• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.817-824
• /
• 2007

Tractography using Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) is a method to determine the architecture of axonal fibers in the central nervous system by computing the direction of the principal eigenvector in the white matter of the brain. However, the fiber tracking methods suffer from the noise included in the diffusion tensor images that affects the determination of the principal eigenvector. As the fiber tracking progresses, the accumulated error creates a large deviation between the calculated fiber and the real fiber. This problem of the DT-MRI tractography is known mathematically as the ill-posed problem which means that tractography is very sensitive to perturbations by noise. To reduce the noise in DT-MRI measurements, a tensor-valued median filter which is reported to be denoising and structure-preserving in fiber tracking, is applied in the tractography. In this paper, we proposed the modified gradient descent method which converges fast and accurately to the optimal tensor-valued median filter by changing the step size. In addition, the performance of the modified gradient descent method is compared with others. We used the synthetic image which consists of 45 degree principal eigenvectors and the corticospinal tract. For the synthetic image, the proposed method achieved 4.66%, 16.66% and 15.08% less error than the conventional gradient descent method for error measures AE, AAE, AFA respectively. For the corticospinal tract, at iteration number ten the proposed method achieved 3.78%, 25.71 % and 11.54% less error than the conventional gradient descent method for error measures AE, AAE, AFA respectively.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2000

Purpose : Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a disorder of median nerve at wrist. It is usually diagnosed through clinical manifestation and nerve conduction study (NCS). However, sometimes, NCS does not provide a reliable evidence to reach the diagnosis. Thus, authors performed this study to determine whether NCS was correlated with specific parameters measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which might become a potential complemental diagnostic tool. Methods : We performed MRI in 34 wrists of 18 patients with clinical manifestations of CTS and pathologic nerve conduction values and analyzed them at levels of the distal radioulnar joint, pisiform and hook of hamate, Results : Increase in the cross-sectional area of the median nerve at the pisiform level and flattening, increased signal intensity, and contrast enhancement of the median nerve at levels of the pisiform and hook of hamate were statistically significant. Change in cross sectional areas between the distal radioulnar joint and hamate and the signal intensities at levels of pisiform and hamate were well correlated with the median nerve conduction velocity. Conclusions : Characteristic MRI findings in CTS reported previously were well demonstrated and some of MRI parameters are well correlated with nerve conduction study. MRI, despite cost, may help in evaluating CTS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.491-496
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the noise spectra in DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) pulse sequences of 1.5 Tesla and 3.0 Tesla MRI, The ACR (American College of Radiology) phantom and noise spectrum were analyzed by FFT (fast Fourier transform) and TFFT (temporal frequency analysis) using WavePad sound editor version 8.13 (NCH software, Greenwood Village, CO, USA). Noise spectra, FFT and TFFT were analyzed for laboratory 1.5Tesla and 3.0Tesla DWI MR pulse sequences. The noise threshold of the frequency amplitude in the FFT and TFFT at 3.0Tesla compared to 1.5Tesla was between 1.5Tesla and -6 dB, and between 3.0Tesla and 0 dB, the DWI pulse sequence for the patient's noise reduction was appropriately MR examination needs to be applied.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.429-446
• /
• 2010

This study is to examine if emotional valance depending upon the result of baseball game(losing or winning) of subjects' favorite team yields hemispheric asymmetry measured by fMRI. Subjects were twelve fans of the Samsung Lions baseball team. The brain activations have been observed while they watched winning and losing scenes of their favorite team. As a results of the experiment, those who watched winning scenes showed the activation of the left and right cuneus, right inferior occipital gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, left amygdala, right parahippocampal gyrus, left uncus, left cingulate gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left declive, left culmen. On the contrary, those who watched losing scenes showed the activation in the right middle frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate, left sub-gyral, left lentifomrm nucleus, left thalamus, left claustrum, left insula. The evidence of hemispheric asymmetry from this study has not been demonstrated and activation in amygdala observed during watching winning scene has not been observed in losing scene. Therefore more in-dept research is required about defeat stimuli induction.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.136-142
• /
• 2006

Temporomandibular joint(TMJ) disorders have characteristic clinical findings such as pain, joint sound, and abnormal jaw function. With the rapid progress in TMJ imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) especially provides the clinician and researcher with the ability to evaluate TMJ disorders(effusion, anterior disk displacement) and the hard and soft tissue of the TMJ. In order to manage the internal derangement of TMJ such as anterior disk displacement, the so-called appliance therapy is commonly used. This technique became the treatment of choice before surgical intervention by many practitioners. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and determine the efficacy of anterior repositioning splint by means of the change of the position of the disk through pre- and post-treatment MRI. MRI and clinical symptom were carefully recorded in TMJ disorder patients. The relationship between TMJ symptoms such as pain, clicking sound, and disk displacement and effusion in MRI were analyzed. Then, splint therapy was applied for 3 months according to our protocol; at day 1, patients should wear 24 hours, in order to accomodate the splint and then, wearing time is reduced to 12 hours per day for one month. During next 2 months, it is tapered to 8 hours per day according to the evaluation of the clinical symptoms. Post-treatment MRI was obtained after 3 month protocol. This treatment strategy improved the clinical symptoms of TMJ disorder, and effusion and articular disk position showed a significant change. In conclusion, a treatment modality using an anterior repositioning splint therapy is an appropriate method for temporomandibular disorder patients.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.113-118
• /
• 2002

Conventional radiograph, computed tomograph (CT), magnetic resonance image (MRI) are commonly used methods for diagnosis of oro-maxillofacial cancer. MRI is an effective tool to verify soft tissue lesion however, metal produces black artifacts in the image. Therefore, metal structure should be removed before taking MRI to diagnose head and neck cancer patients. A 52-year-old female patient with adenocarcinoma in the posterior right soft palate was referred to take a MRI before surgery. She has 7-unit porcelain fused to metal bridge in the maxilla. Eight-unit Tagis-Vectris fixed partial denture was fabricated to replace her existing PFM bridge to take a MRI without any artifact before and after surgery. The patient satisfied with her restorations in terms of esthetics, function after 11 months. Even though minor staining was detected, Tagis-Vectris restoration fixed partial denture was intact during observation period.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.293-299
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to find the relationship between pain and joint effusion using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. Materials and Methods: The study subjects included 232 TMD patients. The inclusion criteria in this study were the presence of spontaneous pain or provoked pain on one or both temporomandibular joints (TMJs). The provoked pain was divided into three groups: pain on palpation (G1), pain on mouth opening (G2), and pain on mastication (G3). MRI examinations were performed using a 1.5-T MRI scanner. T1- and T2-weighted images with para-sagittal and para-coronal images were obtained. According to the T2-weighted image findings, the cases of effusions were divided into four groups: normal, mild (E1), moderate (E2), and marked effusion (E3). A statistical analysis was carried out using the $X^2$ test with SPSS (version 12.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Spontaneous pain, provoked pain, and both spontaneous and provoked pain were significantly related to joint effusion in TMD patients (p<0.05). However, among the various types of provoked pain, pain on palpation of the masticatory muscles and TMJ (G1) was not related to joint effusion in TMD patients (p>0.05). Conclusion: Spontaneous pain was related to the MRI findings of joint effusion; however, among the various types of provoked pain, pain on palpation of the masticatory muscles and TMJ was not related to the MRI findings of joint effusion. These results suggest that joint effusion has a significant influence on the prediction of TMJ pain.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.110-116
• /
• 2005

Purpose: Urgent diagnosis and treatment of the septic arthritis is required. The purpose of this study is to review to correlate preoperative MRI findings with arthroscopic findings in septic arthritis of the glenohumeral joint. Materials and Methods: Eleven patients with acute septic arthritis of the glenohumeral joint were treated with combination of arthroscopic lavage, debridement, and systemic antibiotics. The arthroscopic staging of infection was made based on the modified criteria of $G\"{a}chter$ and five major findings of MRI were marked in each stage of septic shoulder. Results: Bone and cartilage erosion was the end stage finding and two patients with all five positive findings had failed with arthroscopic treatment. Reactive bone marrow edema was evident in the greater tuberosity. Joint effusion, synovial thickening and soft tissue edema were rather non-specific finding and presented in all stages of septic shoulder. Conclusion: Diffuse marrow edema with metaphyseal cyst formation in the preoperative MRI implied advanced stage of septic arthritis, which may fail with arthroscopic debridement.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between anterior disc displacement and effusion in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: The study subjects included 253 TMD patients. MRI examinations were performed using a 1.5 T MRI scanner. T1- and T2-weighted images with para-sagittal and para-coronal images were obtained. According to the MRI findings, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc positions were divided into 3 subgroups: normal, anterior disc displacement with reduction (DWR), and anterior disc displacement without reduction (DWOR). The cases of effusion were divided into 4 groups: normal, mild (E1), moderate (E2), and marked effusion (E3). Statistical analysis was made by the Fisher's exact test using SPSS (version 12.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The subjects consisted of 62 males and 191 females with a mean age of 28.5 years. Of the 253 patients, T1- and T2-weighted images revealed 34 (13.4%) normal, DWR in 103 (40.7%), and DWOR in 116 (45.9%) on the right side and 37 (14.6%) normal, DWR in 94 (37.2%), and DWOR in 122 (48.2%) joints on the left side. Also, T2-images revealed 82 (32.4%) normal, 78 (30.8%) E1, 51 (20.2%) E2, and 42 (16.6%) E3 joints on the right side and 79 (31.2%) normal, 85 (33.6%) E1, 57 (22.5%) E2, and 32 (12.7%) E3 on the left side. There was no difference between the right and left side. Conclusion: Anterior disc displacement was not related to the MRI findings of effusion in TMD patients (P>0.05).

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2009

Objectives : We studied in order to compare the differences between the symptoms of patients and findings of MRI and X-Ray of patients with herniated disc which has been diagnosed often recently. Methods : We randomly selected among the 301 patients with X-Ray and L-spine MRI films who have visited Jaseng Hospital with low-back pain and lumbar and low extremity pain from Jan.1st of 2009 to Jan.28. We used SPSS 13.0 for Windows I in analyzing statistical data of study results and the level of significance were below 0.05. Results and Conclusions : 1. If there were radiating pain, based on MRI findings, the amount of herniation was more severe(P>0.05). 2. If the finding of a X-ray showed narrowing, based on MRI findings, the amount of herniation was more severe(P>0.05). 3. There were no significant differences between the presence of radiating pain and the findings of X-Ray(P>0.05). 4. Among the 301 cases, cases which showed findings beside HIVD were 79. 7 cases of hemanggioma(2.3%), 24 cases of spinal neoplasm(cord cyst, tumor etc)(8%), 7 cases of spondylitis(2.3%), 16 cases of spinal canal stenosis(5,3%) 9 cases of ligamentum flavum thickening(3%) and 16 cases of facet syndrome(5.3%).