• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2015

Purpose: To investigate the value of image post-processing software (FreeSurfer, IBASPM [individual brain atlases using statistical parametric mapping software]) and inversion time (TI) in volumetric analyses of the hippocampus and to identify differences in comparison with manual tracing. Materials and Methods: Brain images from 12 normal adults were acquired using magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) with a slice thickness of 1.3 mm and TI of 800, 900, 1000, and 1100 ms. Hippocampal volumes were measured using FreeSurfer, IBASPM and manual tracing. Statistical differences were examined using correlation analyses accounting for spatial interpretations percent volume overlap and percent volume difference. Results: FreeSurfer revealed a maximum percent volume overlap and maximum percent volume difference at TI = 800 ms ($77.1{\pm}2.9%$) and TI = 1100 ms ($13.1{\pm}2.1%$), respectively. The respective values for IBASPM were TI = 1100 ms ($55.3{\pm}9.1%$) and TI = 800 ms ($43.1{\pm}10.7%$). FreeSurfer presented a higher correlation than IBASPM but it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: FreeSurfer performed better in volumetric determination than IBASPM. Given the subjective nature of manual tracing, automated image acquisition and analysis image is accurate and preferable.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.244-254
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• 2002

Purpose: This study investigated the differences between technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (Tc-99m ECD) and technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (Tc-99m HMPAO) uptake in the normal brain by means of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed age and sex matched 53 cases of normal brain SPECT. Thirty-two cases were obtained with Tc-99m ECD and 21 cases with Tc-99m HMPAO. There were no abnormal findings on brain MRIs. All of the SPECT images were spatially transformed to standard space, smoothed and globally normalized. The differences between the Tc-99m ECD and Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT images were statistically analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM'99) software. The differences bgetween the two groups were considered significant ant a threshold of corrected P values less than 0.05. Results: SPM analysis revealed significantly different uptakes of Tc-99m ECD and Tc-99m HMPAO in the normal brains. On the Tc-99m ECD SPECT images, relatively higher uptake was observed in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes, in the basal ganglia and thalamus, and in the superior region of the cerebellum. On the Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT images, relatively higher uptakes was observed in subcortical areas of the frontal region, temporal lobe, and posterior portion of inferior cerebellum. Conclusion: Uptake of Tc-99m ECD and Tc-99m HMPO in the normallooking brain was significantly different on SPM analysis. The selective use of Tc-99m ECD of Tc-99m HMPAO in brain SPECT imaging appears especially valuable for the interpretation of cerebral perfusion. Further investigation is necessary to determine which tracer is more accurate for diagnosing different clinical conditions.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2004

SPM has been widely applied for comparison studios of the functional image data among groups of patients or individuals under different conditions and these images are from people ranging from children to adults. However, the analysis of children's brain images by using SPM can make children's brain images normalized to an adult's template image and this can result in some errors. So this study created the children's mean MR images based on the Magnetic Resonance Images of 36 normal children (age: 2～6, average age: 4.36, SD age: 1.41, M/F: 17/19), and the children's mean SPECT images by using SPECT images of 13 normal children (age: 2～6, average age: 4.80, SD age: 1.17, M/F: 10/3). We created the Korean children's brain template image, based on those mean images, and then we compared between the positions of the clusters, based on the blood flow, by normalizing ADHD children's SPECT image to Korean children's template image and SPM adult's template image. As a result of the analysis, the variation of the cluster positions was found to be a maximum of 25 ㎜. Therefore, we should be aware that we need to consider the template image and the p-value when we analyze the chlidren's brain image by using SPM.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.183-198
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• 2000

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate alterations of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reserve (CVR), and correlation between these alternations and cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) and normal brain MRI findings. Materials and Methods: Thirty TBI patients and 19 healthy volunteers underwent rest/acetazolamide brain SPECT using Tc-99m HMPAO. Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale test was also performed in the patient group. Statistical analysis was performed with statistical parametric mapping software (SPM'97) Results: CBF was diminished in the left hemisphere including Wernicke's area in all patients with lower verbal scale scores. In addition, a reduction in CBF in the right frontal, temporal and parietal cortices was related with depressed scores in information, digital span, arithmetic and similarities. In patients with lower performance scale scores, CBF was mainly diminished in the right hemisphere including superior temporal and supramarginal gyri, premotor, primary somatomotor and a part of prefrontal cortices, left frontal lobe and supramarginal gyrus. CVR was diminished in sixty-four Brodmann's areas compared to control. A reduction in CVR was demonstrated bilaterally in the frontal and temporal lobes in patients with lower scores in both verbal and performance tests, and in addition, both inferior parietal and occipital lobes in information subset. Conclusion: Alterations of CBF and CVR were demonstrated in the symptomatic TBI patients with normal MRI finding. These alterations were correlated with the change of intelligence, of which the complex functions are subserved by multiple interconnected cortical structures.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.84-92
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate biologists' brain activation patterns during the generation of scientific questions on biological phenomena. Eight right-handed healthy biologists volunteered to be participants in the present study. The question-generation tasks were presented in a block design. The BOLD signals of the biologists' brain were measured by 3.0T fMRI system and data were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM2). According to our results, the left inferior and middle frontal gyri, the medial prefrontal cortex, the bilateral hippocampus, the occipito-parietal route, the fusiform gyrus, and the cerebellum were activated significantly during the generation of scientific questions. Therefore, we suggested that generating scientific question is associated with analyzing observed situations, using verbal strategy, retrieving episodic memories for comparisons, and feeling cognitive conflicts.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2012

Objectives : Although there have been studies that examine sex differences of the brain structures using magnetic resonance imaging, studies that specifically investigate cerebellar structural differences between men and women are scarce. The purpose of current study was to examine sex differences in structures of the cerebellum using cerebellar template and cerebellum analysis methods. Methods : Sixteen men and twenty women were included in the study. A MATLAB based program (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA), Statistical Parametric Mapping 5 (SPM5) using the spatially unbiased infra-tentorial atlas template (SUIT) as the cerebellum template, was used to analyze the brain imaging data. Results : There was no significant difference in age between men (mean age=28.1) and women (mean age=27.2). Men showed higher gray matter density than women in two left cerebellar areas including the clusters in the lobules IV and V (a cluster located across the lobules IV and V), and the lobule VIIIb (lobules IV and V, t=4.75, p<0.001 ; lobule VIIIb, t=3.08, p=0.004). Conclusions : The current study found differences in cerebellar gray matter density between men and women. The current study holds its significance for applying the template specifically developed for the analysis of cerebellum.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 2008

Objective : Although cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is effective in patients with panic disorder, its the-rapeutic mechanism of action in the brain remains unclear. This study was performed to investigate regional blood flow changes associated with successful completion of CBT in drug-naive patients with panic disorder. Method : The regional blood flow in 4 patients with panic disorder was compared to that in 11 healthy controls before and after a 12-week group CBT using $^{99m}Tc$-ECD SPECT imaging. Psychopathology was assessed using Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Data were analyzed using software for statistical parametric mapping (SPM2). Results : Before CBT, significantly decreased blood flow was found in the parietal and occipital area in panic patients than normal volunteers. In all the patients who showed remission after CBT, increased blood flow was detected in the right cingulate gyrus, left lingual gyrus, and left superior parietal lobule, whereas decreased blood flow was seen in the left inferior temporal gyrus. Conclusion : These results suggested that CBT is effective for panic disorder and change the activity of cingulate gyrus and left temporal gyrus, a part of the brain areas associated with fear in panic disorder.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2002

Purpose： This study is to compare the distinct brain activation between implicit and explicit memory retrieval tasks using a non-invasive blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). Materials ＆ Methods： We studied seven right-handed, healthy volunteers aged 21-25 years(mean；22 years) were scanned under a 1.5T Signa Horizon Echospeed MR imager(GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, U.S.A.). During the implicit and explicit memory retrieval tasks of previously teamed words under the conceptual processing, we acquired fMRI data using gradient-echo EPI with 50ms TE, 3000ms TR, 26cm${\times}$26cm field-of-view, 128${\times}$128 matrix, and ten slices(6mm slice thickness, 1 mm gap) parallel to the AC-PC(anterior commissure and posterior commissure) line. By using the program of statistical parametric mapping(SPM99), functional activation maps were reconstructed and quantified.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2000

Objective : The mechanism of acupuncture to increase cerebral blood flow is still uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neural basis of acupuncture by comparing the cerebral regions activated by the stimulation of two different methods of acupunctures at the same acupoint which was suggested by oriental medicine to increase rCBF. Materials and Methods : Thirty-nine healthy volunteers(26 males, 13 females, age $31{\pm}11$ years) were studies by rest/acupuncture Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT using a subtraction method. SPECTs using two methods(needle retention and heated needle with 90% alcohol) at two acupoints (right LI. 4 and ST. 36) were peformed at an interval of three days. For the needle retention method, acupuncture needle was inserted to a depth of about 2 cm into each acupoint 8 minutes after the lst acquisition and continued to retain, and the second injection of Tc-99m ECD was done 15 minutes after the insertion of needle. For the heated acupuncture method, heated needle was inserted in a twinkle within several msec 20 second after the second injection of Tc-99m ECD. The differences of between rest and acupuncture activation state were statistically analyzed using a statistical parametric mapping software. Result : Acupunctures of both methods reveal similar patterns of increase in rCBF. Acupuncture at ST.36 increase rGBF in left anterior temporal, right inferior frontal lobes, and left cerebellum. Acupuncture at LI. 4 increase rCBF in the left frontal cortex, right temporal pole, both inferior frontal cortices and right cerebellum. Conclusion : The effects of two different acupunctures to the same acupoints on rCBF were similar. Therefore, this result suggests Chat the mechanism of acupuncture in the increase of cerebral blood flow have a neural basis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3 s.67
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• pp.187-200
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• 2006

Objectives: Acupuncture has been applied in Asia for thousands of years, especially to rehabilitation after stroke. It has been reported that acupuncture increased cerebral blood supply and stimulated the functional activity of brain nerve cells shown by using brain imaging techniques. This study was to evaluate the effect of GB 34-GB 39 electro-acupuncture (EA) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in stroke patients and normal volunteers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods: The study procedure was divided into two parts: patients and volunteers studies. For the patients study, ten ischemic stroke patients (3 males, 7 females, mean age $68.5{\pm}8.9$ years old) were selected. Baseline brain SPECT was done with triple head gamma camera (MultiSPECT3, Siemens, USA) after intravenous administration of 1,110 MBq of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$. Fifteen-minute EA at GB 34 and GB 39 were applied on the affected limb. The same dose of $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ was injected during the EA, and the second set of SPECT images wasobtained. Using the computer software (ICON 7.1, Siemens, USA), 3 SPECT slices (upper, middle, lower) surrounding the brain lesion were selected and each slice was divided into 10-16 brain regions. Asymmetry indexes (AI) were analyzed in each brain region. We regarded over 10% changes of AI between before and after EA as significance. For the volunteers study, 10 healthy human volunteers (5 males, 5 females, mean age $28.1{\pm}6$ years old) were selected. In the resting state, $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ brain SPECT scans were performed. On the 7th day after the resting examination, 15 minute EA was applied at GB 34 and GB 39 on the right side of the subjects. Immediately after EA, the second SPECT images were obtained inthe same manner as the resting state. Significant increases and decreases of rCBF after EA were estimated by comparing their SPECT images with those of the resting state using paired t statistics at every voxel, which were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping with a threshold of p = 0.01, uncorrected (extent threshold: k=100 voxels). Results: In stroke patients, six of the eight (75%) had significantly increased perfusion in post-acupuncture scans compared to their baseline state. In normal volunteers, GB 34-GB GB EA increased rCBF in both hemispheres including right ventral posterior cingulate (Brodmann area (BA) 23), left superior temporal, anterior transverse temporal (BA 22, 41), left parastriate, peristriate (BA 18, 19), right occipitotemporal, angular (BA 37, 39), left rostral postcentral, caudal postcentral and preparietal (BA 2, 3, 5). However GB 34-GB 39 EA decreased rCBF in the right hemisphere including triangular and middle frontal lobes. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that OB 34-GB 39 EA increased cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke patients and increased rCBF grossly in temporal lobes of normal volunteers. It is also suggested that there may be a correlation between the GB meridian and the territory of the middle cerebral artery.