• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2012

Purpose : The aim of this study was to compare the effective dose for imaging of mandible between multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). An MDCT with low dose technique was also compared with them. Materials and Methods : Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) chips were placed at 25 organ sites of an anthropomorphic phantom. The mandible of the phantom was exposed using 2 different types of MDCT units (Somatom Sensation 10 for standard-dose MDCT, Somatom Emotion 6 for low-dose MDCT) and 3 different CBCT units (AZ3000CT, Implagraphy, and Kavo 3D eXaM). The radiation absorbed dose was measured and the effective dose was calculated according to the ICRP 2007 report. Results : The effective dose was the highest for Somatom Sensation 10 (425.84 ${\mu}Sv$), followed by AZ3000CT (332.4 ${\mu}Sv$), Somatom Emotion 6 (199.38 ${\mu}Sv$), and 3D eXaM (111.6 ${\mu}Sv$); it was the lowest for Implagraphy (83.09 ${\mu}Sv$). The CBCT showed significant variation in dose level with different device. Conclusion : The effective doses of MDCTs were not significantly different from those of CBCTs for imaging of mandible. The effective dose of MDCT could be markedly decreased by using the low-dose technique.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2012

This paper introduces a gamma-ray measurement system for a transportable tomography which is applicable for an industrial process diagnosis. The gamma-ray measurement system consists of pulse mode operating 72 channel CsI detectors, main AMP-pulse shaper, single channel analyzer, counter and control PC. The CsI crystal is coupled with a PIN diode which is connected to an amplifier and pulse shaper. For a compact design, the amplifier and pulse shaping circuit are included in a single package. 36 sets of CsI detectors are connected to a multi-channel counter through single channel analyzers. A computer controls and collects data from two multi-channel counters. This configuration results in 72 channel counting system in total. The CT rotator and radiation measurement system are controlled by a PC with LabVIEW program. Tomographic data were measured for a phantom by the measurement system and transportable gamma-ray CT. From the experimental data image reconstructions were performed by ML-EM algorithm. The result showed that the CsI detector system can be a suitable component for transportable gamma-ray CT system.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1018-1023
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• 2020

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has reached global pandemic status as announced by the World Health Organization, which currently recommends reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as the standard diagnostic tool. However, although the RT-PCR test results may be found negative, there are cases that are found positive for COVID-19 pneumonia on computed tomography (CT) scan. CT is also useful in assessing the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia. When clinicians desire a CT scan of a patient with COVID-19 to monitor treatment response, a safe method for patient transport is necessary. To address the engagement of medical resources necessary to transport a patient with COVID-19, our institution has implemented the use of mobile CT. Therefore, we report two cases of COVID-19 pneumonia evaluated by using mobile cone-beam CT. Although mobile cone-beam CT had some limitations regarding its image quality such as scatter noise, motion and streak artifacts, and limited field of view compared with conventional multi-detector CT, both cases had acceptable image quality to establish the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. We report the usefulness of mobile cone-beam CT in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1285-1293
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• 2020

Objective: To evaluate the effects of vasodilators on contrast enhancement and transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) of coronary arteries at coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed CCTA scans of patients who underwent double-acquisition CCTA; CCTA without a vasodilator, and CCTA during a intravenous (IV) infusion of nitrate. Among them, we enrolled 19 patients who had no significant atherosclerotic lesions or coronary spasms. In the control group, 28 patients were enrolled who showed normal coronary arteries on CCTA, which was acquired by a conventional method (sublingual vasodilator). We measured the TAG and Hounsfield units for each of the three major epicardial coronary arteries (reported as 'ProxHU') and then compared the results between the nitrate administration methods (CT without vasodilator [CT_pre], CT with IV vasodilator [CT_iv], and CT with sublingual vasodilator [CT_sub]). Results: The mean TAG showed a significant difference between the coronary arteries (right coronary artery [RCA] > left anterior descending artery [LAD] > left circumflex artery [LCX], p < 0.05), while there was no difference in ProxHU of each coronary artery in all three types of nitrate administration methods (p > 0.05). The TAG of CT_pre group showed steeper slope than those of vasodilator groups (CT_iv and CT_sub) on LAD and LCX ([LAD: CT_pre = -22.1 ± 6.66, CT_iv = -16.76 ± 5.78, and CT_sub = -16.47 ± 5.78, p = 0.005], [LCX: CT_pre = -31.26 ± 17.43, CT_iv = -23.74 ± 14.06, and CT_sub = -20.94 ± 12.15, p = 0.051]), while that of RCA showed no significant differences (p = 0.600). When comparing proxHU, CT_iv showed higher proxHU than that of CT_pre or CT_sub, especially on LCX (CT_pre = 426.7 ± 68.3, CT_iv = 467.9 ± 84.9, and CT_sub = 404.9 ± 63.3, p = 0.013). ProxHU showed a negative correlation with TAG on all three of methods (r = -0.280, p < 0.001). Conclusion: TAG in CCTA was significantly affected by vasodilator administration. Both TAG and ProxHU of coronary arteries tend to increase with vasodilator administration on CCTA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was tried to remove the noise and improve the spatial resolution in the computed tomography (CT) by using anisotropic 2-dimensional (2D) diffusion based filter. We used 4-channel multi-detector CT and american association of physicists in medicine (AAPM) phantom was used for CT performance evaluation to evaluate the image quality. X-ray irradiation conditions for image acquisition was fixed at 120 kVp, 100 mAs and scanned 10 mm axis with ultra-high resolution. The improvement of anisotropic 2D diffusion filtering that we suggested firstly, increase the contrast of the image by using histogram stretching to the original image for 0.4%, and multiplying the individual pixels by 1.2 weight value, and applying the anisotropic diffusion filtering. As a result, we could distinguished five holes until 0.75 mm in the original image but, five holes until 0.40 mm in the image with improved anisotropic diffusion filter. The noise of the original image was 46.0, the noise of the image with improved anisotropic 2D diffusion filter was decreased to 33.5(27.2%). In conclusion improved anisotropic 2D diffusion filter that we proposed could remove the noise of the CT image and improve the spatial resolution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.109-115
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 128 MDCT (multi-detector computed tomography) for reducing the CareDose 4D dose and comparing the image quality with the fixed tube current technique. For this purpose, we conducted the phantom and clinical studies to evaluate the exposure dose and image of the subject before and after applying the CareDose 4D system in abdominal examination using 128 MDCT. In the phantom study, ROI (Region of interest) was located at the center, 3, 6, 9, 12 o'clock, into two groups: group A without CareDose 4D and Group B applied were measured. In the clinical study, ROI was located at the liver 8 segments, divided into two groups too. The measured items were CT number, noise, and dose length product (DLP) dose. The result of CTDIvol (CT Dose Index volume) measurements in phantom and clinical studies were lower than those before CareDose 4D application, and dose and effective dose were also measured lower (p<.05). There was no difference in CT number before and after application (p>.05). In conclusion, using CareDose 4D, we can obtain optimal image information without deteriorating image quality while reducing patient dose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2013

Recently, the uses of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) for radiation treatment simulation and planning which is used for intensity modulated radiation therapy with high technique are increasing. Because of the increasing uses of MDCT, additional doses are also increasing. The objective of this study is to evaluate the absorbed dose of body and skin undergoing in MDCT scans. In this study, the exposed dose at the surface and the center of the cylindrical water phantom was measured using an pencil ionization chamber, 30 cc ionization chamber and TL Powder. The results of MDCT were 31.84 mGy, 33.58 mGy and 32.73 mGy respectively. The absorbed dose at the surface showed that the TL reading value was 33.92 mGy from MDCT. These results showed that the surface dose was about 3.5% from the MDCT exposure higher than a dose which is located at the center of the phantom. These results mean that the total exposed dose undergoing MDCT 4 times (diagnostic, radiation therapy planning, follow-up et al.), is about 14 cGy, and have to be considered significantly to reduce the exposed dose from CT scan.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 2009

Purpose : To compare radiation dose for coronary CT angiography (CTA) obtained with 6 examination protocols such as a retrospectively ECG gated helical scan, a prospectively ECG gated sequential scan, low kVp technique, and cardiac dose modulation technique. Materials and Methods : Coronary CTA was performed by using 6 current clinical protocols to evaluate effective dose and organ dose in primary beam area with anthropomorphic female phantom and glass dosimetric system in 64 channel multi-detector CT. After acquiring topograms of frontal and lateral projection with 80 kVp and 10 mA, main coronary scan was done with 0.35 sec tube rotation time, 40 mm collimation ($0.625\;mm{\times}64\;ea$), small scan field of view (32 cm diameter), 105 mm scan length. Heart beat rate of phantom was maintained 60 bpm in ECG gating. In constant mAs technique 120 kVp, 600 mA was used, and 100 kVp for low kVp technique. In a retrospectively ECG gated helical CT technique 0.22 pitch was used, peak mA (600 mA) was adopted in range of $40{\sim}80%$ of R-R interval and 120mA(80% reduction) in others with cardiac dose modulation. And 210 mAs was used without cardiac dose modulation. In a prospectively ECG gated sequential CT technique data were acquired at 75% R-R interval (middle diastolic phase in cardiac cycle), and 120 msec additional padding of the tube-on time was used. For effective dose calculation region specific conversion factor of dose length product in thorax was used, which was recommended by EUR 16262. Results : The mean effective dose for conventional coronary CTA without cardiac dose modulation in a retrospectively ECG gated helical scan was 17.8 mSv, and mean organ dose of heart was 103.8 mGy. With low kVp and cardiac dose modulation the mean effective dose showed 54.5% reduction, and heart dose showed 52.3% reduction, compared with that of conventional coronary CTA. And at the sequential scan(SnapShot pulse mode) under prospective ECG gating the mean effective dose was 4.9 mSv, this represents an 72.5% reduction compared with that of conventional coronary CTA. And heart dose was 33.8 mGy, this represents 67.4% reduction. In the sequential scan technique under prospective ECG gating with low kVp the mean effective dose was 3.0 mSv, this represents an 83.2% reduction compared with that of conventional coronary CTA. And heart dose was 17.7 mGy, this represents an 82.9% reduction. Conclusion : In coronary CTA at retrospectively ECG gated helical scan, cardiac dose modulation technique using low kVp reduced dose to 50% above compared with the conventional helical scan. And the prospectively ECG gated sequential scan offers substantially reduced dose compared with the traditional retrospectively ECG gated helical scan.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.457-460
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• 2002

The image quality of three-dimensional (3D) images has been widely investigated by the qualitative analysis method. A need remains for an objective and quantitative method to assess the image quality of 3D volume-rendered images. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of distance measurements on 3D volume-rendered images of a dry human skull by using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). A radiologist measured five times the twenty-one direct measurement line items composed among twelve reference points on the skull surface with a digital vernier caliper. The water filled skull specimen was scanned with a MDCT according to the section thicknesses of 1.25, 2.50, 3.75, and 5.00 mm for helical (high quality; pitch 3:1) scan mode. MDCT data were reconstructed with its acquisition section thickness and with 1.25 mm section thickness for all scans. An observer also measured seven times the corresponding items on 3D volume-rendered images with measuring tools provided by volumetric analysis software. The quantitative accuracy of distance measurements on the 3D volume-rendered images was statistically evaluated (p-value < 0.05) by comparatively analyzing these measurements with the direct distance measurements. The accuracy of distance measurements on the 3D volume-rendered MDCT images acquired with 1.25, 2.50, 3,75 and 5.00 mm section thickness and reconstructed with its section thickness were 48%, 33%, 23%, and 14%, respectively. Meanwhile, there were insignificant statistical differences in accuracy of distance measurements among 3D volume-rendered images reconstructed with 1.25 mm section thickness for the each acquisition section thickness. MDCT images acquired with thick section thickness and reconstructed with thin section thickness in helical scan mode should be effectively used in medical planning of 3D volume-rendered images. The quantitative analysis of distance measurement may be a useful tool for evaluating the quantitative accuracy and the defining optimal parameters of 3D volume-rendered CT images.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.567-573
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether or not there was artifact when the upper limb could not be lifted to the top of the head during multi-detector computed tomography(MDCT) scans of the chest and abdomen. Contrast radiography of the human and chest phantom was performed with 128channal MDCT. Under the same conditions(120 kVp, 110 mAs, standard algorithm)both hands lifted up and put down each time in the human experiment. In the chest phantom experiment, the radiography was carried out when the upper limb phantom was adjusted at a certain distance(0, 3, 7 cm) from the chest phantom. Subsequently, the values of Noise, CT number, SNR, and CNR were measured in the field of concern. The noise value of fat, rib, and muscle increased when the arm was lifted in humans(0.79, 47.8, 27%). Furthermore, when the upper limb was lowered, the noise value of muscle and lung increased in the phantom(31.2, 9.4%). In addition, the noise value of the muscles and lung decreased by 5, 25.12% and 5.6, 15.35% as the upper limb moved about 0,3,7cm away from the chest. When the chest and abdominal radiography were performed, in the case of the presence of other parts outside the inspection area, the probability of artifact was minimal while the distance was more than 3cm away from the upper limb to the chest and abdomen.