• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 2013

An orthotropic magneto-rheological rubber composite (MRRC) based on a general-purpose rubber can be manufactured by using an electromagnetic device during the curing processes of rubber mixtures. The magnetic transmissivity of MRRCs increases with the iron particle (IP) content, and that of aligned MRRCs with a 2-T magnetic field is 1.8 to 2 times higher as compared to that of randomly dispersed MRRCs. The effect of a 2-T magnetic field on carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced MRRC has been identified clearly, and the magnetic transmissivity is found to be 3.7%. The compressive stress of MRRC (IP 90 + CNT 5, 2 T alignment) under a magnetic field of 0.49 T is 2.1 times higher as compared to that of the matrix. The MR effect of MRRC increases with the IP content, and that of aligned MRRC with the IP 90 and 2 T magnetic field is 20.4%. It is confirmed that the magnetic field when making the specimen and when performing the compression test greatly impacts the compression characteristics.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2007

Purpose: To acquire high-resolution spiral-scan images at higher magnetic field, high homogeneous magnetic field is needed. Field inhomogeneity mapping and in-vivo shimming are important for rapid imaging such as spiral-scan imaging. The rapid scanning sequences are very susceptible to inhomogeneity. In this paper, we proposed a higher-order shimming method to obtain homogeneous magnetic field. Materials and Methods: To reduce measurement time for field inhomogeneity mapping, simultaneous axial/ sagittal, and coronal acquisitions are done using multi-slice based Fast Spin echo sequence. Acquired field inhomogeneity map is analyzed using the spherical harmonic functions, and shim currents are obtained by the multiplication of the pseudo-inverse of the field pattern with the inhomogeneity map. Results: Since the field inhomogeneity is increasing in proportion to the magnetic field, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important in high field imaging. The shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal section inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the imhomogenity map is applied. The proposed technique is applicable to a localized shimming as well. High resolution spiral-scan imaging was successfully obtained with the proposed higher order shimming. Conclusion: Proposed pulse sequence for rapid measurement of inhomogeneity map and higher order shimming based on the inhomogeneity map work very well at 3 Tesla MRI system. With the proposed higher order shimming and localized higher order shimming techniques, high resolution spiral-scan images are successfully obtained at 3 T MRI system.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2015

This study investigated the accuracy of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) in terms of reflecting the actual vascular length. Three-dimensional time of flight (3D TOF) MRA, 3D contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA, volume-rendering after CTA and maximum intensity projection were investigated using a flow model phantom with a diameter of 2.11 mm and area of $0.26cm^2$. 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla devices were used for 3D TOF MRA and 3D CE MRA. CTA was investigated using 16 and 64 channel CT scanners, and the images were transmitted and reconstructed by volume-rendering and maximum intensity projection, followed by conduit length measurement as described above. The smallest 3D TOF MRA measure was $2.51{\pm}0.12mm$ with a flow velocity of 40 cm/s using the 3.0 Tesla apparatus, and $2.57{\pm}0.07mm$ with a velocity of 71.5 cm/s using the 1.5 Tesla apparatus; both images were magnified from the actual measurement of 2.11 mm. The measurement with the 16 channel CT scanner was smaller ($3.83{\pm}0.37mm$) than the reconstructed image on maximum intensity projection. The images from CTA from examination apparatus and reconstruction technique were all larger than the actual measurement.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2017

Purpose: To optimize the saturation time and maximizing the pH-weighted difference between the normal and ischemic brain regions, on 3-tesla amide proton transfer (APT) imaging using an in vivo rat model. Materials and Methods: Three male Wistar rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion, and were examined in a 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. APT imaging acquisition was performed with 3-dimensional turbo spin-echo imaging, using a 32-channel head coil and 2-channel parallel radiofrequency transmission. An off-resonance radiofrequency pulse was applied with a Sinc-Gauss pulse at a $B_{1,rms}$ amplitude of $1.2{\mu}T$ using a 2-channel parallel transmission. Saturation times of 3, 4, or 5 s were tested. The APT effect was quantified using the magnetization-transfer-ratio asymmetry at 3.5 ppm with respect to the water resonance (APT-weighted signal), and compared with the normal and ischemic regions. The result was then applied to an acute stroke patient to evaluate feasibility. Results: Visual detection of ischemic regions was achieved with the 3-, 4-, and 5-s protocols. Among the different saturation times at $1.2{\mu}T$ power, 4 s showed the maximum difference between the ischemic and normal regions (-0.95%, P = 0.029). The APTw signal difference for 3 and 5 s was -0.9% and -0.7%, respectively. The 4-s saturation time protocol also successfully depicted the pH-weighted differences in an acute stroke patient. Conclusion: For 3-tesla turbo spin-echo APT imaging, the maximal pH-weighted difference achieved when using the $1.2{\mu}T$ power, was with the 4 s saturation time. This protocol will be helpful to depict pH-weighted difference in stroke patients in clinical settings.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.136-141
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• 2014

Objective : The aims of this study are to identify interpersonal differences in defining coordinates and to figure out the degree of distortion of the MRI and compare the accuracy between CT, 1.5-tesla (T) and 3.0T MRI. Methods : We compared coordinates in the CT images defined by 2 neurosurgeons. We also calculated the errors of 1.5T MRI and those of 3.0T. We compared the errors of the 1.5T with those of the 3.0T. In addition, we compared the errors in each sequence and in each axis. Results : The mean difference in the CT images between the two neurosurgeons was $0.48{\pm}0.22mm$. The mean errors of the 1.5T were $1.55{\pm}0.48mm$ (T1), $0.75{\pm}0.38$ (T2), and $1.07{\pm}0.57$ (FLAIR) and those of the 3.0T were $2.35{\pm}0.53$ (T1), $2.18{\pm}0.76$ (T2), and $2.16{\pm}0.77$ (FLAIR). The smallest mean errors out of all the axes were in the x axis : 0.28-0.34 (1.5T) and 0.31-0.52 (3.0T). The smallest errors out of all the MRI sequences were in the T2 : 0.29-0.58 (1.5T) and 0.31-1.85 (3.0T). Conclusion : There was no interpersonal difference in running the Gamma $Plan^{(R)}$ to define coordinates. The errors of the 3.0T were greater than those of the 1.5T, and these errors were not of an acceptable level. The x coordinate error was the smallest and the z coordinate error was the greatest regardless of the MRI sequence. The T2 sequence was the most accurate sequence.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2006

Purpose : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging is performed at 3 Tesla MRI system. Since the gradient waveforms for the spiral-scan imaging have lower slopes than those for the Echo Planar Imaging (EPI), they can be implemented with the gradient systems having lower slew rates. The spiral-scan imaging also involves less eddy currents due to the smooth gradient waveforms. The spiral-scan imaging method does not suffer from high specific absorption rate (SAR), which is one of the main obstacles in high field imaging for rf echo-based fast imaging methods such as fast spin echo techniques. Thus, the spiral-scan imaging has a great potential for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields. In this paper, we presented various high-resolution images obtained by the spiral-scan methods at 3T MRI system for various applications. Materials and Methods : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging technique is implemented at 3T whole body MRI system. An efficient and fast higher-order shimming technique is developed to reduce the inhomogeneity, and the single-shot and interleaved spiral-scan imaging methods are developed. Spin-echo and gradient-echo based spiral-scan imaging methods are implemented, and image contrast and signal-tonoise ratio are controlled by the echo time, repetition time, and the rf flip angles. Results : Spiral-scan images having various resolutions are obtained at 3T MRI system. Since the absolute magnitude of the inhomogeneity is increasing in higher magnetic fields, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important. A fast shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal sectional inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the inhomogeneity map is applied. For phantom and invivo head imaging, image matrix size of about $100{\times}100$ is obtained by a single-shot spiral-scan imaging, and a matrix size of $256{\times}256$ is obtained by the interleaved spiral-scan imaging with the number of interleaves of from 6 to 12. Conclusion : High field imaging becomes increasingly important due to the improved signal-to-noise ratio, larger spectral separation, and the higher BOLD-based contrast. The increasing SAR is, however, a limiting factor in high field imaging. Since the spiral-scan imaging has a very low SAR, and lower hardware requirements for the implementation of the technique compared to EPI, it is suitable for a rapid imaging in high fields. In this paper, the spiral-scan imaging with various resolutions from $100{\times}100$ to $256{\times}256$ by controlling the number of interleaves are developed for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.143-143
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• 2001

목적： 현재 3.0T MRI system은 세계적으로 개발이 진행되고 있는 가운데, 3.0T에서 사용할 수 있는 RF coil의 개발이 시급한 상황이다. 1.0T 및 1.5T MRI 와는 달리 3.0T에서 사용할 수 있는 Body coil 및 그에 따른 High power RF amplifier 제작에 많은 제약이 있다. 작은 용량의 RF amplifier를 이용하여 신체의 부분을 촬영 하고자 한다면, Tx/Rx 가능한 coil을 이용하면 가능할 것이다. 이러한 이유로 본 연구에서는 Tx/Rx 가능한 Quadrature type C-spine RF coil을 설계, 제작하여 3.0T 고자장 자기공명 영상장치에서의 임상진단 활용범위를 확대하였다.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.51-51
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• 2006

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.361-370
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• 2017

In the Brain MRI, RF Pulse is irradiated on the human body in order to acquire an image. At this time, a considerable part of the irradiated RF Pulse energy is absorbed as it is in our body. This will raise the temperature of the human body, but depending on the extent of exposure, it will affect the human body. The change of the SAR and the temperature of the head according to the change of the magnetic field strength is examined. And to investigate the difference in results depending on the use of dental implant. In the human head model, 64 MHz RF Pulse frequency generated from 1.5 T, 128 MHz RF Pulse frequency generated from 3.0 T, and 298 MHz RF Pulse frequency generated from 7.0 T send a frequency and experiment was performed using dental implant using the XFDTD program, we measured the SAR and body temperature changes around the head. The SAR value showed up to about 5800 times the difference at the RF Pulse frequency of 256 MHz, when with dental implant than without dental implant and as the frequency increased, the use of the dental implant increased difference in the SAR value. The change of the temperature of the head showed a temperature rise nearly 2 to 4 times when with dental implant than without dental implant. As the RF Pulse frequency increase, the SAR value increase, but the change of the temperature of the head decrease. Because of as the frequency increase, wavelength is smaller and the more the amount absorbed by the surface of the human. Physiological and biochemical studies of the human body ar necessary through studies of the presence of dental implant and the cause of reaction caused by change in the RF Pulse frequency.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1993

A suppression of turbulent fluid motion and a control of oxygen and dopants could be improved by application of magnetic field in Czochralski growth of silicon. The effect of an axial magnetic field on Czochralski system was numerically calculated. The fluid motions induced by temperature gradients and by crystal and crucible rotations were suppressed by magnetic force. The S/L interface was gradually flattened in proportion to the increase of magnetic field due to a reduced ascending velocity in the vicinity of center line. The t.emperature distributions in the melt at 8=0.3 Tesla were similar to those analyzed by the conduction heat transfer only. The dissipated amounts of heat flux from melt and crystal surfaces by Ar gas blowing was Jess than 3 %.