• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.135-141
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• 1997

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of breath-hold fast MR imaging of liver with fat suppression (FS) by application of chemical saturation technique in the diagnosis of regional fatty changes suspected in sonography. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients who had focal lesions with diffuse, homogeneous signal changes after FS through chemical saturation technique without additional changes of imaging parameter during MR imaging of liver were selected. T1-weighted fast low-angle shot and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences were obtained with or without FS during each single breath-holding session. Subjective changes of signal intensity between the pre-FS and the FS images were compared with the sonographic findings in each lesion. Results: Seven lesions of decreased signal intensity after FS on T1 or T2-weighted images, including three lesions only at FS T1 images, were regarded as focal fat infiltration. All seven lesions had compatible sonographic findings as homogenously echogenic areas. Another six lesions of subjectively increased signal intensity including two lesions only at FS T2 images were regarded as focal fat sparing. All six lesions had sonographic findings as homogenous echo poor areas suggesting focal fat sparing. In cases regarded as fat infiltration, score changes were more prominent at FS T1 images than FS T2 images(p=0.0002). In cases regarded as fat sparing, score changes were more prominent at FS T2 images than FS T1 images(p=0.042). Conclusion: Breath-hold fast T1 and T2-weighted MR imaging with and without chemical saturation pre-pulse may be sufficient for characterization of regional fatty changes in the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesion found at sonography.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.340-352
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• 2004

Acoustic streaming induced by the microscopic longitudinal ultrasonic vibration at 28.5 ㎑ is visualized between the quiescent glass plate and ultrasonic vibrator by particle imaging velocimetry(PIV) using laser. To investigate the augmentation of air flow velocity of acoustic streaming. the velocity variations of air streaming between the stationary plate and ultrasonic vibrator are measured in real-time. It is experimentally investigated that the magnitude of the acoustic streaming dependent upon the gap between the ultrasonic vibrator and stationary p1ate results in the variations of the average velocity fields as a outcome of the bulk air flow caused by the ultrasonic vibration. In addition. maximum acoustic streaming velocity exists at resonant gap. 18mm that is one of the resonant gaps (H=18, 24, 30, 36㎜) at which resonance occurs. The variation of the local maximum turbulent intensity with axial direction appear to reveal the value of 8%∼70% dependent upon the gap between the quiescent glass plate and ultrasonic vibrator. Shearstress is also maximized at the center region of the vibrator and the vorticity is also maximum and minimum in the neighborhood of the center of the vibrator at which the local maximum turbulent intensity and shear stress exist.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.349-357
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of ultrasonographic classification of fatty liver in three grades. From June 2018 to April 2019, 1047 patients (818 males and 229 females) diagnosed as fatty liver among 3607 patients who underwent abdominal ultrasonography at Busan screening center. Ultrasonography was classified into three grades: Grade I (mild fatty liver), Grade II (moderate fatty liver), and Grade III (severe fatty liver) according to the degree of parenchyma texture, acoustic attenuation, Obesity index, hematological test, and metabolic syndrome. The average age of men in each sex increased with the increase of the fatty liver. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were significantly increased in both men and women (p=.000). hematological analysis showed that AST, ALT, ${\gamma}-GTP$, TG, fasting blood sugar, and glycated hemoglobin were significantly different from each other (p<.05). In women, ALT, ${\gamma}-GTP$ and TG showed a significant difference with increasing fatty liver (p<.05). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly increased in both sexes as the grade of fatty liver increased (p=.000). Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that the use of ultrasound - guided fatty liver according to severity may be useful for the treatment and follow - up of fatty liver if the liver grade is divided in consideration of hematological variables and metabolic syndrome.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2001.10b
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• pp.337-339
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• 2001

본 연구에서는 임상적으로 얻어진 95개의 영상 자료를 전산화하여 특정 간 영역의 명도분포를 분석하여 이와 간의 지방화 정도와의 상관성을 연구하였다. 지방화 정도를 판단하는 임상적 기준으로 보편적으로 인정되는 지방간지수와 계산된 평균 명도 수치와의 선형 상관 계수를 구하였다. 각각의 영상의 밝기 및 에코정도가 일반적으로 불균일하기 때문에 이를 보정하기 위해 밝은 명도와 어두운 명도의 기준영역을 선정하여 상대명도를 추출하였다. 두 가지 독립적인 방법으로 기준 영역을 선택하여 비교한 결과, 임상 지방간지수와 높은 상관성을 보임을 알 수 있었고, 지방간 진단의 보조자료로 유용함을 확인하였다. 계산된 지방간지수와 상대명도의 상관계수는 0.69 에서 0.79로 나타났다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2018.01a
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• pp.47-50
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• 2018

본 논문에서는 초음파 영상에서 환자 정보를 제거하여 ROI 영역을 추출하고, 추출된 ROI 영역에서 최대 명암도를 임계치로 설정한 이진화 기법을 적용하여 ROI 영역을 이진화 한다. 이진화된 ROI 영역에서 4 방향 윤곽선 추적 기법을 적용하여 상완동맥 혈류 영역이 존재하는 사다리꼴 형태의 영역을 추출한다. 추출된 사다리꼴 형태의 영역에서 상완동맥 혈류영역을 정확히 추출하기 위하여 제안된 무게 중심법을 이용하여 추출된 후보 영역을 양자화 한다. 무게 중심법은 추출된 사다리꼴 영역에서 FCM 기반 무게중심법과 PCM 기반 무게중심법을 각각 계산한 후, 두 중심 간의 차이가 존재 할 경우에는 두 중심의 평균값을 새로운 무게 중심으로 설정하여 각 픽셀들을 클러스터링하여 상완 동맥 영역을 추출한다. 추출된 상완 동맥 영역에는 고혈압 영역인 빨강색 영역과 저혈압이나 혈류가 역류하는 영역인 파란색 영역이 존재한다. 추출된 상완 동맥 영역에서 고혈압 영역만을 추출하기 위해 빨강색 영역을 제외한 그 외의 영역은 제거한다. 전문의가 제공한 상완동맥 혈류 초음파 영상을 대상으로 TPR(True Positive Rate) 검사을 분석한 결과, 제안된 방법이 기존의 방법 보다 TPR 값이 높게 나타나는 것을 확인하였다.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2006

In diagnostic ultrasound, the quality of image affect to diagnose. To maintain suboptimal imaging uniformly, Quality Assurance of Ultrasound equipment should take periodically. This is article about examination the quality of image in diagnostic ultrasound to understand conditions of probes in hospitals. There is comparative study of convex and linear probes on ultrasound using tissue-mimicking phantom included simulated cysts, echogenic structures. The ultrasonic attenuation coefficient versus frequency of 0.5 dB is representative of normal liver and 0.7 dB is representative of fatty liver condition in ultrasound phantom. There are results of convex probe, 0.5 dB, vertical group, cystic masses, high contrast masses are mostly shown but 0.7 dB, mid level in vertical group, cystic masses and high contrast masses are nearly visible. In linear probe, 0.5 dB, mid level in vertical group, two or four of them are shown in cystic masses and high contrast masses but there are not visible in 11 of cases. 0.7 dB, there are mostly appear under 6 in vertical group, two or four of them show in cystic masses and high contrast masses and there are not shown in 40 of cases, besides. Linear probes in fatty liver condition of ultrasound instrument are not good in the quality of image practically. So there needs to be replace and fix of probes. Actually management of ultrasound probes is inadequate in hospitals. So if there are program of evaluation to check probes periodically in hospitals from establishment of the ultrasound equipment, there will get better image and have a suitable condition of instruments further more.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.653-662
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• 2023

Purpose This study aimed to determine the incremental value of using a structured report (SR) for US examinations of the pediatric appendix. Materials and Methods Between January 2009 and June 2016, 1150 pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis who underwent US examinations of the appendix were included retrospectively. In November 2012, we developed a five-point scale SR for appendix US examinations. The patients were divided into two groups according to the form of the US report: free-text or SR. The primary clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including the rate of CT imaging following US examinations, the negative appendectomy rate (NAR), and the appendiceal perforation rate (PR). Results In total, 550 patients were included in the free-text group and 600 patients in the SR group. The rate of additional CT examinations decreased by 5.3% in the SR group (8.2%, p = 0.003), and the NAR decreased by 8.4% in the SR group (7.8%, p = 0.028). There was no statistical difference in the appendiceal PR (37.6% vs. 48.0%, p = 0.078). Conclusion The use of an SR to evaluate US examinations for suspected pediatric appendicitis results in lower CT use and fewer negative appendectomies without an increase in appendiceal PR.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 1998

In this paper, we present the degradation of focusing induced by velocity inhomogeneity in human tissue. For simulation, the fatty layer which is the major factor of degradation for its lower velocity, is modeled as a uniform velocity perturbation layer. And we simulate the degradation of resolution resulting from change of beam path due to refraction and the time delay due to velocity difference. We show that focusing error can be compensated for considering the velocity inhomogeneity only. The proposed compensation method can be operated in real time in the presently used digital focusing systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.157-165
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• 2023

Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves of frequencies to cause physical actions such as reflection, absorption, refraction, and transmission at the edge between different tissues. Improvement is needed because there is a lot of noise due to the characteristics of the data generated from the ultrasound equipment, and it is difficult to grasp the shape of the tissue to be actually observed because the edge is vague. The edge enhancement method is used as a method to solve the case where the edge surface looks clumped due to a decrease in image quality. In this paper, as a method to strengthen the interface, the quality improvement was confirmed by strengthening the interface, which is the high-frequency part, in each image using an unsharpening mask and high boost. The mask filtering used for each image was evaluated by measuring PSNR and SNR. Abdominal, head, heart, liver, kidney, breast, and fetal images were obtained from Philips epiq5g and affiniti70g and Alpinion E-cube 15 ultrasound equipment. The program used to implement the algorithm was implemented with MATLAB R2022a of MathWorks. The unsharpening and high-boost mask array size was set to 3*3, and the laplacian filter, a spatial filter used to create outline-enhanced images, was applied equally to both masks. ImageJ program was used for quantitative evaluation of image quality. As a result of applying the mask filter to various ultrasound images, the subjective image quality showed that the overall contour lines of the image were clearly visible when unsharpening and high-boost mask were applied to the original image. When comparing the quantitative image quality, the image quality of the image to which the unsharpening mask and the high boost mask were applied was evaluated higher than that of the original image. In the portal vein, head, gallbladder, and kidney images, the SNR, PSNR, RMSE and MAE of the image to which the high-boost mask was applied were measured to be high. Conversely, for images of the heart, breast, and fetus, SNR, PSNR, RMSE and MAE values were measured as images with the unsharpening mask applied. It is thought that using the optimal mask according to the image will help to improve the image quality, and the contour information was provided to improve the image quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.426-431
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• 2007

When a high-energy ultrasound propagates through a solid body that contains a crack or a delamination, the two faces of the defect do not ordinarily vibrate in unison, and dissipative phenomena such as friction, rubbing and clapping between the faces will convert some of the vibrational energy to heat. By combining this heating effect with infrared imaging, one can detect a subsurface defect in material in real time. In this paper a realtime detection of the brazing defect of thin Inconel plates using the UIR (ultrasonic infrared imaging) technology is described. A low frequency (23 kHz) ultrasonic transducer was used to infuse the welded Inconel plates with a short pulse of sound for 280 ms. The ultrasonic source has a maximum power of 2 kW. The surface temperature of the area under inspection is imaged by an infrared camera that is coupled to a fast frame grabber in a computer. The hot spots, which are a small area around the bound between the two faces of the Inconel plates near the defective brazing point and heated up highly, are observed. And the weak thermal signal is observed at the defect position of brazed plate also. Using the image processing technology such as background subtraction average and image enhancement using histogram equalization, the position of defective brazing regions in the thin Inconel plates can be located certainly.