• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.719-722
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• 2019

Gamma-ray images generally suffer from a lot of noise because of low photon detection in the gamma camera system. The purpose of this study is to improve the image quality in gamma-ray images using a gamma camera system with a fast nonlocal means (FNLM) noise reduction algorithm with an acceleration function. The designed FNLM algorithm is based on local region considerations, including the Euclidean distance in the gamma-ray image and use of the encoded information. To evaluate the noise characteristics, the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and coefficient of variation (COV) were used. According to the NNPS result, the lowest values can be obtained using the FNLM noise reduction algorithm. In addition, when the conventional methods and the FNLM noise reduction algorithm were compared, the average CNR and COV using the proposed algorithm were approximately 2.23 and 7.95 times better than those of the noisy image, respectively. In particular, the image-processing time of the FNLM noise reduction algorithm can achieve the fastest time compared with conventional noise reduction methods. The results of the image qualities related to noise characteristics demonstrated the superiority of the proposed FNLM noise reduction algorithm in a gamma camera system.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.99-106
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• 2017

This study focused on the issue that when a diagnostic detector is found to have a defect, a patient would be exposed to radiation and image quality would be degraded. Though dose analysis, an experiment was conducted to evaluate detector performance as Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR). Absorbed dose, SNR and CNR were measured using a dosimeter and a tissue equivalent phantom. The experiment was conducted to compare whether the dose value shown after being attached to the back side of the phantom matches the dose value attached behind the detector, where in the conditions of skull, chest and abdomen were set at 75 kVp, 25 mAs, 110 kVp, 8 mAs, and 80 kVp, 20 mAs, respectively. As a result, there was a difference in that the dose values attached to the back side of the detector were 0.004 mGy, 0.006 mGy, 0.003 mGy, whereas those of the back side of the phantom were 0.006 mGy, 0.016 mGy, 0.017 mGy. In order to match both values, the condition was increased and SNR and CNR also increased from 88.32, 88.10, 4.09, 1.63, 87.94, 79.97 to 93.87, 93.75, 4.91, 4.03, 92.02, 84.92. Though this study, we found that when a detector is found to have a aging, it shortens the life of equipment and increases the dose of a patient, also the improvement effect of image quality is inadequate.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2014

Purpose : Spin-echo (SE) technique is most commonly used pulse sequence for T1-weighted MR imaging. T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T1FLAIR) is a relatively new pulse sequence and it provides higher tissue contrast between the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) of the brain than T1-weighted SE (T1SE) sequence. However, there has been controversy for the evaluation of enhancing brain tumors with T1FLAIR compared to T1SE. The purpose of this study was to compare T1FLAIR and T1SE sequences for the evaluation of enhancing intracranial tumors. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two patients with enhancing brain tumors were evaluated with contrast-enhanced (CE) T1SE and T1FLAIR imaging. Eight quantitative criteria were calculated: lesion-to-WM contrast ratio (CR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), lesion-to-GM CR and CNR, lesion-to-CSF CR and CNR, and WM-to-GM CR and CNR. For qualitative evaluation, two radiologists assessed lesion conspicuity on CE T1SE and T1FLAIR sequences with three-scale: 1, T1SE superior; 2, sequence equal; T1FLAIR superior. Results: Seventy-nine tumors (31 primaries, 48 metastases) were assessed. For quantitative measurement, the T1FLAIR lesion-to-GM, lesion-to-CSF, WM-to-GM CR and CNR values were comparable and statistically superior to those of the T1SE images (p < 0.001 in all). However, lesion-to-WM CR and CNR were similar on both two sequences without statistically significant difference (p = 0.661, 0.662, respectively). For qualitative evaluation, both radiologists assessed that T1FLAIR images were superior to T1SE images for the evaluation of lesion conspicuity. Conclusion: For the evaluation of enhancing intracranial tumors, T1FLAIR sequence was superior or comparable to T1SE sequence.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.593-598
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• 2016

In order to reduce the amount of noise component in X-ray imaging system, various reduction techniques were frequently used in the field of diagnostic imaging. Although the previous techniques -such as median, Wiener filters and Anscombe noise reduction technique - were able to reduce the noise, the edge information was still damaged. In order to cope with this problem, total variation (TV) noise reduction technique has been developed and researched. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the image quality using normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) through simulations and experiments with respect to the above-mentioned noise reduction techniques. As a result, not only lowest NNPS value but also highest CNR values were acquired using a TV noise reduction technique. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that TV noise reduction technique is proved as the most practical method to ensure accurate denoising in X-ray imaging system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.809-817
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• 2023

Single source and dual source measurements using anthropomorphic phantoms in which the phantoms are lined up in human body equivalents use OSLD (Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeter), so the effective dose is calculated using OSLD. For hospital images, SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and CNR (Contrast to Noise Ratio) were measured in MCA (Middle Cerebral Artery) for single source and dual source, and for phantom images, SNR and CNR were measured for brain parenchyma of single source and dual source. For hospital imaging, SNR and CNR were measured in MCA for both single-source and dual-source, and for phantom images, SNR and CNR were measured for brain parenchyma from single-source and dual-source. As a result of comparing the SNR and CNR of the hospital image and the phantom image, there was no statistical difference. Comparing patient doses in hospital images, the effective dose of the dual source was 53.53% less and the effective dose of the dual energy phantom was 57.94% less. The dose can be increased in other areas, but the cerebrovascular area is useful because the dose is small.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2022

One of the typical methods for lowering radiation dose while maintaining image quality of computed tomography (CT) is the use of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR). This study is to evaluate the image quality by adjusting the strength of the advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE), which is well known as a representative model of MBIR. The study was conducted using phantom, and CT images were obtained while adjusting the strength of ADMIRE in units of 1 to 5. Quantitative evaluation includes noise levels using coefficient of variation (COV) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR), as well as natural image quality evaluation (NIQE) and blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator (BRISQUE). As a result, in both noise level and blind quality evaluation results, the higher the strength of ADMIRE, the better the results were derived. In particular, it was confirmed that COV and CNR were improved 1.89 and 1.75 times at ADMIRE 5 compared to ADMIRE 1, respectively, and NIQE and BRISQUE were proved to be improved 1.35 and 1.22 times at ADMIRE 5 compared to ADMIRE 1, respectively. In conclusion, this study was proved that the reconstruction strength of ADMIRE had a great influence on the noise level and overall image quality evaluation of CT images.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2015

We evaluated the effectiveness of TL (Time Limit) method by comparing with NTL (Non-time limit) method when it is used for examinations for abdomen Anterior Posterior (AP) in this paper. The evaluation was conducted based on the comparison of dose, and of signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to ratio (CNR) on both methods. The experiments were conducted with XGEO GC 80 (Samsung, Korea), Unfors ThinX RAD (Unfors, Sweden) and Rando Phantom (Alderson research laboratories, USA) and shielding material with the size of $5.5{\times}9{\times}0.1cm^3$. It was set to activate only two upper ionization chambers in automatic exposure control(AEC) mode and the tube-voltage was set to 80kVp. When the exposure time was limited, it is limited to 51 msec. The images both by NTL AEC method and TL AEC method were acquired when with and without attachment of shielding material on the upper ionization chambers. The images were evaluated by SNR and CNR which are the image evaluation methods using 'Image J'. The NTL AEC method showed increases in dose as much as 130.7% at maximum and 80% at minimum than other methods. The TL AEC method showed decreases in mAs and exposure dose than the NTL AEC method as much as 43.8% and 44.4% respectively. There were no significant differences in SNR or CNR for the experiments (($p{\geq}0.05$). Therefore, it is suggested that the TLAEC mode is more effective when examining patients who have high BMI index or a patient with a metallic substance in the body after surgery.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Purpose : The Carotid Angio inspection including Aortic arch applied to wide area is conducted as the Contrast Enhance MR Angiography(CEA) which is using a contrast medium. However it is a burden not only for someone such as infants, pregnant women and patients suffering from kidney failure but continuous use of contrast medium also can be a burden for patients who has been taken follow up inspection since diagnose lesion already. The purpose of this study is to estimate a usefulness of the Time of Flight (TOF) by comparing with CEA. Materials and methods : 10 patients with an average age of 58 (from 45 to 75) who had MRA inspection in our hospital were studied using 3.0 Tesla Aachieva (Philips, Netherland) MRI system and Sense Neuro-Vascular 16 Channels Coil. The same patient was inspected both TOF and CEA simultaneously. The TOF inspection included from Aortic arch to Willis Circle by connecting 3 TOF stacks and so did CEA inspection. The quantitative analysis was conducted through signal to noise ratio(SNR) and contrast to noise ratio(CNR) with soft tissue by setting up an area of interest on CCA bifurcatoin, ICA, ECA, MCA and VA concerning obtained image. In case of qualitative analysis, 3 radiological technologists and 1 radiologist evaluated 4 items (1: Visibility of the blood vessel, 2: Image distortion measure, 3: Overlapping measure with vein, 4: Peripheral blood vessel description measure) into five points scale (1: Very bad, 2: Bad, 3: Normal 4: Good, 5: Very good). Results : Results for the quantitative analysis was obtained by calculating the average of 5 ROIs in case of SNR and CNR separately. Results of SNR, TOF were generally measured higher than CEA (In case of TOF were 166.1, 205.2, 154.39, 172.23, 161.95, and CEA were 92.05, 95.43, 84.76, 73.69, 88.3). But according to the result of CNR, both TOF and CEA were measured similarly as 67.62, 106.71, 55.9, 73.74, 63.46 for TOF and 67.82, 71.19, 60.52, 49.45, 64.07 for CEA. Throughout every results of each ROI, SNR showed statistically meaningful consequence (0.050.05). In case of qualitative analysis the average of each evaluated item was 4.2points and 4.28points in the item1, 2.93points and 4.55points in the item2, 4.6points and 3.13points in the item3, 2.88points and 4.6points in the item4. According to the results TOF was measured higher in the item3 while in the item2 and item4 CEA was higher and in case of the item1, both CEA and TOF were similar. To sum up statistically meaningful results (p<0.05) were shown in the item2, item3 and item4 but not in the item1 (p>0.05). Conclusions : Both TOF and CEA are complementary because each inspection has pros and cons, but when inspect wide area including Aortic arch normally CEA is conducted. But TOF inspection also can be considered as alternative in terms of patients who has difficulty in the contrast medium such as infants, pregnant women and patients suffering from kidney failure and patients during follow up.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.150-156
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• 2008

An applied technique of contrast enhancement for X-ray image is proposed which is based on combined enhancement of scaling and wavelet coefficients in discrete wavelet transform space. Conventional contrast enhancement methods such as contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE), multi-scale image contrast amplification (MUSICA) and gamma correction were applied on scaling coefficients to enhance the contrast of an original. In order to enhance the detail as well as reduce the blurring caused by up scaling of contrast modified scale coefficients from lower resolution, the sigmoid manipulation function was used to manipulate wavelet coefficients. The contrast detail mammography (CDMAM) phantom was imaged and processed to measure the image line profile of results and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) comparatively. The proposed technique produced better results than direct application of various contrast enhancement methods on image itself. The proposed method can enhance contrast, and also suppress the amplification of noise components in a single process. It could be useful for various applications in medical, industrial and graphical images where contrast and detail are of importance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.271-278
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to know optimized fat suppression techniques for brachial plexus compared with STIR and SPAIR T1, T2 techniques. A total of 30 normal volunteers without brachial plexus disease were studied on a 3.0 T MRI scanner. As an analytical method, SNR, CNR, 4-point grading scale were evaluated by using three pulse sequences. As a quantitative analysis, the SNR, CNR for SPAIR T1 technique provided high value in branchial plexus roots (03.07, -2.25), branchial plexus trunks(06.70, 36.31)(p<0.05). As a qualitative Analysis, The visibility for delineation of brachial plexus, fat suppression, artifact was significantly better on SPAIR T1(3.2, 3.6, 3.4) technique(p<0.05).