• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 2002

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) and quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in the patients with spinal cord infarction. Materials and methods : We studied 6 patients presented symptoms with spinal cord infarction, retrospectively (3 men and 3 women). We obtained multi-shot echo planar-based, DWI using 1.5T MR scanner at 5.4 mean days after the onset of ischemic symptoms. In six patients, signal intensity was acquired at conventional b value $1000s/\textrm{mm}^2$). The ADC value for the normal spinal cord and for infarcted lesions was measured from the trace ADC maps by using regions of interest positioned over the spinal cord. We analyzed signal intensity of lesion on MRI and DWI, and compared with ADC values in infarcted lesions and normal site. Results : T1-weighted MR image showed isosignal intensity in four of six patients and low signal intensity in two of six. T2-weighted MR image demonstrated high signal intensity in all of six. All DWI were considered to be diagnostic. All of six depicted a bright signal intensity on DWI. ADC values of infarcted lesion were measured lower than that of normal spinal cord on ADC map. The differences in ADC values between infarcted and normal spinal cord were significantly different (p＜0.05). Conclusion : It is possible to obtain DWI and ADC map of the spinal cord and DWI may be useful in the early diagnosis and localization of lesion site in patients with spinal cord infarction.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the detection rate of hyperacute intracerebral hemorrhage in echo planar imaging (EPI) and other MR sequences. materials and Methods : Intracerebral hemorrhage was experimentally induced in ten rats. EPI, fast spin-echo (FSE) T2 weighted images, fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), spin-echo (SE) T1 weighted images and gradient echo (GE) T1 weight ed images of rat's brains were obtained 2 hours after onset of intracerebral hemorrhage. EPI and FSE T2 images were additionally obtained 30 min and 1 hour after onset of hemorrhage in 3 and 6 rat, repeatedly, For objective visual assessment, discrimination between the lesion and normal brain parenchyma was evaluated on various MR sequences by three radiologists. For quantitative assessment, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was calculated fro hemorrhage-normal brain parenchyma. Statistical analysis was performed usning the Wilcoxon-Ranks test. Results : EPI, FLAIR, and FSE T2 images showed high signal intensity lesions. The lesion discrimination was easier on EPI than on other sequences, and also EPI showed higher signal intensity for the subjective visual assessment. In quantitative evaluation, CNR of the hemorrhagic lesion versus normal brain parenchyma were higher on EPI and FLAIR images (p<0.01). There was no difference in CNR between EPI and FLAIR (p>0.10). On MR images obtained 30 minutes and 1 hour after the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage, the lesion detection was feasible on both EPI and FSE T2 images showing high signal intensity. Conclusion : EPI showed higher detection rate as compared with other MR sequences and could be useful in early detection and evaluation of intracerebral hemorrhage.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2009

Purpose : This study presents the optimization of flip angle (FA) to obtain higher contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and lower specific absorption rate (SAR). Materials and Method : T1-weighted images of the cerebrum of brain were obtained from 50$^\circ$ to 130$^\circ$ FA with 10$^\circ$ interval. Signal to noise ratios (SNRs) were calculated for white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and background noise. The proper FA was analyzed by T-test statistics and Kruskal-wallis analysis using R1 = 1- exp ($\frac{-TR}{T1}$) and Ernst angle cos $\theta$ = exp ($\frac{-TR}{T1}$). Results : The SNR of WM at 130$^\circ$ FA is approximately 1.6 times higher than the SNR of WM at 50$^\circ$. The SNR of GM at 130$^\circ$ FA is approximately 1.9 times higher than the SNR of GM at 50$^\circ$. Although the SNRs of WM and GM showed similar trends with the change of FA values, the slowdown point of decrease after linear fitting were different. While the SNR of WM started decreasing at 120$^\circ$ FA, the SNR of GM started decreasing at less than 110$^\circ$. The highest SNRs of WM and GM were obtained at 130$^\circ$ FA. The highest CNRs, however, were obtained at 80$^\circ$ FA. Conclusion : Although SNR increased with the change of FA values from 50$^\circ$ to 130$^\circ$ at 3T SE T1WI, CNR was higher at 80$^\circ$ FA than at the usually used 90$^\circ$ FA. In addition, the SAR was decreased by using smaller FA. The CNR can be increased by using this optimized FA at 3T MR SE T1WI.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2016

This study examined the effectiveness of the multitransmit parallel technique on the MRI scan time reduction by removing the dielectric effect. The T1 and T2 weighted images of the patients' hip joint were acquired with and without a multitransmit technique. The ROIs were located in the head of femur and iliopsoas muscle. The SNR, CNR and scan time were measured and compared. There was no difference in the images with and without multitransmit. In contrast, the acquisition time was decreased by 42.8% in T1WI and 49.7% in T2WI. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that significant scan time reductions can be accomplished without any differences in the image quality in hip joint MRI by applying the multitransmit parallel technique. Furthermore, the multitranstmit technique is useful in other body parts to resolve the long scan time of an MRI examination.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2002

Purpose : To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging findings of intracerebral hematoma according to the time sequence. Materials and methods : Seventeen patients with intracerebral hematoma were studied. Diffusion weighted images using 1.5 tesla MRI machine were obtained with b-value of $1000{\;}sec/\textrm{mm}^2$. The patients were grouped as hyperacute stage(within 12 hours, 5 patients), acute stage(within 3 days, 4 patients), subacute stage(within 3 weeks, 4 patients), and chronic stage(after 3 weeks,4 patients). The signal intensities were analysed as bright, high, iso, low and dark at the central and peripheral portions of the hematoma in each stage, and compared with those of T2 and T1 weighted images. Results : The signal intensities of the central and peripheral portion of the intracerebral hematoma on diffusion-weighted images were high and dark in hyperacute stage, dark and high-bright in acute stage, and high-bright and dark in subacute and chronic stages. The patterns of signal change of hematoma on diffusion-weighted image according to the time sequence were similar to those on T2-weighted image, but changed early and prominently. Conclusion : The intracerebral hematoma on diffusion-weighted image showed unique central and peripheral signal intensity according to the time sequence. Central portions show high to bright signals in hyperacute, subacute and chronic stage, and dark signal in acute stage, and peripheral portions show dark signals in hyperacute, subacute and chronic stage, and high to bright signal in acute stage.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.429-435
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to prospectively estimate the effectiveness of multi-transmit parallel technique in reduced FOV(Field of View) less than 26 cm. Homogeneity, SNR(signal to noise ratio) and acquisition time were measured and compared by setting FOV less than 26cm on the T1 and T2 weighted images using ACR phantom. The multi-transmit parallel technique resulted in significantly faster image acquisition by 46.8 % in T1 weighted images and 18.9% in T2 weighted images. The homogeneity and SNR values had no significant difference between pre and post application of the multi-transmit parallel technique. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of multi-transmit parallel technique in FOV less than 26cm with a rapid acquisition and maintained image quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2008

Line scan diffusion weighted imaging (LSDI) pulse sequence for 0.32 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system was developed. In the LSDI pulse sequence, the imaging volume is formed by the intersection of the two perpendicular planes selected by the two slice-selective $\pi$/2-pulse and $\pi$-pulse and two diffusion sensitizing gradients placed on the both side of the refocusing $\pi$-pulse and the standard frequency encoding readout was followed. Since the maximum gradient amplitude for the MR system was 15 mT/m the maximum b value was $301.50s/mm^2$. Using the developed LSDI pulse sequence, the diffusion weighted images for the aqueous NaCl solution phantom and triacylglycerol solution phantom calculated from the line scan diffusion weighted images gives the same results within the standard error range (mean diffusivities = $963.90{\pm}79.83({\times}10^{-6}mm^2/s)$ at 0.32 T, $956.77{\pm}4.12({\times}10^{-6}mm^2/s)$ at 1.5 T) and the LSDI images were insensitive to the magnetic susceptibility difference and chemical shift.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.112-126
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• 2022

Purpose To determine the value of 3 Tesla (T) MRI texture analysis for predicting tumor margin infiltration in soft tissue sarcomas. Materials and Methods Thirty-one patients who underwent 3T MRI and had a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma were included in this study. Margin infiltration on pathology was used as the gold standard. Texture analysis of soft tissue sarcomas was performed on axial T1-weighted images (WI) and T2WI, fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced (CE) T1WI, diffusion-weighted images (DWI) with b-value of 800 s/mm², and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was mapped. Quantitative parameters were compared between sarcomas with infiltrative margins and those with circumscribed margins. Results Among the 31 patients with soft tissue sarcomas, 23 showed tumor margin infiltration on pathology. There were significant differences in kurtosis with the spatial scaling factor (SSF) of 0 and 6 on T1WI, kurtosis (SSF, 0) on CE-T1WI, skewness (SSF, 0) on DWI, and skewness (SSF, 2, 4) on ADC between sarcomas with infiltrative margins and those with circumscribed margins (p ≤ 0.046). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve based on MR texture features for identification of infiltrative tumor margins was 0.951 (p < 0.001). Conclusion MR texture analysis is reliable and accurate for the prediction of infiltrative margins of soft tissue sarcomas.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 1994

Purporse : It is known that detection of calcification by MRI is difficulty in intracranial calcified lesions, but author tried to evaluate the signal intensity image of calcification by MR with experimental model. Subjects & Methods : Author analyzed and compared with values of calcium carbonate and hydroxyapatite phantoms by each concentration (10, 20, 30, 40, 50%) and size(1-10mm), measured ROI attenuating from CT and MRI(TlWI & T2WI). Results : The high concentration of calcium carbonate is, the lower the signal intensity of calcium carbonate phantom is both T1 & T2WI. For concentration of Hydroxyapatite of up to 30% by weight the signal intensity on standard T1 weighted images increased but subsequently decreased. Hyperintensity does not preclude calcification as a cause of the signal alteration-an observation that all radiologists interpreting MR images need to be aware of. Conclusion: The signal intensity of intracranial calcification is various on MR imaging in concerning with components, concentration, & size of calcification, and especially high signal intensity of intracranial calcification noted differencial diagnosis.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2013

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of cervicothoracic spine sagittal T2-weighted images (CT SAG T2WIs) included in routine lumbar spine MRI. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained and informed consents were waived for this retrospective study. The study group comprised 2,113 patients who underwent lumbar spine MRI from January 2005 to December 2005. CT SAG T2WIs were added in the routine lumbar spine MRIs. Radiologic reports were reviewed retrospectively for pathologic lesions on CT SAG T2WIs by one radiologist. Information of additional cervical or thoracic spine MRI and/or CT for further evaluation of positive findings on CT SAG T2WIs and their treatment were collected by retrospectively reviewing medical records. Results: The CT SAG T2WIs revealed 142 pathologic lesions in 139 (6.58%) of the 2,113 patients. They were easily obtained without positional change in a scan time of less than 2 minutes. Additional cervical or thoracic spine MRI and/or CT for positive findings on CT SAG T2WIs were performed in 13 patients. Seven patients underwent surgical treatment. Conclusion: CT SAG T2WIs included in routine lumbar spine MRI were useful in finding the pathologic lesions in cervicothoracic spine for the patients who assumed to have lesions in lumbar spine.