• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2008

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.854-865
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• 2022

Photon-counting detector (PCD) CT is a new CT technology utilizing a direct conversion X-ray detector, where incident X-ray photon energies are directly recorded as electronical signals. The design of the photon-counting detector itself facilitates improvements in spatial resolution (via smaller detector pixel design) and iodine signal (via count weighting) while still permitting multi-energy imaging. PCD-CT can eliminate electronic noise and reduce artifacts due to the use of energy thresholds. Improved dose efficiency is important for low dose CT and pediatric imaging. The ultra-high spatial resolution of PCD-CT design permits lower dose scanning for all body regions and is particularly helpful in identifying important imaging findings in thoracic and musculoskeletal CT. Improved iodine signal may be helpful for low contrast tasks in abdominal imaging. Virtual monoenergetic images and material classification will assist with numerous diagnostic tasks in abdominal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular imaging. Dual-source PCD-CT permits multi-energy CT images of the heart and coronary arteries at high temporal resolution. In this special review article, we review the clinical benefits of this technology across a wide variety of radiological subspecialties.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.10-16
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• 2009

Purpose: As the number of patients has increased since the installation of a PET/CT, we are now examining about 2500-3000 annually. We have realized that if we properly adjust a pitch under the same condition of a CT during a PET/CT exam, radiation quantity that reaches the patient can change. In order to reduce the exposure dose of a patient, the research examines a method of reducing the exposure dose of a patient by controlling the pitch during a PET/CT exam, viewing whether the adjustment of the pitch influences CT image and PET SUV. Methods: The equipment used is a Biograph Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanner (CT type: TRCT-240-130 (WCT-240-130)) of Siemens company. For the evaluation of exposure dose of a patient, we measured radiation quantities using a PTW-DIADOS 11003/1383, which is a CT radiation measurement instrument used by Siemens. We measured and analyzed the space resolutions of CT images caused by the change of pitches using an AAPM Standard Phantom in order to see how the adjustment of pitches influenced the CT images. In addition, in order to obtain SUVs caused by each change of pitches using a PET source made with a solid radioactive cylinder phantom, we confirmed whether the SUVs changed in the PET/CT images by calculating the SUVs of the fusion images caused by the change of pitches after obtaining CT and PET images and finishing the test. Results: 2slice CT scanner showed that radiation quantities largely dropped when pitches ranged from 0.7 to 1.3 and that the reduction of radiation quantities were smaller when pitches ranged from 1.5 to 1.9. That is, we found that the bigger pitch values are the smaller the radiation quantities of a patient are. Moreover, we realized that there is no change of SUVs caused by the increase of pitches and that pitch values do not influence PET SUVs and the quality of CT images. It is judged that using 1.5 as a pitch value contributes to the reduction of exposure dose of a patient as long as there is no problem in the quality of an image. Conclusions: When seeing the result of the research, hospital using a PET/CT should make an effort to reduce the exposure dose of a patient seeking pitch values appropriate for their hospital within the range in which there is no image distortion and PET SUVs are not influenced from pitches. We think that the research can apply to all multi-detectors having a CT scanner and that such a research will be needed for other equipments in the future.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2016

The paper discusses radiation dose of dual energy CT on which copper modulation layer, is mounted in order to improve diagnostic performance of the dual energy CT. The radiation dose is estimated using MCNPX and its results are compared with that of the conventional dual energy CT system. CT X-ray spectra of 80 and 120 kVp, which are usually used for thorax, abdominal, head, and neck CT scans, were generated by the SPEC78 code and were used for the source specification 'SDEF' card for MCNPX dose modeling. The copper modulation layer was located 20 cm away from a source covering half of the X-ray window. The radiation dose was measured as changing its thickness from 0.5 to 2.0 mm at intervals of 0.5 mm. Since the MCNPX tally provides only normalized values to a single particle, the dose conversion coefficients of F6 tally for the modulation layer-based dual energy CBCT should be calculated for matching the modeling results into the actual dose. The dose conversion coefficient is $7.2*10^4cGy/output$ that is obtained from dose calibration curve between F6 tally and experimental results in which GAFCHORMIC EBT3 films were exposed by an already known source. Consequently, the dose of the modulation layer-based dual energy cone beam CT is 33~40% less than that of the single energy CT system. On the basis of the results, it is considered that scattered dose produced by the copper modulation layer is very small. It shows that the modulation layer-based dual energy CBCT system can effectively reduce radiation dose, which is the major disadvantage of established dual energy CT.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2008

According to improved radiation therapy technology such as IMRT and proton therapy, the accuracy of patient alignment system is more emphasized and IGRT is dominated research field in radiation oncology. We proposed to study the feasibility of cone-beam CT system using simple x-ray imaging systems for image guided proton therapy at National Cancer Center. 180 projection views ($2,304{\times}3,200$, 14 bit with 127 ${\mu}m$ pixel pitch) for the geometrical calibration phantom and humanoid phantoms (skull, abdomen) were acquired with $2^{\circ}$ step angle using x-ray imaging system of proton therapy gantry room ($360^{\circ}$ for 1 rotation). The geometrical calibration was performed for misalignments between the x-ray source and the flat-panel detector, such as distances and slanted angle using available algorithm. With the geometrically calibrated projection view, Feldkamp cone-beam algorithm using Ram-Lak filter was implemented for CBCT reconstruction images for skull and abdomen phantom. The distance from x-ray source to the gantry isocenter, the distance from the flat panel to the isocenter were calculated as 1,517.5 mm, 591.12 mm and the rotated angle of flat panel detector around x-ray beam axis was considered as $0.25^{\circ}$. It was observed that the blurring artifacts, originated from the rotation of the detector, in the reconstructed toomographs were significantly reduced after the geometrical calibration. The demonstrated CBCT images for the skull and abdomen phantoms are very promising. We performed the geometrical calibration of the large gantry rotation system with simple x-ray imaging devices for CBCT reconstruction. The CBCT system for proton therapy will be used as a main patient alignment system for image guided proton therapy.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.542-558
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• 2023

A digital focus index (DFI) is a value used to determine image focus in scientific apparatus and smart devices. Automatic focus (AF) is an iterative and time-consuming procedure; however, its processing time can be reduced using a general processing unit (GPU) and a multi-core processor (MCP). In this study, parallel architectures of a minimax search algorithm (MSA) are applied to two DFIs: range algorithm (RA) and image contrast (CT). The DFIs are based on a histogram; however, the parallel computation of the histogram is conventionally inefficient because of the bank conflict in shared memory. The parallel architectures of RA and CT are constructed using parallel reduction for MSA, which is performed through parallel relative rating of the image pixel pairs and halved the rating in every step. The array size is then decreased to one, and the minimax is determined at the final reduction. Kernels for the architectures are constructed using open source software to make it relatively platform independent. The kernels are tested in a hexa-core PC and an embedded device using Lenna images of various sizes based on the resolutions of industrial cameras. The performance of the kernels for the DFIs was investigated in terms of processing speed and computational acceleration; the maximum acceleration was 32.6× in the best case and the MCP exhibited a higher performance.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2008

Our objective was to evaluate the image of spatial domain filtering as an alternative to additional image reconstruction using different kernels in MDCT. Derived from thin collimated source images were generated using water phantom and abdomen B10(very smooth), B20(smooth), B30(medium smooth), B40 (medium), B50(medium sharp), B60(sharp), B70(very sharp) and B80(ultra sharp) kernels. MTF and spatial resolution measured with various convolution kernels. Quantitative CT attenuation coefficient and noise measurements provided comparable HU(Hounsfield) units in this respect. CT attenuation coefficient(mean HU) values in the water were values in the water were $1.1{\sim}1.8\;HU$, air($-998{\sim}-1000\;HU$) and noise in the water($5.4{\sim}44.8\;HU$), air($3.6{\sim}31.4\;HU$). In the abdominal fat a CT attenuation coefficient($-2.2{\sim}0.8\;HU$) and noise($10.1{\sim}82.4\;HU$) was measured. In the abdominal was CT attenuation coefficient($53.3{\sim}54.3\;HU$) and noise($10.4{\sim}70.7\;HU$) in the muscle and in the liver parenchyma of CT attenuation coefficient($60.4{\sim}62.2\;HU$) and noise ($7.6{\sim}63.8\;HU$) in the liver parenchyma. Image reconstructed with a convolution kernel led to an increase in noise, whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. Image scanned with a high convolution kernel(B80) led to an increase in noise, whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. Image medications of image sharpness and noise eliminate the need for reconstruction using different kernels in the future. Adjusting CT various kernels, which should be adjusted to take into account the kernels of the CT undergoing the examination, may control CT images increase the diagnostic accuracy.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.97-119
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• 2013

This paper presents numerical and experimental results on the use of guided waves for structural health monitoring (SHM) of crack growth during a fatigue test in a thick steel plate used for civil engineering application. Numerical simulation, analytical modeling, and experimental tests are used to prove that piezoelectric wafer active sensor (PWAS) can perform active SHM using guided wave pitch-catch method and passive SHM using acoustic emission (AE). AE simulation was performed with the multi-physic FEM (MP-FEM) approach. The MP-FEM approach permits that the output variables to be expressed directly in electric terms while the two-ways electromechanical conversion is done internally in the MP-FEM formulation. The AE event was simulated as a pulse of defined duration and amplitude. The electrical signal measured at a PWAS receiver was simulated. Experimental tests were performed with PWAS transducers acting as passive receivers of AE signals. An AE source was simulated using 0.5-mm pencil lead breaks. The PWAS transducers were able to pick up AE signal with good strength. Subsequently, PWAS transducers and traditional AE transducer were applied to a 12.7-mm CT specimen subjected to accelerated fatigue testing. Active sensing in pitch catch mode on the CT specimen was applied between the PWAS transducers pairs. Damage indexes were calculated and correlated with actual crack growth. The paper finishes with conclusions and suggestions for further work.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.541-554
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• 1986

This paper presents the results of driving performance analysis of permanent magnet synchronous motor using a microprocessor based control system. The system consists of three phase power transistor inverters, three phase controlled rectifier, three central processing units, and sensors. The three CPUs are, respectively, used to generate PWM control signals for the inverter generating three phase sine wave, to generate the gate control signals for firing the converter, and to supervise other two CPUs. The supervisor is used to compute PI control algtorithm to three phase reference sine wave for the inverter. It is also used to maintain a constant voltage frequency ratio for the converter operating as a constant torque controller. The inverter CPU retrieves precomputed PWM patterns from look up tables because of computation speed limitations found in almost available microprocessors. The converter CPU also retrieves precomputed gate control patterns from another look-up tables. For protecting the control ststem from any damage by extraordinary over currents, the supervisor receives the data from current sensor, CT, and break down the CB to isolate the circuits from source. A resolver has a good performance characteristics of overall speed range, especially on low speed range. Therefor the speed control accuracy is impoved. The microprocessor based PM synchronous motor control system, thus, has many advantages such as constant torque characteristics, improvement of wave, limitation on extraordinary over currents, improvement of speed control accuracy, and fast response speed control using multi-CPU and look-up tables.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2015

The Monte Carlo based dose calculation program for stereotactic body radiotherapy was developed in this study. The Geant4 toolkit widely used in the radiotherapy was used for this study. The photon energy spectrum of the medical linac studied in the previous research was applied for the patient dose calculations. The geometry of the radiation fields defined by multi-leaf collimators were taken into account in the PrimaryGeneratorAction class of the Geant4 code. The total of 8 fields were demonstrated in the patient dose calculations, where rotation matrix as a function of gantry angle was used for the determination of the source positions. The DicomHandler class converted the binary file format of the DICOM data containing the matrix number, pixel size, endian type, HU number, bit size, padding value and high bits order to the ASCII file format. The patient phantom was constructed using the converted ASCII file. The EGSnrc code was used to compare the calculation efficiency of the material data.