• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.257-262
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The standard protocol using large volume of oral contrast media may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and contrast-related artifacts in PET/CT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of low dose oral contrast in $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the whole-body PET/CT images in a total of 435 patients. About 200 ml of oval contrast agent (barium sulfate) was administered immediately before injection of $^{18}F-FDG$. The FDG uptake of intestines was analyzed by visual and semi- quantitative method on transaxial, coronal and saggital planes. Results: Seventy (16%, 113 sites) of 435 images showed high FDG uptake (peak SUV > 4); 50 (74%, 84 sites) with diffuse and 20 (15%, 29 sites) with focal uptake. The most commonly delivered site of oral contrast media was small bowel (n=27, 39%). On PET/CT images, FDG uptake coexisted with oral contrast media in 26 patients (54%, 38 sites) with diffuse pattern and 9 (45%, 9 sites) with focal pattern, and by sites, those were 38 (45%) and 9 (31%), respectively. In small bowel regions, the proportion of coexistence reached as high as 61% (29/47 sites). A visual analysis of available non-attenuation corrected PET images of 27 matched regions revealed no contrast-related artifact. Conclusion: We concluded that the application of low dose contrast media could be helpful in the evaluation of abdominal uptake in the FDG PET/CT image.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.115
• /
• pp.85-92
• /
• 2006

To evaluate the primary production and nutrient uptake of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, this study investigate the vegetation areas of six dominant aquatic plants including Typha angustifolia, Zizania latifolia, Phragmites australis, Trapa japonica, Nelumbo nucifera and Savinia natans, and contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of each macrophyte. Total vegetation area of six dominant aquatic plants was 1.37 $km^2$. Among them, Typha angustifolia was the most wide-distributed species which occupied the 46.7% of total vegetation area. Littoral zone of South Han river had the largest vegetation area with 0.458 $km^2$, and North Han river, Kyungan river and confluence area in the order named. The results of the contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus of macrophytes showed that the carbon contents of emergent macrophytes was higher than that of other life-forms. The nitrogen content of Salvinia natans, free-floating macrophyte was highest and that of Typha angustifolia, emergent macrophyte was lowest. The phosphorus content of Trapa japonica showed the highest content of phosphorus among six macrophytes and emergent macrophytes such as Zizania latifolia and Phragmites australis showed lower contents of phosphorus than other life-forms. The annual net primary production of macrophytes in Lake Paldang, 2004, was calculated as 758.4 ton C $yr^{-1}$ and the annual net nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of macrophyte was 16,921 kg $yr^{-1}$ and 1,841.0 kg P $yr^{-1}$ respectively. Comparing the total budget of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Lake Paldang, the amount of primary production and nutrient uptake by macrophytes take a small portion in total budget implying macrophytes do not play an important role in budget of matters in river-type lake, Lake Paldang.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.115
• /
• pp.21-31
• /
• 2006

The objectives of this study were to analyze trends of temporal water quality and trophic state in Andong and Imha reservoirs using chemical dataset during 1993 ${\sim}$ 2004, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. According to long-term limnological analyses, Suspended solids (SS) in Imha Reservoir were 2 ${\sim}$ 8 fold2 greater, than those in SS of Andong Reservoir, and the high solids increased total phosphorus (TP) and biological oxygen demand ($BOD_5$) and decreased the transparency, measured as Secchi depth (SD). Chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) increased little or decreased slightly in the both reservoirs during the high solids, resulting in reduced yields of CHL-a : TP ratios. The deviation analysis of Trophic State Index (TSI) in Imha Reservoir showed that about 70% of TSI (CHL-a)-TSI (SD) and TSI (CHL-a)-TSI(TP) values were less than zero and the lowest values were-60, indicating that influence of inorganic solids (or non-volatile solids) on phytoplankton growth was evident in Imha Reservoir and the impact was greater than that of Andong Reservoir. Inorganic solids in Imha Reservoir resulted in light limitation on phytoplankton growth and thus contributed variations in the relations among three parameters of trophic state index. Especially, seasonal data analysis of nutrients in both reservoirs showed that during the postmonsoon, mean TP concentration was Imha Reservoir greater in than that in Andong Reservoir. The higher TP concentrantion was mainly attributed to increases of inorganic solids from soil erosions and nonpoint source inputs within the watershed. The high inorganic turbidity in Imha Reservoir should be reduced for the conservation of water quality for, especially a tap water supply.