• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.10
• /
• pp.4127-4133
• /
• 2024

Noise reduction in low-dose positron emission tomography (PET) is a well-researched topic aimed at reducing patient radiation doses and improving diagnosis. Software-based noise reduction mainly improves the contrast between regions by reducing the variation of the acquired image. However, it should be performed under appropriate parameters to reduce discrimination. We propose a method that derives optimal noise-reduction parameters using the multi-scale structural similarity index measure and visual information fidelity, which are metrics for image quality assessment. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrated the viability of the proposed algorithm. The contrast-to-noise ratio value of the denoised reconstruction slice, which was used as the optimal parameter, increased approximately three times compared to that of the low-dose slice while preserving the resolution. The results indicate that the proposed method successfully predicted the parameters according to the noise-reduction algorithm and PET system conditions in the sinogram domain. The proposed algorithm should help prevent misdiagnosis and provide standardized medical images for clinical application by performing appropriate noise reduction.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.179-190
• /
• 2019

Panoramic radiographs and computed tomography (CT) play a paramount role in the accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and prognostic evaluation of various complex dental pathologies. The advent of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has revolutionized the practice of dentistry, and this technique is now considered the gold standard for imaging the oral and maxillofacial area due to its numerous advantages, including reductions in exposure time, radiation dose, and cost in comparison to other imaging modalities. This review highlights the broad use of CBCT in the dentomaxillofacial region, and also focuses on future software advancements that can further optimize CBCT imaging.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.220-229
• /
• 2013

Respiratory-induced dynamic tumors render free-breathing cone-beam computed tomography (FBCBCT) images with motion artifacts complicating the task of quantifying the internal target volume (ITV). The purpose of this paper is to study the visibility of the revealed ITV when the imaging dose parameters, such as the kVp and mAs, are varied. The $Trilogy^{TM}$ linear accelerator with an On-Board Imaging ($OBI^{TM}$) system was used to acquire low-imaging-dose-mode (LIDM: 110 kVp, 20 mA, 20 ms/frame) and high-imaging-dose-mode (HIDM: 125 kVp, 80 mA, 25 ms/frame) FBCBCT images of a 3-cm diameter sphere (density=0.855 $g/cm^3$) moving in accordance to various sinusoidal breathing patterns, each with an unique inhalation-to-exhalation (I/E) ratio, amplitude, and period. In terms of image ITV contrast, there was a small overall average change of the ITV contrast when going from HIDM to LIDM of $6.5{\pm}5.1%$ for all breathing patterns. As for the ITV visible volume measurements, there was an insignificant difference between the ITV of both the LIDM- and HIDM-FBCBCT images with an average difference of $0.5{\pm}0.5%$, for all cases, despite the large difference in the imaging dose (approximately five-fold difference of ~0.8 and 4 cGy/scan). That indicates that the ITV visibility is not very sensitive to changes in imaging dose. However, both of the FBCBCT consistently underestimated the true ITV dimensions by up to 34.8% irrespective of the imaging dose mode due to significant motion artifacts, and thus, this imaging technique is not adequate to accurately visualize the ITV for image guidance. Due to the insignificant impact of imaging dose on ITV visibility, a plausible, alternative strategy would be to acquire more X-ray projections at the LIDM setting to allow 4DCBCT imaging to better define the ITV, and at the same time, maintain a reasonable imaging dose, i.e., comparable to a single HIDM-FBCBCT scan.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.10
• /
• pp.1224-1228
• /
• 2001

Germinoma is a rare central nervous system neoplasm in children and young adults. It is well known that a malignant primary neoplasm can be cured by conventional radiation therapy alone or reduced-volume and field irradiation in combination with chemotherapy. The authors report a very rare case of a pineal germinoma, which was completely disappeared after repeated diagnostic brain computed tomography(CT) with review of pertinent literature. There has been neither tumor recurrence nor metastasis during follow-up period.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.46-52
• /
• 2015

Herein we present the synthesis of $^{68}Ga$-labeled gold nanoparticles for in vivo PET imaging. A novel chelator DTPA-Cys was easily prepared from diethylenetriaminepentaacetic dianhydride in high yield. The ${\alpha}_v{\beta}_3$ integrin receptor targeted gold nanoparticle probe was synthesized by using DTPA-Cys, polyethylene glycol and cRGD peptide. $^{68}Ga$ labeling of cRGD conjugated gold nanoparticle was carried out at $40^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Observed radiochemical yield was more than 75% as determined by radio-TLC and the probe was purified by centrifugation. In vitro stability test showed that 90% of $^{68}Ga$-labeled gold nanoparticle probe was stable in FBS for 1 h. Those results demonstrated that $^{68}Ga$-labeled gold nanoparticle could be used as a potentially useful probe for specific tumor imaging.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
• /
• v.57 no.7
• /
• pp.392-402
• /
• 2019

The most important part of everyday root canal treatment is diagnosis about the morphology of tooth, root and root canal. Usually this procedure is performed by visual examination and radiographic (panoramic/periapical) examination. However, 2-dimentional radiography has several limitations such as imposition of anatomic structures including buccal/lingual root canals and distortion of images. Recently, owing to the increased interest in dental implant and affordable cost of CBCT equipment, CBCT has been introduced widely in local dental clinics. CBCT is characterized by their lower radiation dose and shorter exposure time than conventional CT scan, and ability of 3-dimentional reconstruction of the dento-alveolar structure. Also in endodontic field, the data from CBCT could be very helpful in diagnosing complex root canal anatomy, apical periodontitis, cause of failure and in determining treatment plan. However, there are some limitations such as radiation dose and artifact. Therefore, clinicians should know about indication, advantages and limitations of CBCT, and properly use it for successful root canal treatment to save the natural teeth.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.116-124
• /
• 2014

Purpose: To investigate the frequency and clinical significance of detected incidental lung nodules found on computed tomography (CT) simulation images for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) and a physician review. Materials and Methods: Sixty-seven treatment-$na{\ddot{i}}ve$ HCC patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiotherapy (RT) were included for the study. Portal phase of simulation CT images was used for CAD analysis and a physician review for lung nodule detection. For automated nodule detection, a commercially available CAD system was used. To assess the performance of lung nodule detection for lung metastasis, the sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated. Results: Forty-six patients had incidental nodules detected by CAD with a total of 109 nodules. Only 20 (18.3%) nodules were considered to be significant nodules by a physician review. The number of significant nodules detected by both of CAD or a physician review was 24 in 9 patients. Lung metastases developed in 11 of 46 patients who had any type of nodule. The sensitivities were 58.3% and 100% based on patient number and on the number of nodules, respectively. The NPVs were 91.4% and 100%, respectively. And the PPVs were 77.8% and 91.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Incidental detection of metastatic nodules was not an uncommon event. From our study, CAD could be applied to CT simulation images allowing for an increase in detection of metastatic nodules.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.307-312
• /
• 2009

The purpose of our study was to determine the eyeradiation dose when performing routine multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). We also evaluated dose reduction and the effect on image quality of using a bismuth eye shield when performing head MDCT. Examinations were performed with a 64MDCT scanner. To compare the shielded/unshielded lens dose, the examination was performed with and without bismuth shielding in anthropomorphic phantom. To determine the average lens radiation dose, we imaged an anthropomorphic phantom into which calibrated photoluminescence glass dosimeter (PLD) were placed to measure the dose to lens. The phantom was imaged using the same protocol. Radiation doses to the lens with and without the lensshielding were measured and compared using the Student t test. In the qualitative evaluation of the MDCT scans, all were considered to be of diagnostic quality. We did not see any differences in quality between the shielded and unshielded brain. The mean radiation doses to the eyewith the shield and to those without the shield were 21.54 versus 10.46 mGy, respectively. The lens shield enabled a 51.3% decrease in radiation dose to the lens. Bismuth in-plane shielding for routine eye and head MDCT decreased radiation dose to the lenswithout qualitative changes in image quality. The other radiosensitive superficial organs specifically must be protected with shielding.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.17-24
• /
• 2015

To improve accuracy of dose calculation on kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography (kV CBCT) images, a custom-made phantom was fabricated to acquire an accurate CT number to electron density curve by full scatter of cone beam x-ray. To evaluate the dosimetric accuracy, 9 volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for head and neck (HN) cancer and 9 VMAT plans for lung cancer were generated with an anthropomorphic phantom. Both CT and CBCT images of the anthropomorphic phantom were acquired and dose-volumetric parameters on the CT images with CT density curve (CTCT), CBCT images with CT density curve ($CBCT_{CT}$) and CBCT images with CBCT density curve ($CBCT_{CBCT}$) were calculated for each VMAT plan. The differences between $CT_{CT}$ vs. $CBCT_{CT}$ were similar to those between $CT_{CT}$ vs. $CBCT_{CBCT}$ for HN VMAT plans. However, the differences between $CT_{CT}$ vs. $CBCT_{CT}$ were larger than those between $CT_{CT}$ vs. $CBCT_{CBCT}$ for lung VMAT plans. Especially, the differences in $D_{98%}$ and $D_{95%}$ of lung target volume were statistically significant (4.7% vs. 0.8% with p = 0.033 for $D_{98%}$ and 4.8% vs. 0.5% with p = 0.030 for $D_{95%}$). In order to calculate dose distributions accurately on the CBCT images, CBCT density curve generated with full scatter condition should be used especially for dose calculations in the region of large inhomogeneity.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.365-372
• /
• 2018

The use of CT examinations is increasing rapidly and radiation dose from CT examinations is much higher than other diagnostic radiography examinations including general radiography and mammography. DRLs used to optimize the radiation dose of patients by diagnostic radiology in each country. The objective of this study was to investigate and to analyze the status of DRLs from CT examinations in domestic and other countries. In other countries, DRLs were set for each age group and each examination considering the medical situation of each country. In Korea, DRLs were set for adults and children in 2017. For adults, DRLs were set for 13 examinations. Reported DLP values were 1119, 297, $472mGy{\cdot}cm$ for head, chest and abdomen pelvis examination, respectively. For children, DRLs were set for head examinations. Reported DLP values were 298 (0~1 years), 404 (2~5 years), 494 (6~10 years), 1,088 (11~15 years) $mGy{\cdot}cm$. DRLs of Korea were similar to other countries for head examinations. For chest examinations and abdomen pelvis examinations were relatively lower than other countries. As a major reason for relatively low radiation dose, it is considered to contribute the activity and management of medical radiation safety at national level.