PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of ultrasonography to image the epiglottis and to determine a thickness range based on healthy Korean adults. METHODS: Anterior neck images were obtained in 100 healthy Koreans (52 males and 48 females) using ultrasonography. Sonographically, the epiglottis appeared as a curvilinear, hypoechoic structure with an echogenic preepiglottic space. 20 of 100 subjects, each patient underwent two ultrasound measurements by the same examiner to assess for intra-examiner reliability, followed by two additional measurements performed by a second examiner to assess for inter-examiner reliability. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient revealed excellent reliability (intra-examiner 0.901, inter-examiner 0.887). The average Korean epiglottis thickness was measured to be 2.31+/-0.22 mm (range: 1.88 mm to 2.84 mm), with greater thickness noted in men (2.41+/-0.21 mm) when compared to women (2.21+/-0.18 mm) (p <0.001). There was significant correlation between epiglottis thickness and body surface area (r=0.533), weight (0.517), height (0.437) and body mass index (0.372). Average examination time was recoded to be 17.84+/-13.09 seconds. CONCLUSION: Bedside ultrasonography is rapid, safe, easy to perform and can accurately evaluate the epiglottis as seen in our study. Because of excellent reliability, it is possible to establish diagnostic criteria.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Surface Area ; Epiglottis* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Ultrasonography*

BACKGROUND: Some types of human papillomavirus (HPV) play a major role in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Several dozens of studies on the association of HPV with cervical neoplasm have been done since the first detection of HPV 16 and 18 directly from cervical cancer patients in 1983. Approximately 90 types of HPV have been identified so far and the number of oncogenic HPV types is still growing. In this study, we examined the occurrence of oncogenic HPV infections in patients with cervical lesions. Method : Two hundred twenty cervical swab specimens were collected during a 3 year period (1996-1999). Processed specimens were tested for HPV type 16 and 18 by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: HPV type 16 was detected in the cervical swab specimens as follows: 19 (51.4%) of 37 cervical cancer patients, 19 (30.2%) of 63 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 5 (9.6%) of 52 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, none in 6 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and 3 (4.8%) of 62 normal cervices. Conclusion : The positive rate for HPV type 16 increased according to the degree of cervical malignancy.
Human papillomavirus 16 ; Humans* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms