• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2021

Background: In 2018, the government increased the fee for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image deciphering services of the external hospital to discourage the redundant MRI scan and to induce appropriate use of the MRI services. It is important to evaluate the effect of the policy to provide the basis for establishing other MRI-related policies. Methods: The healthcare data of the patients who had brain MRI scans were organized by episode and analyzed using the panel study in order to find out the effect of the MRI-related policy on the substitution effect and the medical expenses. Results: As a result of the increase in the fee of deciphering the MRI image, there has been an uplift in deciphering the MRI scan of the external hospital. It implies that more hospitals chose to use the MRI scan taken by other clinics or hospitals, rather than the MRI scan taken at their own facilities. Conclusion: The research results imply that a policy that facilitates the exchange of the medical image data between the hospitals is needed in order to establish an efficient management system of the healthcare resources. Such improvement is expected to reduce the social cost and contribute to the stability in the finance of national health insurance.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2005

Object:Nicotine dependence is the most common substance abuse disorder. One of the characteristics of nicotine dependence is craving. Regional activation of the brain induced by craving for nicotine was evaluated by using functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neuroanatomical site of smoking craving. Method:A smoker who satisfied DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence and a non smoker was studied. MRI data were acquired on a 1.5T Magnetom Vision Plus with a head volume coil. Two sets of visual stimuli were presented to subjects in a random manner. One was the film scenes of inducing smoking craving and the other was neutral stimuli not related to smoking. There were two fMRI sessions before and after smoking or sham smoking. Data were analyzed using SPM99. Results:fMRI showed significant activated area in anterior cingulate and medial frontal lobes in the smoker during smoking craving. Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes were activated in the control during visual stimulation before smoking. After smoking, there was no brain activation during visual stimulation in both of smoker and non smoker. Conclusion:Metabolic activity of the anterior cingulate and medial frontal lobes increased during craving for smoking. This result suggests that fMRI may be a valuable tool in the identification of neurobiological process of craving.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2009.12a
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• pp.769-773
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• 2009

본 연구는 MRI 검사를 받은 환자를 대상으로 영상매체(Visual equipment & Audio system)를 이용하여 영상물을 제공함으로서 불안과 불편감에 대한 효과에 대해 규명함으로써 MRI 검사로 인한 심리적, 정신적 불안과 불편 감을 감소시킬 수 있는 대체요법을 제공하기 위하여 본 연구를 시도하였다. 연구대상은 대전광역시에 위치한 K 대학병원에서 MRI 검사를 받은 환자 중 영상물을 제공받은 실험군 30명과 영상물을 제공받지 않은 대조군 30명을 대상하였다. 연구의 도구는 Spielberger의 기질불안 도구와 Cline, Herman, Shaw와 Morton이 고안한 불안점수 도구인 시각적 상사척도(VAS)를 이용하였고, 영상물을 제공하여 두 군 간의 활력징후를 측정하였고 불편감은 대상자의 주관적 불편감(어지러움, 공포감. 긴장감)점수와 객관적 불편감 행동 점수를 사용하였다. 자료 분석 방법은 SPSS12K for Windows program을 이용하였으며, 두 군의 일반적 특성 및 수술에 관련된 특성의 동질성 검증은 $\chi^2$ 검정, 가설검증은 t-test로 분석하였다. 연구결과를 요약해 보면 영상매체(Visual equipment & Audio system)를 이용하여 영상물(영화, 애니메이션)을 제공하면서 MRI 검사를 진행했을 경우 검사 대상자의 혈압 및 객관적 불편감에서는 유의한 영향을 미치지 못했으나 불안과 활력징후의 하나인 맥박의 감소, 또한 주관적 불편감이 감소됨을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 환자의 심리적인 긴장감을 완화시키며 안정감을 느끼게 하는데 효과적인 대체요법이 될 수 있을 것으로 사료 된다.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.117-126
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• 2011

This study concerns the present possession of CT and MRI machines in Daegu and the technologists' awareness of Quality Control. the study was conducted by visiting forty medical institutions as well as a survey. The survey was carried out by technologists responsible for CT and MRI. CT and MRI machines have only been used in medical institutions in Daegu for a short period. The study revealed that most of them have been acquired by those institutions recently. Most of the technologists who participated in the study are aware of the (prescribed) Quality Control measures and conduct regular inspections in accordance with the quality control chart, however some of them do not.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

The purpose of this study evaluated the hemo-dynamic information within 30 seconds clinically in 3D breast MRI. From January to March 2014, A total of 40 people were examined at 1.5 Tesla(Philips, Medical System, Achieva, The Netherlands) MRI equipments using 16 channel SENSE breast coil. The imaging parameters on vibrant are fellow as: $TR/TE/FA^{\circ}$/Matrix size/Slice thickness/Slab($5ms/2ms/10^{\circ}/180{\times}139{\times}2mm/80$). This study used a Gadovist and injected it with injection speed of 4 ml /sec by auto injector with 15 ml saline flushing. Firstly, for the delay time study, it divided three different delay time from immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds. In quantitative analysis, the ROI signal intensities of tumor and surrounding tissues were measured retrospectively. In qualitative analysis, the image quality was scored from 1 to 5 point by one experienced radiological technologists as a visual test. The significance level of each delay time was evaluated with a one-way ANOVA(p<0.05). In the visual test, score levels on 30 seconds delay time was a little bit higher than others(p<0.05). The signal intensity of the tumor were $1445{\pm}360$, $1410{\pm}320$, $1510{\pm}415$ on immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds and score levels were $4.18{\pm}0.85$, $3.54{\pm}0.94$, $4.45{\pm}0.74$(p<0.05). The data on immediate images showed better results than that others(p<0.05). Conclusively, Although it has been high scored in 30sec delay time for visual test in order to avoid failure in 20second, 30seconds delay time after contrast media administration, we recommend that the DCE 3D breast MRI commence immediately.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the FA value which can produce the best T2-weighted images by measuring the signal intensity and noise according to the FA value change in the brain image and the abdominal image of the mouse using micro-MRI. Brain imaging and abdominal imaging of BALB / C mice weighing 20g were performed using 4.7T (Bruker BioSpin MRI GmbH) micro-MRI equipment, Turbo RARE-T2 (spin echo-T2) images were scanned at TR 3500 msec and TE 36 msec. The changes of the FA values were $60^{\circ}$, $80^{\circ}$, $100^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$, $140^{\circ}$, $160^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$. We measured signal intensity according to FA values of ventricle and thalamus in brain imaging, The signal intensity of kidney and muscle around the kidney was measured in abdominal images. To obtain SNR and CNR, we measured the background signals of two different parts, not the tissue. In the brain (thalamus) image, the signal intensity of FA $100^{\circ}$ was 7,433 and SNR (6.49) was the highest. In the abdominal (kidney) image, the signal intensity was highest at 16,523 when FA was $120^{\circ}$, and the highest SNR was 8.54 when FA was $140^{\circ}$. The CNR value of the brain image was 1.38 at FA $60^{\circ}$ and gradually increased to 8.29 at FA $180^{\circ}$. The CNR value of the muscle adjacent to the kidney gradually increased from 2.36 when the FA value was $60^{\circ}$ and the highest value was 4,57 at the FA value $180^{\circ}$.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.684-694
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• 2021

Resting-state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) data detects the temporal correlations in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent(BOLD) signal and these temporal correlations are regarded to reflect intrinsic cortical connectivity, which is deactivated during attention demanding, non-self referential tasks, called Default Mode Network(DMN). The relationship between fMRI and anatomical connectivity has not been studied in detail, however, the preceded studies have tried to clarify this relationship using Diffusion Tensor Imaging(DTI) and fMRI. These studies use method that fMRI data assists DTI data or vice versa and it is used as guider to perform DTI tractography on the brain image. In this study, we hypothesized that functional connectivity in resting state would reflect anatomical connectivity of DMN and the combined images include information of fMRI and DTI showed visible connection between brain regions related in DMN. In the previous study, functional connectivity was determined by subjective region of interest method. However, in this study, functional connectivity was determined by objective and advanced method through Independent Component Analysis. There was a stronger connection between Posterior Congulate Cortex(PCC) and PHG(Parahippocampa Gyrus) than Anterior Cingulate Cortex(ACC) and PCC. This technique might be used in several clinical field and will be the basis for future studies related to aging and the brain diseases, which are needed to be translated not only functional connectivity, but structural connectivity.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.425-432
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• 2009

The purposes of the study were to examine cerebellar areas and lateralization responsible for visuospatial and verbal tasks using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI). Eight healthy male college students($21.5\;{\pm}\;2.3$ years) and eight male college students($23.3\;{\pm}\;0.5$ years) participated in this fMRI study of visuospatial and verbal tasks, respectively. Functional brain images were taken from 3T MRI using the single-shot EPI method. All functional images were aligned with anatomical images using affine transformation routines built into SPM99. The experiment consisted of four blocks. Each block included a control task(1 minute) and a cognitive task(1 minute). A run was 8 minutes long. Using the subtraction procedure, activated areas in the cerebellum during the visuospatial and verbal tasks were color-coded by t-score. A cerebellar lateralization index was calculated for both cognition tasks using number of activated voxels. The activated cerebellar regions during the both cognition tasks of this study agree with previous results. Since the number of activated voxels of the left and right cerebellar hemisphere was almost same, there was no cerebellar lateralization for both cognition tasks.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.124-135
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• 2012

Purpose : The objective of this study was to investigate the differences of hippocampal volume and shape as well as the functional change between long life experienced taxi drivers and controls of Korean population. Materials and Methods: Three-dimensional T1-weighted images and blood oxygen level dependent functional MRI(fMRI) were obtained from 8 subjects, consisting of 4 experienced (20-30 years) taxi drivers and 4 age-matched controls. The hippocampal volume and shape were analyzed with three-dimensional T1-weighted images. In addition, neuronal activities of brain were analyzed using a blood oxygen level dependent fMRI between the two groups. Results: The hippocampal volume showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). The left hippocampi of the taxi drivers were slightly elongated with larger head and tail portions than those of the controls (p < 0.05, uncorrected). For the functional MRI, fusiform gyrus was specifically activated in taxi drivers, compared with the control group. Conclusion: The structural and functional changes of taxi driver's hippocampus indicate the functional differentiation as a result of occupational dependence on spatial navigation. In other words, the continuous usage of spatial navigation performance may diminish degeneration of hippocampus and the related brain regions.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.30-39
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• 2010

Since Diffusion tensor from Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging(DT-MRI) is so sensitive to noise, the principle eigenvector(PEV) calculated from Diffusion tensor could be erroneous. Tractography obtained from PEV could be deviated from the real fiber tract. Therefore regularization process is needed to eliminate noise. In this paper, to reduce noise in DT-MRI measurements, the Dyadic Sorting(DS) method as regularization of the eigenvalue and the eigenvector is applied in the tractography. To resort the eigenvalues and the eignevectors, the DS method uses the intervoxel overlap function which can measure the overlap between eigenvalue-eigenvector pairs in the $3\times3$ pixel. In this paper, we applied the DS method to the three-dimensional volume. We discuss the error analysis and numerical study to the synthetic and the experimental data. As a result, we have shown that the DS method is more efficient than the median filtering methods as much as 79.97%~83.64%, 85.62%~87.76% in AAE, AFA respectively for the corticospinal tract of the experimental data.