PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the usefulness and limitations of chest radiographs in scoliosis screening and to compare these results with those of thoraco-lumbar standing radiographs (TLSR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: During Korean conscription, 419 males were retrospectively examined using both chest radiographs and TLSR to confirm the scoliosis and Cobb angle at the Regional Military Manpower. We compared the types of spinal curves and Cobb angles as measured from different radiographs. RESULTS: In the pattern of spinal curves, the overall matching rate of chest radiographs using TLSR was about 58.2% (244 of 419 cases). Cobb angle differences between chest radiographs and TLSR with meaningful difference was observed in 156 cases (37.2%); a relatively high proportion (9.5%) of Cobb angle differences more than 10 degrees was also observed. The matching rate of both spinal curve types and Cobb angle accuracy between chest radiographs and TLSR was 27.9% (117 among 419 cases). Chest radiographs for scoliosis screening were observed with 93.94% of sensitivity and 61.67% of specificity in thoracic curves; however, less than 40% of sensitivity (38.27%, 20.00%, and 25.80%) and more than 95% of specificity (97.34%, 99.69%, and 98.45%) were observed in thoraco-lumbar, lumbar, and double major curves, respectively. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of chest radiographs for scoliosis screening was low. The incidence of thoracic curve scoliosis was overestimated and lumbar curve scoliosis was easily missed by chest radiography. Scoliosis screening using chest radiography has limited values, nevertheless, it is useful method for detecting thoracic curve scoliosis.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography, Thoracic/methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis/*diagnosis/*radiography ; Young Adult

Diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis (DCM) is a rare variant of mast cell disease with widespread erythema and is clinically apparent in early infancy. We report the case of a 1-day-old female neonate who presented with diffuse flush, pruritus, and extensive blistering. DCM was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with anti-CD117, which revealed mast cell infiltration. DCM is a severe and heterogeneous cutaneous disease, and is associated with mast cell mediator-related symptoms and risk of anaphylactic shock. We describe this case and provide the first literature review of neonatal onset DCM in Korea.
Anaphylaxis ; Blister ; Erythema ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Korea ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytosis ; Mastocytosis, Cutaneous* ; Pruritus

PURPOSE: Vitamin D deficiency rickets is a significant public health problem that results from insufficient exposure to sunlight and inadequate vitamin D supplementation. The purpose of this study is to identify the clinical characteristics of vitamin D deficiency rickets in infants. METHODS: Data of 35 infants diagnosed as vitamin D deficiency rickets at Sanggye-Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea, from March 2007 to May 2009 were reviewed. Children with plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <15 ng/mL and 15-30 ng/mL were considered to have vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D insufficiency, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-five infants (22 boys, 13 girls) were diagnosed with rickets. Mean age at diagnosis was 7.4+/-7.1 months (range: 0.1-29.8 months). Eighteen infants (51%) were vitamin D deficient and seventeen infants (49%) were insufficient. Twenty-eight of all (80%) diagnosed as subclinical rickets. Twenty-nine infants (83%) were below the age of 12months. Twenty infants (57%) had breastfed and ten infants (29%) had iron deficiency anemia. Nine of breastfed infants (45%) were vitamin D deficient and ten of their mothers were vitamin D insufficient. Overall, radiographic evidence of rickets was present in 93% of the cases. Radiographic sign of rickets was evident even in vitamin D insufficient state. CONCLUSION: It is important for the clinician to screen for subclinical vitamin D deficiency rickets in inadequately supplemented infants by pairing 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with wrist radiographs. A nationwide epidemiological study of vitamin D deficiency rickets must be conducted and evidence-based national guidelines must be defined to prevent rickets.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Mothers ; Plasma ; Public Health ; Rickets ; Sunlight ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamins ; Wrist

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the change of intra-abdominal pressure related with intravesical and intrarectal pressure in patients with spinal cord injury according to daily activities and postural changes which make the abdominal pressure elevated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten subjects with lower thoracic and lumbar spinal cord injury were enrolled. Their mean age was 38 years. The urodynamic study was performed and the intravesical and the intrarectal pressures were measured with a double lumen catheter and a intrarectal probe. The intravesical and the intrarectal pressure were obtained during patient's speech, sneeze, cough, valsalva and various postural changes with supine to decuitus, decubitus to supine, supine to sit, and sit to supine according to empty and full bladders, respectively. RESULTS: The order of higher intravesical and intrarectal pressure rise during various maneuvers were valsalva, sneeze, supine to sit and cough, respectively. Higher correlation coefficient between the intravesical and intrarectal pressures were noted during cough, sneeze, valsalva and supine to sit in empty bladder than full one. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that the intravesical and intrarectal pressures were influenced by daily activities and postural changes of increasing the intra-abdominal pressure. The intrarectal pressures according to daily activities such as cough, sneeze, valsalva and postural change were significantly related with intravesical pressures.
Catheters ; Cough ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urodynamics

We have experienced a rare case of progressive supranuclear palsy with hallucination and delusion. The common manifestations of progressive supranuclear palsy are gait disturbance, mental change and sign of vertical ophthamoplegia but no efficacious therapy has been known. Neuropsychiatric symptom clusters include cognitive impairment, affective and behavioral changes, sleep disturbance, and psychotic symptoms. Though schizophrenia-like psychosis has been reported but this is certainly rare. Addressing a case of progressive supranuclear palsy, in whom parkisonian symptoms appeared with concurrent psychotic symptoms, we emphasize accurate diagnosis.
Delusions ; Diagnosis ; Gait ; Hallucinations ; Psychotic Disorders ; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive*

Authors analyzed the findings of findings of chest radiographs and high-resolution CT(HRCT) of chronic mercury vapor poisoning in 12 patients who were diagnosed by previous working history for mercury-thermometer and high level of mercury in blood and urine. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the HRCT findings of chronic mercury vapor poisoning. Duration of mercury exposure was ranged from 10 to 41 months(mean, 21.8 months). Estimated value of serum mercury was ranged from 3.6 to 8.7µg/dl(mean, 5.3 µg/dl: normal value is less than 0.5µg/dl). Estimated value of mercury in urine was ranged from 104 to 482µg/1(mean, 291.4µg/1: normal value is less than 20µg/1). Chest radiographs showed positive findings such as ground-glass opacities and peribronchial cuffings in only 2 out of 12 patients, but HRCT showed positive findings such as ground-glass opacities in 8 patients, peribronchial cuffings in 7 patients, centrilobular abnormalities in 5 patients, interface sign in 4 patients, interlobular septal thickening with intralobular lines in 2 patients and lobular consolidation in one patient. In conclusion, chest HRCT is superior to chest radiograph to show the pulmonary manifestation of chronic mercury vapor poisoning. In patients with chronic mercury vapor poisoning, HRCT findings of centrilobular distributed ground-glass opacities and peribronchial cuffinges are characteristic.
Humans ; Lung* ; Poisoning* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Reference Values ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the change of the articular cartilage thickness resulting from physiological aging in normal Korean people without any disease in knee joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Voluntary participants of 81 cases, physically normal and free from knee joint disease at present or in the past, were chosen for our research program. The subjects were divided into young, middle and old age group respectively for the male and female; and articular cartilage thickness using MRI were measured. RESULT: Each of the three groups reveals the tendency of decrease in the thickness of the knee joint cartilage in all of the age groups along with the increase of the age. The cartilage thickness according to age for both sex, except for the tibial medial condyle, decreased significantly. For the male subjects, the degree of decrease in cartilage thicknes indicates difference in each sections. However, in case of female, the change of articular cartilage thickness in overall sections showed more significantly decreased in young to middle age group than in middle to old age group. CONCLUSION: The results revealed the normal articular cartilage thickness of knee and time that the thickness of articular cartilage was decreased with age. And we could evaluate the severity of degenerative change of articular cartilage by comparison to normal articular cartilage thickness.
Aging ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged

Calcium (Ca) is an essential element to maintain body homeostasis. However, many factors disturb calcium absorption. Aspartic acid chelated calcium (AAC) was synthesized by new methods using calcium carbonate and aspartic acid. This study was carried out to investigate the bioavailability of AAC in Ca-deficient rats. The experimental groups were as follows: NC; normal diet control group, CD-C; untreated control group of Ca-deficient (CD) rats, CD-CaCO3; CaCO3 treated group of CD rats, CD-AAC; AAC treated group of CD rats, and CD-SWC; and seaweed-derived Ca treated group of CD rats. The Ca content of various types of Ca was held constant at 32 mg/day, and the four CD groups were fed for 7 days after randomized grouping. Ca content in serum, urine, and feces within feeding periods were analyzed to confirm Ca absorption. Serum Ca content was significantly higher in the CD-AAC (11.24 mg/dL) and CD-SWC (10.12 mg/dL) groups than that in the CD-C (8.6 mg/dL) group 2 hours following the first administration. The Ca content in feces was significantly lower in the CD-AAC (35.4 mg/3 days) and CD-SWC (71.1 mg/3 day) groups than that in the CD-CaCO3 (98.7 mg/3 days) group (p > 0.05). AAC had a 2.3-fold higher absorption rate of Ca than that of SWC. No differences in fibula length were observed in the NC and CD groups. The fibula weights of the CD-AAC (0.33 g) and CD-SWC (0.33 g) groups increased compared to those in the CD-C (0.27 g) group; however, no significant difference was observed between the CD groups. We conclude that bioavailability of AAC is higher than that of seaweed-derived Ca or inorganic Ca. Thus, these findings suggest the AAC has potential as a functional food material related to Ca metabolism.
Absorption ; Adsorption ; Animals ; Aspartic Acid ; Biological Availability ; Calcium ; Calcium Carbonate ; Diet ; Feces ; Fibula ; Functional Food ; Homeostasis ; Rats ; Weights and Measures