• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
• /
• 제19권8호
• /
• pp.276-283
• /
• 2019

본 연구는 자동노출제어장치(Automatic Exposure Control, AEC)와 수동노출 이용 시 입사표면선량(Entrance Surface Dose, ESD)과 Entropy를 분석하여 자동노출제어장치의 유용성에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 실험방법은 Skull, Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis 부위에 대하여 란도팬텀(Rando Phantom)에 반도체 선량계를 위치시켜 선량을 측정하였고, 동시에 획득한 DICOM(Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) 파일을 Matlab으로 Entropy 분석을 하였다. 그 결과 자동노출제어장치 이용 시 모든 부위의 입사표면선량이 수동노출보다 낮았고 Entropy 수치는 높았으며, paired t-test는 p<0.05로 유의한 차이가 있음을 알 수 있었다. 결론적으로 자동노출제어장치의 사용은 X선 검사 시 발생할 수 있는 불필요한 방사선량과 정보의 손실량을 줄여서 피폭선량과 영상 화질의 최적화에 기여할 수 있는 유용한 방법이 될 수 있다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
• /
• 제45권1호
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2022

In this study, we proposed an image quality control for an automatic exposure control (AEC) of digital radiographic imaging system and tried to analyze the performance of the AEC by various manufacturer. The subjects of the experiment were analyzed for the AEC image quality evaluation using digital radiation generators from four manufacturer such as PHILIPS, GE Healthcare, SAMSUNG Healthcare, DK Medical Solution. We used as materials for the implementation of the image quality evaluation by coins (500 won, KOMSCO, Korea). This study evaluated the performance evaluation of the AEC as image quality and exposure dose (Milliampere-seconds; mAs). The image quality evaluation was tried visual assessment by two radiologic technologists and contrast to noise (CNR) by ImageJ. The exposure dose investigated mAs on digital radiation generators. The radiographic coin images acquired 360 images based on change in the control factors of the AEC, which were kVp, the consistency of field configuration and dominant zone, sensitivity and density. As a result, there was a significant difference in the AEC performance between manufacturer. The CNR by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 1.9 times. The exposed tube current by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 5.8 times. It is expected that our proposed evaluation method using coins could be applied as the AEC performance evaluation method in the future.

• International Journal of Contents
• /
• 제9권2호
• /
• pp.66-69
• /
• 2013

In the U.S., performance assessment on the Automatic Exposure Control system (AEC) is managed according to the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). However, The AEC is not available in the performance assessment conducted in Korea. Also, there is no study made on the performance of the automatic exposure control system for mammography in Korea. For this reason, this study examined the performance of the automatic exposure control system for mammography that was clinically used in the Incheon area. Result showed that the difference of the mean optical density was 0.79 ~ 2.81. This implies that some devices caused unnecessary x-ray exposure to patients. Furthermore, only 61.5% of the entire experimental device was shown to be satisfactory in terms of change in mean optical density. Moreover, in terms of the subject's thickness, change in radiographic density was shown to be severe among lower X-ray tube voltage while there was severe density change in X-ray image depending on X-ray tube voltage among the subjects with more thickness. Therefore, it is suggested to provide performance management on the AEC for mammography.

• 대한안전경영과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한안전경영과학회 2011년도 추계학술대회
• /
• pp.563-571
• /
• 2011

The purpose of the study was to evaluation of the radiation dose reduction using various automatic exposure control (AEC) systems in different manufactures multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). We used three different manufacturers for the study: General Electric Healthcare, Philips Medical systems and Siemens Medical Solutions. The general scanning protocol was created for the each examination with the same scanning parameters as many as possible. In the various AEC systems, the evaluation of reduced-dose was evaluated by comparing to fixed mAs with using body phantom. Finally, when we applied to AEC for three manufacturers, the radiation dose reduction decreased each 35.3% in the GE, 58.2% in the Philips, and 48.6% in the Siemens. This applies to variety of the AEC systems which will be very useful to reduce the dose and to maintain the high quality.

• International Journal of Contents
• /
• 제7권4호
• /
• pp.103-107
• /
• 2011

The effective dose and the organ absorbed dose, which are given to a breast in the cases of using and not using the bismuth breast protection shield for the protection of a breast with the coronary artery CT angiography, have been measured and compared for the manual exposure control (MEC)and the automatic exposure control (AEC). In the cases of using and not using the bismuth breast protection shield, it has been found that the measured dose shows the reduction of about 23 to 26% for the MEC and about 22 to 25% for the AEC when the shield is used compared to the case of not using it. By comparing the shield and non-shield cases for the AEC and the MEC, it can be said that the value measured by carrying out the scanning process with the AEC mode has decreased by about 24 to 30% compared to the case of applying the MEC mode. Such a result shows that it is recommended to use the AEC mode for the reduction of the patient's exposure dose during the CT examination.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
• /
• 제42권1호
• /
• pp.19-24
• /
• 2019

For general radiological examinations, even in the same area and the same test, the test conditions must be set differently according to the patient. However, since it is impossible to consider the body shape and conditions of patients every time in medical institutions where various patients visit, the tests are conducted by setting the AEC which automatically sets the test conditions. AEC is most commonly used in chest radiography. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose the improvement plans for using AEC by measuring the exposure dose and evaluating the image quality according to whether the AEC is used or not, and to provide basic data for AEC research. In the present study, images were acquired while varying tube voltage and test distance according to the use of AEC in chest radiography. The radiation dose was measured by placing the dosimeter in front of the chest phantom, and the CNR and SNR of acquired images were analyzed using Image J. The t-test was conducted for the statistical analysis and the significance was determined at the level of 95%(p<.05). As a result of this study, in the inspection distance (100cm, 140cm, 180cm) according to the use of AEC, high doses were observed when the AEC was used and there was statistically significant difference(p<.05). In the t-test to determine the difference between CNR and SNR depending on whether AEC was used or not, there was no significant difference according to the use of AEC(p>.05). Therefore, when performing chest radiography, if the radiologist establishes the appropriate examination conditions and conducts the examination by not just relying solely on AEC, it may be possible to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure to the patient.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
• /
• 제9권3호
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2009

CT검사에 따른 방사선 선량의 유해성에 대한 관심이 고조되고 있어, 고정관전류기법과 AEC(automatic exposure control)를 적용하여 선량의 감소 효과를 비교하였다. 64MDCT를 이용하여 인체조직등가물질 팬텀으로 흉부 및 복부 부위를 고정관전류기법과 AEC를 적용하여 CTDIvol과 DLP를 비교하였고, 영상의 평가는 관심영역으로 CT감약계수와 노이즈를 측정하여 비교하였다. 흉부에서 고정관전류기법과 AEC적용에 따른 선량감소 효과는 CTDIvol 35.2%, DLP 49.3%, 복부에서는 CTDIvol 5.9%, DLP 3.2% 감소 효과가 있었다. CT검사에서 자동노출장치인 AEC를 이용하여 선량의 감소효과가 있다. CT 검사에 따른 환자의 피폭선량을 줄이기 위해서는 AEC를 이용하여야 한다.

• 핵의학기술
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.33-38
• /
• 2014

SPECT의 기능적인 영상과 CT의 해부학적 영상을 융합하여 영상 진단의 시너지 효과를 창출하는 SPECT/CT는 부가적인 CT의 사용으로 환자의 피폭선량을 증가시킨다. SPECT/CT를 사용함으로서 불가피한 피폭선량에 대한 선량감소 효과를 위해 CT의 방사선 노출 시 선량이 환자의 크기와 모양에 따라 자동조절 되는 CT장비의 자동노출제어(Automatic exposure control, AEC)시스템을 SPECT/CT에 적용함으로써 피폭선량의 감소효과와 영상의 질의 변화를 비교 및 평가하고자 하였다. 실험에 사용된 SPECT/CT는 GE사의 Discovery 670이며, AEC 기법으로는 Smart mA를 선원은 $^{99m}Tc$을 사용하였다. CT선량 변화에 따른 SPECT영상과 CT영상의 질을 비교하기 위해 CT의 조건을 첫 번째 관전압 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp, 관전류 10, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mA, 두 번째 AEC기법은 (10-250 mA)로 설정하여 실험하였으며, SPECT영상의 resolution과 contrast를 평가하기 위해 triple line phantom과 Flangeless Esser PET phantom을 사용하였으며, CT영상과 선량을 평가하기 위해서 anthropomorphic chest phantom을 이용하였다. Torso protocol (120 kVp, 150 mA)을 적용하였으며 AEC기법(120 kVp, 10-200 mA)으로 촬영하여 noise와 uniformity를 측정하였으며, CTDI (mGy), DLP (mGycm)값을 구하였다. 관전압, 관전류의 변화와 AEC 적용에 대한 감쇠보정 한 SPECT영상에서의 Resolution은 FWHM [mm] left 3.48 mm, center 3.65 mm, right 3.60 mm로 일정한 값을 보였다. Contrast의 결과 값은 cold spot에 대한 감쇠물질 정도에 따른 공기, 물에 대해서는 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았으며, 뼈에 대해서는 관전압이 증가할수록 감소하는 값을 보였다. Hot spot에 대해서는 관전압과 관전류의 변화 그리고 AEC를 적용 시 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. CT영상에서의 noise값을 각각 비교한 결과 15.4, 18.5으로 AEC적용 시 noise 값은 증가하였지만 noise값의 coefficient variation (CV)값은 각각 33.8, 24.9으로 AEC 사용 시 노이즈 값의 변동이 작아 uniformity한 영상을 얻을 수 있었다. 선량평가를 위한 비교에서 DLP[mGy-cm]값은 426.78, AEC 적용 시 352.09의 값을 보여 AEC적용 시 피폭선량이 약 18% 감소함을 알 수 있었다. 본 실험을 통하여, SPECT/CT 영상에서 CT선량변화에 따른 SPECT 영상의 감쇠보정은 차이가 없음을 확인 할 수 있었으며, CT선량의 증가는 CT영상의 질은 향상되지만, 피폭선량이 증가하므로 피폭선량을 줄이기 위해 AEC기법을 적용하여 동일한 감쇠 보정된 SPECT영상과 noise가 균일한 CT영상을 획득할 수 있으며 피폭선량이 감소할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
• /
• 제13권4호
• /
• pp.1714-1720
• /
• 2012

다중 검출기 컴퓨터단층촬영(multi-detector computed tomography; MDCT) 장비에서 이용되는 다양한 자동노출제어(automatic exposure control; AEC) 시스템에 대한 선량 감소 정도와 영상의 품질을 비교 평가하였다. 연구에 이용한 AEC 시스템은 General Electric(GE)사의 Auto-mA 3D, Philips사의 DoseRight, 그리고 Siemens사의 Care Dose 4D를 이용하였다. 모든 실험에서 X-선 노출 조건을 가능한 한 동일하게 하였다. 다양한 AEC 시스템에서 선량 감소 평가는 인체 모형을 이용하여 고정관류기법과 비교하여 평가하였다. 또한 영상 품질은 CT 계수(number)의 표준 편차를 이용하여 영상의 잡음을 측정하였다. 그 결과 AEC 시스템을 적용할 때 Auto-mA 3D는 35.3%, DoseRight는 58.2%, Care Dose 4D는 48.6%의 최대 선량감소가 있었으며, 영상품질에서는 Care Dose 4D의 강함/약함 (Strong/Weak)의 조합에서 유의한 차이가 없었다(P=0.269). 이런 다양한 AEC 시스템의 적용은 고품질의 영상을 유지하면서 선량을 감소하는데 매우 유용 할 것이라고 사료된다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
• /
• 제44권3호
• /
• pp.173-181
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study was to reduce dose while maintaining image quality during digital radiographic examination of paranasal sinus by using the automatic exposure control (AEC) system. The tube voltage was set as six stages that increased by about 10 kVp to 70 kVp, 81 kVp, 90 kVp, 102 kVp, 109 kVp and 117 kVp. And then the AEC system conditions were consisted of 9 setting environments, that change mode of the sensitivity (S200, S400, S800) and the density (+2.5, 0, -2.5). We measured automatically exposed tube current (mAs) under 54 conditions with combined these, and assessed SNR and PSNR through the acquired images. In addition, four radiologists performed a qualitative assessment of the acquired images for each combination on a five-point scale of the Likert. As a result, the lowest dose and the highest values of SNR and PSNR in images with a qualitative assessment more than 4 point were the AEC control factors of 90 kVp, S800, D2.5. We applied this condition to the clinical trial, it showed an effect of 83.1% reduction in exposure radiation dose (mR). Therefore, AEC system could be used as dose reduction technology if it understood and used related regulatory factors and physical characteristics.