Cone beam computed tomographic evaluation of nutrient canals and foramina in the anterior region of the mandible

Purpose

To investigate the incidence and anatomical location of mandibular nutrient canals (NCs) originating from the mandibular canal using dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods

CBCT images from 105 patients were examined to evaluate the presence, number, diameter, and course of NCs.

Results

NCs and their foramina were bilaterally located in 17 (16.2 %) images. The mean diameters of NCs and foramina were 0.9 ± 0.4 (range, 0.2–3.2) mm and 0.9 ± 0.4 (0.2–2.1) mm, respectively. NCs coursed through the mandibular incisor region up to the lingual surface of the alveolar bone crest.

Conclusion

The present study revealed the frequency and distribution of NCs using CBCT image analysis. NCs are important because surgical injury to the neurovascular bundle within these canals can lead to excessive bleeding and postoperative paresthesia. The identification of NC on CBCT images may be useful during the harvesting of bone blocks or placement of endosseous implants in the anterior region of the mandible.

     

锥形束CT研究正畸治疗前后的单侧后牙正锁合的髁突变化

目的 应用锥形束CT(CBCT)研究分析单侧后牙正锁合患者的双侧髁突形态及其在关节窝内位置的差异,以及正锁合解除后,患者髁突形态及位置的代偿性改建情况,以期为正畸临床诊疗提供早期依据。方法 选择单侧后牙正锁合18～28岁患者20例为实验组,同期选择安氏Ⅰ类轻度拥挤错颌18~30岁患者25例为对照组,进行面部锥形束CT拍摄,利用3D Examvision成像系统软件进行三维重建,描记测量髁突形态及位置的点和线,对7个不同的测量值进行统计学分析。结果 正畸治疗前,对照组左右两侧髁突形态及其在关节窝内的位置差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,实验组正锁合侧关节窝深度及髁突高度高于非锁合侧,差异具有统计学意义（t=13.271,t=15.278, P＜0.01）。正畸治疗正锁合并稳定保持3个月后,实验组正锁合侧关节前间隙、关节后间隙变化与治疗前相比差异具有统计学意义（t=5.524,t=-5.119,P＜0.01）,关节前间隙治疗前大于治疗后; 关节后间隙治疗前小于治疗后。实验组非锁合侧治疗前后髁突形态及其位置变化的差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论 单侧后牙正锁合患者双侧髁突形态及其在关节窝内的位置存在差异,矫治正锁合并稳定保持3个月后,锁合侧关节有向前下移动的趋势,而髁突形态并无明显变化。     

Cone beam CT with zonal filters for simultaneous dose reduction, improved target contrast and automated set-up in radiotherapy

Cone beam CT (CBCT) using a zonal filter is introduced. The aims are reduced concomitant imaging dose to the patient, simultaneous control of body scatter for improved image quality in the tumour target zone and preserved set-up detail for radiotherapy. Aluminium transmission diaphragms added to the CBCT x-ray tube of the Elekta Synergytrade mark linear accelerator produced an unattenuated beam for a central "target zone" and a partially attenuated beam for an outer "set-up zone". Imaging doses and contrast noise ratios (CNR) were measured in a test phantom for transmission diaphragms 12 and 24 mm thick, for 5 and 10 cm long target zones. The effect on automatic registration of zonal CBCT to conventional CT was assessed relative to full-field and lead-collimated images of an anthropomorphic phantom. Doses along the axis of rotation were reduced by up to 50% in both target and set-up zones, and weighted dose (two thirds surface dose plus one third central dose) was reduced by 10-20% for a 10 cm long target zone. CNR increased by up to 15% in zonally filtered CBCT images compared to full-field images. Automatic image registration remained as robust as that with full-field images and was superior to CBCT coned down using lead-collimation. Zonal CBCT significantly reduces imaging dose and is expected to benefit radiotherapy through improved target contrast, required to assess target coverage, and wide-field edge detail, needed for robust automatic measurement of patient set-up error.     

Cone beam volume CT image artifacts caused by defective cells in x-ray flat panel imagers and the artifact removal using a wavelet-analysis-based algorithm

The application of x-ray flat panel imagers (FPIs) in cone beam volume CT (CBVCT) has attracted increasing attention. However, due to a deficient semiconductor array manufacturing process, defective cells unavoidably exist in x-ray FPIs. These defective cells cause their corresponding image pixels in a projection image to behave abnormally in signal gray level, and result in severe streak and ring artifacts in a CBVCT image reconstructed from the projection images. Since a three-dimensional (3-D) back-projection is involved in CBVCT, the formation of the streak and ring artifacts is different from that in the two-dimensional (2-D) fan beam CT. In this paper, a geometric analysis of the abnormality propagation in the 3D back-projection is presented, and the morphology of the streak and ring artifacts caused by the abnormality propagation is investigated through both computer simulation and phantom studies. In order to calibrate those artifacts, a 2D wavelet-analysis-based statistical approach to correct the abnormal pixels is proposed. The approach consists of three steps: (1) the location-invariant defective cells in an x-ray FPI are recognized by applying 2-D wavelet analysis on flat-field images, and a comprehensive defective cell template is acquired; (2) based upon the template, the abnormal signal gray level of the projection image pixels corresponding to the location-invariant defective cells is replaced with the interpolation of that of their normal neighbor pixels; (3) that corresponding to the isolated location-variant defective cells are corrected using a narrow-windowed median filter. The CBVCT images of a CT low-contrast phantom are employed to evaluate this proposed approach, showing that the streak and ring artifacts can be reliably eliminated. The novelty and merit of the approach are the incorporation of the wavelet analysis whose intrinsic multi-resolution analysis and localizability make the recognition algorithm robust under variable x-ray exposure levels between 30% and 70% of the dynamic range of an x-ray FPI.     

Allele frequencies of human leukocyte antigen-G in a Korean population

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is a nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class I molecule with relatively limited polymorphism. The differences in allele frequency according to ethnicity and country have not been studied enough, so far. Therefore, fundamental data including allele frequencies and polymorphism are needed for studies on immunological function of HLA-G in each population. We investigated allele frequencies and 14-bp polymorphism of the HLA-G in Koreans. HLA-G alleles and 14-bp polymorphisms were determined by sequence-based typing analysis of exons 2-4 and polymerase chain reaction of exon 8 in 200 unrelated individuals. Genotyping analysis identified eight different HLA-G alleles, which indicates that the Korean population presents limited HLA-G allelic polymorphism. HLA-G*01:01:01:01 and G*01:04:01 were frequent alleles (42.5% and 34.0%), and allelic frequencies were similar to those of other Asian populations. The 14-bp deletion alleles are higher (78%) in Koreans, although the frequencies of the 14-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism have been known to be nearly equal in many Caucasian populations. HLA-G*01:01:08 was reported strong linkage disequilibrium with the 14-bp deletion in a previous report; the same allele was accompanied with 14-bp insertion in our study. There are a few studies investigating allele frequencies, and most of them were studied before high-resolution method era. This is the first study regarding HLA-G genotypes in Korean, which were identified by high-resolution method. From this study, we identified HLA-G frequencies of a Korean population and expect this study could help further investigations for immunological and clinical implications of HLA-G.     

Determinants for heart rate variability in a normal Korean population

This study examined the normal ranges and the determinants for various parameters of the short-term heart rate variability (HRV) measurements in a large Korean sample of healthy people. HRV measurements were obtained in 2,748 healthy men and 735 healthy women 18-65 yr of age. The mean total power (TP), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF/HF ratio were 1,358.9 ± 1,840.8 ms(2), 417.3 ± 807.6 ms(2), 254.1 ± 414.1 ms(2), and 2.4 ± 20.9 ms(2) in the frequency-domain spectral analysis. The mean standard deviation of the normal-to-normal (NN) interval (SDNN) and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD) were 39.6 ± 22.1 ms and 29.7 ± 18.1 ms in the time-domain analysis. The female subjects had significantly higher SDNN, RMSSD, and HF values than the male subjects. After controlling for age, there was no statistically significant difference in the SDNN. Quantile regression analysis showed that age and mean heart rate had a significant impact on short-term HRV measurement. Given that both clinicians and researchers are increasingly relying on short-term HRV assessment in measuring stress, our work suggests that age and gender should be considered as independent determinants for HRV.     

CT图像锥形伪影的实验研究

目的：研究螺旋CT插值算法引起的图像伪影的规律。方法：采用自制的有机玻璃锥形体模在Siemens Plus4和GE Lightspeed16扫描仪上设置不同参数进行扫描。基于MATLAB7．0编程对图像进行分析，计算伪影的面积占原像面积的比重。结果：伪影的面积比随着螺距的增大而增大，随着体模半锥角的正切值和重建位置的半径的增大分别呈现增大和减小的趋势。临床照片中，锥形伪影突出表现在边界明显的部位。结论：锥形伪影与螺距和被扫描物属性存在确定关系。     

肾上腺神经节瘤的CT表现

目的探讨肾上腺神经节瘤的CT表现特点及其诊断价值。方法回顾性分析16例患者的临床病理及影像学资料。7例患者行CT平扫,9例行CT平扫加增强;15例经手术病理证实,1例经穿刺活检证实为肾上腺神经节瘤。结果16例患者CT扫描可见2例肿物为囊实性,14例为实性;5例肿物内伴有钙化;平扫CT值介于20～40 HU左右;9例增强扫描后,5例轻度延迟强化,4例强化不明显。结论肾上腺节细胞神经瘤CT扫描具有特征性,CT扫描对正确诊断肾上腺神经节瘤具有重要价值。     

kV级锥形束CT在图像引导放疗中的应用

目的：评价kV级锥形束CT（CBCT）在图像引导放射治疗（IGRT）中的临床价值。方法：92例行IGRT的患者分为头颈组、胸腹组和盆腔组,通过868次图像配准统计配准结果,判断中心移位误差,同时观察配准满意患者计划PTV轮廓包绕实体靶区的程度,并进行统计学分析。结果：头颈组、胸腹组和盆腔组在X（左右）的移位分别为1.7mm±1.1 mm、1.7mm±1.4 mm和1.3mm±0.9 mm,在Y（头脚）方向上分别为1.9 mm±1.2mm、2.5 mm±1.9 mm和2.4 mm±1.5mm,在Z（腹背）方向上分别为1.6 mm±1.0 mm。1.6mm±1.1 mm1.3 mm±0.9mm,且个体差异较大,配准满意后计划PTV轮廓包绕实体靶区,包绕满意率达95.2%（826/868）,包绕一般满意率达98.8%（858/868）,包绕尚可率达100%（868/868）,未出现包绕危险现象。结论：kV级CBCT是开展IGRT的理想设备,可以提高照射精度,建议临床在PTV Margin外放时作相应减少。     

The HLA system in the Korean population

The frequencies of HLA-A, B, C, DR, and DQ antigens, HLA-D (HTC-defined) haplotypes, and the HLA-linked genetic markers glyoxalase I (GLO), factor B (Bf), C2 and C4 were studied in 162 healthy unrelated Koreans. Antigens A2, A24, A26, B44, B51, Bw62, B35, Cw1, Cw3, DR2, DR4, DRw6, DR7, and DRw8 were observed at frequencies of 15% or greater, and GLO-2, BfS, C4A*3, C2C, C4A*4, C4B*1, and C4B*2 were also frequently observed. The antigens A23, A25, B18, Bw42, Bw47, and B21 were not observed at all. HLA-DR4 was the most common class II antigen and was associated with a series of HLA-D-defined haplotypes including Dw4, Dw10, Dw13, and Dw15. The HLA-DRw6, DR2,Dw8, and DRw8 haplotypes were also found frequently. DR2 haplotypes were either Dw2 or Dw12, while all DRw8 haplotypes tested corresponded to the DB7 or Dw "8.3" specificity that has been described in other Oriental populations. Significant linkage disequilibrium was found between the alleles A2,Cw1; A30,B13; A30,Cw6; A30,DR7; Cw1,Bw22; Cw5,B12; Cw6,B13; Cw6,DR7; B7,DR1; B12,Dw6; B12,DR7; B12,Dw7; B13,DR7, B17,DR3; Bw22,C4B*6; DRw6,BfF; and C4A*4,C4B*2. A comparison of gene frequencies and commonly observed haplotypes between Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, and Caucasians showed that while Koreans share several characteristics in common with other Oriental populations, there are allelic frequencies and haplotypes in Koreans that are distinct.     

Low prevalence of classical galactosemia in Korean population

This study described the clinical and molecular genetic features of classical galactosemia in Korean population to contribute to the insight in the spectrum of galactosemia in the world, as little is known about the spectrum and incidence of galactosemia in Asia. During the 11-year study period, only three Korean children were identified as having classical galactosemia on the basis of the enzymatic and molecular genetic analysis. Asians have been reported to have mutations distinct from those of Caucasians and African Americans, indicating that galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase mutations are ethnically diverse. Our three patients had a total of three mutations (c.252+1G > A, p.Q169H and p.E363K), two of which were novel (p.E363K and c.252+1G > A) mutations. Interestingly, c.252+1G > A, which leads to skipping of exon 2, was observed in all three patients (three of six alleles), indicating that this mutation may be common in Koreans with classical galactosemia. Screening for classical galactosemia in 158,126 Korean newborns identified no patient with classical galactosemia. In conclusion, our findings provide further evidence for the ethnic diversity of classical galactosemia, which may be as rare in Koreans as in other Asian populations.     

腹膜后纤维化的CT诊断

研究腹膜后纤维化的CT表现。分析经临床病理证实的9例腹膜后纤维化的CT表现,其中男性4例、女性5例,平均年龄53．7岁;特发性6例,继发性3例。9例均行CT平扫及增强检查。9例中CT平扫表现为腹膜后间隙或盆后间隙的低密度、不均匀密度或等密度弥漫性浸润病变4例,不规则肿块样病变5例,增强检查病变显示不同程度强化,多数病例伴有肾盂及输尿管扩张积水。因此,CT能很好显示腹膜后纤维化病变的各种表现,腹膜后间隙出现弥漫浸润性或不规则肿块样病变,并合并肾盂及输尿管扩张积水时应考虑到本病诊断。     

Mutations of the BRAF gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma in a Korean population

The B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) protein is a serine/threonine kinase that has an important role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and programmed cell death. The BRAF gene has been recently found to be mutated in human carcinomas, predominantly in malignant melanoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of the BRAF mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) of Koreans through direct DNA sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- amplified exon 15 with clinicopathological features. Seventy paraffin-embedded conventional papillary carcinomas in the thyroid gland were evaluated. The BRAF missense mutation at V599E was found in 58 of 70 PTCs (83%). The frequency of our series was much higher than the frequencies of other PTC series (36 - 69%). The frequency of nodal metastasis was also significantly higher in the BRAF mutation group (p= 0.048). These results suggest that the BRAF mutation is involved in the carcinogenesis in most conventional PTCs, especially those occurring in Koreans, and this is a potentially valuable marker for the evaluation of prognosis of patients with PTC. These findings support the specific inhibitors of BRAF being promising targets for the disease outcome.     

Spatial resolution properties in cone beam CT: a simulation study

This work is intended to investigate the spatial resolution properties in cone beam CT by estimating the point spread functions (PSFs) in the reconstructed 3D images through simulation. The point objects were modeled as 3D delta functions. Their projections onto the detector plane were analytically derived and blurred with 2D PSFs estimated and used to represent the detector and focal spot blurring effects. The 2D PSF for detector blurring was computed from the line spread function measured for a typical a-Si/CsI flat panel detector used for general radiography. The focal spot blurring effect was simulated for an x-ray source with a nominal focal spot size of 0.6 mm and 1.33 x magnification at the rotating center. Projection images were computed and sampled with an interval significantly smaller than the detector pixel size to avoid aliasing. Images were reconstructed using the Feldkamp algorithm with the five different filter functions. Reconstructed PSFs were plotted and analyzed to investigate the effects of detector blurring alone, focal spot blurring alone, or a combination of the two on the PSFs and their variations with the radial distance and z-level. Effects of binning and reconstruction filters were also studied. Our results show that the PSFs due to detector blurring are largely symmetric and vary little with the locations of the point objects. With focal spot blurring only or added to detector blurring, the PSFs along the rotation axis were largely symmetric but became increasingly asymmetric as the point objects were moved away from the rotation axis. The PSFs were found to become wider in the axial (anode to cathode) direction as the objects were moved toward the cathode side. The 3D PSFs may be approximated by an ellipsoid with three different axial lengths. They were found to point upright along the rotating axis but tilt toward the rotating axis as the point object was moved away from the axis.     

Evaluation of bifid mandibular canals with cone-beam computed tomography in a Turkish adult population: a retrospective study

Purpose  

Knowing the anatomic location and also variations of the mandibular canal is especially important for surgical procedures on mandible such as dental implant surgery, impacted molar extraction and sagittal split ramus osteotomy. The purpose of this study was to clarify the incidence and location of bifid mandibular canals in an adult Turkish population to avoid complications during surgical procedures.     

Evaluation of a simultaneous HIV antigen and antibody detection test in Korean population

Current diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection relies on the detection of anti-HIV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Recently, kits detecting both p24 antigenemia and anti-HIV/anti-HIV2 antibodies have been developed. Thus, it is necessary to compare those kits developed as such. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of a simultaneous detection test of p24 antigen and anti-HIV1/2 antibodies in a low prevalence area. Eight hundred and four randomly selected sera proven negative for HIV infection and 110 sera from 54 patients diagnosed as HIV infected, obtained between 1999 and 2000, were used for this study. One commercial lot of panels composed of consecutive sera obtained from known HIV-infected patient was included. Anti-HIV1/2 antibodies were detected by two different commercial ELISA kits, one from Korean and the other from German manufacturer. P24 antigen test was performed by ELISA. The simultaneous HIV antigen and antibody detection test was carried out. In the meantime, HIV RNA PCR and anti-HIV and anti-HIV2 western blot assays were also performed to confirm the test results in cases the test results didn't agree. The simultaneous detection kit showed 100% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity. Furthermore, the test displayed the possibility of earlier diagnosis than conventional anti-HIV1/2 ELISA with the results obtained from a group of consecutive panel sera infected with HIV. From these results, we concluded that the simultaneous HIV antigen and antibody detection test can be applied as a substitute clinical screening test in the place of conventional anti-HIV1/2 ELISA, and there is the probable benefit of early diagnosis.