene study related to diabetes, we looked into the relationship between the variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter and gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) in Korea. METHODS: Forty patients with GDM and 62 normal controls were studied. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocyte of patients with GDM and normal controls. The nucleotide variation at -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter was analyzed by PCR-SSCP methods. The sequences of amplified DNA were confirmed with direct sequencing method. The clinical features and the response of insulin secretion to oral glucose were analyzed between patients with GDM according to genotypes. RESULTS: Allelic frequency of position -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter did not differ between patients with GDM and normal subjects. However the frequency of G/A and A/A genotypes seemed to show a higher tendency in patients with GDM compare to the normal subjects. Clinical features, insulin response to oral glucose did not differ according to the type of variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that the variation at -30 bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter in patients with GDM are unlikely to be one of the possibilities of the genetic factors in the development of GDM. Therefore more sophisticated studies will be needed to elucidate the role of variation at -30bp of pancreatic beta cell specific glucokinase gene promoter in the insulin secretion to oral glucose.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; DNA ; Female ; Genotype ; Glucokinase* ; Glucose ; Glucose Intolerance ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Pregnancy

Atopic myelitis is defined as myelitis with atopic diasthesis but the cause is still unknown. Toxocariasis is one of the common causes of hyperIgEaemia that may lead to neurologic manifestations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sero-prevalence of Toxocara specific IgG Ab among the atopic myelitis patients. We evaluated the medical records of 37 patients with atopic myelitis whose conditions were diagnosed between March 2001 and August 2007. Among them, the 33 sera were analyzed for specific serum IgG Ab to Toxocara excretory-secretory antigens (TES). All of 37 patients had hyperIgEaemia. Specific IgE to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae was detected in 22 (64.7%) and 34 (100%) patients, respectively, of the 34 patients. Thirty-one of 33 patients (93.9%) were found to be positive by TES IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Based on the image findings of eosinophilic infiltrations in the lung and liver, 8 patients had positive results. These results inferred that the prevalence of toxocariasis was high in patients with atopic myelitis. Our results suggest that toxocariasis might be an important cause of atopic myelitis and Toxocara ELISA is essential for evaluating the causes of atopic myelitis.
Adult ; Albendazole/therapeutic use ; Animals ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood/immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/immunology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Myelitis/drug therapy/*etiology/*immunology/pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Toxocara/*immunology ; Toxocariasis/*complications/drug therapy/*immunology/pathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTION: Bone defects in the jaw are frequently observed after odontogenic cyst enucleation. The success of bone healing appears to be related to the size of the bone defect, the anatomical location, the patient's age and other parameters. The use of bone grafting material is dependent on the operator's preference. No evidence-based definite treatment protocol has been established. This study evaluated the effect of a bone graft into the defect after odontogenic cyst enucleation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 55 patients, who had been treated for an odontogenic cyst with cyst enucleation from 2000 to 2009 at the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, were included in this study. Patients who were followed-up for more than 1 year were included. Two groups were defined according to the bone graft (with or without a bone graft) after cyst enucleation. The differences in the healing periods and patterns of bone healing were compared clinically and radiologically. The postoperative 1 year radiographs were analyzed for bone healing and density. Statistical analysis was performed using a Pearson chi square test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: More infection signs were observed in the bone graft group than in the other group, but there was no statistically significant difference. Radiographically, there was also no significant difference in the size of the radiolucent lesions between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in healing between the groups with a bone graft and without bone graft after cyst enucleation.
Bone Transplantation ; Clinical Protocols ; Humans ; Jaw ; Odontogenic Cysts ; Surgery, Oral ; Transplants

The presence of radiographic lesions suggesting old healed tuberculosis (TB) is one of the strongest risk factors for the subsequent development of active TB. We elucidated the metabolic activity of radiographic lesions suggesting old healed TB using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). This cross-sectional study included 63 participants with radiographic lesions suggesting old healed TB and with available 18F-FDG PET/CT scans. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measured in the lesions, the clinical characteristics, results of the tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) were analyzed. The SUVmax in old healed TB was 1.5 or higher among nine (14.3%) participants. Age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.23; 95% CI, 1.03-1.46), history of previous TB (aOR, 60.43; 95% CI, 1.71-2131.65), and extent of the lesions (aOR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.02-1.75) were associated with higher SUVmax. The positive rates for the TST and IGRA were not different between groups with and without increased FDG uptake. Increased FDG uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT was observed in a subset of patients with radiographic lesions suggesting old healed TB. Given that the factors associated with increased FDG uptake are known risk factors for TB development, the possibility exists that participants with old healed TB lesions with higher SUV on 18F-FDG PET/CT scans might be at higher risk for active TB.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/chemistry/*diagnostic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma Release Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/chemistry/*diagnostic use ; Risk Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculin Test ; Tuberculosis/*diagnosis/radiography