Objectives: . Otitis media is a common infection worldwide. Owing to the limited number of ear specialists and rapid development of telemedicine, several trials have been conducted to develop novel diagnostic strategies to improve the diagnostic accuracy and screening of patients with otologic diseases based on abnormal otoscopic findings. Although these strategies have demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for the tympanic membrane (TM), the insufficient explainability of these techniques limits their deployment in clinical practice. Methods: . We used a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) model based on the segmentation of a normal TM into five substructures (malleus, umbo, cone of light, pars flaccida, and annulus) to identify abnormalities in otoscopic ear images. The mask R-CNN algorithm learned the labeled images. Subsequently, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of combinations of the five substructures using a three-layer fully connected neural network to determine whether ear disease was present. Results: . We obtained the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the optimal conditions for the presence or absence of eardrum diseases according to each substructure separately or combinations of substructures. The highest area under the curve (0.911) was found for a combination of the malleus, cone of light, and umbo, compared with the corresponding areas under the curve of 0.737–0.873 for each substructure. Thus, an algorithm using these five important normal anatomical structures could prove to be explainable and effective in screening abnormal TMs. Conclusion . This automated algorithm can improve diagnostic accuracy by discriminating between normal and abnormal TMs and can facilitate appropriate and timely referral consultations to improve patients’ quality of life in the context of primary care.

Evidence of the ethical appropriateness and clinical benefits of shared decision-making (SDM) are accumulating. This study aimed to not only identify physicians’ perspectives on SDM, and practices related to end-of-life care in particular, but also to gauge the effect of SDM education on physicians in Korea. Methods: A 14-item questionnaire survey using a modified Delphi process was delivered to nephrologists and internal medicine trainees at 17 university hospitals. Results: A total of 309 physicians completed the survey. Although respondents reported that 69.9% of their practical decisions were made using SDM, 59.9% reported that it is not being applied appropriately. Only 12.3% of respondents had received education on SDM as part of their training. The main obstacles to appropriate SDM were identified as lack of time (46.0%), educational materials and tools (29.4%), and education on SDM (24.3%). Although only a few respondents had received training on SDM, the proportion of those who thought they were using SDM appropriately in actual practice was high; the proportion of those who chose lack of time and education as factors that hindered the proper application of SDM was low. Conclusion: The majority of respondents believed that SDM was not being implemented properly in Korea, despite its use in actual practice. To improve the effectiveness of SDM in the Korean medical system, appropriate training programs and supplemental policies that guarantee sufficient application time are required.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a major risk factor that contributes to mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. There is controversy over the optimal hemoglobin (Hb) target in these patients. This study investigated the association between Hb level and mortality in a cohort of hemodialysis (HD) patients in Korea. METHODS: This study was a multicenter prospective observational study of maintenance HD patients that was performed for 5 years in western Seoul, Korea. Three hundred and sixty-two participants were enrolled. Laboratory values and mortality were accessed every 6 months. Repeated measures of laboratory values in each interval were averaged to obtain one semiannual mean value. The Hb values were divided into six groups: (1) Hb<9 g/dL; (2) 9 g/dL< or =Hb<10 g/dL; (3) 10 g/dL< or =Hb<11 g/dL; (4) 11 g/dL< or =Hb<12 g/dL; (5) 12 g/dL< or =Hb<13 g/dL; and (6) Hb> or =13 g/dL. We analyzed the odds ratio for all-cause mortality, based on the Hb group, and adjusted for demographics and various laboratory values. Statistics were performed with SAS, version 9.1 software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). RESULTS: Mortality odds ratios relative to the reference group (10-11 g/dL) in the fully adjusted model were 3.61 for<9 g/dL; 3.17 for 9-10 g/dL*; 4.65 for 11-12 g/dL*; 5.50 for 12-13 g/dL*; and 2.05 for> or =13 g/dL (* indicates P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, a Hb level of 10-11 g/dL was associated with the lowest mortality among the groups with Hb level<13 g/dL. Larger interventional trials are warranted to determine the optimal Hb target for Korean HD patients.
Anemia* ; Cohort Studies* ; Demography ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality ; Observational Study ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis* ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Risk Factors ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of postoperative maxillary cyst (POMC) diagnosis by panoramic radiographs versus computed tomography (CT) and by oral and maxillofacial radiologists versus non-specialists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-five maxillary sinuses with POMCs and 63 without any lesion were assessed using panoramic radiographs and CT images by five oral and maxillofacial radiologists and five non-specialists on a five-point scale. The areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were analyzed to determine the differences in diagnostic accuracy between the two imaging modalities and between the two groups of observers. The intra-observer agreement was determined, too. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of CT images was higher than that of panoramic radiographs in both groups of observers (p<0.05). The diagnostic accuracy of oral and maxillofacial radiologists for each method was higher than that of non-specialists (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of CT improves the diagnosis of POMC, and radiological training and experience leads to more accurate evaluation.
Diagnosis ; Maxillary Sinus ; Pro-Opiomelanocortin ; Radiography, Panoramic ; ROC Curve

PURPOSE: This study is to understand how community members perceive past life recollection and preparation for death. METHODS: Using a questionnaire, we surveyed 160 adult residents of one of the districts (gu) in Seoul, Korea. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Participants chose their 30s and 40s as the most difficult time in their lives. The most painful experience was "an illness of a family member", followed by "trouble with a spouse", and "trouble with children". As for the most difficult social experience, "sense of loss in life" was ranked the highest. Personally, the happiest time was "accomplishment of a goal", while it was "happiness through children" in family relationship and "contribution to society through my career" in social life. As for the most regrettable experience, personally "having lived without purpose" was the highest, "not meeting my parents' expectation more" in family relationship; "not providing sufficient education" in relationship with children; "not having an occupation that I wanted" in work life, and "lack of social skills" in social life. More than 87% of the surveyed showed a positive attitude about the system of the do not resuscitate (DNS) order. For a situation where participants were supposed to have an incurable disease, "I want to be notified of the true condition" and "I want to write a will and advanced directives" ranked high, receiving more than 3.1 points out of 4. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the need for death education to provide people with an opportunity to accept their regrettable experiences in the past as part of their life. Also, this study suggests the importance of writing advanced directives for people to prepare for"death with dignity" how it can help their decision to be better respected.
Adult ; Family Relations ; Humans ; Korea ; Occupations ; Writing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In Korea, limited data are available on small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. This study reports on the use of capsule endoscopy in cases of suspected small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. METHODS: Capsule endoscopy was used at our hospital to evaluate small bowel disease in 501 cases from July 2003 to June 2010. Of those cases, nine patients with portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis with suspected small bowel bleeding were selected for the study. A retrospective analysis was performed using data from medical records. RESULTS: Six of the nine (66.7%) patients were males with an average age of 53.4 years. The average hemoglobin level was 8.1 g/dL. Abnormalities noted during capsule endoscopy included portal hypertensive enteropathy in all nine cases (100%), jejunal varices in four (44.4%), jejunal and ileal angiodysplasia in five (55.5%), multiple small bowel erosions in one (11.1%), granularity of the jejunal mucosa in one (11.1%), and small bowel erythema in three (33.3%). Active bleeding from jejunal varices was detected in two patients (22.2%). Despite having no obvious active bleeding during the capsule endoscopy, four patients (44.4%) were diagnosed with portal hypertensive enteropathy with obscure small bowel bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Capsule endoscopy is a useful diagnostic tool for the evaluation of small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertensive enteropathy. Additional prospective and multicenter studies on the use of capsule endoscopy are needed to evaluate the incidence and clinical importance of portal hypertensive enteropathy.
Angiodysplasia ; Capsule Endoscopy ; Erythema ; Hemoglobins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Retrospective Studies ; Varicose Veins

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the death recognition, meaning in life, and death attitude of participants in the death education program. METHODS: A survey was conducted, and 205 data were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, ANOVA, and Duncan test were used. RESULTS: 1) The followings were the characteristics of death recognition shown by the participants. Over half of the participants said that they had given some thoughts on their deaths, that they had agreeable view on death acceptance, and that diseases and volunteer works made them think about their deaths. Moreover, suffering, parting with family and concerns for them, etc. were the most common reasons for the difficulty of accepting death. As for 'the person whom I discuss my death with', spouse, friend, and son/daughter were the most chosen in this order. Lastly, the funeral type that most of the participants desired was cremation. 2) The means of meaning in life and death attitude were 2.92+/-0.29 and 2.47+/-0.25, respectively. There were significant differences between health status, meaning in life and death attitude. 3) A significant positive corelationship was found between meaning in life and death attitude (r=0.190, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: For an effective death education program that would fit each individual's situation, an educational content that can make a person understand the meaning of his or her life and death, includes knowledge to lessen the fear and anxiety of death, and helps a person heal from the loss of a family member is absolutely necessary.
Anxiety ; Cremation ; Friends ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Spouses ; Stress, Psychological

Brown tumor is a histologically benign lesion that is a serious complication of renal osteodystrophy because it may result in severe deformity and discomfort. We report a case of brown tumor, which occurred in a 35-year-old woman with chronic renal failure, who had been treated with hemodialysis for 14 years. The lesion was found on the lingual side of the mandible. Standard panoramic radiograph showed generally decreased bone mineral density, loss of lamina dura, and thin cortical plates. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multilocular expansile lesions with heterogeneous attenuation in the anterior mandible, as well as generalized trabecular alteration with homogeneous sclerosis, and thinning or obliteration of cortical plates. Excision of the mandibular lesion and curettage of the affected bone were performed.
Adult ; Bone Density ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Curettage ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mandible ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Osteodystrophy ; Sclerosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphologic features of posterior edentulous mandible for Korean patients using cross-sectional CT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomographic cross-sectional views taken in 2004 and 2005 at Seoul National University Dental Hospital were analyzed by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist. Four indices were measured to meet the purpose of this study: 1) the horizontal distance between the alveolar crest and mandibular canal (Type), 2) the angle of the mandibular long axis (Angle), 3) the bucco-lingual location of mandibular canal, and 4) the depth of the submandibular fossa. The averages and standard deviations of the measurements were compared according to the location (the first and second molar area) and sex of the patients. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was found in Type, Angle, and submandibular fossa depth between the first and second molar area (p.0.05). However, there was no significant difference between men and women in any of the measured indices. Most of the mandibular canals were located in lingual side of posterior mandible. CONCLUSION: More care should be taken when an implant is installed on the mandibular second molar area.
Alveolar Process ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Mandibular Nerve ; Molar ; Seoul ; Submandibular Gland ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic ability in differentiating between ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst according to the imaging modalities and observers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated thirty-six cases of ameloblastomas and forty-seven cases of odontogenic keratocysts all histologically confirmed. Six oral and maxillofacial radiologists diagnosed the lesions by 3 methods: using panoramic radiograph, using computed tomograph (CT), and using panoramic radiograph and CT. The observers were classified by 3 groups: group 1 had experienced over 10 years in oral and maxillofacial radiologic field, group 2 had experienced for 3-4 years, and group 3 was in the process of residentship. After over 2 weeks, the observers diagnosed them by the same methods. RESULTS: The ROC curve areas except for group 3 were the highest with interpretation using panoramic radiograph and CT, followed by interpretation using CT only, and the lowest with interpretation using panoramic radiograph only. The overall difference was not found in diagnostic ability among groups in using panoramic radiograph only, but there was difference in diagnostic ability of group 1 and 2 vs 3 in using CT only, and combination panoramic radiograph and CT. CONCLUSIONS: To differentiate between ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst more accurately, the experienced oral and maxillofacial radiologist should diagnose with combination of panoramic radiograph and CT.
Ameloblastoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Odontogenic Cysts* ; ROC Curve