• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.214-221
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• 2008

Purpose: We make a qualitative analysis of whether Fusion SPECT/CT can find lesion's anatomical sites better than existing SPECT or not, and we want to show the usefulness of SPECT/CT through finding out effects of CT attenuation correction on SPECT images. Materials and Method: 1. The evaluation of fusion images: This study comprised patients who was tested $^{131}I$-MIBG, Bone, $^{111}In$-Octreotide, Meckel's diverticulum, Parathyroid MIBI with Precedence 16 or Symbia T2 from 2008 Jan to Aug. We compared SPECT/CT image with non fusion image and make a qualitative analysis. 2. The evaluation of attenuation correction: We classified 38 patients who was tested 201Tl myocardial exam with Symbia T2 into 5 sections by using Cedars Sinai' QPS program - Ant, Inf, Lat, Septum, Apex. And we showed each section's perfusion states by percentage. We compared the each section's perfusion-states differences between CT AC and Non AC by average${\pm}$standard deviation. Results: 1. The evaluation of fusion images : In high energy $^{131}I$ cases, it was hard to grasp exact anatomical lesions due to difference between regions and surrounding lesions' uptake level. After combining with CT, we could grabs anatomical lesion more exactly. And in meckel's diverticulum case or to find lesions around bowels or organs with $^{111}In$ cases, it demonstrates its superiority. Bone SPECT/CT images help to distinguish between disk spaces certainly and give correct results. 2. The evaluation of attenuation correction: There is no significant difference statistically in Ant and Lat (p>0.05), but there is a meaningful difference in Inferior, Apex and Septum (p<0.05). AC perfusion at inferior wall in the 5 sections of myocardium: The perfusion difference between Non AC perfusion image ($68.58{\pm}7.55$) and CT corrected perfusion image ($76.84{\pm}6.52$) was the largest by $8.26{\pm}4.95$ (p<0.01, t=10.29). Conclusion: Nuclear medicine physicians can identify not only molecular image which shows functional activity of lesions but also anatomical location information of lesions with more accuracy using the combination of SPECT and CT systems. Of course this combination helps nuclear medicine physician find out the abnormal parts. Moreover combined data sets help separate between normal group and abnormal group in complicated body part. So clinicians can carry out diagnosis and treatment planning at the same time with a single test image. In addition, when we examine a myocardium in thorax where attenuation can occur easily, we can trust perfusion more in a certain region in SPECT test because CT provides the capability for accurate attenuation correction. In these reasons, we think we can prove the justice after treatment fusion image.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2014

Purpose: After I-131 therapy, SPECT/CT is useful in identifying location of thyroid remnants and metastasis of thyroid cancers. An excessive uptake of thyroid leads to a ringing artifact in the SPECT images. The aim of this study is to investigate and suggest a proper post filters to remove ringing artifact and produce better image quality. Materials and Methods: A low-cost, customized thyroid-mimicking phantom, consisting of an acrylic bottle and a hollow sphere was used for SPECT/CT Discovery (GE Healthcare, USA). It was filled with I-131 solution. The ratio of hollow sphere to background were varied as 50:1, 200:1, 1000:1 and 4000:1. Acquired images were reconstructed by OSEM (2 iterations, 10 subsets) with and without Evolution (resolution recovery correction, GE). Three different post-filters were applied; Butterworth (cut off: 0.38 to 0.58 with intervals of 0.05), Hanning (cut off: 0.8 to 1 with intervals of 0.05) and Gaussian (FWHM: 3 to 5 with intervals of 0.5) filters. Contrast, background variability, air area variability, and full width half maximum (FWHM) were compared. Results: Higher contrasts were obtained from the SPECT images with Evolution than without Evolution. In the case of images without Evolution, image distortion such as star artifact was generated. For all sphere-to-background ratio, the Butterworth filter showed better constrasts and FWHMs than other two filters, but the ringing artifact was still generated in all studies except 50:1 and it was decreased as cutoff value was increased. The ringing artifact didn't appear with Hanning and Gaussian filters at all studies, however constrats and FWHMs with Gaussian was worse than Hanning filter. For the images having ringing artifacts, the background variability and air area variability were increased. Conclusion: In this study, we suggested that it is desirable to use Hanning filter when the ringing artifact is generated and to use Butterworth filter when ringing artifact is not generated in I-131 SPECT.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2015

Objective of this research was to investigate the influence of compositions and concentrations of fertilizer solutions on the vegetative growth and nutrient uptake of 'Seolhyang' strawberry. To achieve this, the solutions of acid fertilizer (AF), neutral fertilizer (NF), and basic fertilizer (BF) were prepared at concentrations of 100 or $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ based on N and applied during the 100 days after transplanting. The changes in chemical properties of the soil solution were analysed every two weeks, and crop growth measurements as well as tissue analyses for mineral contents were conducted 100 days after fertilization. The growth was the highest in the treatments with BF, followed by those with NF and AF. The heaviest fresh and dry weights among treatments were 151.3 and 37.8 g, respectively, with BF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. In terms of tissue nutrient contents, the highest N, P and Na contents, of 3.08, 0.54, and 0.10%, respectively, were observed in the treatment with NF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The highest K content was 2.83%, in the treatment with AF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$, while the highest Ca and Mg were 0.98 and 0.42%, respectively, in BF $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The AF treatments had higher tissue Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents compared to those of NF or BF when fertilizer concentrations were controlled to equal. During the 100 days after fertilization, the highest and lowest pH in soil solution of root media among all treatments tested were 6.67 in BF $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and 4.69 in AF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$, respectively. The highest and lowest ECs were $5.132dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in BF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and $1.448dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in BF $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$, respectively. For the concentrations of macronutrients in the soil solution of root media, the AF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatment gave the highest $NH_4$ concentrations followed by NF $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and AF $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The K concentrations in all treatments rose gradually after day 42 in all treatments. When fertilizer concentrations were controlled to equal, the highest Ca and Mg concentrations were observed in AF followed by NF and BF until day 84 in fertilization. The BF treatments produced the highest $NO_3$ concentrations, followed by NF and AF. The trends in the change of $PO_4$ concentration were similar in all treatments. The $SO_4$ concentrations were higher in treatments with AF than those with NF or BF until day 70 in fertilization. These results indicate that compositions of fertilizer solution should to be modified to contain more alkali nutrients when 'Seolhyang' strawberry is cultivated through inert media and nutri-culture systems.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 1994

This study was conducted to evaluate the changes in barley yield some physico-chemical properties of soils affected by annual application of N.P.K and N.P.K+silicate fertilizer 250kg/10a and N.P.K+compost 1,000kg/10a to the silty clay loam upland soil during the 18 years from 1975 to 1992. The results obtained are as follows. 1. Barley yield of the 18th year increased by 17~18% in the treatments of N.P.K+compost annually applied in comparison with N.P.K treated plot. So, simillar effect was recognized between the silicate fertilizer and the compost treatment plot. 2. The amount of nutrient's uptake by barley plant at the harvesting stage in the treats of N.P.K+silicate fertilizer and N.P.K+compost annually applied increased by 6~8% in comparison with N.P.K treated plot. Fertilizer's efficiency remarkably increased with $P_2O_5$, and $K_2O$ in the treats of N.P.K+silicate fertilizer and N.P.K+compost annualy applied comparing to N.P.K treated Plot. 3. According to soil analysis after experiment, the N.P.K+silicate fertilizer and N.P.K+compost annually applied plot were increased in soil pH, OM, available $P_2O_5$ exchangable cations and soluble $SiO_2$ content, but the content of $NO_3$-N was low. 4. Average yield of barley for 18 years increased by 22% in the treat of N.P.K+silicate fertilizer 250kg/10a annually applied plot and by 31% in the treat of N.P.K+compost 1,000kg/10a annually applied plot in comparison with N.P.K treated plot.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.21-25
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• 2010

Purpose: For better PET imaging with accuracy the transmission scanning is inevitably required for attenuation correction. The attenuation is affected by condition of acquisition and patient position, consequently quantitative accuracy may be decreased in emission scan imaging. In this paper, the present study aims at providing the measurement for attenuation varying with the positions of the patient's arm in whole body PET/CT, further performing the comparative analysis over its SUV changes. Materials and Methods: NEMA 1994 PET phantom was filled with $^{18}F$-FDG and the concentration ratio of insert cylinder and background water fit to 4:1. Phantom images were acquired through emission scanning for 4min after conducting transmission scanning by using CT. In an attempt to acquire image at the state that the arm of the patient was positioned at the lower of ahead, image was acquired in away that two pieces of Teflon inserts were used additionally by fixing phantoms at both sides of phantom. The acquired imaged at a were reconstructed by applying the iterative reconstruction method (iteration: 2, subset: 28) as well as attenuation correction using the CT, and then VOI was drawn on each image plane so as to measure CT number and SUV and comparatively analyze axial uniformity (A.U=Standard deviation/Average SUV) of PET images. Results: It was found from the above phantom test that, when comparing two cases of whether Teflon insert was fixed or removed, the CT number of cylinder increased from -5.76 HU to 0 HU, while SUV decreased from 24.64 to 24.29 and A.U from 0.064 to 0.052. And the CT number of background water was identified to increase from -6.14 HU to -0.43 HU, whereas SUV decreased from 6.3 to 5.6 and A.U also decreased from 0.12 to 0.10. In addition, as for the patient image, CT number was verified to increase from 53.09 HU to 58.31 HU and SUV decreased from 24.96 to 21.81 when the patient's arm was positioned over the head rather than when it was lowered. Conclusion: When arms up protocol was applied, the SUV of phantom and patient image was decreased by 1.4% and 9.2% respectively. With the present study it was concluded that in case of PET/CT scanning against the whole body of a patient the position of patient's arm was not so much significant. Especially, the scanning under the condition that the arm is raised over to the head gives rise to more probability that the patient is likely to move due to long scanning time that causes the increase of uptake of $^{18}F$-FDG of brown fat at the shoulder part together with increased pain imposing to the shoulder and discomfort to a patient. As regarding consideration all of such factors, it could be rationally drawn that PET/CT scanning could be made with the arm of the subject lowered.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2013

Purpose: One of the current services, providing information to the patients and their guardians by using promotion materials induces positive responses and contributes to the improvement of the hospital reliability. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of audio visual materials, one of the means of promotion, as a way to give accurate medical information to resolve patient's curiosity about purpose and procedure of their examination and deplete complains about waiting which attributes negative effect to service quality assessment. Materials and Methods: 60 patients(mean age $53.97{\pm}12.24$, male : female = 26 : 34) who had $^{18}F-FDG PET/CT$ scan from July 2012 to August 2012 in Seoul Asan Medical Center were referred to the study. All of the patients having PET/CT scan were asked to watch an informative video material before the injection of radiopharmaceutical ($^{18}F-FDG$) and to fill in a questionnaire. Results: As a result of analyzing the contents of questionnaire, 52% of 60 patients had PET/CT scan for the first time and 72.4% of the patients read the PET/CT guidebook offered from their outpatient department or inpatient wards before their scan. After we searched the level of previous knowledge of the purpose and method of PET/CT scan, the patients answered 25.1% "know well", 34% "not sure", 40.9% "don't know" respectively. And 84.7% of the patients answered that watching the PET/CT guide video before the injection helps understanding what exam they were having and 15.3% of the patients did not. For the question asking ever the patients have experienced using our homepage or smart phone QR code to see the guide video before they visit out PET center, only 3.3% of them answered "yes". Lastly, the patients answered 60.1% "yes", 31.4% "so so" and 8.5% "no" respectively for the question asking whether watching the video makes the patients to fill the waiting time short. Conclusion: It is found that understanding of objective and method of the PET/CT scan and level of satisfaction was improved after the patients watched the guide video whether they had PET/CT scan before and read the PET/CT guidebook or not. Also, watching the video was effective for the reduction of perceptible waiting time. But while displaying the PET/CT guide video is useful for providing information about the scan and shortening the waiting time as one of the medical service, utilization of service was actually very poor because of the passive promotion and indifference of the patients about their examination. Therefore, from now on, it is necessary to construct the healthcare system which can be offered to more patients through the active promotion.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.124-132
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• 1994

Radioactive iodine has been widely used in patients with thyroid cancer combined with surgical treatment. However, due to individual variations in absorption and excretion and uptake by tumor tissue of radioactive iodine, there are differences in therapeutic effect and adverse effects even if the same doses are administrated. So this study compared the therapeutic effect and radiation hazard by measuring internal radiation dose. Of total 27 patients with well differentiated thyroid cancer who had been thyroidectomized, we administered radioactive iodine 100 mCi, 150 mCi, 200 mCi. According to BEL DOSIMETRY PROTO-COL, beta and gamma ray dose were estimated from a pelt of the logarithm of the percent of dose per liter of whole blood versus day, and percent dose retained versus day using somilogarithmic paper, respectively. 1) Physical dose to whole blood averaged $56.54{\pm}13.02$ rad in 100 mCi administered group, $76.83{\pm}19.97$ rad in 150 mCi administered group, $95.08{\pm}25.51$ rad in 200 mCi administered group and there has been a significant correlation among the groups. 2) Mean percent dose retained 48 hours later was 26.34%. 3) There was no significant correlation of physical dose between absence and presence of metastasis. 4) 17 of 19 patients who has been followed up with TSH and serum throglobulin, Thallium scan were successfully ablated by radioactive iodine. 5) Leukocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil, platelet counts all deelined in 4.6 weeks and most of all were restored 3 months later. 6) There was no significant correlation between physical dosimetry and biologic dosimetry. Generally administered doses of radioactive iodine (100-200 mCi) to patients with thyroid cancer postoperatively had developed transient bone marrow suppression and minimal chromosomal aberration, but they were within safety dose to blood (200 rad). And there has been no significant differences in residual dose 48 hours later between Korean and western people.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.314-318
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• 2000

To compare heavy metal phytoavailability in paddy soils near five abandoned mining areas, 4 different soil extractants such as 0.1M-HCl, $0.1M-HNO_3$, 0.05M-EDTA, and 0.005M-DTPA were used. Total acid digestion method $(H_2SO_4:HClO_4:HNO_3)$ was also employed to analyze heavy metal content in 30 paddy soils and brown rice. The rates of extracted heavy metal to total content were in the range of $12.1{\sim}39.1%$ for Cd, $20.5{\sim}45.5%$ for Cu, $10.6{\sim}30.7%$ for Pb, and $6.7{\sim}13.0%$ for Zn. 0.1M-HCl and $0.1M-HNO_3$ extractable both Cu and Pb were relatively less extracted at the high soil pH and extractable calcium site(Mine D) whereas 0.05M-EDTA and 0.005M-DTPA extractable Pb were strongly extracted at the same soils. In case of Cd, Cu, and Zn in soil, 4 types of extractable heavy metals and total content were highly correlated with each other. However, there were positive correlations between 0.1 M-HCl and $0.1M-HNO_3$ extractable Pb as well as between 0.05M-EDTA and 0.005M-DTPA extractable Pb, which were relatively similar extractants in chemical properties. The rates of heavy metals in brown rice to total contents in soils were in the order Zn>Cd>Cu>Pb. Specially, the rate of Cd, Pb, and Zn were lower at the highest level of soil pH and Ex. Ca. Both Cd and Zn in brown rice were positively correlated with those of all soil extractants. It was estimated that the solubility following to the plant uptake of Cd and Zn were higher than those of Cu and Pb considering relationships between all kinds of heavy metal contents in soil and those in brown rice.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2000

Background: The evaluation of candidates for successful lung resection is important. Our study was conducted to determine the preoperative predictors of postoperative mortality and morbidity in lung cancer patients with impaired lung function. Method; Between October 1, 1995 and August 31, 1997, 36 lung resection candidates for lung cancer with $FEV_1$ of less than 2L or 60% of predicted value were included prospectively. Age, sex, weight loss, hematocrit, serum albumin, EKG and concomitant illness were considered as systemic potential predictors for successful lung resection. Smoking history, presence of pneumonia, dyspnea scale(l to 4), arterial blood gas analysis with room air breathing, routine pulmonary function test were also included for the analysis. In addition, predicted postoperative(ppo) pulmonary factors such as ppo-$FEV_1$ ppo-diffusing capacity(DLco), predicted postoperative product(PPP) of ppo-$FEV_1%{\times}$ppo-DLco% and ppo-maximal $O_2$ uptake($VO_2$max) were also measured. Results: There were 31 men and 5 women with the median age of 65 years(range, 44 to 82) and a mean $FEV_1$ of $1.78{\pm}0.06L$. Pneumonectomy was performed in 14 patients, bilobectomy in 8, lobectomy in 14. Pulmonary complications developed in 10 patients; cardiac complications in 3, other complications(empyema, air leak, bleeding) in 4. Twelve patients were managed in the intensive care unit for more than 48 hours. Two patients died within 30 days after operation. The ppo-$VO_2$max was less than 10 ml/kg/min in these two patients. MVV was the only predictor for the pulmonary complications. However, there was no predictor for the post operative death in this study. Conclusions: Based on the results, MVV was the useful predictor for postoperative pulmonary complications in lung cancer resection candidates with impaired lung function In addition, ppo-$VO_2$max value less than 10 ml/kg/min was associated with postoperative death, so exercise pulmonary function test could be useful as preoperative test. But further studies are needed to validate this result.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2002

Purpose: Ga-67 scintigraphy has been used for the evaluation of tumors, especially lymphoma. Recently, Tl-201 and Tc-99m MIBI were also used to tumor imaging. Tl-201 and Tc-99m MIBI had better physiologic characteristics than Ga-67, so we studied 32 biopsy proven lymphoma patients (male 24, female 8, mean age 46 years) with Ga-67, Tl-201 or Tc-99m MIBI and compared the scan findings. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three of 32 patients were injected 74-111 MBq (2-3 mCi) of Tl-201, before chemotherapy and imaged with dual-headed SPECT (Prism 2000, Picker, USA) at 30 minutes after injection. Delayed images were obtained after 3 hr in 8 patients. Twenty seven of 32 patients were injected 740 MBq (20 mCi) of Tc-99m MIBI and imaged at 30 minutes after injection. 111-185 MBq (3-5 mCi) of Ga-67 was injected in 12 patients and imaged at 48 and 72 hours after injection. Twenty eight patients were diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and others were Hodgkin's lymphoma. Results: Twenty patients were positive on Tl-201 scan and 3 patients showed negative findings. One of these 3 patients, Tc-99m MIBI and Ga-67 scan were positive. Twenty two patients were positive on Tc-99m MIBI scan and 5 patients showed negative findings. One of these 5 patients, Tl-201 was positive and 2 were positive on Ga-67 scan. Ten of 12 patients showed positive findings on Ga-67 scan. The sensitivity of these agents were 83.3%, 87.0% and 81.5% for Ga-67, Tl-201 and Tc-99m MIBI, respectively. The sensitivity was highest in Tl-201 scan, but there were no significant differences among three tests. In this study, there was no significant difference of uptake ratios between early and delayed images of Tl-201. Conclusion: Scintigraphy with Tl-201 and Tc-99m MIBI in lymphoma patients have similar sensitivity with Ga-67.