• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 2009

Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography (MREIT) is a new bio-imaging modality providing cross-sectional conductivity images from measurements of internal magnetic flux densities produced by externally injected currents. Recent MREIT studies demonstrated successful conductivity image reconstructions of postmortem and in vivo canine brain. However, the whole head imaging was not achieved due to technical issues related with electrodes and noise in measured magnetic flux density data. In this study, we used a new carbon-hydrogel electrode with a large contact area and injected 30 mA imaging current through a canine head. Using a 3T MREIT system, we performed a postmortem canine experiment and produced high-resolution conductivity images of the entire canine head. Collecting magnetic flux density data inside the head subject to multiple injection currents, we reconstructed cross-sectional conductivity images using the harmonic $B_z$ algorithm. The conductivity images of the canine head show a good contrast not only inside the brain region including white and gray matter but also outside the brain region including the skull, temporalis muscle, mandible, lingualis proprius muscle, and masseter muscle.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

Two impedance imaging systems of multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography (MFEIT) and magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) are described. MFEIT utilizes boundary measurements of current-voltage data at multiple frequencies to reconstruct cross-sectional images of a complex conductivity distribution (${\sigma}+i{\omega}{\varepsilon}$) inside the human body. The inverse problem in MFEIT is ill-posed due to the nonlinearity and low sensitivity between the boundary measurement and the complex conductivity. In MFEIT, we therefore focus on time- and frequency-difference imaging with a low spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Multi-frequency time- and frequency-difference images in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 500 kHz are presented. In MREIT, we use an MRI scanner to measure an internal distribution of induced magnetic flux density subject to an injection current. This internal information enables us to reconstruct cross-sectional images of an internal conductivity distribution with a high spatial resolution. Conductivity image of a postmortem canine brain is presented and it shows a clear contrast between gray and white matters. Clinical applications for imaging the brain, breast, thorax, abdomen, and others are briefly discussed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.209-211
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• 2015

An 8-year-old spayed female Maltese (2.5 kg of body weight) presented with the primary complaint of loud heart murmur and exercise intolerance. Diagnostic imaging revealed severe pulmonic stenosis (peak velocity 5.2 m/s) with right ventricular hypertrophy. The dog revisited after 2 years, at which time, diagnostic imaging revealed severe biventricular hypertrophy, dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, left atrial dilation and pulmonary hypertension with worsened pre-existing pulmonic stenosis. Postmortem investigation revealed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and regional myocardial infarction. The case was diagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy secondary to severe right and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.320-323
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• 2013

Spinal cord infarction is becoming recognized as an important cause of acute myelopathy in cats. Although the definitive diagnosis is confirmed through postmortem histopathologic examination, MR imaging features provide valuable informations for the diagnosis of spinal cord infarction. The aim of this report is to describe MR findings of acute spinal cord infarction in two cats and to evaluate usefulness of low field MRI (0.3Tesla) as a potential diagnostic tool of acute spinal cord infarction. A cat (unknown age, neutered male mixed breed cat) was referred one day after the acute onset of non-ambulatory spastic tetraparesis and the other cat (a 9-year-old, neutered female domestic short hair cat) was presented due to the acute onset of non-ambulatory paraparesis and one day later paraplegia. The lesions of the MR images were shown on the spinal cord parenchyma over C2 to C6 in case 1 and L2 to L5 in case 2. The MR images in these two cases were characterized by focal intramedullary lesions, mainly involving grey matter which were hyperintense T2 weighted and FLAIR images and hyperintense on DWI and hypointense on ADC map. The MR findings in both cases were highly suggestive of acute spinal cord infarctions, based upon previous reported small animal cases and human cases. In conclusion, based on MR features, together with the history and clinical examination findings, MRI modality can be used as an antemortem tool for the diagnosis of acute spinal cord infarction in cats.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.436-442
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• 2008

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography(MREIT) has been suggested to produce cross-sectional conductivity images of an electrically conducting object such as the human body. In most previous studies, recessed electrodes have been used to inject imaging currents into the object. An MRI scanner was used to capture induced magnetic flux density data inside the object and a conductivity image reconstruction algorithm was applied to the data. This paper reports the performance of a thin and flexible carbon-hydrogel electrode that replaces the bulky and rigid recessed electrode in previous studies. The new carbon-hydrogel electrode produces a negligible amount of artifacts in MR and conductivity images and significantly simplifies the experimental procedure. We can fabricate the electrode in different shapes and sizes. Adding a layer of conductive adhesive, we can easily attach the electrode on an irregular surface with an excellent contact. Using a pair of carbon-hydrogel electrodes with a large contact area, we may inject an imaging current with increased amplitude primarily due to a reduced average current density underneath the electrodes. Before we apply the new electrode to a human subject, we evaluated its performance by conducting MREIT imaging experiments of five swine legs. Reconstructed conductivity images of the swine legs show a good contrast among different muscles and bones. We suggest a future study of human experiments using the carbon-hydrogel electrode following the guideline proposed in this paper.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.461-468
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• 2009

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) enables us to perform high-resolution conductivity imaging of an electrically conducting object. Injecting low-frequency current through a pair of surface electrodes, we measure an induced magnetic flux density using an MRI scanner and this requires a sophisticated MR phase imaging method. Applying a conductivity image reconstruction algorithm to measured magnetic flux density data subject to multiple injection currents, we can produce multi-slice cross-sectional conductivity images. When there exists a local region of fat, the well-known chemical shift phenomenon produces misalignments of pixels in MR images. This may result in artifacts in magnetic flux density image and consequently in conductivity image. In this paper, we investigate chemical shift artifact correction in MREIT based on the well-known three-point Dixon technique. The major difference is in the fact that we must focus on the phase image in MREIT. Using three Dixon data sets, we explain how to calculate a magnetic flux density image without chemical shift artifact. We test the correction method through imaging experiments of a cheese phantom and postmortem canine head. Experimental results clearly show that the method effectively eliminates artifacts related with the chemical shift phenomenon in a reconstructed conductivity image.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.667-672
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• 2007

This report describes the use of conventional computed tomography(CT) for the diagnosis of head trauma in three canine patients. According to physical and neurologic examinations, survey radiography and computed tomography, these patients were diagnosed as traumatic brain injury. Especially, CT is the imaging modality of first choice for head trauma patients. It provides rapid acquisition of images, superior bone detail, and better visualization of acute hemorrhage than magnetic resonance imaging. It is also less expensive and more readily available. Pre-contrast computed tomography was used to image the head. Then, post-contrast CT was performed using the same technique. The Modified Glasgow Coma Scale(MGCS) score was used to predict their probability of survival rate after head trauma in these dogs. Computed tomogram showed fluid filled tympanic bulla, fracture of the left temporal bone and cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage with post contrast ring enhancement. However, in one case, computed tomographic examination didn't delineate cerebellar parenchymal hemorrhage, which was found at postmortem examination. Treatments for patients placed in intensive care were focused to maintain cerebral perfusion pressure and to normalize intracranial pressure. In these cases, diagnostic computed tomography was a useful procedure. It revealed accurate location of the hemorrhage lesion.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2005

We have developed a small bore x-ray CT for small animal imaging with a linear x-ray detector array and small-scale slip rings. The linear x-ray detector array consists of 1024 elements of 400□m×400□m with a gadolinium oxysulfide (GOS) scintillator on top of them. To avoid use of expensive large diameter slip rings for projection data transmission from the X­ray detector to the image reconstruction system, we used the wireless LAN technology. The projection data are temporally stored in the data acquisition system residing on the rotating gantry during the scan and they are transmitted to the image reconstruction system after the scan. With the wireless LAN technology, we only needed to use small-scale slip rings to deliver the AC electric power to the X-ray generator and the power supply on the rotating gantry. The performances of the small animal CT system, such as SNR, contrast, and spatial resolution, have been evaluated through experiments using various phantoms. It has been experimentally found that the SNR is almost linearly proportional to the tube current and tube voltage, and the minimum resolvable contrast is less than 30 CT numbers at 40kVp/3.0㎃. The spatial resolution of the small animal CT system has been found to be about 0.9Ip/㎜. Postmortem images of a piglet is also presented.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2008

A 6-year-old female Boston terrier dog was presented with seizure episode, forelimb paraparesis, excessive panting, and ataxia. On physical and neurological examination, episcleral vessel engorgement, delayed postural reaction, delayed pupillary light reflex (both direct and consensual), and crossed forelimb were noted. Serum biochemical profiles were not remarkable other than mildly elevated hepatic enzymes. On cerebrospinal fluid analysis, elevated protein concentration was observed. In magnetic resonance imaging scans, the left frontal brain lesion with ring enhancement strongly suggested the presence of intracranial tumor. Concurrently, secondary hydrocephalus and syringomyelia were also observed. The dog was euthanized at 4 months after initial presentation because of aggravated neurological signs. This case was definitely diagnosed as an intracranial anaplastic oligodendroglioma based on postmortem histopathologic examination.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.295-300
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• 2005

We introduce an x-ray micro tomography system capable of high resolution imaging of a local region inside a small animal. By combining two kinds of projection data, one from a full field-of-view (FOV) scan of the whole body and the other from a limited FOV scan of the region of interest, we have obtained zoomed-in images of the region of interest without any contrast a nomalies. We have integrated a micro tomography system using a micro-focus x-ray source, a $1248\times1248$ flat-panel x-ray detector, and a precision scan mechanism. Using the cross-sectional images taken with the zoom-in micro tomography system, we measured trabecular thicknesses of femur bones in postmortem rats. To compensate the limited spatial resolution in the zoom-in micro tomography images, we used the fuzzy distance transform for the calculation of the trabecular thickness. To validate the trabecular thickness measurement with the zoom-in micro tomography images, we compared the measurement results with the ones obtained from the conventional micro tomography images of the extracted bone samples.