Development of Optical Molecular Imaging System for the Acquisition of Bioluminescence Signals from Small Animals / 핵의학분자영상

PURPOSE: Optical imaging is providing great advance and improvement in genetic and molecular imaging of animals and humans. Optical imaging system consists of optical imaging devices, which carry out major function for monitoring, tracing, and imaging in most of molecular in-vivo researches. In bio-luminescent imaging, small animals containing luciferase gene locally irradiate light, and emitted photons transmitted through skin of the small animals are imaged by using a high sensitive charged coupled device (CCD) camera. In this paper, we introduced optical imaging system for the image acquisition of bio-luminescent signals emitted from small animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the system, Nikon lens and four LED light sources were mounted at the inside of a dark box. A cooled CCD camera equipped with a control module was used. RESULTS: We tested the performance of the optical imaging system using effendorf tube and light emitting bacteria which injected intravenously into CT26 tumor bearing nude mouse. The performance of implemented optical imaging system for bio-luminescence imaging was demonstrated and the feasibility of the system in small animal imaging application was proved. CONCLUSION: We anticipate this system could be a useful tool for the molecular imaging of small animals adaptable for various experimental conditions in future.

A Case of Polyneuropathy Associated with Methyl Bromide Intoxication / 대한산업의학회지

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and treatment of intoxication induced by methyl bromide depends on the patient's exposure history. In the present case, the patient showed various neurologic symptoms which were helpful to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the concentration of bromide ion in his body. The reduction rate of bromide ion concentration was another important clue to estimate the patient's health state in treatment. CASE REPORT: Some neurologic disorders were manifested in a 35-year-old man who had been engaged in a fumigation company for 12 years. Although he had been complaining of abnormal symptoms for 10 days, he had left his work only 3 days before being admitted to our hospital in serious state via the emergency department. Comprehensive clinical evaluations confirmed he was suffering from polyneuropathy, optic neuropathy and cerebellar signs. We diagnosed his condition as methyl bromide intoxication, and ruled out other possible diseases, after taking his occupational history and evaluating the elevation of bromide ion concentration in the sampled blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. With decreasing bromide ion concentration, his abnormal symptoms improved and he was discharged 22 days after admission without any neurologic sequela. CONCLUSION: This case report confirmed the usefulness of measuring the concentrations of bromide ion in the diagnosis of methyl bromide intoxication. We therefore suggest that the regular measuring of bromide ion concentration be included in the occupation specified health examination.

Development and Evaluation of Classification Codes and Retrieval Program of the Interpretation of Nuclear Medicine Imaging Studies / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate usefulness of the classification codes and retrieval program of the interpretation of nuclear medicine imaging studies. METHODS: We retrieved specific results of the interpretation of 3,613 nuclear medicine imaging studies from database server of the Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital using classification code retrieval program or by searching narrative phrases using structured query language(SQL). Accuracy of the retrieved results as well as retrieval time in each group were compared. RESULTS: Retrieved results using SQL showed lower accuracy than those using classification codes. There was no delay of response or overload of network traffic whether we used either retrieval program or SQL. CONCLUSION: Retrieval of specific results from database of the interpretation of nuclear medicine imaging studies using classification codes with retrieval program was more accurate and convenient than searching narrative phrases using SQL.