• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.193-199
• /
• 2018

In this research, 15 patients were diagnosed with 1.5T and 3.0T MRI instruments (Philips, Medical System, Achieva) to minize Ferromagnetic artifact and find the optimized Tesla. Based on the theory that the 3.0T, when compared to 1.5T, show relatively high signal-to-ratio(SNR), Scan time can be shortened or adjust the image resolution. However, when using the 3.0T MRI instruments, various artifact due to the magnetic field difference can degrade the diagnostic information. For the analysis condition, area of interest is set at the background of the T1, T2 sagittal image followed by evaluation of L3, L4, L5 SNR, length of 3 parts with Ferromagnetic artifact, and Histogram. The validity evaluation was performed by using the independent t test. As a result, for the SNR evaluation, mere difference in value was observed for L3 between 1.5T and 3.0T, while big differences were observed for both L4, and L5(p<0.05). Shorter length was observed for the 1.5T when observing 3 parts with Ferromagnetic artifact, thus we can conclude that 3.0T can provide more information on about peripheral tissue diagnostic information(p<0.05). Finally, 1.5T showed higher counts values for the Histogram evaluation(p<0.05). As a result, when we have compared the 1.5T and 3.0T with SNR, length of Ferromagnetic artifact, Histogram, we believe that using a Low Tesla for Spine MRI test can achieve the optimal image information for patients with disk operation like PLIF, etc. in the past.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1993.07a
• /
• pp.504-506
• /
• 1993

The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard was proposed by the International Standardization Organization (ISO/SC 29/WG 10) and the CCITT SG VIII as an international standard for digital continuous-tone still image compression. The JPEG standard has been widely accepted in electronic imaging, computer graphics, and multi-media applications, however, due to the lossy character of the JPEG compression its application in the field of medical imaging has been limited. In this paper, the JPEG standard was applied to a series of head sections of magnetic resonance (MR) images (256 gray levels, $256{\times}256$ size) and its performance was investigated. For this purpose, DCT-based sequential mode of the JPEG standard was implemented using the CL550 compression chip and progressive and lossless coding was implemented by software without additional hardware. From the experiment, it appears that the compression ratio of about 10 to 20 was obtained for the MR images without noticeable distortion. It is also noted that the error signal between the reconstructed image by the JPEG and the original image was nearly random noise without causing any special-pattern-related artifact. Although the coding efficiency of the progressive and hierarchical coding is identical to that of the sequential coding in compression ratio and SNR, it has useful features In fast search of patient Image from huge image data base and in remote diagnosis through slow public communication channel.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.5 no.6
• /
• pp.401-407
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study is to know the differences of MR spectra, obtained from normal volunteers by variable TE value, through the quantitative analysis of brain metabolites by peak integral and SNR between 1.5T and 3.0T, together with PRESS and STEAM pulse sequence. Single-voxel MR proton spectra of the human brain obtained from normal volunteers at both 3.0T MR system (Magnetom Trio, SIEMENS, Germany) and 1.5T MR system (Signa Twinspeed, GE, USA) using the STEAM and PRESS pulse sequence. 10 healthy volunteers (3.0T:3 males, 2 females; 1.5T : 3 males, 2 females) with the range from 22 to 30 years old (mean 26 years) participated in our study. They had no personal or familial history of neurological diseases and had a normal neurological examination. Data acquisition parameters were closely matched between the two field strengths. Spectra were recorded in the white matter of the occipital lobe. Spectra were compared in terms of resolution and signal-to-noise ratio(SNR), and echo time(TE) were estimated at both field strengths. Imaging parameters was used for acquisition of the proton spectrum were as follow : TR 2000msec, TE 30ms, 40ms, 50ms, 60ms, 90ms, 144ms, 288ms, NA=96, VOI=$20{\times}20{\times}20mm3$. As the echo times were increased, the spectra obtained from 3.0T and 1.5T show decreased peak integral and SNR at both pulse sequence. PRESS pulse sequence shows higher SNR and signal intensity than those of STEAM. Especially, Spectra in normal volunteers at 3.0T demonstrated significantly improved overall SNR and spectral resolution compared to 1.5T(Fig1). The spectra acquired at short echo time, 3T MR system shows a twice improvement in SNR compared to 1.5T MR system(Table. 1). But, there was no significant difference between 3.0Tand 1.5T at long TE It is concluded that PRESS and short TE is useful for quantification of the brain metabolites at 3.0T MRS, our standardized protocol for quantification of the brain metabolites at 3.0T MRS is useful to evaluate the brain diseases by monitoring the systematic changes of biochemical metabolites concentration in vivo.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.275-283
• /
• 2002

To detect the position and depth of buried underground utilities, method of Ground Penetrating Radar(GPR) survey is the most commonly used. However, the skin-depth of GPR is very shallow, and in the places where subsurface materials are not homogeneous and are compose of clays and/or salts and gravels, GPR method has limitations in application and interpretation. The aim of this study is to overcome these limitations of GPR survey. For this purpose the site where the GPR survey is unsuccessful to detect the underground big pipes is selected, and soil tests were conducted to confirm the reason why GPR method was not applicable. Non-destructive high-frequency electromagnetic (HFEM) survey was newly developed and was applied in the study area to prove the effectiveness of this new technique. The frequency ranges $2kHz{\sim}4MHz$ and the skin depth is about 30m. The HFEM measures the electric field and magnetic field perpendicular to each other to get the impedance from which vertical electric resistivity distribution at the measured point can be deduced. By adopting the capacitive coupled electrodes, it can make the measuring time shorter, and can be applied to the places covered by asphalt an and/or concrete. In addition to the above mentioned advantages, noise due to high-voltage power line is much reduced by stacking the signals. As a result, the HFEM was successful in detecting the buried underground objects. Therefore this method is a promising new technique that can be applied in the lots of fields, such as geotechnical and archaeological surveys.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2007

Purpose : To determine the diagnostic accuracy of four different sequences : moderately T2 weighted, two heavily T2-weighted single shot turbo spin-echo sequence and breath-hold axial-2D balanced turbo field-echo sequence(bFFE) for characterization of focal lesions. Materials and Methods : During the 3-month period between June and August 2005, seventy-six patients were proved to have ninety-three focal hepatic lesions on MR imaging. The patients consisted of 49 men and 27 women (age range, 15-75 years; mean age, 56.23 years). All MR images were acquired on a 1.5-T MR using the following sequences: 1. A breath-hold axial T2-weighted single shot turbo spin-echo sequence, 2. a breath-hold axial-2D balanced turbo field-echo sequence. Two radiologists performed quantitative analysis. Another radiologist measured the lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio at the region-of-interest in the four sequences. Results : There was no significant difference in inter-observer variability between the four sequences. The accuracy for both cyst and malignancy of moderate T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 80 msec) was also highest. There was significant difference for lesion characterization between moderate T2 weighted MRI and balanced steady state procession (p-value: 0.004) in the second reader. For longer echo time, the CNR of cystic lesions were markedly increased in comparison to lesions of other component. Conclusion : The accuracy and inter-observer variability of single shot turbo spin echo T2 weighted sequence was higher than bFFE. Although there was no statically significant difference, moderate T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 80 msec) was more accurate than heavily T2 weighted sequence (echo time: 300 msec). If the results for lesion characterization is equivocal in TE 80, the addition of heavily T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 180 msec) can be helpful.

• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.28-35
• /
• 2005

We propose a method to measure atrial arrhythmias (AA) such as atrial fibrillation (Afb) and atrial flutter (Afl) with a SQUID magnetocardiograph (MCG) system. To detect AA is one of challenging topics in MCG. As the AA generally have irregular rhythm and atrio-ventricular conduction, the MCG signal cannot be improved by QRS averaging; therefore a SQUID MCG system having a high SNR is required to measure informative atrial excitation with a single scan. In the case of Afb, diminished f waves are much smaller than normal P waves because the sources are usually located on the posterior wall of the heart. In this study, we utilize an MCG system measuring tangential field components, which is known to be more sensitive to a deeper current source. The average noise spectral density of the whole system in a magnetic shielded room was $10\;fT/{\surd}Hz(a)\;1\;Hz\;and\;5\;fT/{\surd}Hz\;(a)\;100\;Hz$. We measured the MCG signals of patients with chronic Afb and Afl. Before the AA measurement, the comparison between the measurements in supine and prone positions for P waves has been conducted and the experiment gave a result that the supine position is more suitable to measure the atrial excitation. Therefore, the AA was measured in subject's supine position. Clinical potential of AA measurement in MCG is to find an aspect of a reentry circuit and to localize the abnormal stimulation noninvasively. To give useful information about the abnormal excitation, we have developed a method, separative synthetic aperture magnetometry (sSAM). The basic idea of sSAM is to visualize current source distribution corresponding to the atrial excitation, which are separated from the ventricular excitation and the Gaussian sensor noises. By using sSAM, we localized the source of an Afl successfully.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.97-105
• /
• 2020

Recently, as the data speed and operating frequencies of Ethernet keeps increasing, electro magnetic interference (EMI) also becomes increasing. The generation of such EMI will cause malfunction of near electronic devices. In this study, EMI filters were applied to reduce the EMI generated by DC-DC SMPS (switching mode power supply), which is the main cause of EMI generation of Ethernet switch. As the EMI filter, MLCCs with excellent withstanding voltage characteristics were used, which had advantages in miniaturization and mass production. Two types of EMI MLCC filters were used, which are X-capacitor and X, Y-capacitor. X-capacitor was composed of 2 MLCCs with 10 nF and 100 nF capacity and 1 Mylar capacitor. Y-capacitor was consisted of 6 MLCCs with a capacity of 27 nF. When only X-capacitor was applied as EMI filter, the conductive EMI field strength exceeded the allowable limit in frequency range of 150 kHz ~ 30 MHz. The radiative EMI also showed high EMI strength and very small allowable margin at the specific frequencies. When the X and Y-capacitors were applied, the conductive EMI was greatly reduced, and the radiation EMI was also found to have sufficient margin. In addition, X, Y-capacitors showed very high insulation resistance and withstanding resistance performances. In conclusion, EMI X, Y-capacitors using MLCCs reduced the EMI noise effectively and showed excellent electrical reliability.