• Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.113-118
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• 2015

An important problem in low-dose CT is the image quality degradation caused by photon starvation. There are a lot of algorithms in sinogram domain or image domain to solve this problem. In view of strong self-similarity contained in the special sinusoid-like strip data in the sinogram space, we propose a novel non-local filtering, whose average weights are related to both the image FBP (filtered backprojection) reconstructed from restored sinogram data and the image directly FBP reconstructed from noisy sinogram data. In the process of sinogram restoration, we apply a non-local method with smoothness parameters adjusted adaptively to the variance of noisy sinogram data, which makes the method much effective for noise reduction in sinogram domain. Simulation experiments show that our proposed method by filtering in both image and projection domains has a better performance in noise reduction and details preservation in reconstructed images.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.355-362
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• 2010

본 연구는 영상의 질을 저해하지 않는 범위 내에서 환자의 흡수선량을 최소화 할 수 있는 두부 전산화 단층촬영의 노출매개변수 값의 범위를 알아보고 선량감소가 필요한 환자에 대해서 적용 가능한 최적의 노출조건을 찾고자 하였다. 이를 위해 두부촬영 시 사용되는 기존의 전산화단층촬영 변수로부터 얻어진 영상의 선량과 잡음성분을 측정하였다. 또한 두부용 팬텀을 사용하여 관전압과 회전시간을 변화시켜서 영상을 얻었으며, 선량과 잡음(Noise), 최대량 신호대 잡음비(PSNR) 측정을 통해 실험 영상을 평가하였다. 실험결과는 첫째, 관전압과 회전시간을 변화시켜 선량을 측정한 결과 기존 두부촬영조건에서 얻어지는 선량의 재현성 실험에서 선량 측정값의 유효성이 입증되었다. 둘째, 저 선량과 고화질의 노출 조건을 찾기 위한 방법으로 선량과 잡음값의 관계는 의미가 없었으며, 선량과 PSNR값의 관계는 의미가 있었다. 이를 바탕으로 제조사에서 제시하는 촬영조건으로부터 선량의 감소가 필요한 경우 본 연구에서 제시한 새로운 노출조건을 사용한다면 환자의 흡수선량은 감소시키면서 기존에 제시된 노출조건으로부터 얻어진 영상과 유사한 화질의 영상을 얻을 수 있을 것이다.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.82-88
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• 2014

SPECT/CT로 소아 복부를 검사 하는데 있어 저선량 CT 조건에 따른 흡수선량을 측정하고 SPECT와 CT 영상의 질을 평가하고, 우수한 영상의 질을 유지하면서 최저의 흡수 선량을 받을 수 있는 tube voltage (kVp)와 tube current (mA)의 설정 방향을 알아보는데 목적을 두었다. 장비는 Discovery NM/CT 670을 사용하였다. PMMA phatom을 이용하여 80, 100 kVp 10, 15, 20, 25 mA의 조건을 설정하여 중심방향과 주변방향(3, 6, 9, 12시 방향의 평균) 의 흡수선량을 측정하였고, 그에 따른 image를 SNRD로 평가 하였다. CT QA performance phantom으로 CT image의 resolution을 MTF로 나타내었고, jaszczak phantom을 hot sphere와 배후방사의 비를 $^{99}mTc$을 1:8로 주입하여 4개의 sphere에 대한 SPECT image를 CNR로 평가하였다. 선량측정에서는 주변방향의 선량이 중심방향 선량보다 평균 7% 높게 측정되었으며, SNRD는 조건에 따라 유의한 차이가 없었으며 Resolution 평가에서는 0.385 lp/mm 기준으로 100 kVp가 80 kVp보다 평균 12% 재현성이 우수하였으며, jaszczak phantom을 이용해서 CT를 기반으로 한 attenuation correction 된 SPECT image를 CNR로 평가한 결과 CT조건의 변화와 무관하게 4개의 sphere 모두 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 본 연구는 SPECT/CT 검사에서 최저의 흡수선량을 유지하고 우수한 영상의 질을 획득하는데 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.111-115
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• 2011

PET/CT(Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography) is an examination combining morphological and functional information in one examination. The purpose of this study is to see the lowest CT dose for attenuation correction in the PET/CT maintaining good image quality when considering CT scan dose to the patients. We injected $^{18}F$-FDG and water into the cylinder shaped phantom, and obtained emission images for 3 mins and transmission images(140 kVp, 8 sec, 10~200 mA for transmission images), and reconstructed the images to PET/CT images with Iterative method. Data(Maximum, Minimum, Average, Standard Deviation) were obtained by drawing a circular ROI(Region Of Interest) on each sphere in each image set with Image J program. And then described SD according to the CT and PEC/CT images as graphes. Through the graphes, we got the relationships of mA and quality of images. SDs according to CT graph were 16.25 at 10 mA, 7.26 at 50 mA, 5.5 at 100 mA, 4.29 at 150 mA, and 3.83 at 200 mA, i.e. the higer mA, the better image quality was presented. SDs according to PET/CT graph were 1823.2 at 10 mA, 1825.1 at 50 mA, 1828.4 at 100 mA, 1813.8 at 150 mA, and 1811.3 at 200 mA. Calculated SDs at PET/CT images were maintained. This means images quality is maintained having nothing to do with mA of high and low.

• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2011

Table strapis patient fixture for securing the patient movements and falls. if it designed to measure the abdominal circumference and used as an indicator of dose selection at CT scan. it will prevent the overexposure of dose without degradation of image quality and efficiently manage dose of each type of body to technician to deal with CT. First, in order to compare the dose used in CT image and qualitative characteristics. reference image is obtained by examining the abdominal phantom in same conditions with the hospital 120 kVp, 200 mAs, D-Dom (Dynamic Dose Of Modulation). SNR, PSNR, RMSE, MAE, CTDIvol of CT images are compared with reference image. for comparing with reference image, the image that Umbilicus level image of Abdomen CT is stored in the PACS were used. For comparison, the top 12 o'clock portion of the air drawn from the same ROI was measured. CTDIvol, mAs, etc. In order to analyze the characteristics of the image, by measuring the length of the umbilicus circumference, pattern of the dose was analyzed. by using the analyzed perimeter and dose information, To be identified visually, fixed band that scale marked were produced. Use them, If the length of circumference of less than 60 cm 100 mAs, Case of 61~80 cm 120 mAs, Case of 80~100 cm 150 mAs, more than 100 cm 200 mAs, dose selection based on the perimeter, the image was applied. by compare analyzed with the Reference Image, image quality was assessed. by compare with existing tests that equally 200 mAs applied, How much was confirmed that the dose reduction. 1. Depending on the Abdominal circumference, the average PSNR(dB) of the image that differently dose applied was 45.794. 2. Comparing with existing test. the dose of scan that adjusted the mAs depending on the circumference was decreased about 40%. SNR and PSNR of the image that obtained by adjusting the standard mAs based on dose modulation were not much different. Therefore, By choosing a low mAs. dose reduction can be obtained. and the dose selection method that measured Abdominal circumference using a fixed band can protect the overexposure and uniformly apply dose of each type of body to technician to deal with CT.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Low-dose radiation exposure has received considerable attention because it reflects the general public's type and level of exposure. Still, controversy remains due to the relatively unclear results and uncertainty in risk estimation compared to high-dose radiation. However, recent epidemiological studies report direct evidence of health effects for various types of low-dose radiation exposure. In particular, international nuclear workers' studies, CT exposure studies, and children's cancer studies on natural radiation showed significantly increased cancer risk among the study populations despite their low-dose radiation exposure. These studies showed similar results even when the cumulative radiation dose was limited to an exposure group of less than 100 mGy, demonstrating that the observed excess risk was not affected by high exposure. A linear dose-response relationship between radiation exposure and cancer incidence has been observed, even at the low-dose interval. These recent epidemiological studies include relatively large populations, and findings are broadly consistent with previous studies on Japanese atomic bomb survivors. However, the health effects of low-dose radiation are assumed to be small compared to the risks that may arise from other lifestyle factors; therefore, the benefits of radiation use should be considered at the individual level through a balanced interpretation. Further low-dose radiation studies are essential to accurately determining the benefits and risks of radiation.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.99-109
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• 2023

Purpose: CT scan makes up for the weak point of the nuclear medicine image having a low resolution and also were used for attenuation correction on image reconstruction. Recently, many studies try to make use of CT images additionally, one of them is to measure the bone mineral density(BMD) using Quantitative CT(QCT) software. BMD exams are performed to scan lumbar and femur with DXA(Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry) in order to diagnose bone disease such as osteopenia, osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to identify the usefulness of QCT_BMD analyzed with low dose CT images on L-spine Bone SPECT/CT comparing with DXA_BMD. Materials and Methods: Fifty five women over 50 years old (mean 66.4 ± 9.1) who took the both examinations(L-spine Bone SPECT/CT with SIEMENS Intevo 16 and DXA scan with GE Lunar prodigy advance) within 90 days from April 2017 to July 2022, BMD, T-score and disease classification were analyzed. Three-dimensional BMD was analyzed with low dose CT images acquired on L-spine Bone SPECT/CT scan on Mindways QCT PRO^TM software and two-dimensional BMD was analyzed on DXA scan. Basically, Lumbar 1-4 were analyzed and the patients who has lesion or spine implants on L-spine were excluded for this study. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed in BMD and T-score, chi-square test was performed in disease classification between QCT and DXA. Results: On 55 patients, the minimum of QCT_BMD was 18.10, maximum was 166.50, average was 82.71 ± 31.5 mg/cm³. And the minimum of DXA-BMD was 0.540, maximum was 1.302, average was 0.902 ± 0.201 g/cm², respectively. The result shows a strong statistical correlation between QCT_BMD and DXA_BMD(p<0.001, r=0.76). The minimum of QCT_T-score was -5.7, maximum was -0.1, average was -3.2 ± 1.3 and the minimum of DXA_T-score was -5.0, maximum was 1.7, average was -2.0 ± 1.3, respectively. The result shows a statistical correlation between QCT T-score and DXA T-score (p<0.001, r=0.66). On the disease classification, normal was 5, osteopenia was 25, osteoporosis was 25 in QCT and normal was 10, osteopenia was 25, osteoporosis was 20 in DXA. There was under-estimation of bone decrease relatively on DXA than QCT, but there was no significant differences statistically by chi-square test between QCT and DXA. Conclusion: Through this study, we could identify that the QCT measurement with low dose CT images QCT from L-Spine Bone SPECT/CT was reliable because of a strong statistical correlation between QCT_BMD and DXA_BMD. Bone SPECT/CT scan can provide three-dimensional information also BMD measurement with CT images. In the future, rather than various exams such as CT, BMD, Bone scan are performed, it will be possible to provide multipurpose information via only SPECT/CT scan. In addition, it will be very helpful clinically in the sense that we can provide a diagnosis of potential osteoporosis, especially in middle-aged patients.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.172-178
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a deep learning architecture combining two task models to generate synthetic computed tomography (sCT) images from low-tesla magnetic resonance (MR) images to improve metallic marker visibility. Methods: Twenty-three patients with cervical cancer treated with intracavitary radiotherapy (ICR) were retrospectively enrolled, and images were acquired using both a computed tomography (CT) scanner and a low-tesla MR machine. The CT images were aligned to the corresponding MR images using a deformable registration, and the metallic dummy source markers were delineated using threshold-based segmentation followed by manual modification. The deformed CT (dCT), MR, and segmentation mask pairs were used for training and testing. The sCT generation model has a cascaded three-dimensional (3D) U-Net-based architecture that converts MR images to CT images and segments the metallic marker. The performance of the model was evaluated with intensity-based comparison metrics. Results: The proposed model with segmentation loss outperformed the 3D U-Net in terms of errors between the sCT and dCT. The structural similarity score difference was not significant. Conclusions: Our study shows the two-task-based deep learning models for generating the sCT images using low-tesla MR images for 3D ICR. This approach will be useful to the MR-only workflow in high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study has attempted to evaluate and compare the image evaluation and exposure dose by respectively applying Filtered Back Projection(FBP), the existing test method, and Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction(ASIR) with different values of tube voltage during the Low Dose Computed Tomography(LDCT). Materials and Methods: With the image reconstruction method as basis, Chest Phantom was utilized with the FBP and ASIR set at 10%, 20% respectively, and the change of Tube Voltage (100kVp, 120kVp). For image evaluation, Back ground noise, Signal to Noise ratio(SNR) and Contrast to Noise ratio(CNR) were measured, and, for dose evaluation, CTDIvol and DLP were measured respectively. The statistical analysis was tested with SPSS(ver. 22.0), followed by ANOVA Test conducted after normality test and homogeneity test. (p<0.05). Results: In terms of image evaluation, there was no outstanding difference in Ascending Aorta(AA) SNR and Infraspinatus Muscle(IM) SNR with the different values of ASIR application(p<0.05), but a significant difference with the different amount of tube voltage(p>0.05). Also, there wasn't noticeable change in CNR with ASIR and different amount of Tube Voltage (p<0.05). However, in terms of dose evaluation, CTDIvol and DLP showed contrasting results(p<0.05). In terms of CTDIvol, the measured values with the same tube voltage of 120kVp were 2.6mGy with No-ASIR and 2.17mGy with 20%-ASIR respectively, decreased by 0.43mGy, and the values with 100kVp were 1.61mGy with No-ASIR and 1.34mGy with 20%-ASIR, decreased by 0.27mGy. In terms of DLP, the measured values with 120kVp were $103.21mGy{\cdot}cm$ with No-ASIR and $85.94mGy{\cdot}cm$ with 20%-ASIR, decreased by $17.27mGy{\cdot}cm$(about 16.7%), and the values with 100kVp were $63.84mGy{\cdot}cm$ with No-ASIR and $53.25mGy{\cdot}cm$ with 20%-ASIR, a decrease by $10.62mGy{\cdot}cm$(about 16.7%). Conclusion: At lower tube voltage, the rate of dose significantly decreased, but the negative effects on image evaluation was shown due to the increase of noise. For the future, through the result of the experiment, it is considered that the method above would be recommended for follow-up patients or those who get health checkup as long as there is no interference on the process of diagnosis due to the characteristics of Low Dose examination.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.1179-1186
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• 2018

Objective: The purposes of this study were to evaluate size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) of low-dose CT (LDCT) in the Korean Lung Cancer Screening (K-LUCAS) project and to determine whether CT protocols from Western countries are appropriate for lung cancer screening in Korea. Materials and Methods: For participants (n = 256, four institutions) of K-LUCAS pilot study, volume CT dose index ($CTDI_{vol}$) using a 32-cm diameter reference phantom was compared with SSDE, which was recalculated from $CTDI_{vol}$ using size-dependent conversion factor (f-size) based on the body size, as described in the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report 204. This comparison was subsequently assessed by body mass index (BMI) levels (underweight/normal vs. overweight/obese), and automatic exposure control (AEC) adaptation (yes/no). Results: Size-specific dose estimate was higher than $CTDI_{vol}$ ($2.22{\pm}0.75mGy$ vs. $1.67{\pm}0.60mGy$, p < 0.001), since the f-size was larger than 1.0 for all participants. The ratio of SSDE to $CTDI_{vol}$ was higher in lower BMI groups; 1.26, 1.37, 1.43, and 1.53 in the obese (n = 103), overweight (n = 70), normal (n = 75), and underweight (n = 4), respectively. The ratio of SSDE to $CTDI_{vol}$ was greater in standard-sized participants than in large-sized participants independent of AEC adaptation; with AEC, SSDE/$CTDI_{vol}$ in large- vs. standard-sized participants: $1.30{\pm}0.08$ vs. $1.44{\pm}0.08$ (p < 0.001) and without AEC, $1.32{\pm}0.08$ vs. $1.42{\pm}0.06$ (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Volume CT dose index based on a reference phantom underestimates radiation exposure of LDCT in standard-sized Korean participants. The optimal radiation dose limit needs to be verified for standard-sized Korean participants.