• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2002

Effect of scatter media materials and thickness, located between radioactivity and small gamma camera, on imaging characteristics was evaluated. The small gamma camera developed for breast imaging was consisted of collimator, NaI(T1) crystal(60$\times$60$\times$6 ㎣), PSPMT(position sensitive photomultimplier tube), NIMs and personal computer. Monte Carlo simulation was performed to evaluate the system sensitivity with different scatter media thickness(0~8 cm) and materials(air and acrylic) with parallel hole collimator and diverging collimator. The sensitivity and spatial resolution was measured using the small gamma camera with the same condition applied to the simulation. Counts was decreased by 10%(air) and 54%(acryl) with the parallel hole collimator and by 35%(air) and 63%(acryl) with the diverging collimator. Spatial resolution was decreased as increasing the thickness of scatter media. This study substantiate the importance of a gamma camera positioning and the minimization of the distance between detector and target lesion in the clinical application of a gamma camera.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.212-214
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• 1999

방사성 동위원소를 체내에 주입한 후 감마 카메라로 방출되는 방사선을 획득하여 전기적 신호로 바꾸어 영상을 구성하고 그 획득 영상을 사용하여 유방암을 진단하는 유방 신티그라피가 최근 유방암 진단에 각광을 받고 있는 영상진단 방법이다. 그러나, 일반 감마 카메라는 주로 전신 영상 획득을 얻기 위한 것으로써 커다란 검출기를 사용한다. 이는 유방암 진단용 영상 획득에는 불필요할 뿐만 아니라 비용도 많이 드는 단점이 있다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 기존의 일반 카메라가 유방암 진단 부분에서 가지는 단점을 보완하고자 보다 정확한 유방암 진단 영상을 획득할 수 있고 저가인 PC용 소형 감마 카메라 시스템을 개발하는데 있어 필요한 신호 획득 과정과 영상 완성 과정을 설명하고 획득영상에 대한 가시적 진단을 돕기 위한 영상 표현 응용 프로그램의 확장기능들을 정의하고 구현한다.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.187-190
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• 2001

요즘 의료 분야는 환자 병력 약제 정보등과 같은 다양한 의료정보가 증가함에 따라 정보화의 요구가 대두되고, 이는 디지털 영상의 등장과 함께 컴퓨터의 도움을 받는 소프트웨어의 개발로 이어지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 추세에 맞춰, 이전에 개발된 유방암 전용 소형 감마카메라로부터 신호를 획득하여 실시간으로 디지털 영상을 만들어 내고 화면에 디스플레이하는 의료영상 표현 시스템을 설계하고 구현한다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.445.2-445
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• 2001

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 2000

Purpose: We characterized the signals obtained from the components of a small gamma camera using Nal(Tl)-position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) and optimized the parameters employed in the modules of the system. Materials and Methods: The small gamma camera system consists of a Nal(Tl) crystal ($60{\times}60{\times}6mm^3$) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 PSPMT, a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules (NIMs), an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a resistive charge division circuit which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals (X+, X-, Y+, Y -). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifiers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated and digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. The gamma camera control and image display was performed by a program implemented using a graphic software. Results: The characteristics of signal and the parameters employed in each module of the system were presented. The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately $8{\times}10^3$ counts/sec/${\mu}Ci$. The intrinsic energy resolution of the system was 18% FWHM at 140 keV. The spatial resolution obtained using a line-slit mask and $^{99m}Tc$ point source were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.3 mm FWHM in X and Y directions. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7mm$ diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator. The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view Conclusion: We proposed a simple method for development of a small gamma camera and presented the characteristics of the signals from the system and the optimized parameters used in the modules of the small gamma camera.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 1998

Purpose: The conventional gamma camera is not ideal for scintimammography because of its large detector size (${\sim}500mm$ in width) causing high cost and low image quality. We are developing a small gamma camera dedicated for breast imaging. Materials and Methods: The small gamma camera system consists of a NaI (T1) crystal ($60 mm{\times}60 mm{\times}6 mm$) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube (PSPMT), a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules, an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a standard resistive charge division which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals ($X^+,\;X^-,\;Y^+,\;Y^-$). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifiers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated ana digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. Results: The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately 8,000 counts/sec/${\mu}Ci$. High quality flood and hole mask images were obtained. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7 mm$ diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view Conclusion: We have succesfully developed a small gamma camera using NaI(T1)-PSPMT and nuclear Instrument modules. The small gamma camera developed in this study might improve the diagnostic accuracy of scintimammography by optimally imaging the breast.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.25.2-25.2
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• 1998

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.409-414
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• 2021

In order to acquire an image from a gamma camera, linearity correction must be performed. To this end, digital coordinates are acquired by using a linearity map to accurately specify the location where the scintillator and gamma rays interact. In this study, a method for acquiring undistorted images and digital coordinates was developed using a lookup table and maximum likelihood position estimation without using a linearity map. The proposed method was verified by configuring a small gamma camera through DETECT2000 simulation. A gamma camera was constructed using a GAGG scintillator and a SiPM optical sensor, and a gamma-ray interaction was generated at the center of the scintillator, and a lookup table was prepared using the ratio of the signals obtained from the SiPM. Through the prepared lookup table and the maximum likelihood position estimation, the position of the signal obtained by the gamma-ray interaction was acquired as digital coordinates to compose an image. As a result, the linearity was maintained compared to the generally acquired image, the accuracy of the location where the gamma-ray interaction was generated was excellent, and the distance between the locations was uniform. Since the lookup table obtained through simulation is created using the ratio of the signal, it can be directly used in the experiment, and the position of the signal can be conveniently obtained with digital coordinates with corrected linearity without creating a linearity map.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.515-521
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• 1999

Scintillator crystal is an important part and detcrmines performance characteristics of the gamma camera. We investigated the offects of scintillation crystal surface treatment on gamma camera imaging. Nal(TI) and Csl(Tl) scintillators. 20 mm diameter and 10 mm thickness, applied with two different surface treatments, white and black reflcetors, were applied to Nal(Tl) and Csl(Ti). The optical properties of generated scintillation light were evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation method and by actual measurement using a position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT). We measured sensitivity, energy resolution and spatial resolution of gamma camera with the various scintillators coupled to a PSPMT. In the simulation. Nal(Tl)-white prosented the best sensitivity. In the measurements, the sensitivities and the intrinsic spatial resolutions of Nal(Tl)-white, Nal(Tl)-black. CsI(Tl)-white, CsI(Tl)-black were 2920, 2322, 1754, 1401 cps/$\mu$ci and 5.2, 4.5, 7.0, 6.3 mm FWHM. respectively. Their intrinsic energy resolutions were mesured 12.5, 23.5, 20.5, 33.3% FWHM at 140 keV Tc-99m. In this study, we investigated the offects of a side surface treatment of the scintillator on the gamma camera imaging. Simulation and measurement prescnted similat trends. Based on the results, we concluded that the surface of th NaI(Tl)seintillator must be treated by absorptive materials in order to develop the gamma camera having good spatial resolution.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 1997

We studied optical behavior of scintillation light generated in NaI(TI) crystal using Monte Carlo simulation method. The simulation was performed for the model of NaI(TI) scintillator (size: 60 mm ${\times}$ 60 mm ${\times}$ 6 mm) using an optical tracking code. The sensitivity as a function of surface treatment (Ground, Polished, Metal-0.95RC, Polished-0.98RC, Painted- 0.98RC) of the incident surface of the scintillator was compared. The effects of NaI(TI) scintillator thickness and the refractive index of light guide optically coupling between the NaI(TI) scintillator and photomultiplier tube (PMT) were simulated. We also evaluated intrinsic position resolution of the system by calculating the spread of scintillation light generated. The sensitivities of the system having the surface treatment of Ground, Polished, Metal-0.95RC, Polished-0.98RC and Painted-0.98RC were 70.9％, 73.9％, 78.6％, 80.1％ and 85.2％, respectively, and the surface treatment of Painted-0.98RC allowed the highest sensitivity. As increasing the thickness of scintillation crystal and light guide, the sensitivity of the system was decreased. As the refractive index of light guide increases, the sensitivity was increased. The intrinsic position resolution of the system was estimated to be 1.2 mm in horizontal and vertical directions. In this study, the performance of NaI(TI)-PMT detector system was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation. Based on the results, we concluded that the NaI(TI)-PMT detector array is a favorable configuration for small gamma camera imaging breast tumor using Tc-99m labeled radiopharmaceuticals.