• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.707-712
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• 2018

CT의 검사 건수는 크게 증가하고 있으며, 이에 따른 방사선 피폭도 늘어나고 있는 실정이다. 반복된 두부 CT검사는 수정체 및 갑상선에 영향을 줄 수 있다. 대부분의 병원에서는 두부 CT검사로 영상 정보 증가와 영상 질 향상에 대한 관심에 비해 주요장기 방사선 피폭에 대한 관심은 부족한 경향이 있다. 사용 프로토콜은 병원마다 다른 경향이 있고 업무과중으로 피폭선량을 고려할만한 여건은 부족한 편이다. 피폭감소를 고려한 저관전압 CT를 사용할 경우 임펄스 잡음이 발생한다. 본 연구에서는 잡음이 발생한 CT 영상에 대해 제안한 방법을 적용하여 화질 개선 정도를 분석하였다. 제안하는 영상개선 방법은 임펄스잡음후보 화소에 대해서만 총변량 최적화 방법을 적용하였다. 실험결과 에지 정보가 잘 보존되는 특징이 있었고 임펄스 잡음을 효과적으로 제거 할 수 있었다. 관전압과 회전시간에 따라 획득된 영상들에 대해서 매우 잘 작동하였다. 본 연구에서 제안하는 방법을 적용한다면 화질 걱정 없이 검사 프로토콜을 피폭 최저조건으로 설정하여 사용할 수 있고 CT에 적용시 도움이 될 것으로 판단한다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.1031-1041
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• 2018

Objective: To compare image quality and radiation dose of high-pitch dual-source spiral cardiothoracic computed tomography (CT) between non-electrocardiography (ECG)-synchronized and prospectively ECG-triggered data acquisitions in young children with congenital heart disease. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six children (${\leq}3$ years) with congenital heart disease who underwent high-pitch dual-source spiral cardiothoracic CT were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups (n = 43 for each; group 1 with non-ECG-synchronization and group 2 with prospective ECG triggering). Patient-related parameters, radiation dose, and image quality were compared between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in patient-related parameters including age, cross-sectional area, body density, and water-equivalent area between the two groups (p > 0.05). Regarding radiation dose parameters, only volume CT dose index values were significantly different between group 1 ($1.13{\pm}0.09mGy$) and group 2 ($1.07{\pm}0.12mGy$, p < 0.02). Among image quality parameters, significantly higher image noise ($3.8{\pm}0.7$ Hounsfield units [HU] vs. $3.3{\pm}0.6HU$, p < 0.001), significantly lower signal-to-noise ratio ($105.0{\pm}28.9$ vs. $134.1{\pm}44.4$, p = 0.001) and contrast-to-noise ratio ($84.5{\pm}27.2$ vs. $110.1{\pm}43.2$, p = 0.002), and significantly less diaphragm motion artifacts ($3.8{\pm}0.5$ vs. $3.7{\pm}0.4$, p < 0.04) were found in group 1 compared with group 2. Image quality grades of cardiac structures, coronary arteries, ascending aorta, pulmonary trunk, lung markings, and chest wall showed no significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In high-pitch dual-source spiral pediatric cardiothoracic CT, additional ECG triggering does not substantially reduce motion artifacts in young children with congenital heart disease.

• 한국인터넷방송통신학회논문지
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.139-143
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• 2023

본 논문에서는 CT영상을 구성하는 RT 알고리즘에 비해 원추형 CB-CT 시스템에서 이용할 수 있는 TPSM 알고리즘을 적용하여 기존의 RT보다 빠르게 3D CT 영상 구성을 할 수 있도록 하였으며 두 개의 알고리즘에 대한 영상속도를 비교분석 하였다. 이를 위하여 원추형 CB-CT 시스템에서 이용할 수 있는 TPSM 알고리즘을 적용하여 3D CT 영상구성에 있어서 실시간 처리가 가능하도록 하였다. 실험결과 TPSM을 이용하여 구성된 단면 영상은 중심점에서 멀어질수록 빈 화소에 의해 영상의 질이 미소하게 감소하지만 TPSM 회전 기반법의 경우에서 영상 구성 속도는 RT알고리즘보다 월등하게 우수하다는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.99-106
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• 2023

The height of the table should be considered important during computed tomography (CT) examination, but according to previous studies, not all radiology technologists set the table at the patient's center at the examination, which affects the exposure dose and image quality received by the patient. Therefore, this study intends to study the image quality exposure dose according to the height of the table to realize the optimal image quality and dose during the brain CT scan. The head phantom images were acquired using Philips Brilliance iCT 256. When the image was acquired, the table height was adjusted to 815, 865, 915, 965, 1015, and 1030 mm, respectively, and each scan was performed 3 times for each height. For the exposure dose measurement, optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) was attached to the front, side, eye, and thyroid gland of the head phantom. In the signal to noise ratio (SNR) measurement result, The SNR values for each table height were all lower than 915 mm. As a result of exposure dose, the exposure dose on each area increased as the table height decreased. The height of the table has a close relationship with the patient's radiation exposure dose in the CT scan.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

두부 CT 검사에서 눈의 수정체는 높은 방사선 감수성으로 보호되어야 할 장기 중에 하나이다. 두부 CT 검사에서 눈의 피폭선량감소 목적으로 사용되는 비스무스 차폐체는 현저한 선량 감소 효과가 있지만 화질저하의 문제점이 있다. 본 연구는 인체팬텀을 이용한 두부 CT 검사에서 피폭 선량을 줄이기 위해 사용되는 관전류변조기법인 new organ based-tube current modulation, longitudinal-TCM, angular-TCM과 차폐기법인 비스무스, 납 안경을 사용하여 눈의 선량과 화질의 변화 정도를 평가하였다. 연구결과, new OB-TCM에서 눈의 선량은 25.88% 감소되었으며 비스무스를 사용한 검사와 비교하여 CT number, 노이즈, SNR의 변화가 작은 것을 확인하였다. 따라서 new OB-TCM을 임상의 두부 CT 검사에 적용할 경우, 눈의 피폭선량을 감소시키면서 영상의 화질 저하를 방지할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 한국인공지능학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2021

Although CT has an advantage in describing the three-dimensional anatomical structure of the human body, it also has a disadvantage in that high doses are exposed to the patient. Recently, a deep learning-based image reconstruction method has been used to reduce patient dose. The purpose of this study is to analyze the dose reduction and image quality improvement of deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) on the adult's chest CT examination. Adult lung phantom was used for image acquisition and analysis. Lung phantom was scanned at ultra-low-dose (ULD), low-dose (LD), and standard dose (SD) modes, and images were reconstructed using FBP (Filtered back projection), IR (Iterative reconstruction), DLR (Deep learning reconstruction) algorithms. Image quality variations with respect to varying imaging doses were evaluated using noise and SNR. At ULD mode, the noise of the DLR image was reduced by 62.42% compared to the FBP image, and at SD mode, the SNR of the DLR image was increased by 159.60% compared to the SNR of the FBP image. Based on this study, it is anticipated that the DLR will not only substantially reduce the chest CT dose but also drastic improvement of the image quality.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.15-23
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• 2010

Purpose : This study was designed to compare the effective doses from low-dose and standard-dose multi-detector CT (MDCT) scanning protocols and evaluate the image quality and the spatial resolution of the low-dose MDCT protocols for clinical use. Materials and Methods : 6-channel MDCT scanner (Siemens Medical System, Forschheim, Germany), was used for this study. Protocol of the standard-dose MDCT for the orthodontic analysis was 130 kV, 35 mAs, 1.25 mm slice width, 0.8 pitch. Those of the low-dose MDCT for orthodontic analysis and orthodontic surgery were 110 kV, 30 mAs, 1.25 mm slice width, 0.85 pitch and 110 kV, 45 mAs, 2.5 mm slice width, 0.85 pitch. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were placed at 31 sites throughout the levels of adult female ART head and neck phantom. Effective doses were calculated according to ICRP 1990 and 2007 recommendations. A formalin-fixed cadaver and AAPM CT performance phantom were scanned for the evaluation of subjective image quality and spatial resolution. Results : Effective doses in ${\mu}Sv$ ($E_{2007}$) were 699.1, 429.4 and 603.1 for standard-dose CT of orthodontic treatment, low-dose CT of orthodontic analysis, and low-dose CT of orthodontic surgery, respectively. The image quality from the low-dose protocol were not worse than those from the standard-dose protocol. The spatial resolutions of both standard-dose and low-dose CT images were acceptable. Conclusion : From the above results, it can be concluded that the low-dose MDCT protocol is preferable in obtaining CT images for orthodontic analysis and orthodontic surgery.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권10호
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• pp.1597-1608
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• 2021

Cardiovascular computed tomography (CT) is among the most active fields with ongoing technical innovation related to image acquisition and analysis. Artificial intelligence can be incorporated into various clinical applications of cardiovascular CT, including imaging of the heart valves and coronary arteries, as well as imaging to evaluate myocardial function and congenital heart disease. This review summarizes the latest research on the application of deep learning to cardiovascular CT. The areas covered range from image quality improvement to automatic analysis of CT images, including methods such as calcium scoring, image segmentation, and coronary artery evaluation.

• 한국멀티미디어학회논문지
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• 제17권10호
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• pp.1205-1212
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• 2014

In this paper, we propose a high-quality stitching method of 3D multiple dental CT images. First, a weighted function is generated using the difference of two distance functions that calculate a distance from the nearest edge of an overlapped region to each position. And a blending ratio propagation function for two gradient vectors is parameterized by the difference and magnitude of gradient vectors that is also applied by the weighted function. When the blending ratio is propagated, an improved region growing scheme is proposed to decide the next position and calculate the blending intensity. The proposed method produces a high-quality stitching image. Our method removes the seam artifact caused by the mean intensity difference between images and vignetting effect. And it removes double edges caused by local misalignment. Experimental results showed that the proposed method produced high-quality stitching images for ten patients. Our stitching method could be usefully applied into the stitching of 3D or 2D multiple images.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

The evolution of X-ray computed tomography (CT) has been based on the discovery of X-rays, the inception of the Radon transform, and the development of X-ray digital data acquisition systems and computer technology. Unlike conventional X-ray imaging (general radiography), CT reconstructs cross-sectional anatomical images of the internal structures according to X-ray attenuation coefficients (approximate tissue density) for almost every region in the body. This article reviews the essential physical principles and technical aspects of the CT scanner, including several notable evolutions in CT technology that resulted in the emergence of helical, multidetector, cone beam, portable, dual-energy, and phase-contrast CT, in integrated imaging modalities, such as positron-emission-tomography-CT and single-photon-emission-computed-tomography-CT, and in clinical applications, including image acquisition parameters, CT angiography, image adjustment, versatile image visualizations, volumetric/surface rendering on a computer workstation, radiation treatment planning, and target localization in radiotherapy. The understanding of CT characteristics will provide more effective and accurate patient care in the fields of diagnostics and radiotherapy, and can lead to the improvement of image quality and the optimization of exposure doses.