• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 2015

Purpose Breast lymphoscintigraphy is an important technique to present for body surface precisely, which shows a lymph node metastasis of malignant tumors at an early stage and is performed before and after surgery in patients with breast cancer. In this study, we evaluated several methods of body outline imaging to present exact location of lesions, as well as compared respective exposure doses. Materials and Methods RANDO phantom and SYMBIA T-16 were used for obtaining imaging. A lesion and an injection site were created by inserting a point source of 0.11 MBq on the axillary sentinel lymph node and 37 MBq on the right breast, respectively. The first method for acquiring the image was used by drawing the body surface of phantom for 30 sec using $Na^{99m}TcO_4$ as a point source. The second, the image was acquired with $^{57}Co$ flood source for 30 seconds on the rear side and the left side of the phantom, the image as the third method was obtained using a syringe filled with 37 MBq of $Na^{99m}TcO_4$ in 10 ml of saline, and as the fourth, we used a photon energy and scatter energy of $^{99m}Tc$ emitting from phantom without any addition radiation exposure. Finally, the image was fused the scout image and the basal image of SPECT/CT using MATLAB$^{(R)}$ program. Anterior and lateral images were acquired for 3 min, and radiation exposure was measured by the personal exposure dosimeter. We conducted preference of 10 images from nuclear medicine doctors by the survey. Results TBR values of anterior and right image in the first to fifth method were 334.9 and 117.2 ($1^{st}$), 266.1 and 124.4 ($2^{nd}$), 117.4 and 99.6 ($3^{rd}$), 3.2 and 7.6 ($4^{th}$), and 565.6 and 141.8 ($5^{th}$). And also exposure doses of these method were 2, 2, 2, 0, and $30{\mu}Sv$, respectively. Among five methods, the fifth method showed the highest TBR value as well as exposure dose, where as the fourth method showed the lowest TBR value and exposure dose. As a result, the last method ($5^{th}$) is the best method and the fourth method is the worst method in this study. Conclusion Scout method of SPECT/CT can be useful that provides the best values of TBR and the best score of survey result. Even though personal exposure dose when patients take scout of SPECT/CT was higher than another scan, it was slight level comparison to 1 mSv as the dose limit to non-radiation workers. If the scout is possible to less than 80 kV, exposure dose can be reduced, and also useful lesion localization provided.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.96-99
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to assess attenuation correction algorithms utilized in a multipurpose whole-body GSO PET scanner. Four different types of phantoms were tested using different types of attenuation correction techniques. FOV (Field of View) of 256mm was used for brain PET imaging. For compensating attenuation, transmission data of a $^{137}$Cs point source were acquired after the F-18 emission source was infused to the phantoms. Scatter correction were peformed. Reconstructed images of the phantoms were assessed. In addition, reconstructed images of a normal subject were compared and assessed by nuclear medicine physicians. As a result, decreased intensity at the central portion of the attenuation map with cylindrical phantom was noticed during use of the measured attenuation correction. On the other hand, segmentation or remapping attenuation correction provided uniform phantom image. the images reconstructed from the clinical brain data explained the attenuation of a skull, at though reconstructed images of the phantoms couldn't explain it. in conclusion, the complicated and improved attenuation correction methods were required to obtain the better accuracy of the quantitative brain PET images. Our study will be useful in improving quantitative brain PET imaging modalities with attenuation correction of $^{137}$Cs transmission source.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2022

Purpose ¹⁸F-Florbetaben (FBB) Readings are made by visually comparing the signal strengths of gray matter and white matter. We intend to evaluate the usefulness of image analysis by comparing quantified image analysis with readout. Materials and Methods Based on the reading results, 100 patients were divided into a negative scan and a positive scan, and 300 MBq of FBB was injected, and images were taken 90 minutes later for 20 minutes. The equipment was a Discovery 600 (GE Healthcare, MI, USA). Four regions of interest (lateral temporal lobes, frontal lobes, posterior cingulate & precuneus, and parietal lobes) were established based on the amyloid reading standard provided by the manufacturer. For image analysis, SUVratio (SUVr) was calculated by dividing each SUVmean by the cerebellum, and the average SUVr in the entire area was performed. Statistical analysis analyzed the cutoff derivation through ROC Curve, the difference between groups in Independent sample t-test, and the degree of agreement with the reading result through Kappa test. Results The average SUVr cutoff in the entire area was 1.23. Concordance with the read results using cutoff was 95/100 (95%) for negative and 92/100 (92%) for positive. As a result of the t-test, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05), and the Kappa statistical result showed a high degree of agreement with 0.867 (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of image analysis were statistically significant and showed a high degree of agreement with the reading results. In addition, FBB image analysis can be viewed by 3D mapping the area where amyloid is accumulated, location estimation is possible, and quantitative analysis results can be viewed in detail. If quantified FBB image analysis is used as an auxiliary indicator, it is thought to be helpful in reading.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.24-30
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• 2009

Purpose: Today, Prostate cancer has been gradually increasing, according to the change of internal incidence rate of cancer. Generally, prostate cancer has lead to dead over 90%, in case of metastasis of lymph node and bone. So, innovative development of new radiopharmaceutical and imaging modality is progressed for detection of that metastasis, in nuclear medicine, now. Therefore, this study shows the usefulness of $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT improved diagnosability on bone metastasis of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: In this study, 33 male patients with prostate cancer were examined (The mean age: $67.8{\pm}10.2$ years old). Every patient was done each whole body bone scan (WBBS) and $^{18}F$-Fluoride positron emission tomography/computed tomography ($^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT). And then, using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC curve), each sensitivity and specificity of two modalities was measured and compared with. Results: In 22 patients (66.6%) of all, bone metastasis was detected. And, in WBBS, sensitivity was 63.6%, specificity, 81.8%; in $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT, sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 90.9%. As a result of ROC curve, AUROC (The Area under an ROC) of WBBS was 0.778, and that of $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT, 0.942. Conclusions: $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT was higher both sensitivity and specificity than WBBS, and it was valuable to detect bone metastasis of prostate cancer more definitely, with 3D imaging realization. Also, in $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT, physiological images were acquired in more short time than WBBS, so, it was possible to reduce patient's waiting time and complaint. Therefore, it is considered that $^{18}F$-Fluoride PET/CT is able to improve diagnosability by offering more accurate images, as cuts in a share of high cost.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.455-468
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• 1998

For the objective interpretation of cerebral metabolic patterns in epilepsy patients, we developed computer-aided classifier using artificial neural network. We studied interictal brain FDG PET scans of 257 epilepsy patients who were diagnosed as normal(n=64), L TLE (n=112), or R TLE (n=81) by visual interpretation. Automatically segmented volume of interest (VOI) was used to reliably extract the features representing patterns of cerebral metabolism. All images were spatially normalized to MNI standard PET template and smoothed with 16mm FWHM Gaussian kernel using SPM96. Mean count in cerebral region was normalized. The VOls for 34 cerebral regions were previously defined on the standard template and 17 different counts of mirrored regions to hemispheric midline were extracted from spatially normalized images. A three-layer feed-forward error back-propagation neural network classifier with 7 input nodes and 3 output nodes was used. The network was trained to interpret metabolic patterns and produce identical diagnoses with those of expert viewers. The performance of the neural network was optimized by testing with 5~40 nodes in hidden layer. Randomly selected 40 images from each group were used to train the network and the remainders were used to test the learned network. The optimized neural network gave a maximum agreement rate of 80.3% with expert viewers. It used 20 hidden nodes and was trained for 1508 epochs. Also, neural network gave agreement rates of 75~80% with 10 or 30 nodes in hidden layer. We conclude that artificial neural network performed as well as human experts and could be potentially useful as clinical decision support tool for the localization of epileptogenic zones.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2017

Considering that the X-ray apron used in the department of radiology is also used in the department of nuclear medicine, the study aimed to analyze the shielding rate of the apron according to types of radioisotopes, thus ${\gamma}$ ray energy, to investigate the protective effects. The radioisotopes used in the experiment were the top 5 nuclides in usage statistics $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$, $^{123}I$, and $^{201}Tl$, and the aprons were lead equivalent 0.35 mmPb aprons currently under use in the department of nuclear medicine. As a result of experiments, average shielding rates of aprons were $^{99m}Tc$ 31.59%, $^{201}Tl$ 68.42%, and $^{123}I$ 76.63%. When using an apron, the shielding rate of $^{131}I$ actually resulted in average dose rate increase of 33.72%, and $^{18}F$ showed an average shielding rate of -0.315%, showing there was almost no shielding effect. As a result, the radioisotopes with higher shielding rate of apron was in the descending order of $^{123}I$, $^{201}Tl$, $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$. Currently, aprons used in the nuclear medicine laboratory are general X-ray aprons, and it is thought that it is not appropriate for nuclear medicine environment that utilizes ${\gamma}$ rays. Therefore, development of nuclear medicine exclusive aprons suitable for the characteristics of radioisotopes is required in consideration of effective radiation protection and work efficiency of radiation workers.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.46-48
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• 2016

Purpose The liver one of the most common site for distant metastasis for a variety of tumor, especially of gastrointestinal origin. the purpose of this study was to analyze image quality between standard scan and additional liver scan. Materials and Methods From September 2015 to February 2016. 152 patients were examined undergo gastrointestinal cancer. 32 patients confirmed liver metastasis analyzed same liver ROI level and check the SNR, SUV and T/N ratio Results The $SNR_{mean}$ of standard was $17.7{\pm}10.3$; addition was $22.3{\pm}9.7$ (p<0.05). In $SUV_{max}$ of standard was $6.7{\pm}2.8$; addition was $7.6{\pm}3.2$ (P<0.05). and the T/N ratio of standard was $2.1{\pm}0.6$; addition was $2.5{\pm}0.8$ (P<0.05). Conclusion The $SNR_{mean}$, $SUV_{max}$ and T/N ratio were higher than those on the first scan (P<0.05). The SNRmean showed the highest change rate among the parameters. A additional liver scan is more favorable for the detection of gastrointestinal cancer patients.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to optimize a parallel-hole collimator for small gamma camera having the pixellated crystal array and evaluate the effect of crystal-collimator misalignment on the image quality using a simulation tool GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission). The spatial resolution and sensitivity were measured for the various size of hexagonal-hole and matched square-hole collimators with a Tc-99m point source and the uniformity of flood image was estimated as a function of the angle between crystal array and collimator by misalignment. The results showed that the spatial resolution and sensitivity were greatly improved by using the matched collimator and the uniformity was reduced by crystal-collimator misalignment.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.20-23
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• 2016

Purpose Because of heart movement, PET image of heart is very blur. So, PET scan gated with ECG is necessary to improve a spatial resolution of heart PET image. In this study, we will evaluate a image quality of both gated $^{13}N-ammonia$ PET scan and non-gated one. Materials and Methods Before start a heart PET, we attached a ECG electrode on patients (n = 5, $aged=54{\pm}17$). And we started a list mode PET scan that used by a mCT40 PET/CT (siemens, germany) during 10 minute, injected $^{13}N-ammonia$ ($378{\pm}50MBq$) to a patients at same time. By using this list mode data, we reconstructed both gated PET image and non-gated PET image. Then we analysed a profiles of those images, performed a blind test, and subtracted a gated image on non-gated image. Results FWHM of a gated image is improved about 23% and there is a differency count distribution at a subtracted image from non-gated image to a gated image. But in case of blind test, everybody select the gated image as a better quality among each images. Conclusion As a result, we can find that image quality will improve by using gated PET scan. In additional, we can calculate a EF valve, apply QGS, QPS of PET. Therefore, the gated PET scan help improving an accuracy, applying a more information for a diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2009

Purpose: Many companies developed a lot of programs with continuous effort for program upgrading. With this acquire superior image quality for the purpose of quick examination and progress in spatial resolution. This study was to obtained clinical usefulness on a appropriate parameter of FWHM for speed and alpha value for superior image quality. Materials and Methods: Gamma camera by Siemens (e.cam) and spatial resolution phantom and four quadrant bar phantom used. Compared for FWHM by changed scan speed 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 cm/min in scatter and non scatter in Onco Flash of spatial resolution phantom. Visual evaluation of count rate and bar phantom image for increased of alpha value of 10% in 0~100%. Results: FWHM by the scan speed was 9.37, 9.40, 9.28, 9.30, 9.31, 9.53 mm in the scatter. Count rate increased alpha value 10% increased. Visual evaluation was suitable to below 30%, Therefore spatial resolution improved on FWHM at the scan speed 25~35 cm/min applying for alpha value 30% in Onco Flash was average 9.3 mm less than FWHM of below 15 cm/min and above 40 cm/min. Conclusion: We found on appropriate parameter to progress of image quality. And there be a useful guideline for you that appropriate scan speed on vary in parameters of reduction on examination time and advancing image quality.