• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2014

Purpose : According to the rapid increase recently in image-guided radiation therapy, It is necessary to control of the image guidance system completely. In particular for the main subject to the accuracy of image guided radiation therapy device to be done essentially the quality assurance. We made efficient phantom in AMC for the management of the accurate and efficient. Materials and Methods : By setting up of five very important as a quality assurance inventory of the Image guidance system, we made (AMC G-Box) phantom for quality assurance efficient and accurate. Quality assurance list were the Iso-center align, the real measurement, the center align of four direction, the accuracy of table movement and the reproducibility of Hounsfield Unit. The rectangular phantom; acrylic with a thickness of 1 cm to $10cm{\time}10cm{\time}10cm$ was inserted the three materials with different densities respectively for measure the CBCT HU. The phantom was to perform a check of consistency centered by creating a marker that indicates the position of the center fixed. By performing the quality assurance using the phantom of existing, comparing the resulting value to the different resulting value using the AMC G-Box, experiment was analyzed time and problems. Therapy equipment was used Varian device. It was measured twice at 1-week intervals. Results : When implemented quality assurance of an image guidance system using AMC G-Box and a phantom existing has been completed, the quality assurance result is similar in $0.2mm{\pm}0.1$. In the case of the conventional method, it was 45 minutes at 30 minutes. When using AMC G-Box, it takes 20 minutes 15 minutes, and declined to 50% of the time. Conclusion : The consistency and accurate of image guidance system tend to decline using device. Therefore, We need to perform thoroughly on the quality assurance related. It needs to be checked daily to consistency check especially. When using the AMC G-Box, It is possible to enhance the accuracy of the patient care and equipment efficiently performing accurate quality assurance.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2014

Purpose Auto exposure control (AEC) in SPECT/CT automatically controls the exposure dose (mA) according to patient's shape and size. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AEC in SPECT/CT on exposure dose reduction and image quality. Materials and Methods The model of SPECT/CT used in this study was Discovery 670 (GE, USA), Smart mA for AEC; and $^{99m}Tc$ as a radioisotope. To compare SPECT and CT images by CT exposure dose variation, we used a standard technique set at 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mA, and AEC at 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp, 10-250 mA. To evaluate resolution and contrast of SPECT images, triple line phantom and flangeless Esser PET phantom were used. For CT images, noise and uniformity were checked by anthropomrphic chest phantom. For dose evaluation to find DLP value, anthropomorphic chest phantom was used and the CT protocol of torso was applied by standard technique (120 kVp, 100 mA) and AEC (120 kVp, 10-250 mA). Results When standard and AEC were applied, the resolutions at SPECT images with attenuation correction (AC) were the same as FWHM by center 3.65 mm, left 3.48 mm, right 3.61 mm. Contrasts of standard and AEC showed no significant difference: standard 53.5, 29.8, 22.5, 15.8, 6.0, AEC 53.5, 29.6, 22.4, 15.7, 6.1 In CT images, noise values at standard and AEC were 15.4 and 18.5 respectively. The application of AEC increases noise but the value of coefficient variation were 33.8, 24.9 respectively, obtaining uniform noise image. The values of DLP at standard and AEC were 426.78 and 352.09 each, which shows that the application of AEC decreases exposure dose more than standard by approximately 18%. Conclusion The results of our study show that there was no difference of AC in SPECT images based on the CT exposure dose variation at SPECT/CT images. It was found that the increased CT exposure dose leads to the improvement of CT image quality but also increases the exposure dose. Thus, the use of AEC in SPECT/CT contributes to obtaining equal AC SPECT images, and uniform noise in CT images while reducing exposure dose.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.57-63
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• 1998

AEC was designed to assist in the production of radiographs of equal density and to aid in the production f consistently high quality radiographs. Many improvements have been made in the AEC and these have helped to increase it's acceptance. Newer system (Falling load) control kVp and mA as well as exposure time. Authors have had experiments about the characteristics of AEC by Zone System. Zone System is the method to detection of photographic image qualify by control the photo print from Fred Archer and Ansel Adams. With the Zone System theory the experiments of density control, characteristics of phantom thickness and reproducibility of occupation rate of contrast media could make quality control of X-ray photography effectively in falling load system.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.390-398
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• 2022

Ultrasound examination using ultrasound equipment is an ultrasound device that images human organs using sound waves and is used in various areas such as diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment of diseases. However, if the quality of ultrasound equipment is not guaranteed, the possibility of misdiagnosis increases, and the diagnosis rate decreases. Accordingly, The Korean Society of Radiology and Korea society of Ultrasound in Medicine presented guidelines for quality management of ultrasound equipment using ATS-539 phantom. The DenseNet201 classification algorithm shows 99.25% accuracy and 5.17% loss in the Dead Zone, 97.52% loss in Axial/Lateral Resolution, 96.98% accuracy and 20.64% loss in Sensitivity, 93.44% accuracy and 22.07% loss in the Gray scale and Dynamic Range. As a result, it is the best and is judged to be an algorithm that can be used for quantitative evaluation. Through this study, it can be seen that if quantitative evaluation using artificial intelligence is conducted in the qualitative evaluation item of ultrasonic equipment, the reliability of ultrasonic equipment can be increased with high accuracy.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to consider usefulness of using AEC mode and importance of patient center location in L-spine lateral radiography by comparing dose and image quality according to the change of patient center location with using AEC mode or not. In this study, guide wire is attached to the human body phantom's lumbar spine and the lead ruler is attached to the bottom of the wall detector to find out center location in detector. ESD, mAs, and EI were selected as dose factors, and image quality was compared through SNR. With the lumbar spine located center of the detector, dose factors and image quality were compared according to using AEC mode or not. Afterwards, phantom moved 4 cm and 8 cm back and forth and compared dose factors and image quality. The exposure parameters were 85 kVp, 320 mA, x-ray field size 10×17 inch, and the distance between the center X-ray and the detector was fixed at 100 cm. The center X-ray was perpendicular to the fourth lumbar spine and the only bottom AEC chamber was used. All data were analyzed by independent t-test and ANOVA. As a result of this study, with AEC when the center is matched, ESD was 1.31±0.01 mGy, without AEC was 2.12±0.01 mGy. SNR was shown to be 22.81±1.83, and 23.44±1.87 respectively. When the phantom's center moves 4 cm, 8 cm forward, and 4 cm, 8 cm backward, ESD were 1.09±0.004 mGy, 0.32±0.003 mGy, 1.19±0.017 mGy, 1.11±0.006 mGy respectively, SNR were 18.29±0.60 dB, 11.11±0.22 dB, 18.98±0.80 dB, 17.71±0.82 dB. Using AEC in L-spine lateral radiography reduced ESD by 38%, EI by 35%, and mAs by 38%, without any difference in SNR(p<0.05). When the phantom's center moves 4 cm, 8 cm forward, and 4 cm, 8 cm backward, ESD was decreasing each 16%, 75%, 9%, 15%, EI was decreasing each 14%, 77%, 15%, 20%, mAs was decreasing each 15% 75% 9%, 15%. SNR was decreasing each 19%, 51%, 17%, 22%.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.75-86
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply a newly developed free software program, at low cost and with minimal time, to evaluate the quality of dental and maxillofacial cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom, CQP-IFBA, was scanned in 3 CBCT units with 7 protocols. A macro program was developed, using the free software ImageJ, to automatically evaluate the image quality parameters. The image quality evaluation was based on 8 parameters: uniformity, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), noise, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), spatial resolution, the artifact index, geometric accuracy, and low-contrast resolution. Results: The image uniformity and noise depended on the protocol that was applied. Regarding the CNR, high-density structures were more sensitive to the effect of scanning parameters. There were no significant differences between SNR and CNR in centered and peripheral objects. The geometric accuracy assessment showed that all the distance measurements were lower than the real values. Low-contrast resolution was influenced by the scanning parameters, and the 1-mm rod present in the phantom was not depicted in any of the 3 CBCT units. Smaller voxel sizes presented higher spatial resolution. There were no significant differences among the protocols regarding artifact presence. Conclusion: This software package provided a fast, low-cost, and feasible method for the evaluation of image quality parameters in CBCT.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2002

The aim of this study Is to develop a simple and fast method which computes in-vivo doses from transmission doses measured doting patient treatment using an ionization chamber. Energy fluence and the dose that reach the chamber positioned behind the patient is modified by three factors: patient attenuation, inverse square attenuation. and scattering. We adopted a straightforward empirical approach using a phantom transmission factor (PTF) which accounts for the contribution from all three factors. It was done as follows. First of all, the phantom transmission factor was measured as a simple ratio of the chamber reading measured with and without a homogeneous phantom in the radiation beam according to various field sizes($r_p$), phantom to chamber distance($d_g$) and phantom thickness($T_p$). Secondly, we used the concept of effective field to the cases with inhomogeneous phantom (patients) and irregular fields. The effective field size is calculated by finding the field size that produces the same value of PTF to that for the irregular field and/or inhomogeneous phantom. The hypothesis is that the presence of inhomogeneity and irregular field can be accommodated to a certain extent by altering the field size. Thirdly, the center dose at the prescription depth can be computed using the new TMR($r_{p,eff}$) and Sp($r_{p,eff}$) from the effective field size. After that, when TMR(d, $r_{p,eff}$) and SP($r_{p,eff}$) are acquired. the tumor dose is as follows. $$D_{center}=D_t/PTF(d_g,\;T_p){\times}(\frac{SCD}{SAD})^2{\times}BSF(r_o){\times}S_p(r_{p,eff}){\times}TMR(d,\;r_{p,eff})$$ To make certain the accuracy of this method, we checked the accuracy for the following four cases; in cases of regular or irregular field size, inhomogeneous material included, any errors made and clinical situation. The errors were within 2.3% for regular field size, 3.0% irregular field size, 2.4% when inhomogeneous material was included in the phantom, 3.8% for 6 MV when the error was made purposely, 4.7% for 10 MV and 1.8% for the measurement of a patient in clinic. It is considered that this methode can make the quality control for dose at the time of radiation therapy because it is non-invasive that makes possible to measure the doses whenever a patient is given a therapy as well as eliminates the problem for entrance or exit dose measurement.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-66
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• 2009

Purpose: ACR (American College of Radiology) offers variable parameters to PET/CT quality control by using ACR Phantom. ACR Phantom was made to evaluate parameters which are uniformity, attenuation, scatter, contrast and resolution. Manual analysis method wasn't good for the use of QC because values of parameter were changed as it may user and it takes long time to analysis. Ki-Chun Lim, a nuclear scientist in AMC, developed program that automatically analysis values of parameter by using ACR Phantom to overcome above problems. In this study, we evaluated automatic analysis program's usability, through the comparing SUV of each method, reproducibility of SUV when repeated analysis and the time required. Materials and Methods: Using Flangeless Esser PET Phantom, the ideal ratio of 4 : 1 hot cylinder and BKG but it actually showed a ratio of 3.89 to 1 hot cylinder and BKG. SIEMENS Biograph True Point 40 was used in this study. We obtained images using ACR phantom at Fusion WB PET Scan condition (2 min/bed) and 120 kV, 100 mAs CT condition. Using True X method, 3 iterations, 14 subsets, Gaussian filter, FWHM 4 mm and Zoom Factor 1.0, $168{\times}168$ image size. We obtained Max. & Min. SUV and SUV Mean values at Cylinder (8, 12, 16, 25 mm, Air, Bone, Water, BKG) by automatic program and obtained SUV by manual method. After that, we compared manual and automatic method. we estimate the time required from opened the image data to final work sheet was completed. Results: Automatic program always showed same result and same the time required. At 8, 12, 16 and 25 m cylinder, manual method showed 6.69, 3.46, 2.59, 1.24 CV values. The larger cylinder size became, the smaller CV became. In manual method, bone, air, water's CV were over 9.9 except BKG (2.32). Obtained CV of Mean SUV showed BKG was low (0.85) and bone was high (7.52). The time required was 45 second, 882 second respectably. Conclusions: As a result of difference automatic method and manual method, automatic method showed always same result, manual method showed that the smaller hot cylinders became, the lager CV became. Hot cylinders mean region size, the smaller hot cylinder size becomes we had some trouble in doing ROI poison setting. And it means increase in variation of SUV. The Study showed the time required of automatic method was shorten then manual method.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2010

Purpose: Recently, the performance of the X-ray tube was very much improved by the power generation of the technology. However, the overload of equipment is occurred by the increment of the equipment operating time according to the increment of the examination number of cases. The X-ray dose can change by heat occurrence of the X-ray tube due to this. Moreover, the change of the bone mineral density value is possible to occur. Therefore, We tries to whether the change of the bone mineral density value of each equipment according to the difference of the examination number of cases and operating time occur or not. Materials and Methods: The BMD value was measured by the Aluminum Spine Phantom and the European Spine Phantom in each equipment, in order to find out about the difference of the time general classification bone mineral density value by using the Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. And after scanning each phantom by using X-ray dose meter (Unfors Mult-O-Meter), a dose was measured by the same condition. As to, an average and standard deviation were found and the change of each equipment much BMD value was compared and it evaluated. Results: $Mean{\pm}SD$ of each equipment by using the Aluminum Spine Phantom, A equipment was $1.174{\pm}0.002$, $1.171{\pm}0.005$, $1.173{\pm}0.005$, B equipment was $1.186{\pm}0.003$, $1.187{\pm}0.003$, $1.185{\pm}0.003$, C equipment was $1.180{\pm}0.003$, $1.182{\pm}0.004$, $1.183{\pm}0.002$, D equipment was $1.188{\pm}0.004$, $1.185{\pm}0.003$, $1.185{\pm}0.004$. By using the European Spine Phantom, A equipment was $1.143{\pm}0.006$, $1.153{\pm}0.009$, $1.161{\pm}0.003$, B equipment was $1.134{\pm}0.004$, $1.13{\pm}0.008$, $1.127{\pm}0.015$, C equipment was $1.143{\pm}0.006$, $1.134{\pm}0.01$, $1.133{\pm}0.006$, D equipment was $1.14{\pm}0.001$, $1.122{\pm}0.002$, $1.131{\pm}0.008$, altogether included in the normal range. Conclusion: There was no significant change of the BMD value of using a phantom by time zones. Therefore, if the quality control is made to use the extent management method of the equipment for beginning in the present application, the reliability of the BMD equipment will be able to be enhanced.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.271-274
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• 2016

CT quality assurance imaging evaluation and enforcement as quantitative assessment by phantom image evaluation, assessment items include There are also contrasting the water attenuation coefficient, uniformity, noise, resolution, spatial resolution, 10mm slice thickness evaluation, contrast resolution, space for the resolution, the slice thickness evaluation, it is possible to estimate the error due to the evaluation by the subjective judgment of the tester, using a subjective error image processing program to be computed to minimize the objective evaluation. Basic recording conditions of the CT image quality control assessment is the same as special medical equipment quality control checks, the images were evaluated quantitatively using IMAGE J. For a CT attenuation coefficient, the uniformity, noise evaluation, were evaluated as CT quality control image the standard deviation of the measured value of the digital processing of image smaller and less noise uniform images than the, contrast and resolution assessment is the size of the diameter of a circle having a large the 1 inch, 0.75 inch, 0.5 inch quality if the diameter of the circle, was evaluated in the small circle in the near circle ellipse. Spatial resolution is evaluated by using a self-extracting features of an image processing program, all of the groups of members comprising the acceptance criteria to automatically extract, was evaluated to be very useful for the quantitative assessment. When CT image quality control assessment on the basis of the results such as the above, if using an image processing program to minimize the subjective judgment of the error evaluator and is determined more efficient than would be made quantitative evaluation.