• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.1
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• pp.240-252
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• 2023

Purpose To assess the effect of deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) for head CT in pediatric patients. Materials and Methods We collected 126 pediatric head CT images, which were reconstructed using filtered back projection, iterative reconstruction using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR)-V, and all three levels of DLIR (TrueFidelity; GE Healthcare). Each image set group was divided into four subgroups according to the patients' ages. Clinical and dose-related data were reviewed. Quantitative parameters, including the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and qualitative parameters, including noise, gray matter-white matter (GM-WM) differentiation, sharpness, artifact, acceptability, and unfamiliar texture change were evaluated and compared. Results The SNR and CNR of each level in each age group increased among strength levels of DLIR. High-level DLIR showed a significantly improved SNR and CNR (p < 0.05). Sequential reduction of noise, improvement of GM-WM differentiation, and improvement of sharpness was noted among strength levels of DLIR. Those of high-level DLIR showed a similar value as that with ASiR-V. Artifact and acceptability did not show a significant difference among the adapted levels of DLIR. Conclusion Adaptation of high-level DLIR for the pediatric head CT can significantly reduce image noise. Modification is needed while processing artifacts.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.279-285
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• 2014

This study is to have dose reduction and minimization of excessive use of contrast medium in the pediatric cardiac computed tomography and to suggest the optimization plan to acquire the enhancement image of the 4 chambers at the same time by formulating scan delay time in empirical method with considering variables such as contrast medium injection velocity and cardiac approaching time. Quantitative, qualitative and dose assessment were carried out for 30 pediatric patients who had taken the cardiac examination. In conclusion, image enhancement in 4 chambers of the cardiac shows over 300 HU which is proper to pediatric cardiac reading by applying the empirical method with calculating scan delay time according to weight and contrast medium volume and injection velocity. Qualitative image assessments in confidence sharpness and noise have excellence qualitatively. Exposure dose to pediatrics also decreases precisely. Therefore this study is judged to take a important role of making optimization images with advantages of dose reduction and less side effects caused by it's excessive use in clinic.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.756-763
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• 2013

Bilateral filter (BF), functioning by two Gaussian filters, domain and range filter is a nonlinear filter for sharpness enhancement and noise removal. In infrared (IR) small target detection field, the BF is designed by background predictor for predicting background not including small target. For this, the standard deviations of the two Gaussian filters need to be changed adaptively in background and target region of an infrared image. In this paper, the proposed bilateral filter make the standard deviations changed adaptively, using variance feature of mean values of surrounding block neighboring local filter window. And, in case the variance of mean values for surrounding blocks is low for any processed pixel, the pixel is classified to flat background and target region for enhancing background prediction. On the other hand, any pixel with high variance for surrounding blocks is classified to edge region. Small target can be detected by subtracting predicted background from original image. In experimental results, we confirmed that the proposed bilateral filter has superior target detection rate, compared with existing methods.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.113-121
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• 2013

In this paper, we propose a sub-pixel rendering algorithm using learning-based 2D FIR filters. The proposed algorithm consists of two stages: the learning and synthesis stages. At the learning stage, we produce the low-resolution synthesis information derived from a sufficient number of high/low resolution block pairs, and store the synthesis information into a so-called dictionary. At the synthesis stage, the best candidate block corresponding to each input high-resolution block is found in the dictionary. Next, we can finally obtain the low-resolution image by synthesizing the low-resolution block using the selected 2D FIR filter on a sub-pixel basis. On the other hand, we additionally enhance the sharpness of the output image by using pre-emphasis considering RGB stripe pattern of display. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can provide significantly sharper results than conventional down-sampling methods, without blur effects and aliasing.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.34 no.9C
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• pp.863-870
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• 2009

Bilateral filter (BF) is a nonlinear filter for sharpness enhancement and noise removal. The BF performs the function by the two Gaussian filters, the domain filter and the range filter. To apply the BF to infrared (IR) small target detection, the standard deviation of the two Gaussian filters need to be changed adaptively between the background region and the target region. This paper presents a new BF with the adaptive standard deviation based on the analysis of the edge component of the local window, also having the variable filter size. This enables the BF to perform better and become more suitable in the field of small target detection Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is robust and efficient than the conventional methods.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was designed to optimize the flip angle (FA) and scan timing of the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) using the 3D T1-weighted, gradient-echo (GRE) imaging with controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPIRINHA) technique on gadoxetic acid-enhanced 3T liver MR imaging. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two patients who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced 3T liver MR imaging were included in this study. Four 3D T1-weighted GRE imaging studies using the CAIPIRINHA technique and FAs of $9^{\circ}$ and $13^{\circ}$ were acquired during HBP at 15 and 20 min after intravenous injection of gadoxetic acid. Two abdominal radiologists, who were blinded to the FA and the timing of image acquisition, assessed the sharpness of liver edge, hepatic vessel clarity, lesion conspicuity, artifact severity, and overall image quality using a five-point scale. Quantitative analysis was performed by another radiologist to estimate the relative liver enhancement (RLE) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and one-way analysis of variance. Results: The scores of the HBP with an FA of $13^{\circ}$ during the same delayed time were significantly higher than those of the HBP with an FA of $9^{\circ}$ in all the assessment items (P < 0.01). In terms of the delay time, images at the same FA obtained with a 20-min-HBP showed better quality than those obtained with a 15-min-HBP. There was no significant difference in qualitative scores between the 20-min-HBP and the 15-min-HBP images in the non-liver cirrhosis (LC) group except for the hepatic vessel clarity score with $9^{\circ}$ FA. In the quantitative analysis, a statistically significant difference was found in the degree of RLE in the four HBP images (P = 0.012). However, in the subgroup analysis, no significant difference in RLE was found in the four HBP images in either the LC or the non-LC groups. The SNR did not differ significantly in the four HBP images. In the subgroup analysis, 20-min-HBP imaging with a $13^{\circ}$ FA showed the highest SNR value in the LC-group, whereas 15-min-HBP imaging with a $13^{\circ}$ FA showed the best value of SNR in the non-LC group. Conclusion: The use of a moderately high FA improves the image quality and lesion conspicuity on 3D, T1-weighted GRE imaging using the CAIPIRINHA technique on gadoxetic acid, 3T liver MR imaging. In patients with normal liver function, the 15-min-HBP with a $13^{\circ}$ FA represents a feasible option without a significant decrease in image quality.