• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.234-240
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• 2007

Purpose: In this study we propose a block-iterative method for reconstructing Compton scattered data. This study shows that the well-known expectation maximization (EM) approach along with its accelerated version based on the ordered subsets principle can be applied to the problem of image reconstruction for Compton camera. This study also compares several methods of constructing subsets for optimal performance of our algorithms. Materials and Methods: Three reconstruction algorithms were implemented; simple backprojection (SBP), EM, and ordered subset EM (OSEM). For OSEM, the projection data were grouped into subsets in a predefined order. Three different schemes for choosing nonoverlapping subsets were considered; scatter angle-based subsets, detector position-based subsets, and both scatter angle- and detector position-based subsets. EM and OSEM with 16 subsets were performed with 64 and 4 iterations, respectively. The performance of each algorithm was evaluated in terms of computation time and normalized mean-squared error. Results: Both EM and OSEM clearly outperformed SBP in all aspects of accuracy. The OSEM with 16 subsets and 4 iterations, which is equivalent to the standard EM with 64 iterations, was approximately 14 times faster in computation time than the standard EM. In OSEM, all of the three schemes for choosing subsets yielded similar results in computation time as well as normalized mean-squared error. Conclusion: Our results show that the OSEM algorithm, which have proven useful in emission tomography, can also be applied to the problem of image reconstruction for Compton camera. With properly chosen subset construction methods and moderate numbers of subsets, our OSEM algorithm significantly improves the computational efficiency while keeping the original quality of the standard EM reconstruction. The OSEM algorithm with scatter angle- and detector position-based subsets is most available.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.126-134
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• 1999

To provide the basic information for the water improvement and control of water resource in Nakdong river districts, the physico-chemical characteristics of water in four main streams and three branch streams of the river were investigated through 36 times totally, one time per each month from January in 1995 to November in 1997. The pH values of each sites in main or branch stream of Nakdong river was pH $6.3{\sim}9.3$ range, pH range of Jukpo and Namji area at spring and fall was almost over pH 8.5, which was exceeded the water quality standard for agriculture. DO values of Nakdong river was almost $8.0{\sim}13mg/l$, except for Kangchang area in downstream of Kumho river. BOD values in Dasa area where was prior to mixing of Kumho river was $1.5{\sim}4.8mg/l$, which was under the water quality standard for agriculture(8mg/l), but BOD values followed mixing of Kumho river was over the permit standard of agricultural water as $3.8{\sim}8.9mg/l$ in Koryung, $3.4{\sim}8.4mg/l$ in Jukpo and $3.3{\sim}7.8mg/l$ in Namji according to time or season. Especially, BOD values at Gangchang area in Kumho river were $7.6{\sim}18.5mg/l$, which was over the water quality standard for agriculture and so Kumho river was a main pollutant: source of Nakdong river. COD values of main stream of Nakdong river was over the permit standard of agriculture(8mg/l) as $5.2{\sim}13.5mg/l$ in Koryvng, $5.0{\sim}12.7mg/l$ in Jukpo and $5.0{\sim}12.2mg/l$ in Namji according to time or season. And COD values was much high rather than BOD values and its gap of concentration was increased along with downstream. $NH_4-N$ of main stream of Nakdong river followed mixing of Kumho river($0.5{\sim}13.1mg/l$) was the highest affected in Koryung($0.18{\sim}5.0mg/l$) and detected much more in winter than in summer. T-N in Koryung($4.96{\sim}12.06mg/l$) followed mixing of Kumho river was significantly high rather than $2.86{\sim}4.86mg/l$ in Dasa, $4.20{\sim}8.20mg/l$ in Jukpo and $3.18{\sim}8.64mg/l$ in Namji, which was almost over the permit standard of agricultural water(1.0mg/l). T-P in Koryung($0.10{\sim}0.58mg/l$) also was significantly high rather than those $0.07{\sim}0.36mg/l$ in Jukpo and $0.08{\sim}0.4mg/l$ in Namji as over the standard of agricultural water(0.1mg/l). The concentration of T-N or T-P in Nakdong districts was trended of increasing in every year.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.213-232
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• 2000

The development of the knee joint was studied by electron microscopy in human fetuses ranging from 20 mm to 260 mm crown-rump length ($7\sim30$ weeks of gestational age). The appearance of the primordium of the meniscus and cruciate ligament was conspicuous as the mesenchymal cells , preceeding that of joint space at 30 mm fetus. The primitive joint cavity was first seen in the interzone from the 40 mm fetus and its intermediate layer proceeded developing as a narrow cleft which was closely incorporated with two chondrogenic layers. Poorly differentiated mesenchymal cells of the meniscus at 40 mm fetus containing predominantly free ribosomes differentiated into fibroblasts at 60 mm fetus. By 100 mm fetus, the fibroblast in inner zone of the meniscus presented as oval profiles with a short cell processes, whereas middle and peripheral zones presented as elongated cells. Differentiation of the synovial membrane coincided with clarification of the joint cavity When dilatation of the synovial cavity occurred, the two types of synovial cells were identified at 60 mm fetus. By 100 mm fetus a majority of the intimal cells were B-type. B-type cells were clearly distinguishable from A-type cells by their content of extensive rough endoplasmic reticula and well developed Golgi complexes. In contrast, A-type cells had numerous filopodia, pinocytotic vesicles, lysosomes and large vacuoles. At 260 mm fetus the B-type cells were also a majority of intimal cells. At 260 mm fetus the inner zone of the meniscus was filled with parallel oriented fascicles of collagenous fibers and oval fibroblasts. The middle zone was constituted of parallel and radially arranged fibers and fibroblasts. The outer zone was populated by elongated fibroblasts encircled by crossed collagenous fibers with the blood vessels. At 30 mm fetus the fibroblasts of the cruciate ligament contained rough endoplasmic reticula and mitochondria. Collagen fibrils were noted within narrow cytoplasmic processes which were continued with the extracellular space. Collagen fibrils of ligament were filled in the bulk of extracellular space at 100 mm fetus. By $150\sim260mm$ fetus, the cruciate ligaments were constituted of longitudinally oriented bundle of collagen fibrils with irregular rows of round cells between.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 1993

Phase relations in the system Pd-Sb-Te were investigated at $1000^{\circ}$, $800^{\circ}$, and $600^{\circ}C$, using the sealed-capsule technique; the quenched products were studied by reflected light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis. At $1000^{\circ}C$, the solid phases Pd, $Pd_{20}Sb_7$, $Pd_8Sb_3$, $Pd_{31}Sb_{12}$, and $Pd_5Sb_2$ are stable with a liquid phase that occupies most of the isothermal diagram. Additional solid phases at $800^{\circ}C$ are $Pd_5Sb_3$, PdSb, $Pd_8Te_3$, $Pd_7Te_3$, and a continuous $Pd_{20}Te_7-Pd_{20}Sb_7$ solid solution becomes stable. At $600^{\circ}$, $PdSb_2$, $Pd_{17}Te_4$, $Pd_9Te_4$, PdTe, $PdTe_2$, $Sb_2Te_3$, and Sb and continuous PdSb-PdTe and $PdTe-PdTe_2$ solid solutions are stable. All the solid phases exhibit solid solution, mainly by substitution between Sb and Te to an extent that varies with temperature of formation. The maximum substitution (at.%) of Te for Sb in the Pd-Sb phases is: 44.3 in $Pd_8Sb_3$, 52.0 in $Pd_{31}Sb_{12}$, 46.2 in $Pd_5Sb_2$ at $800^{\circ}C$; 15.3 in $Pd_5Sb_3$, 68.3 in $PdSb_2$ at $600^{\circ}C$. The maximum substitution (at.%) of Sb for Te in the Pd-Te phases is 34.5 in $Pd_5Sb_3$ at $800^{\circ}C$, and 41.6 in $Pd_7Te_3$, 5.2 in $Pd_{17}T_4$, 12.4 in $Pd_9Te_4$, and 19.1 in $PdTe_2$ at $600^{\circ}C$. Physical properties and X-ray data of the synthetic $Pd_9Te_4$, PdTe, $PdTe_2$, $Pd_8Sb_3$, PdSb, and $Sb_2Te_3$ correspond very well with those of telluropalladinite, kotulskite, merenskyite, mertieite II, sudburyite, and tellurantimony, respectively. Because X-ray powder diffraction data consistently reveal a 310 peak ($2.035{\AA}$), the $PdSb_2$ phase is most probably of cubic structure with space group $P2_13$. The X-ray powder pattern of a phase with PdSbTe composition, synthesized at $600^{\circ}C$, compares well with that of testibipalladite. Therefore, testibiopalladite may be a member of the $PdSb_2-Pd(Sb_{0.32}Te_{0.68})$ solid solution series which is cubic and $P2_13$ in symmetry. Thus the ideal fonnula for testibiopalladite, presently PdSbTe, must be revised to PdTe(Sb, Te). Borovskite($pd_3SbTe_4$) has not been found in the synthetic system in the temperature range $1000^{\circ}-600^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.373-386
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate effects of the brown seaweed residues supplementation on in vitro fermentation, and milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows. Therefore, two experiments consisting of an in vitro and an in vivo growth trial were used. In in vitro experiment, brown seaweed residues(BSR) was supplemented in basal diet with 0, 1, 2 and 4% respectively, and incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h. The pH value, ammonia-N and VFA were investigated. The pH value tended to increase with increasing BSR during the incubation. Particularly, pH was significantly higher in BSR treatments compared with control at 9 h(p < 0.05). While, ammonia-N concentration was not significantly different across treatments during the whole incubation. BSR supplementation did not affect total VFA production, but acetate was linearly increased in BSR treatments compared with control at 12 h(p < 0.05), and its concentration was highest(92.70 mM) in 4% BSR among treatments. The concentration of iso-butyrate tended to increase in BSR treatments in comparison to control during the incubation. In addition, the concentration of iso-valerate was higher in BSR treatments compared with control at 12 and 24 h. In growth trial, BSR was added(800 g/d/animaI) to diets of dairy cow. Dry matter intake was not affected by BSR supplementation, but daily milk yield(kg) significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control(p < 0.05). However, milk composition(%) and milk yield(kg) were not significantly different between treatments. Milk fat(% and kg/d) tended to slightly decrease in BSR treatment compared with control(3.59% and 1.06 kg/d vs. 3.32% and 1.01 kg/d), The contents of C16:0 and C20:4 in milk significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control reflecting from dietary fatty acid composition. The content of C18:0 in milk which is end product of biohydrogenation of CI8 unsaturated fatty acids in the rumen significantly increased in BSR treatment compared with control(p < 0.05). C18:2 content in milk tended to decrease, but tended to increase trans-II C18:l and CLA contents in milk in BSR treatment compared with control. In conclusion, it could be summarized that BSR may stabilize rumen pH, and it could improve milk yield and CIA content in milk with more than 4% of diet. Therefore, BSR could be beneficially used in dairy diets as a feed additive.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2011

Plantago asiatica L. (P. asiatica) has been used as one of the popular folk medicines in Asia for human health care practices. Various activities of P. asiatica have been reported, such as anti-oxidant, anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity. Therefore, the potential of P. asiatica to reduce oxidative stress has been studied in several ways for over 20 years, especially at liver and kidney. However no investigation has been reported revealing its protective effect on prostate. Method: Treatment of P. asiatica leaf ethanolic extract (PLE) (1 g/kg body weight (b.w.), 2 g/kg b.w., or 4 g/kg b.w.) were given separately to animals for pretreatment once per day for 7 days, and on the seventh day ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA; 0.24 mmol Fe/kg b.w.), which is known as an oxidative stress-inducer at prostate, was administrated by i.p to negative control group. At the end of the study period, dissection was carried out for detecting the prostate protective effect of PLE. Result: Fe-NTA-treated animals produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in depletion of antioxidant biomaker, such as glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione s-transferase (GST) and increase of lipid peroxidation in prostate. However, PLE pretreatment resulted in an increase in the GSH, GST and GR levels concentration dependent manner and in an significant decrease in the levels of lipid peroxidation. Conclusion: Our data suggest that PLE may be effective in protecting oxidative stress-induced damage of prostate, and PLE may be an chemopreventive agent against Fe-NTA-mediated prostate oxidative damage.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the dietary behaviors and food intake patterns of university students according to the obesity index(OI). The subjects were 349 students(107 males and 242 females) who were assigned to one of the following groups based on the percentage of ideal body weight: underweight(OI< 90%), normal ($90%{\leq}Ol<10%$) and overweight($OI{\geq}110%$). The dietary behaviors and food intake patterns were evaluated by questionnaires and 24 hour recall method. The results were summarized as follows. The rates of underweight, normal, and overweight students were 33.8%, 61.0%, and 5.2% respectively. The ratios of underweight was higher than overweight, especially in case of female. The 60.46% of subjects responded that they had an irregular eating habits, especially in overweight group(72.22%). The 52.44% of subjects showed skipping mealtime more than one time per day. The overweight group had a tendency to overeat themselves than other groups. The normal group had less unbalanced dietary pattern than the other groups(p<0.0019). Most subjects had a snack(96.27%). The percentage of those who drank and smoked were 86.74% and 19.54%, respectively. The smoking value was significantly higher in the overweight group(p<0.0009). The food consumption frequency by food groups was not different among the groups except instant and fast food. More than 50% subjects consumed fish, legumes & its products, and vegetables everyday. There was significantly less rate of the instant and fast food consumption frequency in the normal group(p<0.0177). The 3/4 subjects that showed the lower consumed level in RDA(< 75%) were under-nutritional state in the Fe and Ca. In case of Ca, there was a higher NAR value in the overweight group(p<0.0257) significantly, and Fe, protein, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, and niacin showed similar tendencies. The INQ of Fe was significantly higher in the overweight group than other groups(p<0.0335).

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2012

Purpose: This study mainly focuses on the patients treated with chemically stable radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO (d,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime) which yielded reduced image quality due to a decreased brain extraction rate. $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO will be examined further to determine whether this product may be accounted as a factor for this cause. Material and Methods: From January 2010 until December 2010, out of 272 patients who were all subjected to $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO brain blood flow SPECT scans resulting from Cerebral Infarction; 23 patients(ages $55.3{\pm}9$, 21 males, 3 females) with decreased tissue extraction rate were examined in detail. The radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO was used on patients with normal brain tissue exchange rate as well as those with reduced rate in order to prove its' chemical stability. The patients' age, sex, blood pressure, existence of diabetes, drug use, current health status, known side effects from CT/MRI, examination of the patients' past SPECT before/after images were accounted to determine the factors and correlations affecting the rate of blood tissue extractions. Result: After multiple linear regression analysis, there were no unusual correlations between the 6 factors excluding sex, and before/after examination images. Male subjects showed reduced brain tissue extraction rate than the females ($p$ > 0.05) 91.3% male, 8.7% female. Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks Test was used on the before/after images which yielded a value of 0.06, which did not indicate a significant amount of difference on the 2 tests ($p$ > 0.05). As a result, the before/after images indicated similar brain tissue extraction rates, and there were variations depending on the individual patient. Conclusion: The effects of the chemically stable radiopharmaceutical product $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO depended on the patient's personal characteristics and status, therefore was considered to be a factor in reducing brain tissue extraction rate. The related articles of $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO cerebral blood flow SPECT speculates a cerebrovascular disease and factors resulting from portal veins, and it was not possible to pin point the exact cause of decreasing brain tissue extraction rate. However, the $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO cerebral blood flow SPECT scan proved to be extremely useful in tracking and inspecting brain diseases, as well as offering accurate results from patients suffering from reduced brain tissue extraction rates.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2012

Purpose: Most of diagnosis in the pediatric hydronephrosis patients have been performed $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA renal scan. Then the region of interest (ROI) is set for comparative analysis of uptake ratio in left-right kidney after acquiring the image. But if the equipment set an automatic ROI, the ROI could include expanded renal pelvis due to hydronephrosis and the uptake ratio of left-right kidney will be incorrect result. Therefore this study compared both ROIs including expanded renal pelvis and excluding renal pelvis through experiment using normal kidney phantom and expanded renal pelvis phantom and suggested setting method of improved ROI. In addition, this study have been helped by readout doctor for investigate distinction radiopharmaceutical uptake between renal cortex and remained urine by expanded renal pelvis. Materials and Methods: The both of renal phantoms were filled with water and shacked with $^{99m}TcO_4$ 111 MBq. In order to describe the expanded renal pelvis, the five latex balloon were all filled with 10 mL water and each of balloon was mixed with $^{99m}TcO_4$ 18.5, 37, 55.5, 74, 92.5 MBq. And we made phantom with fixed $^{99m}TcO_4$activity of 37 MBq and mixed water 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 mL in each balloon. The left kidney was fixed its shape and the right kidney was modified like as hydronephrosis kidney by attached the latex balloons. And the acquiring counts were 2 million. After acquisition, we compared the image of ROI with Expanded renal pelvis and the image of ROI without renal pelvis for analyzing difference in the uptake ratio of left-right kidney and for reproducibility, set the ROI 5 times in the same images. Patients were injected $^{99m}Tc$-DMSA 1.5~1.9 MBq/kg and scanned 3 to 4 hours after injection. The each of 3 skillful radio technologists performed the comparing estimation by setting ROI. To determine statistical significance between two data, SPSS (ver. 17) Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used. Results: As a result of renal phantom's experiment, we compared with average of counts Background (BKG) ratios in the setting of ROI including expanded renal pelvis and setting of excluding expanded renal pelvis. Therefore, they can obtain changed counts and changed ratios. Patient also can obtain same results. In addition, the radiopharmaceutical uptake in expanded renal pelvis was come out the remained urine that couldn't descend to ureter by the help of readout doctor. Conclusion: As above results, the case of setting ROI including expanded renal pelvis was more abnormally increasing uptake ratio than the case of setting ROI excluding expanded renal pelvis in analysis the uptake ratio in left-right kidney of hydronephrosis. Because of the work convenience and prompted analysis, the automatic ROI is generally used. But in case of the hydronephrosis study, we should set the manual ROI without expanded renal pelvis for an accurate observation of the uptake ratio of left-right kidney since the radiopharmaceutical uptake in expanded renal pelvis is the remained urine.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.21-25
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• 2010

Purpose: For better PET imaging with accuracy the transmission scanning is inevitably required for attenuation correction. The attenuation is affected by condition of acquisition and patient position, consequently quantitative accuracy may be decreased in emission scan imaging. In this paper, the present study aims at providing the measurement for attenuation varying with the positions of the patient's arm in whole body PET/CT, further performing the comparative analysis over its SUV changes. Materials and Methods: NEMA 1994 PET phantom was filled with $^{18}F$-FDG and the concentration ratio of insert cylinder and background water fit to 4:1. Phantom images were acquired through emission scanning for 4min after conducting transmission scanning by using CT. In an attempt to acquire image at the state that the arm of the patient was positioned at the lower of ahead, image was acquired in away that two pieces of Teflon inserts were used additionally by fixing phantoms at both sides of phantom. The acquired imaged at a were reconstructed by applying the iterative reconstruction method (iteration: 2, subset: 28) as well as attenuation correction using the CT, and then VOI was drawn on each image plane so as to measure CT number and SUV and comparatively analyze axial uniformity (A.U=Standard deviation/Average SUV) of PET images. Results: It was found from the above phantom test that, when comparing two cases of whether Teflon insert was fixed or removed, the CT number of cylinder increased from -5.76 HU to 0 HU, while SUV decreased from 24.64 to 24.29 and A.U from 0.064 to 0.052. And the CT number of background water was identified to increase from -6.14 HU to -0.43 HU, whereas SUV decreased from 6.3 to 5.6 and A.U also decreased from 0.12 to 0.10. In addition, as for the patient image, CT number was verified to increase from 53.09 HU to 58.31 HU and SUV decreased from 24.96 to 21.81 when the patient's arm was positioned over the head rather than when it was lowered. Conclusion: When arms up protocol was applied, the SUV of phantom and patient image was decreased by 1.4% and 9.2% respectively. With the present study it was concluded that in case of PET/CT scanning against the whole body of a patient the position of patient's arm was not so much significant. Especially, the scanning under the condition that the arm is raised over to the head gives rise to more probability that the patient is likely to move due to long scanning time that causes the increase of uptake of $^{18}F$-FDG of brown fat at the shoulder part together with increased pain imposing to the shoulder and discomfort to a patient. As regarding consideration all of such factors, it could be rationally drawn that PET/CT scanning could be made with the arm of the subject lowered.