• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2016

Purpose Mammography is the most widely used scan for the early diagnosis since it is possible to observe the anatomy of the breast. however, The sensitivity is markedly reduced in high-risk patients with dense breast. Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) sacn is possible to get the high resolution functional imaging, and This new neclear medicine technique get the more improved diagnostic information through It is useful for confirmation of tumor's location in dense breast. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of MBI for tumor diagnosis in patients with dense breast. Materials and Methods We investigated 10 patients female breast cancer with dense breast type who had visited the hospital from September 1st to Octorber 10th, 2015. The patients underwent both MBI and Mammography. MBI (Discovery 750B; General Electric Healthcare, USA) scan was 99mTc-MIBI injected with 20 mCi on the opposite side of the arm with the lesions, after 20 minutes, gained bilateral breast CC (CranioCaudal), MLO (Medio Lateral Oblique) View. Mammography was also conducted in the same posture. MBI and Mammography images were compared to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of each case utilizing both image and two images in blind tests. Results The results of the blind test for breast cancer showed that the sensitivity of Mammography, MBI scan was 63%, 89%, respectively, and that their specificity was 38%, 87%, respectively. Using both the Mammography and MBI scan was Sensitivity 92%, specificity 90%. Conclusion This research has found that, The tumor of dense tissue that can not easily distinguishable in Mammography is possible to more accurate diagnosis since It is easy to visually evaluation. But MBI sacn has difficulty imaging microcalcificatons, If used in conjunction with mammography it is thought to give provide more diagnostic information.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2013

Purpose: Currently, decrement revision using LDCT is used in PET/CT. But cold artifacts are often found in decrement revision image by mismatch between LDCT image and Emission image near diaphragm due to patient's respiration. This research studied reduction of cold artifact by patient's respiration using CTAC Shift among revision methods. Materials and Methods: From March to September in 2012, 30 patients who had cold artifacts by respiration were targeted using PET/CT Discovery 600 (GE Healthcare, MI, USA) equipment. Patients with cold artifacts were additionally scan in diaphragm area, and the image shown cold artifacts at whole body test were revised using CTAC Shift. Cold artifacts including image, additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image were evaluated as 1~5 points with naked eye by one nuclear medicine expert, 4 radiotechnologists with over 5 year experience. Also, standard uptake value of 3 images was compared using paired t-test. Results: Additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image received relatively higher score in naked eye evaluation than cold artifacts including image. The additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image had high correlation as the results of ANOVA test of standard uptake value and did not show significant difference. Conclusion: When cold artifacts are appeared by patient's respiration at PET/CT, it causes not only patient inconvenience but troubles in test schedule due to extra radiation exposure and time consumption by additional scan. But if CTAC Shift revision image can be acquired with out additional scan, it is considered to be helped in exact diagnosis without unnecessary extra radiation exposure and additional scan.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2013

Purpose: In the PET/CT images, various artifacts cause degradation of the quantitative assessment. Most hotspot generated by radiopharmaceutical injection errors cause an artifact and degrade the quality of the images as well as the accuracy of the quantitative evaluation. The purpose of this study is to assess effectiveness of the elimination of the hotspot at the injection sites using shifting the center of DFOV (Display Field of View, DFOV) method and evaluate the quantitative evaluation of result. Materials and Methods: GE Discovery STE 16 (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, USA) and 1994 NEMA phantom were used for imaging acquisition. Phantom was filled with 0.005 MBq/mL of $^{18}F-FDG$. A hotspot was artificially placed on the outside of the phantom. The ratio of hotspot area activity to background area activity was regulated as 200:1. After image acquisition with routine protocol, all of the images were reconstructed using the shifting the center of DFOV method that wasn't overlapped with hotspot. Those images obtained before and after applying the shifting reconstruction method were compared. ROIs (Region Of Interests) were set in the hotspot areas, meanSUVs and standard deviations were calculated. Percentage differences were calculated with those meanSUVs and standard deviations. The evaluation on the effects of the shifting reconstruction method was done by comparison of the meanSUVs and the standard deviations, which were calculated for background areas unaffected by hotspot. Results: In the areas of unaffected by hotspot, meanSUVs before and after applying the shifting of center of DFOV method were $0.67{\pm}0.06g/mL$ and $0.65{\pm}0.06g/mL$, respectively. In the artifact areas affected by hotspot, meanSUVs before and after applying the shifting of center of DFOV method were $0.32{\pm}0.08g/mL$ and $0.56{\pm}0.12g/mL$, respectively. The percentage differences of the area adjacent to the hotspot and the area distant from the hotspot were 65.3% and 97.4%, respectively. Conclusion: In the PET/CT images, meanSUV was improved by 32.1% when the effect of artifact was removed with application of the shifting the center of DFOV methode. In other areas unaffected by artifacts, meanSUVs were not significantly different after applying DFOV center shift method. As shown in the result, adverse effects of hotspot made by swelling in the injection site can be reduced by applying DFOV center shift method. Therefore, DFOV center shift method can be applied for the more precise quantitative evaluation, and contribute to the increase of the diagnostic value of the images.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2010

Purpose: The usefulness of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images in diagnosis, staging, recurrent and treatment response evaluation has already been known. However, tumors which are small size, located in lower lobe of lung or upper lobe of liver are shown misalignment, distortion and different Standard Uptake Value (SUV) by respiration in PET images. Therefore, if radiotherapy based on normal respiration, it may cause low treatment response or more side effects because targets which had to treat, out of treat range or over dose to normal tissue. The purpose of this study is to evaluate attenuation-correction with Average CT (ACT) for more accuracy SUV measurement and minimize artifact by respiration. Materials and Methods: 13 patients, who had tumors which are around the diaphragm, underwent ACT scan after Helical CT (HCT) scan with PET/CT (Discovery DSTE 8; GE Healthcare). We quantified the differences between attenuation corrected image with HCT and attenuation corrected image with ACT in artifact size and maximum SUV ($SUV_{max}$). Artifacts were evaluated by measurement of the curved photogenic area in the lower thorax of the PET images for all patients. $SUV_{max}$ was measured separately at the primary tumors. Analysis program was Advantage Workstation v4.3 (GE Healthcare). Patients were injected with 7.4 MBq (0.2 $mC_i$) per kg of $^{18}F$-FDG and scanned 1 hour after injection. The PET acquisition was 3 minute per bed. Results: Significantly lower artifact were observed in PET/ACT images than in PET/HCT images (below-thoracic artifacts caused by under corrected $1.5{\pm}3.5$ cm vs. $13.4{\pm}4.2$ cm). Significantly higher $SUV_{max}$ were noted in PET/ACT images than in PET/HCT images in the primary tumor. Compared with PET/HCT images, $SUV_{max}$ in PET/ACT images were higher by $5.3{\pm}3.9%$ (mean value) tumor. The highest difference was observed in Lower lobe of lung (7.7 to 8.7; 13%). Conclusion: Due to its significantly reduced artifacts in lower thoracic, attenuation corrected image with ACT images provided more reliable $SUV_{max}$ and may be helpful in monitoring treatment response. Moreover, ACT can separate upper lobe of liver and lower lobe of lung, it may be helpful in interpretation. ACT will be clinically useful, considering increased dose caused by ACT scan and adapt.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.31-36
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• 2017

Purpose Recently, the performance of PET/CT scanner has been improved and various techniques have been developed to increase the image quality such as Sensitivity and Resolution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Q.Clear (a fully convergent iterative reconstruction) technique of GE Discovery IQ equipment to enhance the image quality. Materials and Methods All scans were acquired by Discovery IQ (GE Healthcare, MI, USA). In NEMA IEC Body Phantom test, Background to Hot-sphere (10 mm, 13 mm, 17 mm, 22 mm) ratio was 1:4 and scan time was 3 minutes. The images were reconstructed by VPHDs (VUE Point High-Definition + SharpIR) and Q.Clear to evaluate each Contrast. We injected 18F-FDG 187 M㏃ to PET/SPECT Performance Phantom. And then it was scanned for 4 minutes to evaluate Resolution and Uniformity. T-test statistical analysis was performed on SUVmax of small lesions less than 2 cm in 100 clinical patients regardless of disease type. Results In the NEMA IEC Body Phantom, the Contrast was $63.6{\pm}5.7%$ (VPHDs) and $75{\pm}4.8%$ (Q.Clear). In the PET/SPECT Performance Phantom, the Resolution was 9.2 mm (VPHDs) and 7.3 mm (Q.Clear). Uniformity of Q.Clear was 10.8% better than VPHDs. T-test statistic of the clinical patients showed a significant difference of p value of 0.021. Conclusion Both the phantom test and the clinical results showed that the quality of the image was improved in Q.Clear was applied. The SUVmax was highly measured in Q.Clear and the lesions were clearly distinguished visually. Therefore Q.Clear can be useful in various aspects such as dose-reduction, patients evaluation and image analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.124-132
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological activities such as cytotoxicity and anti-inflammation using Manjakani (Quercus infectoria Olivier) extract. Manjakani was extracted from hot DW and 80% ethanol. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay on RAW 264.7 cells. Also, anti-inflammatory activities were measured through changes in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), leukotrien B4 (LTB₄), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α) and transcription factor on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The results confirmed that significant cytotoxicity does not appear in the concentration range of 1, 5, and 10 ㎍/㎖ of both extracts of this study. The production of NO was slowed by approximately MDE 37.2% and MEE 43.7% at 10 ㎍/㎖ concentration. Also, level of PGE₂ and LTB₄ was decreased MDE 30.9%/MEE 43.7% and MDE 37.1%/MEE 43.7%. In the case of inflammatory cytokine was reduced to MDE 38.8%/MEE 50.8% for IL-1β, MDE 35.0%/MEE 44.2% for IL-6 and MDE 31.9%/MEE 36.6% for TNF-α at 10 ㎍/㎖ concentration. The mRNA expression of NF-κB, iNOS and COX-2 significantly decreased by MDE 44.0%/MEE 16.0%, MDE 44.0%/MEE 55.0% and MDE 45.0%/MEE 40.0%, respectively, following the 10 ㎍/mL sample treatment when compared to the control. Both extracts were effective in anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, both extracts showed efficient changes of production of NO, PGE₂, LTB₄, pro-inflammatory cytokines and transcription factor. But MEE was found to have a higher inhibitory effect than MDE. In other words, Manjakani was showed significant biological activities showing anti-inflammation without cytotoxicity. These results will be provided as fundamental data for further development of the new health food and therapeutics related to the results above.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2011

Purpose: $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT has been known a useful modality to diagnose high-glucose-using cells such as cancer cells by glucose metabolism of FDG. Mainly, FDG takes on cancer and inflammatory cells; However, There have been FDG uptakes on normal tissues by individual physiological characteristics, occasionally. Especially, in fertile females, unusual FDG uptake of breast changes as the menstrual cycle, and disturb diagnosis. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the change of breast FDG uptake in menstrual cycle on $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT. Materials and Methods: 160 females ($34{\pm}3.5$ years old) who do not undergo a gynecologic anamnesis and have regular menstrual cycle over the previous 6 months were examined, from March 2009 to February 2010. They were divided 4 groups (each 40 patients) as flow phase, proliferative phase, ovulatory phase and secretory phase using Pregnancy Calculator 0.14. and history taking. Discovery Ste (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, Mi, USA) was used as PET/CT. We analyzed SUVs on accumulated region on breast, and 3 nuclear medicine specialists did the Blind test. Results: SUVs on the Breast were flow phase ($1.64{\pm}0.25$), proliferative phase ($0.93{\pm}0.28$), ovulatory phase ($1.66{\pm}0.26$) and secretory phase ($1.77{\pm}0.28$). It showed high uptake value in secretory, flow phase and ovulatory phase (p<0.05). In gross analysis, the accumulation of breast was divided into 3 grades as comparing with lung and liver. The breast's uptake was equal to lung (Grade I); between lung and liver (Grade II); equal to or greater than liver (Grade III). The results showed high uptake value in secretory, flow phase and ovulatory phase (p<0.05). Conclusion: In fertile females, FDG uptake of breast changed as menstrual cycle, and it available to diagnose breast disease. Therefore, we consider reducing false-negative finding of breast disease, by doing examination on appropriate period through history taking about individual menstrual cycle.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2014

Purpose: After I-131 therapy, SPECT/CT is useful in identifying location of thyroid remnants and metastasis of thyroid cancers. An excessive uptake of thyroid leads to a ringing artifact in the SPECT images. The aim of this study is to investigate and suggest a proper post filters to remove ringing artifact and produce better image quality. Materials and Methods: A low-cost, customized thyroid-mimicking phantom, consisting of an acrylic bottle and a hollow sphere was used for SPECT/CT Discovery (GE Healthcare, USA). It was filled with I-131 solution. The ratio of hollow sphere to background were varied as 50:1, 200:1, 1000:1 and 4000:1. Acquired images were reconstructed by OSEM (2 iterations, 10 subsets) with and without Evolution (resolution recovery correction, GE). Three different post-filters were applied; Butterworth (cut off: 0.38 to 0.58 with intervals of 0.05), Hanning (cut off: 0.8 to 1 with intervals of 0.05) and Gaussian (FWHM: 3 to 5 with intervals of 0.5) filters. Contrast, background variability, air area variability, and full width half maximum (FWHM) were compared. Results: Higher contrasts were obtained from the SPECT images with Evolution than without Evolution. In the case of images without Evolution, image distortion such as star artifact was generated. For all sphere-to-background ratio, the Butterworth filter showed better constrasts and FWHMs than other two filters, but the ringing artifact was still generated in all studies except 50:1 and it was decreased as cutoff value was increased. The ringing artifact didn't appear with Hanning and Gaussian filters at all studies, however constrats and FWHMs with Gaussian was worse than Hanning filter. For the images having ringing artifacts, the background variability and air area variability were increased. Conclusion: In this study, we suggested that it is desirable to use Hanning filter when the ringing artifact is generated and to use Butterworth filter when ringing artifact is not generated in I-131 SPECT.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2015

Purpose We considered the correlation of Ejection Fraction (EF) which was analyzed by Multi Gated Blood Pool Scan (MUGA) and Echocardiography (ECHO) for the patients who were classified according to the condition of cardiac function. Materials and Methods We analyzed the patients (female 60) who were diagnosed with breast cancer and were examined by both MUGA and ECHO. The 30 patients (age: $58.27{\pm}13.48$) who were analyzed into less than 50% to 70% of EF were categorized as normal group and the other 30 patients (age: $53.70{\pm}8.45$) who were analyzed into less than 50% of EF were categorized as abnormal group. Statistical analysis with SPSS ver. 18 was applied. Results Each of the value of mean and standard deviation of normal group was $66.43{\pm}5.80$ (MUGA), $60.50{\pm}4.93$ (ECHO). There was a significant difference (p<0.001). Each of the value of mean and standard deviation of abnormal group was $41.93{\pm}7.58$ (MUGA), $41.70{\pm}11.49$ (ECHO). There was no significant difference (p>0.001). In the result, all 30 cases of normal group showed the same reading. 8 out of 30 cases in abnormal group showed inconsistency of the reading. Conclusion We could confirm the correlation of the EF in MUGA and ECHO statistically. There was difference between abnormal groups from the result of reading. If we are aware of the result according to the different cardiac function categorization, MUGA and ECHO can be used as even more accurate interchangeable test.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.274-279
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• 2018

To evaluate the antioxidant activities of Korean and Chinese Torreya seeds, their total phenolic compound content, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical and ONOO-scavenging activities were compared using their water and methanol extracts. The effective compounds were identified and quantitatively analyzed by GC-MS. The DPPH and ONOO-scavenging activities were the highest in the Korean Torreya seeds. After using GC-MS to identify the active compounds, a total of eight compounds were identified in Korean Torreya seeds, and five compounds were found in Chinese Torreya seeds. In conclusion, we could confirm the antioxidant activity and the difference between active compounds of the Korean and Chinese Torreya seeds; we also confirmed the superiority of Korean Torreya seeds. Futhermore, this basic data about the Korean and Chinese Torreya seeds can be provided to consumers, so that they can select proper and suitable functional foods.