The Implications of X-ray Use in Chuna Manual Therapy from the Viewpoint of Korean Medicine Doctors

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this survey study was to understand how utilization of X-rays as an adjunct to Chuna manual therapy (CT) supports treatment, as assessed by Korean medicine doctors (KMDs). Methods: A survey was emailed to all 18,289 members of the Association of Korean Oriental Medicine (AKOM)to determine the implications of X-ray use in CT. Surveys were collected from September 22, 2017 to October 15, 2017. Results: Of the 18,289 KMDs 562 completed the survey. The implications of a radiological diagnosis (X-ray) with CT was assessed using 5 items in a questionnaire: time to diagnosis, accuracy of treatment, patient comprehension and satisfaction, CT effect, and safety of CT. Survey participants identified improvement in patient comprehension and satisfaction as the most important factor for X-ray use with CT, followed by increased safety of CT. From the determinant factors for selection of CT intensity and specific techniques, severity of clinical symptoms was shown to be the most influential factor. Degenerative changes of the spine and degree of spinal malposition were also reported to be highly influential. Conclusion: The KMDs' that participated in this study indicated that utilization of X-rays in conjunction with CT administration improved patient comprehension and satisfaction, and CT safety. Installation of radiological equipment in Korean medicine clinics where CT is provided may increase safety and patients' satisfaction.

Comparison of Concordance between Chuna Manual Therapy Diagnostic Methods (Palpation, X-ray, Artificial Intelligence Program) in Lumbar Spine: An Exploratory, Cross-Sectional Clinical Study

“…Although it has a risk of radiation exposure, the effect is negligible [ 47 ]. Plus, it is a convenient and time-saving method that can identify osseous tissue, its cost is low, and it has little variation between investigators [ 48 , 49 ]. Therefore, XRD may be a practical diagnostic method for CMT and other manual therapies.…”

Comparison of concordance between chuna manual therapy diagnosis methods (palpation, X-ray, artificial intelligence program) in lumbar spine

“…Such CMT diagnoses most commonly apply a manual diagnosis that locates the spinal bony landmarks in the patient [1] . Recently, to overcome the limitation of manual diagnosis in the evaluation of spinal alignment and improve diagnosis reproducibility, CMT diagnosis methods that use radiological devices, such as X-rays, have attracted increased interest as have other manual medicine methods, including osteopathy and chiropractic [6,7] . In addition, recent attempts to measure spinal angles or diagnose spinal diseases have used artificial intelligence (AI) programs, such as conventional neural networks or deep learning [8] .…”

“…[1] Recently, to overcome the limitation of manual diagnosis in the evaluation of spinal alignment and improve diagnosis reproducibility, CMT diagnosis methods that use radiological devices, such as X-rays, have attracted increased interest as have other manual medicine methods, including osteopathy and chiropractic. [6,7] In addition, recent attempts to measure spinal angles or diagnose spinal diseases have used artificial intelligence (AI) programs, such as conventional neural networks or deep learning. [8] Positive results have also been reported for the AI programs to detect the lumbar vertebral landmarks in relation to CMT diagnosis.…”