• Anxiety and mood
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2022

Objective : This study investigated brain functional connectivity in male firefighters who showed subclinical post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods : We compared the data of 17 firefighters who were not diagnosed with PTSD and 18 healthy controls who had no trauma exposure. The following instruments were applied to assess psychiatric symptoms: Korean version of the Post-traumatic stress disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5-K), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). For all subjects, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and functional connectivity was compared between the two groups (family-wise error-corrected p<0.05). Additionally, correlations between psychiatric symptoms and functional connectivity were explored. Results : The following connectivity was higher than that of healthy controls: 1) the central opercular cortex-superior temporal gyrus, 2) planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus, 3) angular gyrus-amygdala, and 4) temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus. The functional connectivity of 1) the lateral occipital cortex-inferior temporal gyrus, 2) superior parietal lobule-caudate, and 3) middle temporal gyrus-thalamus were lower in firefighters. In firefighters, the connectivity of the planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus showed a negative correlation with the severity of arousal symptoms (rho=-0.586, p=0.013). The connectivity of the middle temporal gyrus-thalamus showed a positive correlation with the severity of intrusion (rho=0.552, p=0.022) and arousal symptoms (rho=0.619, p=0.008). The connectivity of the temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus was negatively correlated with intrusion (rho=-0.491, p=0.045) and arousal (rho=-0.579, p=0.015). Conclusion : Our results indicate that the brain functional connectivity is associated with occupational trauma exposure in firefighters without PTSD. Therefore, this study provides evidence that close monitoring and early intervention are important for firefighters with traumatic experience even at a subthreshold level.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.583-592
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• 2021

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which a person repeated a particular thought or feels. The domain of beliefs and guilt predicted OCD symptoms. Although there were some neuroimaging studies investigating OCD symptoms, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) study investigating intra-network functional connectivity associated with guilt for OCD is not reported yet. Therefore, in the current study, we assessed the differences between intra-network functional connectivity of healthy control group and OCD group using independent component analysis (ICA) method. In addition, we also aimed to investigate the correlation between changed functional connectivity and guilt score in OCD. Total 86 participants, which consisted of 42 healthy control volunteers and 44 OCD patients, acquired rs-fMRI data using the 3T MRI. After preprocessing the fMRI data, a functional connectivity was used for group independent component analysis. The results showed that OCD patients had higher score in emotion state in beliefs and lower functional connectivity in fronto-parietal network (FPN) than control group. A decrease of functional connectivity in FPN was negatively correlated with feelings of guilt in OCD. Our results suggest excessive increase in guilt negatively affect to process emotional state and behavior or cognitive processing by influencing intrinsic brain activity.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2002

Orofacial pain can be caused by intracranial disorders or can be musculoskeletal, vascular, internal derangemental, and neurologic in origin. The neurologic pain is derived from structural and functional disorders of nerve, and the trigeminal neuralgia is the typical manifestation. Trigeminal neuralgia is known from centuries ago, and is one of the most common pains in human. We present our experience with three patients who have trigeminal neuralgia. The first case is a 50-year-old female who had no specific evidence radiographically. Second is a 50-year-old male with microvascular compression on right trigeminal nerve. The third case is a 60-year-old female who had a neoplasm in cerebellopontine angle with associated mass effect.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.10
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• pp.1727-1730
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• 2016

Magnetic resonance imaging has a potential to produce clear anatomical as well as functional images of human body. However, the ability to diagnose is limited by signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the resolution of current medical systems. To remove the challenges prevalent due to the use of high field scanners, dedicated radio frequency coils are used. Transverse electromagnetic coils have an advantage of providing homogeneous magnetic field throughout the region but with low signal to noise ratio while surface coils have an advantage of providing higher signal to noise ratio but with low homogeneity. This research combines both the advantage into one by utilizing transmit only transverse electromagnetic radio frequency coils (8 channel) along with receive only surface coils (by varying the number) for better imaging of brain. A 7 Tesla 32-channel close fitting helmet shaped phased-array surface coils along with the combination of 8 channel transmit only transverse electromagnetic coils provided good homogeneity as well as significant SNR improvements throughout the human brain.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.27-27
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.77-78
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• 2005

A specific FUS-MRI platform was designed for breast cancer treatment. phased array technologies, sideways FUS transmission, and spatio-temporal temperature control in the complete region of interest, were combined for a novel therapy approach with enhanced safety and afficacy. A phase I clinical trial will start soon.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2005

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is the measurement of the magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain, usually conducted externally, using extremely sensitive devices such as Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). MEG needs complex and expensive measurement settings. Because the magnetic signals emitted by the brain are on the order of a few femtoteslas (1 fT = 10-15T), shielding from external magnetic signals, including the Earth's magnetic field, is necessary. An appropriate magnetically shielded room is very expensive, and constitutes the bulk of the expense of an MEG system. MEG is a relatively new technique that promises good spatial resolution and extremely high temporal resolution, thus complementing other brain activity measurement techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MEG combines functional information from magnetic field recordings with structural information from MRI. The clinical uses of MEG are in detecting and localizing epileptic form spiking activity in patients with epilepsy, and in localizing eloquent cortex for surgical planning in patients with brain tumors. Magnetoencephalography may be used alone or together with electroencephalography, for the measurement of spontaneous or evoked activity, and for research or clinical purposes.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2002

Purpose： To investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.89-93
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• 2002

We report a preliminary fMRI evidence of modulation of somatomotor areas by acupuncture in GB34 acupoint. GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MR scanner, functional MR imaging was performed in five normal volunteers in two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB34 and sham points. Group analysis form five individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. Our results suggest that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T environment and stimulation in GB34 modulate the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.21-25
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• 2002

We report a preliminary fMRI evidence of modulation of somatomotor areas by acupuncture in GB34 acupoint. GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MR scanner, functional MR imaging was performed in five normal volunteers in two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB34 and sham points. Group analysis from five individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6％ whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. Our results suggest that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T environment, and stimulation in GB34 modulate the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human.