• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 2018

With the improvement of medical state, patients' expectations for the most advanced medical equipment are increasing. Particularly, Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) is used as one of the core image diagnosis methods in all clinical area. However, it has been reported that many of patients who go through the examination suffer from anxiety to the severe noise level during the examination. In this study, both the noise reduction evaluation of headsets with sound-blocking materials added to existing sound-absorbing materials and the existence of sound blocking materials as artifacts on the examination image are tested. An MRI test noise is recorded as a speaker by cross-ordination the sound material (sponge) and the sound material (acrylic plate, copper plate, and 3D copper plate) inside the headset made from 3D pring. A quantitative assessment of headsets showed that the average headset value was 81.8 dB. The average dB value of the most soundproof material combination(Copper, acrylic plate, sponge, sponge) headsets on headsets with added charactering material was measured at 70.4 dB, and MRI showed that the copper was diamagnetic substance and excluded. The second most soundproof headset(Sponge, acrylic plate, 3D copper plate, sponge) was measured at 70.6 dB and MRI showed no artifacts. The same simulation of the material printed with a 3D copper PLA containing approximately 40 % copper powder resulted in no artifacts, therefore, the material output as a 3D printing was better suited for use. For MRI related research, the mutual development of 3D printing is highly anticipated.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2014

Purpose : To investigate whether quantitative parameters derived from Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) correlate with those of Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients with pathologically or clinically proven bony metastasis who had undergone MRI prior to treatment were included. The voxel size was $1.367{\times}1.367{\times}5mm$. A dominant tumor was selected and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and DCE-MRI parameters were obtained by matching voxels. DCE-MRI data were analyzed yielding estimates of $K^{trans}$ (volume transfer constant) and $v_e$. (extravascular extracellular volume fraction). Statistical analysis of ADC, $K^{trans}$, and $v_e$ value was conducted using Pearson correlation analyses. Results: Fifteen lesions in pelvic bones were evaluated. Of these, 11 showed a statistically significant correlation (P<0.05) between ADC and $K^{trans}$. The ADC and $K^{trans}$ were inversely related in 7 lesions and positively related in 4 lesions. This did not depend on the primary cancer or site of metastasis. The ADC and $v_e$ of 9 lesions correlated significantly. Of these, 4 lesions were inversely related and 5 lesions were positively related. Conclusion: Unlike our theoretic hypothesis, there was no consistent correlation between ADC values and $K^{trans}$ or between ADC values and $v_e$ in metastatic bone tumors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2013

Despite the many advantages of magnetic resonance imaging in orthopedic prosthetic body image distortion to the differences in the magnetic susceptibility occurs. Attached to the phantom and pork produced by the same $65{\times}15{\times}2mm$ stainless steel and titanium specimen examined the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging and phantom images, the signal intensity changes of the subcutaneous tissue, fat-suppressed quantitative assessment of the degree through the length of image distortion and pig bones. Stainless steel to titanium to 2.8 times 4.4 times in the longitudinal direction than in the direction of the height of large image distortion, signal strength is relatively low 58.5%. Normal 56.2% compared to the subcutaneous tissue, fat-suppressed, were stainless steel 16.04%, 54.53% titanium. Experimental results than the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of stainless steel with a titanium metal if better could see.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.241-250
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between quantitative magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers, and clinical performances in chronic phase of carbon monoxide intoxication. Materials and Methods: Eighteen magnetic resonance scans and cognitive evaluations were performed, on patients with carbon monoxide intoxication in chronic phase. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratios of affected versus unaffected centrum semiovale, and corpus callosum were obtained. Signal intensity (SI) ratios between affected centrum semiovale, and normal pons in T2-FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) images were obtained. The Mini-Mental State Exam, and clinical outcome scores were assessed. Correlation coefficients were calculated, between MRI and clinical markers. Patients were further classified into poor-outcome and good-outcome groups based on clinical performance, and imaging parameters were compared. T2-SI ratio of centrum semiovale was compared, with that of 18 sex-matched and age-matched controls. Results: T2-SI ratio of centrum semiovale was significantly higher in the poor-outcome group, than that in the good-outcome group and was strongly inversely correlated, with results from the Mini-Mental State Exam. ADC ratios of centrum semiovale were significantly lower in the poor outcome group than in the good outcome group, and were moderately correlated with the Mini-Mental State Exam score. Conclusion: A higher T2-SI and a lower ratio of ADC values in the centrum semiovale, may indicate presence of more severe white matter injury and clinical impairment. T2-SI ratio and ADC values in the centrum semiovale, are useful quantitative imaging biomarkers for correlation with clinical performance in individuals with carbon monoxide intoxication.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2021

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) uses strong magnetic field to image the cross-section of human body and has excellent image quality with no risk of radiation exposure. Because of above-mentioned advantages, MRI has been widely used in clinical fields. However, the noise generated in MRI degrades the quality of medical images and has a negative effect on quick and accurate diagnosis. In particular, examining a object with a detailed structure such as brain, image quality degradation becomes a problem for diagnosis. Therefore, in this study, we acquired T2 weighted 3D data of multiple sclerosis disease using BrainWeb simulation program, and used quantitative evaluation factors to find appropriate slice thickness among 1, 3, 5, and 7 mm. Coefficient of variation and contrast to noise ratio were calculated to evaluate the noise level, and root mean square error and peak signal to noise ratio were used to evaluate the similarity with the reference image. As a result, the noise level decreased as the slice thickness increased, while the similarity decreased after 5 mm. In conclusion, as the slice thickness increases, the noise is reduced and the image quality is improved. However, since the edge signal is lost due to overlapped signal, it is considered that selecting appropriate slice thickness is necessary.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.135-149
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• 2022

Purpose: To assess clinically significant imaging findings of malignant intramammary lymph nodes (IMLNs) in breast cancer patients and to evaluate their diagnostic performance in predicting malignant IMLN. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 cases with IMLN of BI-RADS category 3 or more, not typical benign IMLN, in MR of breast cancer patients between January 2016 and January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. After excluding 33 cases, 77 cases were finally included. Among them, 58 and 19 were confirmed as benign and malignant, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative MR imaging features of the IMLN were retrospectively analyzed. Sizes and final assessment categories of IMLN on MRI, mammography, and ultrasound were reviewed. Diagnostic performances of imaging features on MRI, mammography, and ultrasound were then evaluated. Results: For qualitative MR features, shape, margin, and preserved central hilum were significantly different between benign and malignant groups (P < 0.05). For quantitative MR features, long diameter over 6 mm, short diameter over 4 mm, and cortical thickening over 3 mm showed high sensitivities in predicting malignant IMLNs (89.5%, 94.7%, and 100%, respectively). Size exceeding 1 cm showed high specificity and accuracy in predicting malignant IMLN on MR, mammography, and ultrasound (91.4% and 80.5%; 96.6% and 79.25; 98.3% and 80.5%, respectively). Conclusion: Various MR imaging features and size can be helpful for predicting malignant IMLN in breast cancer patients.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.922-930
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• 2021

Objective: It is uncertain why a b-value range of 1500-2000 s/mm² is optimal. This study was aimed at qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing the optimal b-value range of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (sDWI) for evaluating prostatic index lesions. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 92 patients who underwent DWI and targeted biopsy for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-suggested index lesions. We generated sDWI at a b-value range of 1000-3000 s/mm² using dedicated software and true DWI data at b-values of 0, 100, and 1000 s/mm². We hypothesized that lesion conspicuity would be best when the background (i.e., MRI-suggested benign prostatic [bP] and periprostatic [pP] regions) signal intensity (SI) is suppressed and becomes homogeneous. To prove this hypothesis, we performed both qualitative and quantitative analyses. For qualitative analysis, two independent readers analyzed the b-value showing the best visual conspicuity of an MRI-suggested index lesion. For quantitative analysis, the readers assessed the b-value showing the same bP and pP region SI. The 95% confidence interval (CI) or interquartile range of qualitatively and quantitatively selected optimal b-values was assessed, and the mean difference between qualitatively and quantitatively selected b-values was investigated. Results: The 95% CIs of optimal b-values from qualitative and quantitative analyses were 1761-1805 s/mm² and 1640-1771 s/mm² (median, 1790 s/mm² vs. 1705 s/mm²; p = 0.003) for reader 1, and 1835-1895 s/mm² and 1705-1841 s/mm² (median, 1872 s/mm² vs. 1763 s/mm²; p = 0.022) for reader 2, respectively. Interquartile ranges of qualitatively and quantitatively selected optimal b-values were 1735-1873 s/mm² and 1573-1867 s/mm² for reader 1, and 1775-1945 s/mm² and 1591-1955 s/mm² for reader 2, respectively. Bland-Altman plots consistently demonstrated a mean difference of less than 100 s/mm² between qualitatively and quantitatively selected optimal b-values. Conclusion: b-value range showing a homogeneous background signal may be optimal for evaluating prostatic index lesions on sDWI. Our qualitative and quantitative data consistently recommend b-values of 1500-2000 s/mm².

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.85-97
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• 2003

Medical tomography images like CT, MRI, PET, SPECT, fMRI, ett have been widely used for diagnosis and treatment of a patient and for clinical study in hospital. In many cases, tomography images are scanned in several different modalities or with time intervals for a single subject for extracting complementary information and comparing one another. 3D image registration is mapping two sets of images for comparison onto common 3D coordinate space, and may be categorized to marker -based matching and feature-based matching. 3D registration of brain images has an important role for visual and quantitative analysis in localization of treatment area of a brain, brain functional research, brain mapping research, and so on. In this article, marker-based and feature-based matching methods which are often used are introduced.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2015

We evaluate the influence of MR contrast agent on positron emission tomography (PET) image using phantom, animal and human studies. Phantom consisted of 15 solutions with the mixture of various concentrations of Gd-based MR contrast agent and fixed activity of [$^{18}F$]FDG. Animal study was performed using rabbit and two kinds of MR contrast agents. After injecting contrast agent, CT or MRI scanning was performed at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 minutes. PET image was obtained using clinical PET/CT scan, and attenuation correction was performed using the all CT images. The values of HU, PET activity and MRI intensity were obtained from ROIs in each phantom and organ regions. In clinical study, patients (n=20) with breast cancer underwent sequential acquisitions of early [$^{18}F$]FDG PET/CT, MRI and delayed PET/CT. In phantom study, as the concentration increased, the CT attenuation and PET activity also increased. However, there was no relationship between the PET activity and the concentration in the clinical dose range of contrast agent. In animal study, change of PET activity was not significant at all time point of CT scan both MR contrast agents. There was no significant change of HU between early and delayed CT, except for kidney. Early and delayed SUV in tumor and liver showed significant increase and decrease, respectively (P<0.05). Under the condition of most clinical study (< 0.2 mM), MR contrast agent did not influence on PET image quantitation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.957-964
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• 2020

T2 FLAIR sequence of MRI in Acute Ischemic Stroke patients is meaningful to those who have the diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage and neurological deficiency, including the detection of cerebral infarction around Cerebrospinal fluid. However, because of the long acquisition time and mutative motion artifacts caused by movement, It is difficult to take the MRI image acquisition for non-cooperative patients who need to apply a rapid image acquisition. In this study, we applied the EPI-FLAIR sequence, which is one of the fastest pulse sequences in use, which is a combination of EPI sequence and T2 FLAIR sequence, to patients with acute ischemic cerebral infarction. Based on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation results of the EPI-FLAIR and T2 FLAIR image, we will evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of the EPI-FLAIR sequence.