• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.147-152
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• 2018

Lung cancer and pulmonary metastasis are the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Survival for patients with lung metastases is about 5%. Nanoparticles have been developed for the imaging and treatment of various cancers, including pulmonary malignancies. In this work, we report lipid coated polymeric nanoparticles (LPNs) with an average diameter of 154 nm. In vivo performance of LPNs was characterized using optical imaging system. We expect this nanoparticle can be used for finding lung cancer or lung metastasis. Eventually loading therapeutic drug with the nanoparticle will be utilized for cancer diagnosis and effective therapy at the same time.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2019

Radiopharmaceuticals include therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals are administered to the body and ingested at specific organs to detect radiation emitted from the site and to construct an image to diagnose the disease. Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are used to treat diseases by killing cells with radiation emitted from radiopharmaceuticals, such as cancer cells, vascular endothelial cells, arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease. The application possibilities of terahertz imaging technology for the combination of radiopharmaceuticals and molecular imaging medicine are discussed and experimental methods are presented. Terahertz imaging is expected to be a powerful technique because of the effective piercing feasibility, which enables to perform safe and high resolutive imaging. To investigate the response of cell to the terahertz wave, both the pulsed and CW THz wave systems are employed. THz imaging of a rat's paraffin-embedded epithelial cell with tumor is studied in advance.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2004

Molecular imaging is a rapidly growing field due to the advances in molecular biology and imaging technologies. With the introduction of imaging reporter genes into the cell, diverse cellular processes can be monitored, quantified and imaged non-invasively in vivo. These precesses include the gene expression, protein-protein interactions, signal transduction pathways, and monitoring of cells such as cancer cells, immune cells, and stem cells. In the near future, molecular imaging analysis will allow us to observe the incipience and progression of the disease. These will make us easier to give a diagnosis in the early stage of intractable diseases such as canter, neuro-degenerative disease, and immunological disorders. Additionally, molecular imaging method will be a valuable tool for the real-time evaluation of cells in molecular biology and the basic biological studies. As newer and more powerful molecular imaging tools become available, it will be necessary to corporate clinicians, molecular biologists and biochemists for the planning, interpretation, and application of these techniques to their fullest potential. in order for such a multidisciplinary team to be effective, it is essential that a common understanding of basic biochemical and molecular biologic techniques is achieved. Basic molecular techniques for molecular imaging methods are presented in this paper.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.640-646
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• 2023

Objective: Prospective studies on postoperative residual breast tissue (RBT) after robotic-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy (R-NSM) for breast cancer are limited. RBT presents an unknown risk of local recurrence or the development of new cancer after curative or risk-reducing mastectomies. This study investigated the technical feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate RBT after R-NSM in women with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this prospective pilot study, 105 patients, who underwent R-NSM for breast cancer at Changhua Christian Hospital between March 2017 and May 2022, were subjected to postoperative breast MRI to evaluate the presence and location of RBT. The postoperative MRI scans of 43 patients (age, 47.8 ± 8.5 years), with existing preoperative MRI scans, were evaluated for the presence and location of RBT. In total, 54 R-NSM procedures were performed. In parallel, we reviewed the literature on RBT after nipple-sparing mastectomy, considering its prevalence. Results: RBT was detected in 7 (13.0%) of the 54 mastectomies (6 of the 48 therapeutic mastectomies and 1 of the 6 prophylactic mastectomies). The most common location for RBT was behind the nipple-areolar complex (5 of 7 [71.4%]). Another RBT was found in the upper inner quadrant (2 of 7 [28.6%]). Among the six patients who underwent RBT after therapeutic mastectomies, one patient developed a local recurrence of the skin flap. The other five patients with RBT after therapeutic mastectomies remained disease-free. Conclusion: R-NSM, a surgical innovation, does not seem to increase the prevalence of RBT, and breast MRI showed feasibility as a noninvasive imaging tool for evaluating the presence and location of RBT.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.41-62
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• 2021

Radiologic imaging is important for evaluating extrahepatic bile duct (EHD) cancers; it is used for staging tumors and evaluating the suitability of surgical resection, as surgery may be contraindicated in some cases regardless of tumor stage. However, the published general recommendations for EHD cancer and recommendations guided by the perspectives of radiologists are limited. The Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology (KSAR) study group for EHD cancer developed key questions and corresponding recommendations for the radiologic evaluation of EHD cancer and organized them into 4 sections: nomenclature and definition, imaging technique, cancer evaluation, and tumor response. A structured reporting form was also developed to allow the progressive accumulation of standardized data, which will facilitate multicenter studies and contribute more evidence for the development of recommendations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4757-4761
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• 2012

Objectives: To explore the impact of low- vs conventional-dose chemotherapy via transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) on serum fibrosis indicators and treatment efficacy of hepatocellular cancer patients (HCC). Materials and Methods: Patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were assigned to TACE in Group A (with low-dose chemotherapy) or Group B (conventional-dose chemotherapy). Four serum fibrosis related indicators, hyaluronic acid(HA), human pro-collagen type-III (hPC-III), laminin (LN), and collagen type-IV(IV-C) before TACE were compared with the values 7 days after TACE. The response rate and survival time were also compared between the two groups. Results: Fifty patients with HCC were enrolled in this study, including 25 in Group A and 25 in Group B. No significant differences were detected between the two groups in the four indicators before TACE. After TACE, the value of the four serum indicators increased significantly in Group B. However, no significant differences regarding these four indicators were found in Group A after TACE. Significant differences were demonstrated between the two groups after TACE, but median survival time and 1 or 2 year overall survival rates did not differ (P>0.05). Conclusions: Low-, compared with conventional-dose chemotherapy exerts the same impact on the variation of fibrosis related indicators and has no influence on median survival time and survival rate after TACE in HCC patients.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2012

Purpose : The initial Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) protocol included bilateral breast imaging with 2 views of each breast-craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO). Furthermore, Axillary lymph nodes view can be acquired easily. The most meaningful prognosis factor for prediction of breast cancer is whether or not the breast cancer has metastasized to the lymph nodes. However, axillary view doesn't conduct in clinical. This article collates a diverse data of BSGI and describes technical details to acquire optimal imaging. Materials and Methods : A retrospective review was performed on 343 patients who had undergone BSGI between May 2011 and March 2012. Patients who had undergone BSGI received intravenous injection of 740 MBq (20 mCi) $^{99m}Tc$-sestamibi. Results : The following contents are the technical details for optimal axillary imaging. $^{99m}Tc$-sestamibi should be administered using an indwelling venous catheter or scalp needle followed by 10 cc of saline to flush to reduce extravasation and vascular trapping. After administration, patients raise their arm over their head and exercise with stress ball for 1 full minute. A lead shield attached to the gamma camera is removed and patients axilla is placed as close as possible to the camera at a $90^{\circ}$ angle. A lead apron is placed across the shoulder to reduce background from other organs. Acquisition time is enough for 120 sec~180 sec. Conclusion : If patients undergo bilateral axillary imaging as a standard with CC, MLO views, it could improve cancer treatment. Result of this study could maximize efficiency axillary imaging of breast cancer patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1031-1043
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• 2022

Objective: To compare digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and MRI as an adjunct to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) for the preoperative evaluation of women with breast cancer based on mammographic density. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 280 patients with breast cancer who had undergone FFDM, DBT, and MRI for preoperative local tumor staging. Three radiologists independently sought the index cancer and additional ipsilateral and contralateral breast cancers using either FFDM alone, DBT plus FFDM, or MRI plus FFDM. Diagnostic performances across the three radiologists were compared among the reading modes in all patients and subgroups with dense (n = 186) and non-dense breasts (n = 94) according to mammographic density. Results: Of 280 patients, 46 (16.4%) had 48 additional (39 ipsilateral and nine contralateral) cancers in addition to the index cancer. For index cancers, both DBT plus FFDM and MRI plus FFDM showed sensitivities of 100% in the non-dense group. In the dense group, DBT plus FFDM showed lower sensitivity than that of MRI plus FFDM (94.6% vs. 99.6%, p < 0.001). For additional ipsilateral cancers, DBT plus FFDM showed specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% in the non-dense group, but sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) were not statistically different from those of MRI plus FFDM (p > 0.05). In the dense group, DBT plus FFDM showed higher specificity (98.2% vs. 94.1%, p = 0.005) and PPV (83.1% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.036) than those of MRI plus FFDM, but lower sensitivity (59.9% vs. 75.3%; p = 0.049). For contralateral cancers, DBT plus FFDM showed higher specificity than that of MRI plus FFDM (99.0% vs. 96.7%, p = 0.014), however, the other values did not differ (all p > 0.05) in the dense group. Conclusion: DBT plus FFDM showed an overall higher specificity than that of MRI plus FFDM regardless of breast density, perhaps without substantial loss in sensitivity and NPV in the diagnosis of additional cancers. Thus, DBT may have the potential to be used as a preoperative breast cancer staging tool.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.569-575
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• 2014

Although mammography is the primary imaging modality for the breast, it has its limitations especially with dense breast parenchyma. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved into an important adjunctive tool as it is currently the most sensitive technique for breast cancer detection. Despite this high sensitivity, overlap in the appearances of some benign and malignant breast lesions results in additional unnecessary intervention with negative results. These false positives, in addition to high cost and limited availability, necessitate establishing proper indications for breast MRI. The literature was here reviewed for recent clinical trials, meta-analyses and review papers which have studied this important subject. PubMed; the US national library of medicine, was utilized to review the literature in the last twenty years. Using the obtained information, current uses of breast MRI are discussed in this paper to determine the indications which are relevant to clinical practice.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Hypoxia, defined as the deficiency of oxygen, is a significant hallmark of cancers presenting in the majority of solid tumors. Detection of tumor hypoxia is essential in cancer diagnosis to prevent cancer progression, metastasis, and resistance to cancer therapies in clinical practices. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is one of the methods studied and applied for hypoxia detection with the use of radiolabeled imaging agents in which ^99mTc is the common radioisotope used for radiolabeling. Nitroimidazoles are the hypoxia-targeting moieties presenting in numerous ^99mTc-radiolabeled imaging agents due to their bio-reducible ability in hypoxic environments. Recently, in addition to ^99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals containing one nitroimidazole unit, there has been considerable attention given to ^99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals bearing two or more nitroimidazole units. This review summarizes the synthesis of hypoxia-targeting chelators and radiolabeling processes to produce these ^99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals for SPECT imaging.