• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.236-244
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• 2011

Recently, the number of interventional procedures has increased dramatically as an alternative of invasive surgical procedure. The need for the quality control program of the angiographic units has also increased, because of concerns about the increased patient dose and the importance of image quality of angiographic units for the successful procedures. The purpose of this study was to propose an optimal guideline for the quality control program of the angiographic units. We reviewed domestic and international standards about medical imaging system and we evaluated the quality of 61 angiographic units in Korea with the use of NEMA 21 phantom. According to the results of our study, we propose a guideline for the quality control program of the angiographic units. Quality control program includes tube voltage test, tube current test, HVL test, image-field geometry test, spatial resolution test, low-contrast iodine detectability test, wire resolution test, phantom entrance dose test. Proposed reference levels are as follows: PAE < $\pm$ 10% in tube voltage test, PAE < $\pm$ 15% in tube current test, minimum 2.3 mmAl at 80 kVp in HVL test, minimum 'acceptable' level at image-field geometry test, 0.8 lp/mm for detector size of 34-40cm, 1.0 lp/mm for detector size of 28-33cm, 1.2 lp/mm for detector size of 22-27cm in spatial resolution test, minimum 200mg/cc in low contrast iodine detectability test, phantom entrance dose should be under 10R/min, 0.012 inch wire should be seen at static wire resolution test, and 0.022 inch wire should be seen at moving wire resolution test.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.89-96
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• 2015

The mediation methods suggested by Baron and Kenny, Sobel, Aroian and Goodman, have widely used to test the mediating effect. However, as there are many problems in statistical test power, as well as statistical accuracy, a bootstrapping technique has been suggested as an alternative. In this paper, we adopt the phantom variables based on the bootstrapping technique to test the mediating effect in multiple mediator model consisting of three or more mediating variables. In particular, we formulate the multiple mediator model for analyzing the relations among organizational resources, the absorption capacity as mediating variables and technology commercialization capabilities. And using the bootstrapping approach, we analyzed the mediating effect of the absorption capacity by setting of phantom variables and calculated total indirect effect size and the statistical significance. The empirical results are as follows. First, we confirmed that the bootstrapping approach and the phantom variable is the very efficient and systematic mediation method. Second, we recognized that there is a difference in the mediating characteristics of the absorption capacity depending on the resource characteristics of human resources and material resources obviously.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.595-602
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• 2018

Quality control (QC) of Computed Tomography (CT) devices is based on image quality measurement on AAPM CT phantom which is a standard phantom. Although it is possible to control the accuracy of the CT apparatus, it is expensive and has a disadvantage of low penetration rate. Therefore, in this study, we make image quality measurement phantom at low cost using FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) type three-dimensional printer and try to analyze the usefulness, compare it with existing standard phantom. To print a phantom, We used three-dimensional printer of the FFF system and PLA (Poly Lactic Acid, density: $1.24g/cm^3$) filament, and the CT device of 64 MDCT (Aquilion CX, Toshiba, Japan). In addition, we printed a phantom using three-dimensional printer after design using various tool based on existing standard phantom. For image quality evaluation, AAPM CT phantom and self-generated phantom were measured 10 times for each block. The measured data were analyzed for significance using the Mannwhiteney U-test of SPSS (Version 22.0, SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). As a result of the analysis, phantom fabricated with three-dimensional printer and standard phantom showed no significant difference (p>0.05). Furthermore, we confirmed that image quality measurement performance of a phantom using three-dimensional printer is similar to the existing standard phantom. In conclusion, we confirmed the possibility of low cost phantom fabrication using three dimensional printer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2012

Purpose: It is important to acquire accurate data because the SPECT scan affected by various physical factors. The aim of this study was to compare the uniformity when both centers were matched or mismatched differed from position of heart in COR. Materials and methods: The images were acquired with cylindrical uniform phantom (6.7 cm diameter, 9 cm length) and heart insert phantom using Cardio MD SPECT system (Philips, USA). The phantoms were positioned on COR as well as four different points which were 10 cm above, below, left and right side from the COR. The counts from the both edge of cylindrical uniform phantom and those from the both wall of heart insert phantom were compared by using vertical and horizontal line profile. In addition, the qualitative evaluation was performed with heart insert phantom images and volunteer test. Results: In heart insert phantom study, the differences of counts between COR and 10 cm above, below, left and right point of COR were 1.1, 4.1, 4.9, 2.2 and 0.9% using T-A curve for horizontal view. In case of vertical view of COR 3.9, 21.9, 3.5, 23.9, 14.0% were shown. In cylindrical phantom study, the differences of counts between COR and 10 cm above, below, left and right point of COR were 4.3, 0.3, 3.3, 2.6 and 0.7% using T-A curve for horizontal view. In case of vertical view of COR 2.7, 3.0, 1.0, 0.3, 3.4% were shown. For qualitative evaluation, the images at COR were the most uniform for both of heart insert phantom and volunteer test, whereas other four positions showed somewhat distorted images. Conclusion: It showed the most uniform images when COR is matched with the heart. Therefore, we can expect that distortion which increased or decreased of myocardial perfusion will be prevented by matching the heart and COR when positioning. Furthermore, the accuracy of diagnosis will be improved as well.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2015

Purpose When the patients takes myocardial perfusion SPECT using $^{201}Tl$, the operator gives the patients an injection of $^{201}Tl$. But the uniformity correction map in SPECT uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map. Thus, we want to compare the image quality when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map and when it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map. Materials and Methods Phantom study is performed. We take the data by Asan medical center daily QC condition with flood phantom including $^{201}Tl$ 21.3 kBq/mL. After postprocessing with this data, we analyze CFOV integral uniformity(I.U) and differential uniformity(D.U). And we take the data with Jaszczak ECT Phantom by American college of radiology accreditation program instruction including $^{201}Tl$ 33.4 kBq/mL. After post processing with this data, we analyze spatial Resolution, Integral Uniformity(I.U), coefficient of variation(C.V) and Contrast with Interactive data language program. Results In the flood phantom test, when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map, Flood I.U is 3.6% and D.U is 3.0%. When it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map, Flood I.U is 3.8% and D.U is 2.1%. The flood I.U is worsen about 5%, but the D.U is improved about 30% inversely. In the Jaszczak ECT phantom test, when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map, SPECT I.U, C.V and contrast is 13.99%, 4.89% and 0.69. When it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map, SPECT I.U, C.V and contrast is 11.37%, 4.79% and 0.78. All of data are improved about 18%, 2%, 13% The spatial resolution was no significant changes. Conclusion In the flood phantom test, Flood I.U is worsen but Flood D.U is improved. Therefore, it's uncertain that an image quality is improved with flood phantom test. On the other hand, SPECT I.U, C.V, Contrast are improved about 18%, 2%, 13% in the Jaszczak ECT phantom test. This study has limitations that we can't take all variables into account and study with two phantoms. We need think about things that it has a good effect when doctors decipher the nuclear medicine image and it's possible to improve the image quality using the uniformity correction map of other radionuclides other than $^{99m}Tc$, $^{201}Tl$ when we make other nuclear medicine examinations.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to suggest reference line-pair values of panoramic images with clinically desirable qualities using an arch-form phantom stand. Materials and Methods: The line-pair test phantom was chosen. A real skull model was selected for setting the arch-form model of the phantom stand. The phantom stand had slits in four regions (incisor, premolar, molar, TMJ). Four raw images of the test phantom in each region and one raw image of the real skull were converted into 50 test phantom images and 50 skull phantom images with various line-pair values. 50 post-processed real skull phantom images were divided into 4 groups and were randomly submitted to 14 evaluators. Image quality was graded on a 4 point scale (1. good, 2. normal, 3. poor but interpretable, and 4. not interpretable). The reference line pair was determined as the first line-pair value scored less than 2 points. Result: The mean scores tended to decrease as the line-pair values increased. The reference line-pair values were 3.19 LP/mm in the incisor, 2.32 LP/mm in the premolar and TMJ, and 1.88 LP/mm in the molar region. Conclusion: Image quality evaluation methods and criteria should be able to assess various regions considering the characteristics of panoramic systems. This study suggested overall and regional reference line-pair values and established a set of standard values for them.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2019

This study conducted a comparative analysis of differences between cartesian trajectory in a linear rectangular coordinate system and MultiVane trajectory in a nonlinear rectangular coordinate system axial T1 and axial T2 images using an American College of Radiology(ACR) phantom. The phantom was placed at the center of the head coil and the top-to-bottom and left-to-right levels were adjusted by using a level. The experiment was performed according to the Phantom Test Guidance provided by the ACR, and sagittal localizer images were obtained. As shown in Figure 2, slices # 1 and # 11 were scanned after placing them at the center of a $45^{\circ}$ wedge shape, and a total of 11 slices were obtained. According to the evaluation results, the image intensity uniformity(IIU) was 93.34% for the cartesian trajectory, and 93.19% for the MultiVane trajectory, both of which fall under the normal range in the axial T1 image. The IIU for the cartesian trajectory was 0.15% higher than that for the MultiVane trajectory. In axial T2, the IIU was 96.44% for the cartesian trajectory, and 95.97% for the MultiVane trajectory, which fall under the normal range. The IIU for the cartesian trajectory was by 0.47% higher than that for the MultiVane trajectory. As a result, the cartesian technique was superior to the MultiVane technique in terms of the high-contrast spatial resolution, image intensity uniformity, and low-contrast object detectability.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2007

Phantoms are very necessary for quality assurance of radio nuclides imaging systems to maintain standards and to ensure reproducibility of test. General quality assurance and instrument quality control are essential in every hospital. The human tissue equivalent materials are aluminum, areryl, water and epoxy..etc. It is very important to select optimum equivalant materials for a phantoms in QC. Especially, paraffin is very similar with human soft tissue in X or Gamma-ray physical characteristics and easy to buy with economically. We made a paraffin thyroid phantom and compare with thyroid areryl phantom, also used commercially in practice. Two small size cold spots(3 and 6 mm diameter) and a hot spot(3 mm diameter) embeded in paraffin phantom. And imaged with $^{99m}TcO_4$ by camera for analysis about spatial resolution and noise at the hot and cold spots. We got some results as below : 1. No difference in counting rate and noise between both arcryl and paraffin thyroid phantoms. 2. The best spatial resolution can be seen 6 cm distance between pinhole collimator and thyroid phantoms(arcryl and paraffin). 3. More optimal spatial resolution could acquired in paraffin thyroid phantom. Paraffin is very similar with human soft tissue in atomic number, density and relative absorbtion function, and can be shaped easily what we wanted. So we can recommendation paraffin as quality assurance phantom because its usefulness, economical benefit and purchasability.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1994 no.12
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• pp.153-156
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• 1994

An in vitro steady flow experiment was performed in order to test the accuracy of velocity measurement obtained through a pulsed Doppler echocardiography. A flow phantom was designed for the use in a wide velocity range at a given flow rate. The results showed that the pulsed Doppler velocity measurement obtained in this flow phantom is accurate at low flow rates. However, ultrasound velocity measurement should be performed under a careful considerations of PRF and Doppler gain settings, especially at higher flow rates.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.31-36
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• 2017

Purpose Recently, the performance of PET/CT scanner has been improved and various techniques have been developed to increase the image quality such as Sensitivity and Resolution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Q.Clear (a fully convergent iterative reconstruction) technique of GE Discovery IQ equipment to enhance the image quality. Materials and Methods All scans were acquired by Discovery IQ (GE Healthcare, MI, USA). In NEMA IEC Body Phantom test, Background to Hot-sphere (10 mm, 13 mm, 17 mm, 22 mm) ratio was 1:4 and scan time was 3 minutes. The images were reconstructed by VPHDs (VUE Point High-Definition + SharpIR) and Q.Clear to evaluate each Contrast. We injected 18F-FDG 187 M㏃ to PET/SPECT Performance Phantom. And then it was scanned for 4 minutes to evaluate Resolution and Uniformity. T-test statistical analysis was performed on SUVmax of small lesions less than 2 cm in 100 clinical patients regardless of disease type. Results In the NEMA IEC Body Phantom, the Contrast was $63.6{\pm}5.7%$ (VPHDs) and $75{\pm}4.8%$ (Q.Clear). In the PET/SPECT Performance Phantom, the Resolution was 9.2 mm (VPHDs) and 7.3 mm (Q.Clear). Uniformity of Q.Clear was 10.8% better than VPHDs. T-test statistic of the clinical patients showed a significant difference of p value of 0.021. Conclusion Both the phantom test and the clinical results showed that the quality of the image was improved in Q.Clear was applied. The SUVmax was highly measured in Q.Clear and the lesions were clearly distinguished visually. Therefore Q.Clear can be useful in various aspects such as dose-reduction, patients evaluation and image analysis.