• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1999

MRI imaging provides many benefits such as noninvasive, 3-dimensional imaging capabilities. But it has relatively serious drawback that is the long data collection time, compared with other imaging modality. Many studies have been performed for fast MR imaging. But EPI and SEPI (4-6) are required to expensive hardware. In this paper, we introduce to Burst imaging technique. It can reduce imaging time by use of a mulitple RF excitation technique. Further it is easily implemented to the normal MRI system. But a pixel profile in the conventional burst sequence is so poor that excited area by burst sequence is a small portion of a pixel. This causes poor signal to noise ratio in burst image. therefore frequency sweeping of RF pulse for burst imaging sequence is proposed to improve pixel profile. A burst pulse train is shaped by liner or nonlinear frequency sweeping function so that all the spins within a pixel are excited, thereby improving the signal to noise ratio. It also shows that the pixel profiles are dependent on how frequency sweep is made. Computer simulations with Bloch equation and experimental results obtained using a 1.0 T NMR imaging system are presented.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 1996

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new localized imaging method of reduced imaging time luting a locally-linear gradient. Since most fast MR(Magnetic Resonance) imaging methods need the whole $\kappa$-space(Spatial frequency space) data corresponding to the whole imaging area, there are limitstions in reducing the minimum imaging time. The imaging method proposed in this paper uses a specially-made gradient coil generating a local ramp-shape field and uniform field outside of the imaging areal Conventional imaging sequences can be used without any RF/gradient pulse sequence modifiestions except the change in the number of encoding steps and the field of view.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.243-250
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• 1998

Reconstruction aspects of spiral scan imaging for ultra fast magnetic resonance imagine(MRI) have been investigated with polar and rectangular coordinates-based reconstruction. For the reconstruction of the spiral scan imaging, acquired data in spiral trjectory should be converted to polar or rectangular grids, where interpolation techniques are used. Various reconstruction algorithms for spiral scan imaging are tested, and reconstructed image qualities are compared with computed phantom. An improved reconstruction algorithm with dc-offset correction in projection domain is proposed, which provides the best reconstructed image quality from the simulation. Image artifact with existing algorithms is completely removed with the proposed method.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to provide a new assessment of rotator cuff muscle activity. Eight male subjects (24.7 ± 3.2 years old,171.2 ± 9.8 cm tall, and weighing 63.8 ± 11.9 kg) performed the study exercises. The subjects performed 10 sets of the exercise while fixing the elbow at 90 degrees flexure and lying supine on a bed. One exercise set consisted of the subject performing external shoulder rotation 50 times using training equipment. Two imaging protocols were employed: (a) true fast imaging with steady precession (TrueFISP) at an acquisition time of 12 seconds and (b) multi-shot spin-echo echo-planar imaging (MSSE-EPI) at an acquisition time of 30 seconds for one echo. The main method of assessing rotator cuff muscle activity was functional T2 mapping using ultrafast imaging (fast-acquired muscle functional MRI [fast-mfMRI]). Fast-mfMRI enabled real-time imaging for the identification and evaluation of the degree of muscle activity induced by the exercise. Regions of interest were set at several places in the musculus subscapularis (sub), musculus supraspinatus (sup), musculus teres minor (ter), and deltoid muscle (del). We used the MR signal of the images and transverse relaxation time (T2) for comparison. Most of the TrueFISP signal was not changed by exercise and there was no significant difference from the resting values. Only the T2 in the musculus teres minor was increased after one set and the change were seen on the T2 images. Additionally, except for those after one and two sets, the changes in T2 were significant compared to those at rest (P < 0.01). We also demonstrated identify and visualize the extent to which muscles involved in muscle activity by exercise. In addition, we showed that muscle activity in a region such as a shoulder, which is susceptible to B0 inhomogeneity, could be easily detected using this technique.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2006

Purpose : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging is performed at 3 Tesla MRI system. Since the gradient waveforms for the spiral-scan imaging have lower slopes than those for the Echo Planar Imaging (EPI), they can be implemented with the gradient systems having lower slew rates. The spiral-scan imaging also involves less eddy currents due to the smooth gradient waveforms. The spiral-scan imaging method does not suffer from high specific absorption rate (SAR), which is one of the main obstacles in high field imaging for rf echo-based fast imaging methods such as fast spin echo techniques. Thus, the spiral-scan imaging has a great potential for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields. In this paper, we presented various high-resolution images obtained by the spiral-scan methods at 3T MRI system for various applications. Materials and Methods : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging technique is implemented at 3T whole body MRI system. An efficient and fast higher-order shimming technique is developed to reduce the inhomogeneity, and the single-shot and interleaved spiral-scan imaging methods are developed. Spin-echo and gradient-echo based spiral-scan imaging methods are implemented, and image contrast and signal-tonoise ratio are controlled by the echo time, repetition time, and the rf flip angles. Results : Spiral-scan images having various resolutions are obtained at 3T MRI system. Since the absolute magnitude of the inhomogeneity is increasing in higher magnetic fields, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important. A fast shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal sectional inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the inhomogeneity map is applied. For phantom and invivo head imaging, image matrix size of about $100{\times}100$ is obtained by a single-shot spiral-scan imaging, and a matrix size of $256{\times}256$ is obtained by the interleaved spiral-scan imaging with the number of interleaves of from 6 to 12. Conclusion : High field imaging becomes increasingly important due to the improved signal-to-noise ratio, larger spectral separation, and the higher BOLD-based contrast. The increasing SAR is, however, a limiting factor in high field imaging. Since the spiral-scan imaging has a very low SAR, and lower hardware requirements for the implementation of the technique compared to EPI, it is suitable for a rapid imaging in high fields. In this paper, the spiral-scan imaging with various resolutions from $100{\times}100$ to $256{\times}256$ by controlling the number of interleaves are developed for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.76-80
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• 2021

Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major factor that contributes to the increased socioeconomic burden caused by TBI. Myelin loss has been implicated in the development of PCS following mTBI. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a traditional imaging modality for the evaluation of axonal and myelin integrity in mTBI, has intrinsic limitations, including its lack of specificity and its time-consuming and labor-intensive post-processing analysis. More recently, various fast MR techniques based on multicomponent relaxometry (MCR), including QRAPMASTER, mcDESPOT, and MDME sequences, have been developed. These MCR-based sequences can provide myelin water fraction/myelin volume fraction, a quantitative parameter more specific to myelin, which might serve as a surrogate marker of myelin volume, in a clinically feasible time. In this review, we summarize the clinical application of the MCR-based fast MR techniques in mTBI patients.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.33 no.11C
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• pp.898-904
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• 2008

In this paper, we propose a fast algorithm to generate the array of elemental image in a computer generated integral imaging system. It generates the array of elemental image using depth information, needs less computing time to produce the result by using the concept of boundary area and computing the voxel within boundary area. By comparing the computing time of proposed algorithm with that of the existing algorithm theoretically and experimently, we proved the efficiency of this algorithm.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 1999

Purpose : The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of proton-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging in diagnosing the meniscal tear of knee as an reasonable substitute for conventional spin-echo imaging. Materials and Methods : 102 consecutive patients, proved by surgery, proved by surgery, were participated in this study. All of them were suspected internal derangement of knee, examined by fast spin-echo MR imaging including sagittal and coronal images on a 1.5T MR imager and underwent arthroscopic or open surgery of knee joint within 2 months. These images were reviewed retrospectively by three radiologists. The sensitivity and specificity of meniscal tear were calculated. Results : The sensitivity and specificity of meniscal tear using proton-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging were 94%, 93% inmedialmeniscus and 92%, 88% in lateral meniscus. Conclusion : The sensitivity and specificity of meniscal tear using proton weighted fast-spin echo MR images were as high as those using conventional spin-echo images. The proton-weighted fast-spin echo MR imaging can be an alternative to conventional spin-echo MR imaging in diagnosing meniscal tear of the knee.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2000

In this paper, we develop a TMS320C31 (60MHz) digital signal processor (DSP) board to synthesize gradient waveforms for Spiral Scan Imaging (SSI), which is one of the ultra fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods widely used. In SSI, accurate gradient waveforms are very essential to high quality magnetic resonance images. For this purpose, sampling rate for synthesizing the gradient waveforms is set twice as high as the data sampling rate. With the developed DSP boards accurate gradient waveforms are obtained. Ultra fast spiral scan imaging with the developed with the developed DSP board is currently under development.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.118-131
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• 2007

Neurotransmitter imaging with radiopharmaceuticals plays major role for understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease and depression. Radiopharmaceuticals for neurotransmitter imaging can be divided to dopamine transporter imaging radiopharmaceuticals and serotonin trnasporter imaging radiopharmaceuticals. Many kinds of new dopamine transporter imaging radiopharmcaeuticals has a tropane ring and they showed different biological properties according to the substituted functional group on tropane ring. After the first clinical trials with $[^{123}I]{\beta}-CIT$, alkyl chain substituent introduced to tropane ring amine to decrease time for imaging acquisition and to increase selectivity. From these results, $[^{123}I]PE2I$, [18F]FE-CNT, $[^{123}I]FP-CIT$ and $[^{18}F]FP-CIT$ were developed and they showed high uptake on the dopamine transporter rich regions and fast peak uptake equilibrium time within 4 hours after injection. $[^{11}C]McN$ 5652 was developed for serotonin trnasporter imaging but this compound showed slow kinetics and high background radioactivity. To overcome these problems, new diarylsulfide backbone derivatives such as ADAM, ODAM, AFM, and DASB were developed. In these candidates, $[^{11}C]AFM$ and $[^{11}C]DASB$ showed high binding affinity to serotonin transporter and fast in vivo kinetics. This paper gives an overview of current status on dopamine and serotonin transporter imaging radiopharmaceuitcals and the development of new lead compounds as potential radiopharmaceuticals by medicinal chemistry.