• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2020

Endoscopic spine surgery is an advanced surgical technique for spinal surgery since it minimizes skin incision, muscle damage, and blood loss compared to open surgery. It requires, however, accurate positioning of an endoscope to avoid spinal nerves and to locate the endoscope near the target disk. Before the insertion of the endoscope, a guide needle is inserted to guide it. Also, the result of the surgery highly depends on the surgeons' experience and the patients' CT or MRI images. Thus, for the training, a number of haptic simulators for spinal needle insertion have been developed. But, still, it is difficult to be used in the medical field practically because previous studies require manual segmentation of vertebrae from CT images, and interaction force between the needle and soft tissue has not been considered carefully. This paper proposes AI-based automatic vertebrae CT-image segmentation and haptic rendering method using the proposed need-tissue interaction model. For the segmentation, U-net structure was implemented and the accuracy was 93% in pixel and 88% in IoU. The needle-tissue interaction model including puncture force and friction force was implemented for haptic rendering in the proposed spinal needle insertion simulator.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.209-213
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• 1993

The pathogenesis of the primary spontaneous pneumothorax is the rupture of subpleural bleb or bullae and subsequent sudden collapse of the affected lung. Mostly, the bullae or blebs are present bilaterally, but detecting the number, size, and location of the causating foci by plain chest film is quite difficult . We have performed chest CT scans for detecting the bullous lesions in 33 cases of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, and compared the results with surgical findings.1. Seventy-four blebs were identified in the chest CT scan, and 100 blebs or bullae were detected surgically [ Sensitivity was 0.74 ].2. Diagnosis rate was 80% [40/50] at right upper lobe, 75.7% [28/37] at left upper lobe, 55.6% at right lower lobe, and 25.0% at left lower lobe, respectively.3. Blebs or bullae smaller than 1 cm of its diameter were detected by 57.1% [24/42] of sensitivity, and in the cases of size larger than 1 cm, it revealed 86.2% [50/58] of sensitivity respectively.4. Of the 45 cases, 7 cases were false negative [15.6%], most of these were ruptured or small size [< 0.5 cm]. 5. One case was false positive, which was irregular adhesion at the apex of the lung.6. We could detect blebs or bullae with preoperative CT scans in 84.4% [38/45] of total patients. In conclusion, chest CT scan is a very advantageous diagnostic tool for proper management and preventing recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax patient.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2010.06c
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• pp.447-451
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• 2010

In this paper, we propose a simple but effective algorithm to increase the speed of Emphysema region classification. Emphysema region classification method based on CT image consumes a lot of time because of the large number of subregions due to the large size of CT image. Some of the sub-regions contain no Emphysema and the classification of these regions is worthless. To speed up the classification process, we create an algorithm to select Emphysema region candidates and only use these candidates in the Emphysema region classification instead of all of the sub-regions. First, the lung region is detected. Then we threshold the lung region and only select the dark pixels because Emphysema only appeared in the dark area of the CT image. Then the thresholded pixels are clustered into a region that called the Emphysema pre-detected region or Emphysema region candidate. This region is then divided into sub-region for the Emphysema region classification. The experimental result shows that Emphysema region classification using predetected Emphysema region decreases the size of lung region which will result in about 84.51% of time reduction in Emphysema region classification.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.339-346
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• 2014

This study was conducted to provide a basis for planning Radiological technologists supply and career counseling of college students by investigating the distribution and status of Radiological technologists and expensive medical equipment increased trend in Korea. The data was collected from August to September 2014 through related associations and national agencies. Radiological technologists working in the domestic medical institutions in 2014 were confirmed as a trend that continues to increase over the previous year to a total 18,988 and 37.3 per 100,000 population but the increase number was less than the number of Radiological technician licensee annually. Distribution of expensive medical equipments is as follows: the total number of CT was 1,873 in 2014 decreased compared to the previous year, the total number of MRI and PET was 1,261 and 207 increased over the previous year but the increased width decreased. In the future a variety of jobs and quality improvement of Radiological technician will be needed with a steady workforce monitoring.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2015

Background: This study explored the relationship between hospital resources and services uses in outpatient/inpatient-based hospital service area (HSA) in Korea. Methods: Study hospitals included all acute care hospitals except tertiary hospitals. Inpatient and outpatient hospital claims from the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) program in 2010 were used to identify the service uses. Hospital resources and the degree of insurance premium in study areas were identified with the NHI corporation data. Study variables were computed by summing the service uses or hospital resources of study hospitals in each HSA. Service uses were represented by the total medical charges and number of visits/inpatient days. Hospital resources were measured by number of beds, number of doctors, and number of computed tomography (CT). The economic status of NHI enrollees in each HSA was controlled by the average monthly premium of NHI program per household in each HSA. The degree of using local hospitals was controlled with the localization index. Results: Analysis results showed that hospital resources such as beds, CT were statistically related to the service uses. And also localization index was found to have positive significant relationships with service uses. Conclusion: Hospital resources such as beds, CT had not only positive impacts on inpatient service uses, but also influences on the outpatient setting. Health policy makers will require monitoring and assessing the hospital resources in Korea.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2018

It is urgent in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that students become creative and integrative thinkers. In this vein, in the last few years, drawing upon constructivism as an innovative learning paradigm, new coding curricula using MIT's Scratch have been introduced in the number of countries to enhance computational thinking (CT). However, constructivism encouraging collaborative and active learning may not be explicitly utilized in instructional design focusing mainly on learning to code as technical skills - some of which exist today in large numbers of school and after-school code activities. To respond to such a misleading way of developing CT through coding, the present study aims to propose the benefits of CT self-assessment rubrics for primary pre-service teachers within a CT course entitled "Problem Solving by Computational Thinking". Our findings show how meaningful collaborative CT self-assessment in a group impacts their learning of CT. We end this paper with the discussion of implications of our findings for CT assessment towards a new paradigm in education.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.234-241
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• 2019

Background: The utility of computed tomography (CT) in the differential diagnosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation remains uncertain. However, due to the low cost associated with CT scan along with the impact of Koreas' health insurance system, there has been a rise in the number of CT scans in the patients with initial diagnosis of COPD exacerbations. Therefore, the utility of CT in the differential diagnosis was investigated to determine whether performing CT scans affect the clinical outcomes of the patients with an initial diagnosis of COPD exacerbation. Methods: This study involved 202 COPD patients hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of COPD exacerbation. We evaluated the change in diagnosis or treatment after performing a CT scan, and compared the clinical outcomes of patient groups with vs. without performing CT (non-CT group vs. CT group). Results: After performing CT, the diagnosis was changed for two (3.0%) while additional diagnoses were made for 27 of the 64 patients (42.1%). However, the treatment changed for only one (1.5%), and six patients (9.3%) received supplementary medication. There were no difference in the median length of hospital stay (8 [6-13] days vs. 8 [6-12] days, p=0.786) and intensive care unit care (14 [10.1%] vs. 11 [16.7%], p=0.236) between the CT and non-CT groups, respectively. These findings remained consistent even after the propensity score matching. Conclusion: Utility of CT in patients with acute COPD exacerbation might not be helpful; therefore, we do not recommend chest CT scan as a routine initial diagnostic tool.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2017

Purpose Recently PET/CT image's attenuation correction is used CTAC(Computed Tomgraphy Attenuation Correction). it can quantitative evaluation by SUV(Standard Uptake Value). This study's purpose is to evaluate SUV and to find proper CT kernel using CTAC with applied various CT kernel to PET/CT construction. Materials and Methods Biograph mCT 64 was used for the equipment. We were performed on 20 patients who had examed at our hospital from february through March 2017. Using NEMA IEC Body Phantom, The data was reconstructed PET/CT images with CTAC appiled various CT kernel. ANOVA was used to evaluated the significant difference in the result. Results The result of measuring the radioactivity concentration of Phantom was B45F 96% and B80F 6.58% against B08F CT kernel, each respectively. the SUVmax increased to B45F 0.86% and B80F 6.54% against B08F CT kernel, In case of patient's parts data, the Lung SUVmax increased to B45F 1.6% and B80F 6.6%, Liver SUVmax increased to B45F 0.7% and B80F 4.7%, and Bone SUVmax increased to B45F 1.3% and B80F 6.2%, respectively. As for parts of patient's about Standard Deviation(SD), the Lung SD increased to B45F 4.2% and B80F 15.4%, Liver SD increased to B45F 2.1% and B80F 11%, and Bone SD increased to B45F 2.3% and B80F 14.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference discovered in three CT kernel (P >.05). Conclusion When using increased noise CT kernel for PET/CT reconstruction, It tends to change both SUVmax and SD in ROI(region of interest), Due to the increase the CT kernel number, Sharp noise increased in ROI. so SUVmax and SD were highly measured, but there was no statistically significant difference. Therefore Using CT kernel of low variation of SD occur less variation of SUV.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2006

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify any differential point in computerized tomographic[CT] findings between aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage[ASAH] and traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage[TSAH], which sometimes make us not confident in differentiation. Methods : CT of 142 ASAH and 82 TSAH patients over the last 2 years were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the thickness of SAH, the laterality of sylvian cisternal hemorrhage, the location, the number of involved cisterns, and the associated other lesions between two types of SAH. Results : Suprasellar cisterns and sylvian cisterns were most prominently and frequently involved cisterns in ASAH but cortical sulci and sylvian cisterns were most frequently involved in TSAH. Intraventricular and intracerebral hemorrhage were frequently seen in ASAH. Thickness of SAH over 1mm, bilateral sylvian SAH, multiple cisternal SAH were in favor of ASAH. The number of involved cisterns were more frequently seen in ASAH than in TSAH. In ASAH, bilateral sylvian hemorrhages were more frequently seen than in TSAH. Skull fracture, subdural hematoma, subgaleal hematoma, and hemorrhagic contusion were frequently associated with TSAH. Conclusion : As a result of our study, the authors conclude that when IVH, hydrocephalus, thick SAH > 1mm bilateral sylvian SAH, and multiple cisternal SAH are seen in CT, immediate angiography should be performed to rule out cerebral aneurysms whether associated with other traumatic lesions or not.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.10-16
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• 2009

Purpose: As the number of patients has increased since the installation of a PET/CT, we are now examining about 2500-3000 annually. We have realized that if we properly adjust a pitch under the same condition of a CT during a PET/CT exam, radiation quantity that reaches the patient can change. In order to reduce the exposure dose of a patient, the research examines a method of reducing the exposure dose of a patient by controlling the pitch during a PET/CT exam, viewing whether the adjustment of the pitch influences CT image and PET SUV. Methods: The equipment used is a Biograph Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanner (CT type: TRCT-240-130 (WCT-240-130)) of Siemens company. For the evaluation of exposure dose of a patient, we measured radiation quantities using a PTW-DIADOS 11003/1383, which is a CT radiation measurement instrument used by Siemens. We measured and analyzed the space resolutions of CT images caused by the change of pitches using an AAPM Standard Phantom in order to see how the adjustment of pitches influenced the CT images. In addition, in order to obtain SUVs caused by each change of pitches using a PET source made with a solid radioactive cylinder phantom, we confirmed whether the SUVs changed in the PET/CT images by calculating the SUVs of the fusion images caused by the change of pitches after obtaining CT and PET images and finishing the test. Results: 2slice CT scanner showed that radiation quantities largely dropped when pitches ranged from 0.7 to 1.3 and that the reduction of radiation quantities were smaller when pitches ranged from 1.5 to 1.9. That is, we found that the bigger pitch values are the smaller the radiation quantities of a patient are. Moreover, we realized that there is no change of SUVs caused by the increase of pitches and that pitch values do not influence PET SUVs and the quality of CT images. It is judged that using 1.5 as a pitch value contributes to the reduction of exposure dose of a patient as long as there is no problem in the quality of an image. Conclusions: When seeing the result of the research, hospital using a PET/CT should make an effort to reduce the exposure dose of a patient seeking pitch values appropriate for their hospital within the range in which there is no image distortion and PET SUVs are not influenced from pitches. We think that the research can apply to all multi-detectors having a CT scanner and that such a research will be needed for other equipments in the future.