• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.218-225
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• 2012

Purpose: The relationship between treatment outcomes, alteration of the expression of biological markers, and tumor volume response during radiotherapy (RT) in patients with uterine cervical cancer was analyzed. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma received definitive RT with (n = 17) or without (n = 3) concurrent chemotherapy. Tumor volumes were measured by three serial magnetic resonance imaging scans at pre-, mid-, and post-RT. Two serial punch biopsies were performed at pre- and mid-RT, and immunohistochemical staining for cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor was performed. The median follow-up duration was 60 months. Results: The median tumor volume response at mid-RT (V2R) was 0.396 (range, 0.136 to 0.983). At mid-RT, an interval increase in the distribution of immunoreactivity for COX-2 was observed in 8 patients, and 6 of them showed poor mid-RT tumor volume response ($V2R{\geq}0.4$). Four (20%) patients experienced disease progression after 10 to 12 months (median, 11 months). All 4 patients had poor mid-RT tumor volume response (p = 0.0867) and 3 of them had an interval increase in COX-2 expression. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) decreased in patients with $V2R{\geq}0.4$ (p = 0.0291 for both). An interval increase in COX-2 expression at mid-RT was also associated with a decreased survival (p = 0.1878 and 0.1845 for OS and PFS, respectively). Conclusion: Poor tumor volume response and an interval increase in COX-2 expression at mid-RT decreased survival outcomes in patients with uterine cervical cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.440-451
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• 1997

This study was designed to prospect the $^{111}In$-labelled paclitaxel as tumor imaging agent. In order to provide a taxol molecule with a functional group which is able to chelate In-111, taxol-DTPA conjugate and 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol were synthesized by esterification of taxol at C-2'on C-13 carbon with DTPA anhydride and succinic anhydride, respectively. Synthesis yield of the taxol derivatives was 34% for taxol-DTPA and 80% for 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol. Cytotoxicity of the taxol derivatives were measured by MTT method toward cell lines HT29, B16, P388, and CT26. The cytotoxic activities of the taxol derivatives were maintained, although less active than taxol. Radiolabelling of the taxol derivatives were proceeded directly with $^{111}InCl_3$ or indirectly with $^{111}In$-citrate(ligand-exchange method). The ligand-exchange method was not suitable because some precipitates appeared during the reaction. On the contrary, by direct radiolabelling method, we were able to obtain taxol-DTPA-$^{111}In$ in 100% radiochemical yield. However, 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol was not labelled by both methods. Yield and radiochemical purity of the radiolabelled com-pound were determined by HPLC, paper chromatography and instant thin layer chromatography. Taxol-DTPA-$^{111}In$ was characterized to be hydrophilic by lipophilicity test, and nearly non-adhesive to HT29, B16, P388, and CT26 by cell binding affinity test. Binding affinity of the taxol-DTPA-$^{111}In$ complex to serum proteins was also examined by protein precipitation with 30% trichloroacetic acid. The results showed that 30% of the taxol-DTPA-$^{111}In$ complex binds with serum proteins.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4119-4123
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• 2012

Background: Neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy is the accepted approach for women with locally advanced breast cancer. Anthracycline- and taxane-based regimens have been extensively studied in clinical trials and consequently are widely used. In this study aimed to research the complete response (pCR) rates in different regimens for neoadjuvant setting and determine associated clinical and biological factors. Methods: This study included 63 patients diagnosed with breast carcinoma among 95 patients that had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2007 and 2010. TNM staging system was used for staging. The histologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was characterized as a pCR when there was no evidence of residual invasive tumor in the breast or axillary lymph nodes. Biologic subclassification using estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2 were performed. Luminal A was defined as ER+, PR+, HER2-; Luminal B tumor was defined as ER+, PR-, HER2-; ER+, PR-, HER2+; ER-, PR+, HER2-; ER+, PR+, HER2+; HER2 like tumor ER-, PR+, HER2+; and triple negative tumor ER, PR, HER2 negative. Results: Patients median age was 54.14 (min-max: 30-75). Thirty-two patients (50.8%) were premenapousal and 31 (49.2%) were postmenapousal. Staging was performed postoperatively based on the pathology report and appropriated imaging modalities The TNM (tumor, lymph node, metastasis) system was used for clinical and pathological staging. Fifty-seven (90.5%) were invasive ductal carcinomas, 6 (9.5%) were other subtypes. Thirty nine (61.9%) were grade II and 24 (38.1%) were grade III. Seven (11.1%) patients were stage II and 56 (88.9) patients were stage III. The patients were classified for ER, PR receptor and HER2 positivity. Seventeen patients had complete response to chemotherapy. Forty patients (63.5%) were treated with dose dense regimen (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 and doxorubicine 60 mg/m every two weeks than paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 every two weeks with filgrastim support) 40 patients (48%) were treated anthracycline and taxane containing regimens. Thirteen patients (76%) from 17 patients with pCR were treated with the dose dense regimen but without statistical significance (p=0.06). pCR was higher in HER2(-), ER(-), grade III, premenopausal patients. Conclusion: pCR rate was higher in the group that treated with dose dense regimen, which should thus be the selected regimen in neoadjuvant setting. Some other factors can predict pCR in Turkish patients, like grade, menopausal status, triple negativity, percentage of ER positivity, and HER2 expression.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2018

In this study, We developed a Ancillary device for child radiography for X-ray of children under 5 years old and verified its effectiveness. Chest X-rays of children younger than 5 years of age were performed by Supine method at the position of Table detector, Short - Source to Image Receptor Distance(SID). Existing Supine and Short -SID imaging methods cause many problems, such as errors in image reading and excessive radiation exposure dose to patients, but the use of an Ancillary device for child radiography(ADCR) solves these problems. A total of 160 children were divided into the Upright group using ADCR and Supine group without ADCR. The chest X-ray image was visually evaluated by two radiologists with reference to the European Commission's List of Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images in Pediatrics. The total score of the qualitative evaluation was 5.15% higher in the chest upright method using ADCR than in the chest supine method without ADCR, and the chest upright method score was higher than that of the chest supine method in items 1 to 7. whether infants have deep inspiration or not, 4.87% higher for item 1, whether infants rotate or not and the degree of tilting, 0% higher for the item 2, the reproduction of image from just above apices of lungs to T12/L1, 0% for the item 3, reproduction of the vascular pattern in central 2/3 of the lungs, 6.92% higher for the item 4, reproduction of the trachea and the proximal bronchi, 12.9% higher for the item 5, visually sharp reproduction of the diaphragm and costo-phrenic angles, 10% higher for the item 6, reproduction of the spine and paraspinal structures and visualisation of the retrocardiac lung and the mediastinum, and 3.65% higher for the item 7. Items 2 and 3 showed no statistically significant differences(P > 0.05), and items 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed statistically significant differences(P < 0.05). In conclusion, Upright method using ADCR in pediatric chest X-ray is considered as a good alternative to existing Supine method.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 1996

The purpose of this paper is to design high-order (or radial) surface gradient coil (SGC), which can provide multi-dimensional spatial selection. Although the spatial Selection with High-Order gradienT (SHOT) can provide a 2-D selection with only one selective RF pulse, the high-order gradient pro- duced by conventional cylindrical-shape coils has not been clinically useful due to the large selection size caused by the limited radial gradient intensity. However, by using the proposed high-order SGCs located near the imaging region, the size of volume selection can be reduced to a clinically useflll size of 1-2 cm in diameter by applying stronger radial gradient field with much less gradient driving power. So far radial SGCs have been designed by using the field component method and may cause distortion in the selection shapes. In this paper, by using the target field approach for the coil design, selected volumes became almost circular. A 40 cm-by-40 cm $z^2$_surface gradient coil has been designed and implemented by using the target field approach. Phantom and volunteer studies have been performed Experimental results using spatially localized MRI show good agreement to the theoretically predicted behavior.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2011

Parallel imaging technique can provide several advantages for a multitude of MRI applications. Especially, in SENSE technique, sensitivity maps were always required in order to determine the reconstruction matrix, therefore, a number of difference approaches using sensitivity information from coils have been demonstrated to improve of image quality. Moreover, many filtering methods were proposed such as adaptive matched filter and nonlinear diffusion technique to optimize the suppression of background noise and to improve of image quality. In this study, we performed SENSE reconstruction using computer simulations to confirm the most suitable method for the feasibility of filtering effect and according to changing order of polynomial fit that were applied on variation of spatial resolution of sensitivity map. The image was obtained at 0.32T(Magfinder II, Genpia, Korea) MRI system using spin-echo pulse sequence(TR/TE = 500/20 ms, FOV = 300 mm, matrix = $128{\times}128$, thickness = 8 mm). For the simulation, obtained image was multiplied with four linear-array coil sensitivities which were formed of 2D-gaussian distribution and the image was complex white gaussian noise was added. Image processing was separated to apply two methods which were polynomial fitting and filtering according to spatial resolution of sensitivity map and each coil image was subsampled corresponding to reduction factor(r-factor) of 2 and 4. The results were compared to mean value of geomety factor(g-factor) and artifact power(AP) according to r-factor 2 and 4. Our results were represented while changing of spatial resolution of sensitivity map and r-factor, polynomial fit methods were represented the better results compared with general filtering methods. Although our result had limitation of computer simulation study instead of applying to experiment and coil geometric array such as linear, our method may be useful for determination of optimal sensitivity map in a linear coil array.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.133-133
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• 2002

Purpose： The purpose of paper is to implement software to visualize brain fiber tract using a 24-bit color coding scheme and to test its feasibility. Materials and Methods： MR imaging was performed on GE 1.5 T Signa scanner. For diffusion tensor image, we used a single shot spin-echo EPI sequence with 7 non-colinear pulsed-field gradient directions： (x, y, z)：(1,1,0),(-1,1,0),(1,0,1),(-1,0,1),(0,1,1),(0,1,-1) and without diffusion gradient. B-factor was 500 sec/$\textrm{mm}^2$. Acquisition parameters are as follows： TUTE=10000ms/99ms, FOV=240mm, matrix=128${\times}$128, slice thickness/gap=6mm/0mm, total slice number=30. Subjects consisted of 10 normal young volunteers (age：21∼26 yrs, 5 men, 5 women). All DTI images were smoothed with Gaussian kernel with the FWHM of 2 pixels. Color coding schemes for visualization of directional information was as follows. HSV(Hue, Saturation, Value) color system is appropriate for assigning RGB(Red, Green, and Blue) value for every different directions because of its volumetric directional expression. Each of HSV are assigned due to (r,$\theta$,${\Phi}$) in spherical coordinate. HSV calculated by this way can be transformed into RGB color system by general HSV to RGB conversion formula. Symmetry schemes： It is natural to code the antipodal direction to be same color(antipodal symmetry). So even with no symmetry scheme, the antipodal symmetry must be included. With no symmetry scheme, we can assign every different colors for every different orientation.(H =${\Phi}$, S=2$\theta$/$\pi$, V=λw, where λw is anisotropy). But that may assign very discontinuous color even between adjacent yokels. On the other hand, Full symmetry or absolute value scheme includes symmetry for 180$^{\circ}$ rotation about xy-plane of color coordinate (rotational symmetry) and for both hemisphere (mirror symmetry). In absolute value scheme, each of RGB value can be expressed as follows. R=λw｜Vx｜, G=λw｜Vy｜, B=λw｜Vz｜, where (Vx, Vy, Vz) is eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of diffusion tensor. With applying full symmetry or absolute value scheme, we can get more continuous color coding at the expense of coding same color for symmetric direction. For better visualization of fiber tract directions, Gamma and brightness correction had done. All of these implementations were done on the IDL 5.4 platform.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 1999

The objective of this study is to analyse the flow field in the branching duct by visualizing the flow phenomena using the PIV system. A bifurcation model is fabricated with transparent acrylic resin to visualize the whole flow field with the PIV system. Water was used as the working fluid and the conifer powder as the tracer particles. The single-frame and two-frame methods of the PIV system and 2-frame of the grey level correlation method are applied to obtain the velocity vectors from the images captured in the flow filed. The velocity distributions in a lid-driven cavity flow are compared with the so-called standard experimental data, which was obtained from by 4-frame method in order to validate experimental results of the PIV measurements. The flow patterns of a Newtonian fluid in a branching duct were successfully visualized by using the PIV system and the sub-pixel and the area interpolation method were used to obtain the final velocity vectors. The velocity vectors obtained from the PIV system are in good agreement with the numerical results of the 3-dimensional branch flow. The results of numerical analyses and the PIV experiments for the three-dimensional flows in the branch ing duct show the recirculation zone distal to the branching point and the sizes of the recirculation length and height of the tow different methods are in good agreement.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2003

The present study attempted to observe what changes the supply of highly concentrated (30%) oxygen cause to people's ability of visuospatial cognition, compared to air of normal oxygen concentration (21%). This study sampled eight male university students (the average age : 23.5) as subjects for functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study It also developed equipment that supplies 21% and 30% oxygen) at a constant rate of 8L/min. Two questionnaires containing 20 questions were developed to measure the ability of visuospatial cognition, and accuracy was calculated from the result of task performance. The experiment paradigm consisted of the run conducting tasks at 30%'s concentration of oxygen and another run at 21%'s concentration of oxygen. Each run was composed of four blocks and each block included eight control tasks and five visuospatial taks. 3T MRI was used and fMRI was obtained through the single-shot EPI method. The activation in the occipital-associated area, bilateral superior parietal lobes, bilateral inferior parietal lobes. bilateral precuneus, bilateral postcentral gyri, bilateral middle frontal gyri, bilateral inferior frontal gyri, bilateral medial frontal gyri, bilateral superior frontal gyri, bilateral cingulate gyri was significantly increased at the 30%'s concentration of oxygen rather than 21%'s. Furthermore, the result of task performance showed the accuracy increased at 30%'s concentration of oxygen rather than 21%'s. From the result of this study, it is concluded that the supply of highly concentrated oxygen has a positive effect on the ability of visuospatial cognition.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.203-209
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• 2006

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of ex vivo MR diffusion tensor imaging technique in order to observe the diffusion-contrast characteristics of human gastric tissues. On normal and pathologic gastric tissues, which have been fixed in a polycarbonate plastic tube filled with 10% formalin solution, laboratory made 3D diffusion tensor Turbo FLASH pulse sequence was used to obtain high resolution MR images with voxel size of $0.5{\times}0.5{\times}0.5mm^3\;using\;64{\times}32{\times}32mm^3$ field of view in conjunction with an acquisition matrix of $128{\times}64{\times}64$. Diffusion weighted- gradient pulses were employed with b values of 0 and $600s/mm^2$ in 6 orientations. The sequence was implemented on a clinical 3.0-T MRI scanner(Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) with a home-made quadrature-typed birdcage Tx/Rx rf coil for small specimen. Diffusion tensor values in each pixel were calculated using linear algebra and singular value decomposition(SVD) algorithm. Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) and fractional anisotropy(FA) map were also obtained from diffusion tensor data to compare pixel intensities between normal and abnormal gastric tissues. The processing software was developed by authors using Visual C++(Microsoft, WA, U.S.A.) and mathematical/statistical library of GNUwin32(Free Software Foundation). This study shows that 3D diffusion tensor Turbo FLASH sequence is useful to resolve fine micro-structures of gastric tissue and both ADC and FA values in normal gastric tissue are higher than those in abnormal tissue. Authors expect that this study also represents another possibility of gastric carcinoma detection by visualizing diffusion characteristics of proton spins in the gastric tissues.