To develop an advanced non-linear curve fitting (NLCF) algorithm for performing dynamic susceptibility contrast study of the brain. The first pass effects give rise to spuriously high estimates of Ktrans for the voxels that represent the large vascular components. An explicit threshold value was used to reject voxels. The blood perfusion and volume estimation were accurately evaluated in the T2*-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MR images. From each of the recalculated parameters, a perfusion weighted image was outlined by using the modified non-linear curve fitting algorithm. The present study demonstrated an improvement of an estimation of the kinetic parameters from the DCE T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data with using contrast agents.
Brain* ; Contrast Media ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Humans* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Perfusion

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of fast inversion recovery (FIR) and magnetization-prepared three dimensional gradient echo sequence (3D GRE) T1-weighted sequences for neonatal brain imaging compared with spin echo (SE) sequence in a 3T MR unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: T1-weighted axial SE, FIR and 3D GRE sequences were evaluated from 3T brain MR imaging in 20 neonates. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of different tissues was measured and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were determined and compared in each of the sequences. Visual analysis was carried out by grading gray-white matter differentiation, myelination, and artifacts. The Wilcoxon signed ranked test was used for evaluation of the statistical significance of CNR differences between the sequences. RESULTS: Among the three sequences, the 3D GRE had the best SNRs. CNRs obtained with FIR and 3D GRE were statistically superior to those obtained with SE; these CNRs were better on the 3D GRE compared to the FIR. Gray to white matter differentiation and myelination were better delineated on the FIR and 3D GRE than the SE. However, motion artifacts were more commonly observed on the 3D GRE and flow-related artifacts of vessels were frequently seen on the FIR. CONCLUSION: FIR and 3D GRE are valuable alternative T1-weighted sequences to conventional SE imaging of the neonatal brain at 3T providing superior image quality.
Artifacts ; Brain* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Myelin Sheath ; Neuroimaging ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

OBJECTIVE: The current personal health devices are used as stand.alone machines or transmit the personal health information only to local PCs. The objective of this research is to build a system which can transmit personal health information from personal health devices to the healthcare server systems. METHODS: In this research, we used infrared (IrDA) and Bluetooth for wireless communication from the personal health devices to a PDA. And, we utilized SMS (Simple Message Service) and world wide web systems to deliver the data from the PDA to other mobile phones or to the board in the web server. RESULTS: We developed the system that wirelessly communicates personal health information from the personal health devices to a PDA. The system also delivers both glucose and blood pressure data from the PDA to other mobile phones by SMS (Simple Message Service) or automatically register to the board in the web server. CONCLUSION: We showed convenient and easy way of collecting personal health information. Our system will contribute improving personal healthcare environment and personal health device business.
Blood Pressure ; Cellular Phone ; Commerce ; Delivery of Health Care ; Glucose ; Humans ; Internet

OBJECTIVE: As the rapid progress of aged society, there must be solutions of preparation against unpredicted accidents for aged solitary people. The most important thing that we must consider is the unconstraint of daily life. So, we are to develop a system and algorithm which meet our objectives. METHODS: We have monitored the degree of activity of the aged solitary person. The CCD camera was used not to disturb the daily activity and we evaluated the degree of activity using image processing on personal computer. The activity monitoring during night was assumed by sleeping on the bed, so the major method was breath monitoring during sleeping. On the other hand, daily activity was monitored by wide viewing camera in the living room. To prevent the privacy trouble, the acquired image was converted to binary form and the degree of breath and moving factor was estimated. RESULTS: In this paper we propose a new processing algorithm to accurately measure breathing characteristics in sleep apnea sufferers. We improved the conventional center-of-mass method and further applied the projection-profile method. As a result, we have improved breath measurement accuracy. In a comparison with conventional polysomnography, our method was 92% effective in detecting apnea cases. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, we can monitor sleep apnea more simply and with no sleep interference. In measuring the activity of daily life, these improved algorithms were applied. So, we established a monitoring method of no-constrained, quantitative measurement for the aged solitary people during the whole day.
Apnea ; Hand ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Polysomnography ; Privacy ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes*

OBJECTIVE: After drawing and stacking contour of structures, which are identifed in the serially sectioned images, three-dimensional (3D) images can be made by surface reconstruction. The 3D images can be selected and rotated in a real time. The purpose of this research is to compose software of automatic surface reconstruction for making 3D images. METHODS: Contours of 55 structures in the 613 magnetic resonance images of whole body were drawn to make segmented images. We composed automatic software for stacking contours of a structure, for converting the contours into polygons, and for connecting vertices of the neighboring polygons to fill gaps between polygons with triangular surfaces. The surface reconstruction software was excuted to make 3D images of 55 structures. RESULTS: Virtual dissection software, on which 3D images could be selected and rotated, was composed. CONCLUSION: For other research, this like program can be composed for automatic surface reconstruction; several kinds of commercial software can be used for manual or automatic surface reconstruction. Investigators might choose one of the methods in consideration of their only circumstances.
Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Research Personnel

OBJECTIVE: Even though abundant studies and models have tried to explain and predict the adoption and use of new information systems, the research on the adoption of Diabetes Management Systems in multiple clinical settings is relatively scarce. This paper addresses this issue by outlining Georgetown University's experience with implementing its MyCareTeam diabetes telemedicine application, which is a web.based, interactive diabetes management application. METHODS: Case study is used to explore the influencial factors on web.based diabetes telemedicine systems in multiclinical setting. The experience of the Georgetown University deploying MyCareTeam system in six different geographical areas was analyzed by secondary literature review and interviews. RESULTS: This study finds several problems and possible resolutions to expand the telemedicine systems of single institution into the multiple clinical settings. The application systems must be able to transfer data from diverse medical devices and integrate with web.based diabetes management application. Therefore, the system needs to support diverse data transfer type, diverse cable, and different network environment. In addition, there is a need for more dedicated technical and operational support, to prevent frequent turnover among the overburdened nurses who currently interact remotely with telemedicine patients. CONCLUSIONS: To apply currently developed telemedicine technology into the real clinical settings, the proposed technical as well as organizational infrastructure should be established. The findings of this study will be guideline for multi.center diabetes management system in Korea.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Korea ; Telemedicine*

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to propose the guideline for developing web services components from HL7 (Health Level 7) standard. METHODS: All business processes describing in HL7 are modeled using UML (Unified Modeling Language). Both UML diagrams and web services profiles can be presented with XML (Extensible Markup Language). Therefore we suggest a framework to derive web services from HL7 standards semi-automatically. RESULTS: We show that skeletal XML documents for web services can be generated from HL7 standards. Additionally we propose a way to program with Java for web services using given web service profiles. CONCLUSION: This paper presents the methodology of developing HL7-compatible electronic health record systems using web services.
Commerce ; Electronic Health Records ; Indonesia

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the introduction of picture archiving and communication system(PACS) by identifying the change of the interpretation rates of radiologic examinations. METHODS: The data about total of 297,314 radiologic examinations done from June, 2001 to June 2002 was collected through medical record. December, 2001 which was the month of PACS introduction was excluded from the analysis for controlling the bias. Data concerning the time spent on interpretation, types of patients, clinical departments and types of radiologic examinations were collected. Chi-square test was performed to evaluate differences before and after introduction of PACS. RESULTS: 1. The interpretation rates of total radiologic examinations significantly increased after the introduction of PACS. The interpretation rate within 1 day increased 2.3 times higher after the introduction of PACS. 2. Both of the interpretation rates of radiologic examinations for outpatients and inpatients were significantly increased after the introduction of PACS. The interpretation rate within 1 day of radiologic examinations among outpatients increased 2.1 times higher and that among inpatients increased 3 times higher after the introducton of PACS. CONCLUSION: There was overall increase of interpretation rate suggesting the improvement of performance in department of radiology. This indicated that introduction of PACS brought about a positive impact on medical service quality through improving operational efficiency.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Medical Records ; Outpatients

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this research are to survey the consumers' opinions about the health information privacy, to understand the consumers' privacy.protective behaviors out of the concern about the privacy breaches, to know the consumers' recognition about the constitution of the health information privacy law, to know the consumers' willingness to share their personal medical information. METHODS: The questionnaire was developed and conducted by the California HealthCare Foundation on "National Consumer Health Privacy Survey" was translated into Korean and reviewed by the authors to conform to the Korean situation. We collected data from 335 on.line survey responses. RESULTS: Consumers concerned about the privacy of their personal health information. Consumers are unfamiliar with health information privacy law. Consumers think that the paper medical records are more secure than electronic medical records. Not so many Korean consumers practice the privacy.protective behaviors even though they worry about the misuse of the health information. However, consumers will share their personal medical information with limited others such as family members and physicians involved in their care. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the consumers answered that the information could be shared when necessary, however, the ownership and the right to decide the disclosure should belong to patient, and patient should be allowed to access their own information with certain degree of regulation.
California ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Consumer Health Information ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disclosure ; Electronic Health Records ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Medical Records ; Ownership ; Privacy* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: We firstly defined the Healthcare Information Technology Industry as the new industry and then analyzed it's National Economic Effects based on the Meta-phase Investment of Public Finance Plan. METHODS: We took the In/Output Analysis of Inter-industry Relationships as the quantitative analysis method to analyze the affect on the Healthcare Information Technology Industry. RESULTS: The EPI(Estimated Production Inducement) and the VAI(Value-Added inducement) were amounted to KRW 1.99 trillion and KRW 1.73 trillion each between 2006 and 2010. Moreover, the TEI(Total Employment Inducement) was estimated at about 2.9 thousand jobs during the same periods of time. CONCLUSION: We found the Economic Effects of the Healthcare Information Technology Industry contributed to the Core Growth Power of the overall a nation. In other words, it satisfied the desire of consumption on the healthcare and improved the quality of the life.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Employment ; Investments