• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1992 no.05
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• pp.64-67
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• 1992

To improve signal-to-noise ratio in sodium image, short echo time (2-3 ms) and long data acquisition (10-20 ms) protocols are used. Sodium in biological specimens demonstrates a bi-exponential decay of transverse magnetization and the fast decaying component of the sodium signal results in the reconstruction of images which are blurred significantly. The spatially-dependent nature of the blurs are due mainly to the presence of short local transverse relaxation values (0.7-3 ms) of sodium in tissue. We present an algorithm that corrects for object-dependent blurs due to fast-decaying T2 and improves the computational behavior of the algorithm by incorporating a relaxation parameter into the iterative process.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.199-202
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• 2004

The odontogenic myxoma is an benign, slow growing neoplasm which is of ectomesenchymal origin. This neoplasm occurs almost exclusively in the jaw bones and comprises 0.2% to 17.7% of odontogenic tumors. The odontogenic myxoma may show a wide spectrum of radiographic appearances, unilocular, multilocular radiolucency and a distinct or diffuse border, making the differential diagnosis difficult. We present a case of the odontogenic myxoma in the maxilla with conventional and recent image modalities. Occlusal film revealed a medially extended multilocular lesion with intralesional fine and straight trabeculations from the scalloped margin and buccal expansion and thinning of cortical bone. Computed tomogram revealed lesion showed equivalent density to the muscles in the left maxillary sinus with partial cortical discontinuity of medial wall and the tennis-racket pattern with internal straight trabeculations. MRI revealed intermediate signal intensity on Tl weighted image and high signal intensity on T2 weighted image. In Gd enhanced MR image, the peripheral portions of the lesion were enhanced.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.357-362
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• 2015

Objective : To investigate risk factors for S1 screw loosening after lumbosacral fusion, including spinopelvic parameters and paraspinal muscles. Methods : We studied with 156 patients with degenerative lumbar disease who underwent lumbosacral interbody fusion and pedicle screw fixation including the level of L5-S1 between 2005 and 2012. The patients were divided into loosening and non-loosening groups. Screw loosening was defined as a halo sign larger than 1 mm around a screw. We checked cross sectional area of paraspinal muscles, mean signal intensity of the muscles on T2 weight MRI as a degree of fatty degeneration, spinopelvic parameters, bone mineral density, number of fusion level, and the characteristic of S1 screw. Results : Twenty seven patients showed S1 screw loosening, which is 24.4% of total. The mean duration for S1 screw loosening was $7.3{\pm}4.1$ months after surgery. Statistically significant risk factors were increased age, poor BMD, 3 or more fusion levels (p<0.05). Among spinopelvic parameters, a high pelvic incidence (p<0.01), a greater difference between pelvic incidence and lumbar lordotic angle preoperatively (p<0.01) and postoperatively (p<0.05). Smaller cross-sectional area and high T2 signal intensity in both multifidus and erector spinae muscles were also significant muscular risk factors (p<0.05). Small converging angle (p<0.001) and short intraosseous length (p<0.05) of S1 screw were significant screw related risk factors (p<0.05). Conclusion : In addition to well known risk factors, spinopelvic parameters and the degeneration of paraspinal muscles also showed significant effects on the S1 screw loosening.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.194-208
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• 2003

Objective : Recently, many studies have showed the evidences of the effect of acupuncture treatment through scientific methods. We performed electro-acupuncture on Taixi(K3) and observed the change of brain activity using fMRI. Methods : To see the effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation on Taixi(K3), the experiment was carried out on twelve healthy volunteers, using the gradient echo sequence with the 3.0T whole-body fMRI system(ISOL). After the needle insertion on K3, 2 Hz of electric stimulation was given for 30 seconds, repeated five times, with 30 seconds' intervals. Result & Conclusions : Unilateral electro-acupuncture stimulation on K3 increased the brain activity in Brodman Area 8, 6, 9, 13, 21, 22, 38, 40, 43, 2, 5, 10, 20, 24, 32, 34, 37, 39, 41, 42. and decreased the brain activity in Brodman Area 9, 13, 38, 22, 31, 3, 6, 10, 21, 25, 29, 30. Group Averaged Brain activity induced by Unilateral Electro-acupuncture Stimulation on K3 was increased in Brodman Area 10, 22, 42, 43, 44 and was decreased inn Brodman Area 6 and pyrogen test of Bee venom. Bilateral electro-acupuncture stimulation on k3 increased the brain activity in Brodman Area 22, 3, 19, 4, 13, 17, 21, 41, 42, 2, 5, 6, 7, 18, 23, 29, 30, 31, 40 and decreased the brain activity in Brodman Area 18, 6, 39, 4, 13, 2, 10, 19, 36, 40, 45, 46, 47. Group Averaged Brain activity induced by Bilateral Electro-acupuncture Stimulation on K3 was increased in Brodman Area 22, 13, 4, 3, 29, 38, 43 and was decreased in Brodman Area 18, 3, 19, 22, 39. Motor Stimulation activated Brodmann Area 6, 43, 18.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.3 no.1 s.4
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• pp.85-96
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• 2004

The study begin with a basic concept, if the occupancy length of vehicle detector is directly proportional to the delay of vehicle. That is, it analogize vehicle's delay of a occupancy time. The results of a study was far superior in the estimation of a queue length. It is a very good points the operator is not necessary to optimize s1, s2, Thdoc. Thdoc(critical congestion degree) replaced 0.7 with 0.2 - 0.3. But, if vehicles have been experience in delay was not occupy vehicle detector, the study is in existence some problems. In conclusion, it is necessary that stretch queue detector or install paired queue detector. Also I want to be made steady progress a following study relation to this study, because it is required traffic signal control on congestion.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2008

Purpose : There is debate concerning the observation of metabolite changes on MRS at the designated cortex during some tasks. The purpose of this study is to assess the change of the lactate content at the motor cortex during hand-grasping tasks with performing real-time fMRI-guided fMRS. Materials and Methods : Seven healthy volunteers (23-28 years old) underwent realtime fMRI during right hand grasping tasks with using a 1.5 T system. After confirming the activating area, single voxel MRS was preformed at 1) the baseline, 2) during the task and 3) after the task on the activating cortex. The three consecutive spectra were compared for observing the changes of the lactate content by the tasks. The Cho/Cr, NAA/Cr and Lac/Cr ratios were calculated manually from those spectra. Results : MRS during the tasks revealed the lactate peaks at the 1.33 ppm resonance frequency with great conspicuity at the activated area, which was identified on the real-time fMRI. After the task scan, the lactate peaks completely disappeared and the spectra recovered to the values of the baseline scan in all volunteers. At baseline, during the task and after the task, the Cho/Cr ratios were 0.81, 0.76 and 0.77, respectively, and the NAA/Cr ratios were 1.68, 1.65 and 1.72, respectively, and the Lac/Cr ratios were 0.28, 0.41 and 0.30, respectively. During the task, Lac was significantly increased by 46%. Conclusion : We observed prominent lactate peaks on MRS during hand-grasping tasks at the activated area, as was shown on the real-time fMRI. We suggest that fMRS can be used as a sensitive tool for observing the metabolite changes of the functioning brain.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.341-351
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• 2014

Purpose : In this study, the medication effects of Milnacipran and Pregabalin, as well known as fibromyalgia treatment medicine, in fibromyalgia syndrome patients were compared through the change of BOLD signal in pain related functional MRI. Materials and Methods: Twenty fibromyalgia syndrome patients were enrolled in this study and they were separated into two groups according to the treatment medicine: 10 Milnacipran (MLN) treatment group and 7 Pregabalin (PGB) treatment group. For accurate diagnosis, all patients underwent several clinical tests. Pre-treated and post-treated fMRI image with block-designed pressure-pain stimulation for each group were obtained to conduct the statistical analysis of paired t-test and two sample t-test. All statistical significant level was less than 0.05. Results: In clinical tests, the clinical scores of the two groups were not significantly different at pre-treatment stage. But, PGB treatment group had lower Widespread Pain Index (WPI) and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score than those of MLN treatment group at post-treatment stage. In functional image analysis, BOLD signal of PGB treatment group was higher BOLD signal at several regions including anterior cingulate and insula than MLN treatment group at post-treatment stage. Also, paired t-test values of the BOLD signal in MLN group decreased in several regions including insula and thalamus as known as 'pain network'. In contrast, size and number of regions in which the BOLD signal decreased in PGB treatment group were smaller than those of MLN treatment group. Conclusion: This study showed that MLN group and PGB group have different medication effects. It is not surprising that MLN and PGB have not the same therapeutic effects since these two drugs have different medicinal mechanisms such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medication, respectively, and different detailed target of fibromyalgia syndrome treatment. Therefore, it is difficult to say which medicine will work better in this study.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2013

Purpose : We report the results of the various parameters of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and CSF flow study of the cervical spinal cord using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques. Materials and Methods: Intramedullary FA and MD were measured in the gray matter and posterior cord of the white matter and both lateral cords of the white matter at the C2-3, C4-5, C5-6 spinal levels. For the CSF flow study, velocity encoding was obtained at the C2-3, C4-5, C5-6 spinal levels. Results: There was a significant difference of the FA and MD between the white matter and gray matter (p < 0.05). The FA of the gray matter was significantly different according to the cervical spinal cord levels (p < 0.05). Otherwise, the FA and MD parameters were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The mean peak systolic velocity and mean peak diastolic velocity were $5.18{\pm}2.00cm/sec$ and $-7.32{\pm}3.18cm/sec$, respectively from C2 to C6 spinal cords. There was no significant difference in these velocities among the cervical spinal cord (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This basic information about DTI and CSF dynamics of the cervical spinal cord may be useful for assessing cervical spinal cord abnormalities using MR imaging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the problems of low signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of single-shot turbo spin echo(SS-TSE) by quantifying numerically decreased signal to noise ratio. Thirty five patients without brain disease underwent diffusion MRI in 3T scanner from July to October in 2015. Single shot echo planar imaging(SS-EPI) which is conventionally used in MRI was taken to compared SS-TSE in SNR of medulla oblongata. As a result, SNR of SS-TSE diffusion(b0=$314.41{\pm}42.96$, b1000=$117.33{\pm}14.04$) is than SS-EPI diffusion(b0=$514.84{\pm}48.97$, b=$208.65{\pm}25.70$) lower in b=0 image(38.9%) and b=1,000 image(43.8%). Thus, diffusion MR using SS-EPI of MS-EPI should be taken for diagnosis of disease in brain stem due to decreased SNR of diffusion using SS-TSE.

• The Transactions of the Korea Information Processing Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.542-551
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• 2000

In this paper, a novel technique is presented for automatic brain region segmentation in single channel MR image data sets for 3D visualization and analysis. The method detects brain contours in 2D and 3D processing of four steps. The first and the second make a head mask and an initial brain mask by automatic thresholding using a curve fitting technique. The stage 3 reconstructs 3D volume of the initial brain mask by cubic interpolation and generates an intermediate brain mask using morphological operation and labeling of connected components. In the final step, the brain mask is refined by automatic thresholding using curve fitting. This algorithm is useful for fully automatic brain region segmentation of T1-weighted, T2-weighted, PD-weighted, SPGR MRI data sets without considering slice direction and covering a whole volume of a brain. In the experiments, the algorithm was applied to 20 sets of MR images and showed over 0.97 in comparison with manual drawing in similarity index.