• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.255-261
• /
• 2016

In this study, among various factors having influence on SUV, we intended to compare and analyze the change of SUV using CT(4 type) and MRI(3 type) contrast agents which are commercialized now. We used Discovery 690 PET/CT(GE) and NEMA NU2 - 1994 PET phantom as experimental equipment. We have conducted a study as follows; first, we filled distilled water to phantom about two-thirds and injected radioisotope(18F-FDG 37 MBq), contrast agent. Second, we mixed CT contrast agent with distilled water and MRI contrast agent with that water separately. And then, we stirred the fluid and filled distilled water fully not to make air bubble. In emission scan, we had 15minutes scanning time after 40 minutes mixing contrast agent with distilled water. In transmission scan, we used CT scanning and its measurement conditions were tube voltage 120 kVp, tube current 40 mA, rotation time 0.5 sec, slice thickness 3.27 mm, DFOV 30 cm. Analyzing results, we set up some ROIs in 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th slice and measured SUVmean, SUVmax. Consequently, all images mixed 3 types of MRI contrast agent with distilled water have high SUVmean as compared with pure FDG image but there was no statistical significance. In SUVmax, they have high score and there was statistical significance. And other 4 images mixed 4 types of CT contrast agent with distilled water have significance in both SUVmean and SUVmax. Attenuation correction in PET/CT has been executed through various methods to make high quality image. But we figured out that using CT and MRI contrast agents before PET/CT scanning could make distortion of image and decrease diagnostic value. In that reason, we have to sort out the priority of examination in hospital not to disturb other examination's results. Through this process, we will be able to give superior medical service to our customers.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2024

Purpose: 99mTc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) is an important and clinically useful diagnostic imaging study for detecting complications after liver transplantation. CT contrast agents due to their high atomic numbers, lead to a decrease in gamma ray count rates. This study investigated the impact of CT contrast agents on the uptake of 99mTc-mebrofenin in the liver. Materials and Methods: The quantitative HBS was performed on sixty-two liver transplantation patients (male:female=36:26), with a mean age of 59.4±6.4 years. Statistical comparison of hepatic uptake reduction ratio (HURR%) before and after the injection of CT contrast agents was performed using a paired t-test. Results: Hepatic uptake of the reduction ratio was 94.47±3.65% for the pre-CT contrast agents and 92.17±4.00% for the post-CT contrast agents. HURR% after CT contrast agent injection showed a statistically significant difference compared to before the injection (t=11.09, P<0.001). Conclusion: It will be necessary to pay attention when examining the HBS of patients with liver transplantation after the injection of CT contrast medium. It is advisable to schedule the examination on a different day to prevent residual contrast medium in the body from interfering with the quantitative evaluation of the nuclear medicine examination.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.34-37
• /
• 2019

Gadolinium contrast agents (CAs) are integral components of clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, safety concerns have arisen regarding the use of gadolinium CAs, due to their association with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Furthermore, recently the long-term retention of $Gd^{3+}-based$ CAs in brains patients with normal renal function raised another possible safety issue. The safety concerns of $Gd^{3+}-based$ CAs have been based on the ligand structure of $Gd^{3+}-based$ CAs, and findings that $Gd^{3+}-based$ CAs with linear ligand structures showed much higher incidences of NSF and brain retention of CAs than $Gd^{3+}-based$ CAs with macrocyclic ligand structure. In the current study, we report the in vivo biodistribution profile of a new highly stable multifunctional $Gd^{3+}-based$ CA, with macrocyclic ligand structure (HNP-2006). MR imaging using HNP-2006 demonstrated a significant contrast enhancement in many different organs. Furthermore, the contrast enhanced tumor imaging using HNP-2006 confirmed that this new macrocyclic CA can be used for detecting tumor in the central nervous system. Therefore, this new multifunctional HNP-2006 with macrocyclic ligand structure shows great promise for whole-body clinical application.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.27-31
• /
• 2013

Perfusion MR imaging is how to use exogenous and endogenous contrast agent. Exogenous perfusion MRI methods which are dynamic susceptibility contrast using $T2^*$ effect and dynamic contrast-enhanced using T1 weighted image after injection contrast media. An endogenous perfusion MRI method which is arterial spin labeling using arterial blood flow in body. In order to exam perfusion MRI in human, technical access are very important according to disease conditions. For instance, dynamic susceptibility contrast is used in patients with acute stroke because of short exam time, while dynamic susceptibility contrast or dynamic contrast enhancement provides the various perfusion information for patients with tumor, vascular stenosis. Arterial spin labeling is useful for children, women who are expected to be pregnant. In this regard, perfusion MR imaging is required to understanding, and the author would like to share information with clinical users

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.445-450
• /
• 2019

This study proves that syringe reuse of automated injection system entails a risk of contrast media reflux and saline solution contamination which are pumped by a piston into the patients' venous cannula in the dynamic MR images, we will be aware of the serious problem. To quantify the contrast media contamination effect on the saline solution, identical volume of the saline solution was collected before and after the contrast injection to the patients' venous cannula following T1 weighted image scanning to verify whether signal intensities differences are observed. The signal intensity of saline solution after the contrast injection was significantly higher than that of saline before injection by 523.43%. This result is due to the backflow that contaminates the saline solution on the opposite side when the contrast agent is injected. In conclusion, the syringe used to inject contrast medium. causes cross-contamination due to contrast reflux. Therefore, even if the same patient's examination is used for quantitative analysis, the error should be avoided by changing the acquisition sequence or replacing the syringe.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.73-82
• /
• 1998

Purpose : A precise NMR technique for measuring the rate of water exchange and cell membrane permeability across the hepatocyte membrane using liver-specific MR contrast agent is described. Materials and Methods : The rat hepatocytes isolated by perfusion of the livers were used for the NMR measurements. All experiments were performed on an IBM field cycling relaxometer operating from 0.02MHz to 60 MHz proton Larmor frequency. spin-echo pulse sequence was empolyed to measure spin-lattice relaxation time, T1. The continuous distribution analysis of water proton T1 data from rat hepatocytes containing low concentrations of the liver specific contrast agent, Gd-EOB-DTPA, modeled by a general two compartment exchange model. Results : The mean residence time of water molecule inside the hepatocyte was approximately 250 msec. The lower limit for the permeability of the hepatocyte membrane was $(1.3{\pm}0.1){\;}{\times}{\;}10^{-3}cm/sec$. The CONTIN analysis, which seeks the natural distribution of relaxation times, reveals direct evidence of the effect of diffusive exchange. the diffusive water exchange is not small in the intracellular space in the case of hepatocytes. Conclusions : Gd-EOB-DTPA, when combined with continuous distribution analysis, provides a robust method to study water exchange and membrane permeability in hepatocytes. Water exchange in hepatocyte is much slower thatn that in red blood cells. Therefore, tissue-specific contrast agent may be used as a functional agent to give physiological information such as cell membrane permeability.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.486-490
• /
• 2015

Two-demensional echocardiography is routinely used for evaluation of cardiac function. Visualization of the endocardial border is essential for the assessment of global and regional left ventricular with cardiac disease. SonoVue$^{TM}$ is a microbubble contrast agent that consists of sulfur hexafluoride-filled microbubbles in a phospholipid shell. There were many studies about contrast echocardiographic examination using SonoVue$^{TM}$ contrast agent, and various doses of SonoVue$^{TM}$ were used. To our knowledge, in published veterinary medicine, there was not reported for diagnostic efficient dose of SonoVue$^{TM}$ to evaluate contrast enhanced left ventricular endocardial border delineation (LVEBD). The purpose of this study is to compare the visualization time of LVEBD and find efficient dose of SonoVue$^{TM}$ for using various doses in dogs. Ten healthy Beagles were recruited to the study. Three different doses (0.03 ml/kg, 0.05 ml/kg and 0.1 ml/kg) of SonoVue$^{TM}$ were injected. Endocardial segments were assigned based on previously established methodology, where by the four-chamber views of the LV were divided into 6 segments. In this study, Contrast enhancement of the LVEBD after each injection was evaluated visually at the time point of overall contrast enhancement (Segmental scoring 5+) in the LV by three investigators in a blind manner. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 14.0. All data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, the multiple comparison Scheffe test. When data for the three offsite readers were combined, mean durations of useful contrast were $3.54({\pm}2.14)$, $6.15({\pm}2.61)$, and $24.39({\pm}11.10)$ seconds for the 0.03 ml/kg, 0.05 ml/kg, and 0.1 ml/kg SonoVue$^{TM}$ doses, respectively. After injection of contrast agent, there were no significant change in side effects such as urticaria, angioedema, hypersensitivity reactions, and digestive system disorders. This study suggests that efficient dose of SonoVue$^{TM}$ contrast agent for improvement of the left ventricle visualization is 0.1 ml/kg. The duration of useful enhancement of LVEBD and the reproducibility were also the highest at the 0.1 ml/kg dosage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2006

The microbubbles were used in various fields, such as turbulent control, drag reduction, material science and life science. The X-ray PTV using X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to mea-sure the size and velocity of micro-bubbles moving in an opaque tube simultaneously. Micro-bubbles of $10{\sim}60{\mu}m$ diameter moving upward in an opaque tube (${\phi}$=2.7mm) were tested. Due to the different refractive indices of water and air, phase contrast X-ray images clearly show the exact size and shape of over-lapped microbubbles. In all of the working fluids tested (deionized water, tap water, 0.01 and 0.10M NaCl solutions), the measured terminal velocity of the microbubbles rising through the solution was proportional to the square of the bubble diameter. The rising velocity was increased with increasing mole concentration. The microbubble can be useful as contrast agent or tracer in life science and biology. The X-ray PTV technique should be able to extract useful information on the behavior of various bio/microscale fluid flows that are not amenable to analysis using conventional methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.669-676
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in the values of Hounsfield Unit (HU) according to the changes in monoenergy (keV) and dilution ratio of the contrast agent, using the spectral CT. Spectral CT was used as the testing device, while 20 cc syringe phantom was used to set a total of six dilution ratios of the contrast agent: 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, 5:5, 4:6, and 3:7. Here, the non-ionic iodine solution (350 mg/ml) was used as a contrast agent. The syringe axial image was reconstructed by adjusting the obtained data on nine MonoE levels; 40 keV, 45 keV, 50 keV, 55 keV, 60 keV, 65 keV, 70 keV, 75 keV, and 80 keV. The HU values were measured at the three points of the reconstructed syringe axial image. The measurements were taken 1,620 times in total. In the analysis of the HU values according to the changes in keV and dilution ratio of the contrast agent, the highest and lowest HU values were obtained from dilution ratio 8:2 and dilution ratio 3:7, respectively, across every MonoE in the comparison of HU according to dilution ratio per MonoE (p<0.05), while the highest and lowest HU values were obtained from 40 keV and 80 keV, respectively, across all dilution ratios in the comparison of HU according to MonoE per dilution ratio (p<0.05). For the correlation per each parameter, a negative correlation of -15.014 ± 0.298 was found for HU per keV (R²=0.519) and a negative correlation of -61.372 ± 3.608 was found for HU per dilution ratio (R²=0.152) (p<0.05). To conclude, an increase in keV or dilution ratio of the contrast agent was shown to decrease the HU, and the findings in this study are anticipated to serve as the basic data in the research of HU-related parameters in Spectral CT.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
• /
• 1999.11a
• /
• pp.54-54
• /
• 1999