• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.589-594
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to evaluate the enhancement effects of the quantum denoising system (QDS) on brain CT images. This retrospective study was conducted with 45 adults who visited G Radiology located in Gyungbuk for having brain CT tests between Jul 2017 and Oct 2017 after receiving consents. Subjects were divided into a control group (A group; no QDS(-) application during the brain CT test) and a treatment group (B Group; QDS(+) application during the brain CT test). The following conclusions were obtained from the study. The noise values at the Pons part and the Vermis part were significantly (p<0.05) lower in B Group ($Pons=5.41{\pm}1.05HU$; $Vermis=5.28{\pm}0.73HU$) than A Group ($Pons=6.92{\pm}0.98HU$; Vermis=6.72). The SNR values at the Pons part and the Vermis part were significantly (p<0.05) higher in B Group ($Pons=7.28{\pm}2.56$; $Vermis=8.63{\pm}3.04$) than A Group ($Pons=5.21{\pm}1.28$; $Vermis=6.23{\pm}1.49$). In conclusion, the results of this study suggested that the application of QDS to the brain CT test would enhance the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) to provide an image more appropriate for diagnosis.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.142-147
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• 1997

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of the in-phase (IP) sequence and the opposed-phase (Op) sequence in the detection of focal hepatic lesions in the single breath-hold hepatic MR imaging with fast gradient T1-weighted pulse sequences. Materials and Methods: IP and OP T1-weighted breath-hold imaging was performed using fast gradient echo sequences in 45 patients referred for known focal hepatic lesions, in which 78 lesions were detected. Three blind readers independently reviewed the images for lesion detectability. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the liver, the lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the liver-to-spleen CNR were also compared. A consensus was reached by three readers to determine which sequence is better in image quality. Results: On OP images, 61(78%), 61(78%), and 63(89%) lesions were correctly identified for reader 1, 2 and 3, respectively. On IP images, 66(85%), 65(83%), and 65(93%) lesions were detected for each reader, respectively. When two image sets were combined, 71(91 %), 69(88 %), and 76(97%) lesions respectively were detected for each reader. In cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, liver-to-Iesion CNR was greater on the OP images(p (0.05), but in other lesions significant difference was not demonstrated. Liver-to-spleen CNR was higher on OP images(p ( 0.1), but the SNR of the liver was higher on the IP images. Conclusion: Use of both IP and OP imaging can be helpful to avoid erroneous missing of some focal hepatic lesions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.845-852
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the difference of X-ray exposure by comparing and analyzing absorbed dose according to changes in the number of frames in coronary angiography, also depending whether the zoom mode is FOV enlargement or Zoom Live. Moreover, for appropriate frame selection measures for examination, including the effect of frame change on the image quality, were sought by measuring the noise strength expressed by the standard deviation (SD), the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). The study was conducted with an anthropomorphic phantom on an angio-system. The linear relationship between the frame rate and the radiation dose was evident. On the contrary, the indices of image quality (SD, SNR, and CNR) were almost constant irrespective of the number of frames. The difference depending on the zoom mode was not statistically significant for DAP, air kerma, and SD (p > 0.05). However, SNR and CNR were statistically different between FOV enlargement and Zoom Live. In conclusion, since the image quality was not degraded significantly with the decreasing frame rate from 30, 15, to 7.5 f/s and the radiation dose evidently decreases in almost exactly linear proportion to the decreasing frame rate, the number of frames per second needs to be maintained as low as reasonably achievable. As for the dependence on the zooming mode, the Live Zoom mode showed statistically significant improvement in the image quality indices of SNR and CNR and it justifies active use of the Live Zoom mode which enables real-time image enlargment without additional radiation dose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1999

Purpose: To simulate and measure the signal intensity of various tissues near bone interface in 2D and 3D neurological MR images. Materials and Methods: In neurological proton density (PD) weighted images, every component in the head including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), muscle and scalp, with the exception of bone, are visualised. It is possible to acquire images in 2D or 3D. A 2D fast spin-echo (FSE) sequence is chosen for the 2D acquisition and a 3D gradient-echo (GE) sequence is chosen for the 3D acquisition. To find out the signal intensities of CSF, muscle and fat (or scalp) for the 2D spin-echo(SE) and 3D gradient-echo (GE) imaging sequences, the theoretical signal intensities for 2D SE and 3D GE were calculated. For the 2D fast spin-echo (FSE) sequence, to produce the PD weighted image, long TR (4000 ms) and short TE$_{eff}$ (22 ms) were employed. For the 3D GE sequence, low flip angle (8$^{\circ}$) with short TR (35 ms) and short TE (3 ms) was used to produce the PD weighted contrast. Results: The 2D FSE sequence has CSF, muscle and scalp with superior image contrast and SNR of 39 - 57 while the 3D GE sequence has CSF, muscle and scalp with broadly similar image contrast and SNR of 26 - 33. SNR in the FSE image were better than those in the GE image and the skull edges appeared very clearly in the FSE image due to the edge enhancement effect in the FSE sequence. Furthermore, the contrast between CSF, muscle and scalp in the 2D FSE image was significantly better than in the 3D GE image, due to the strong signal intensities (or SNR) from CSF, muscle and scalp and enhanced edges of CSF. Conclusion: The signal intensity of various tissues near bone interface in neurological MR images has been simulated and measured. Both the simulation and imaging of the 2D SE and 3D GE sequences have CSF, fat and muscle with broadly similar image intensity and SNR's and have succeeded in getting all tissues about the same signal. However, in the 2D FSE sequence, image contrast between CSF, muscle and scalp was good and SNR was relatively high, imaging time was relatively short.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2015

Purpose Whole body bone scan, which makes up a largest percentage of nuclear medicine tests, has high sensitivity and resolution about bone lesion like osteomyelitis, fracture and the early detection of primary cancer. However, any standard for valuation has not yet been created except minimum factor. Therefore, in this study, we will analysis the method which show a quantitative evaluation index in whole body bone scan. Materials and Methods This study is conducted among 30 call patients, who visited the hospital from April to September 2014 with no special point of view about bone lesion, using GE INFINIA equipment. Enumerated data is measured mainly with patient's whole body count and lumbar vertabrae, and the things which include CNR (Contrast to Noise ratio), SNR (Signal to Noise ratio) are calculated according to the mean value signal and standard deviation of each lumbar vertabrae. In addition, the numerical value with the abdominal thickness is compared to each value by the change of scan speed and tissue equivalent material throughout the phantom examination, and compared with 1hours deleyed value. Completely, on the scale of ten, 2 reading doctors and 5 skilled radiologists with 5-years experience analysis the correlation between visual analysis with blind test and quantitative calculation. Results The whole body count and interest region count of patients have no significant correlation with visual analysis value throughout the blind test(P<0.05). There is definite correlation among CNR and SNR. In phantom examination, Value of the change was caused by the thickness of the abdomen and the scan speed. And The poor value of the image in the subject as a delay test patient could be confirmed that the increase tendency. Conclusion Now, a standard for valuation has not been created in whole body bone scan except minimum factor. In this study, we can verify the significant correlation with blind test using CNR and SNR and also assure that the scan speed is a important factor to influence the imagine quality from the value. It is possible to be some limit depending on the physiology function and fluid intake of patient even if we progress the evaluation in same condition include same injection amount, same scan speed and so on. However, that we prove the significant evaluation index by presenting quantitative calculation objectively could be considered academic value.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.619-625
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• 2017

The sudy was intended to evaluate the optimal equipment selection by quantitatively assessing the SNR(signal to noise ratio) and CNR(contrast to noise ratio) on the abdominal organ. This study performed on 1.5 T and 3.0 T MRI units focusing on HASTE, HASTE(f/s) and FFE(in of phase), FFE(out of phase) without using the contrast medium(Gadolinium). The data analysis was performed by randomly selecting on 1.5 T and 3.0 T abdominal MRI images. As a results, SNR and CNR values of 3.0 T is higher than 1.5 T at liver, kidney and spleen(p<0.05). Stomach, abdominal fat and pancreas was obtained a higher value at 1.5 T(p<0.05). On conclusion, the organs of outer part in the body showed generally a high value at 3.0 T, and the organs of inner part in the body including the gas showed a high value at 3.0 T because of a large difference on magnetic susceptibility.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.517-526
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to find the optimal method for clinical application by analyzing image quality and radiation output according to parameter combination when using the Automatic Exposure Control (AEC). The experimental method combines 70, 81 kVp with sensitivity S200, S400, S800 and S1000 of the Automatic Exposure Control for Entrance Surface Dose (ESD), current volume, Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR), Time-to-Radiation Dose Curve in abdomen and pelvis. And then, image quality and radiation output stability were evaluated. As a results, Entrance Surface Dose, current volume, Signal to Noise Ratio, Contrast to Noise Ratio decreased as the tube voltage and sensitivity were set higher. In addition, the higher tube voltage and sensitivity, the Time-to-Radiation Dose Curve showed a poor output stability. In conclusion, the higher the combination of tube voltage and sensitivity in the use of Automatic Exposure Control, the more problems can be seen in image quality and stability of the radiation output. Therefore, a relatively low combination of tube voltage and sensitivity showed that the image quality and radiation output stability could be optimized by minimizing the error range that would occur when the detector recognized a combination of parameters.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2021

To evaluate the usefulness of Volume Axial Mode by comparing analyzing the exposure dose of the patients and the quality of each images from CT images obtained from high pitch mode using the local phantom or volume axial mode to determine the usefulness of he volume axial mode in diagnosing the head and cervical disease in adults. High Pitch Mode, Helical Mode, and Volume axial Mode as adult phantom were tested according to 70 kVp, 80 kVp, and 100 kVp tube voltages during an adult frontal CT scans. The equipment used was GE's Revolution (GE Healthcare, Wisconsin USA) model and iMED X-ray Phantom. The exposure dose of phantom was compared using the images obtained from each protocol, and the image quality was compared by calculating SNR and CNR by setting ROI on each image. When examined using Volume Axial Mode, the exposure dose of phantom was measured 17.12% lower than Helical Mode, 5.35% lower than High Pitch Mode, and both SNR and CNR were improved. Volume Axial Mode is a useful test that reduces investigation time without table movement using high speed rotary scanner, and in which exposure dose is reduced and image quality is improved by acquiring images in a short time of 0.28 seconds of phantom than using High Pitch Mode and Helical Mode. In addition, the fast testing time of Volume Axial Mode can be seen as the biggest advantage CT scans of emergency patients or patients with physical discomfort.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2012

High-resolution carotid MRI allows visualization of carotid atherosclerotic plaque characteristics. MRI serves as a noninvasive option for the detection of active plaque inflammation and intraplaque hemorrhage. Significant gains in signal-tonoise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio can be obtained for carotid atheroma imaging at 3T compared with 1.5T. Normalized wall index or wall area on MRI has shown its efficacy in monitoring the response after medical therapy. $T(2)^*$ quantification in carotid plaques before and after the administration of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles shows difference in response to treatment according to drug doses. In conclusion, high-resolution MRI is useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of carotid atherosclerotic plaques prone to transient ischemic attack and stroke.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2013

This study was proven for the T-spine breathing technique in lateral projection, using computer radiography (CR), charge coupled device (CCD), indirect digital radiography (IDR) and direct digital radiography (DDR). All images were evaluated and compared with CNR and SNR measured with the mean pixels and the standard deviation as setting ROI of spinous process, pedicle, vertebral body, intervertebral foramen and intervertebral disk using Image J. In experiment results of 4 type detectors, T-spine breathing technique was indicated as excellent in ROI of spinous process, pedicle, vertebral body, intervertebral foramen and intervertebral disk. As T-spine breathing technique indicated excellent images compared to the existing T-spine lateral radiography, this method would be useful for elderly patients who have difficulty in deep exhalation. This study was indicated the application possibility of T-spine breathing technique by presenting contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) with quantitative value in 4 type detectors.