• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.207-213
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• 2005

The severity of carotid Intima-media thickness (IMT) is an Independent predictor of atherosclerosis which causes transient cerebral ischemia, stroke, and coronary events such as myocardial Infarction. The IMT consists of Intima thickness (IT) and media thickness (MT). However, the Individual clinical significance of IT and MT has not been well studied. We devised a method of measuring IT, MT, and IMT using B-mode ultrasound Image processing technique for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis. To inspect the clinical significance of IT, MT, and IMT, one hundred forty-four consecutive patients (mean age; 57 years old, 72 males) were underwent common carotid artery scanning using high-resolution ultrasound. Results showed that, the IT (p<0.05), MT (p<0.05) as well as IMT (p<0.01) of patients with atherosclerotic disease were significantly thicker than that of the patients without atherosclerotic disease. Patients with hyperiension showed significantly thicker IT (p<0.01), MT (p<0.001), and IMT (p<0.001). However, only IT was thicker in patients with smoking (p<0.01). The IT (r=0.374, p=0.001), MT (r=0.433, p=0.000), and IMT (r=0.479, p=0.000) showed positive correlation with age. The coefficients of determination ($r^2$) were estimated to be $92.4\%$ for IMT and MT, $49.1\%$ for IMT and IT, and $27.4\%$ for IT and MT. This result suggests that the Intima layer of the carotid artery has a different physiology with the media layer.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2002

Receive dynamic focusing with an array transducer can provide near optimum resolution only in the vicinity of transmit focal depth. A customary method to increase the depth of field is to combine several beams with different focal depths, with an accompanying decrease in the frame rate. In this Paper. we Present a simultaneous multiple transmit focusing method in which chirp signals focused at different depths are transmitted at the same time. These chirp signals are mutually orthogonal in a sense that the autocorrelation function of each signal has a narrow mainlobe width and low sidelobe levels. and the crossorelation function of any Pair of the signals has values smaller than the sidelobe levels of each autocorrelation function. This means that each chirp signal can be separated from the combined received signals and compressed into a short pulse. which is then individually focused on a separate receive beamformer. Next. the individually focused beams are combined to form a frame of image. Theoretically, any two chirp signals defined over two nonoverlapped frequency bands are mutually orthogonal In the present work. however, a tractional overlap of adjacent frequency bands is permitted to design more chirp signals within a given transducer bandwidth. The elevation of the rosscorrelation values due to the frequency overlap could be reduced by alternating the direction of frequency sweep of the adjacent chirp signals We also observe that the Proposed method provides better images when the low frequency chirp is focused at a near Point and the high frequency chirp at a far point along the depth. better lateral resolution is obtained at the far field with reasonable SNR due to the SNR gain in Pulse compression Imaging .

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2008

The purposes of this study are to analyze abnormal dilatation of the extrahepatic bile ducts by using transabdominal ultrasound, to confirm the existence of bile ducts diseases and their interrelationship, and for it to give a new theoretical basis for the technical access to extrahepatic bile ducts, upon which to analyze the ripple effects of the scan training. After teaching technical access process based on the new theory about extrahepatic bile duct to the thirty students who are studying ultrasonography, we allocated three hours per one student (30 mins ${\times}$ 6 times) to focus on the training of scanning skill. Training has been performed by one-to-one method. For evaluation, all the students have to perform the scans on (1) confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts (extrahepatic bile ducts and cystic duct), (2) the suprapancreatic bile duct, (3) the intrapancreatic bile duct, (4) intrapapilla Duct, based on the clearly divided concept. The existing training and methods have had low confidency about transabdominal ultrasonography of the extrahepatic bile duct and had limitation with which they could image only the suprapancreatic bile duct. The evaluation after finishing the train based on the new theory, however, all the students (30students) can access to (1) confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts(extrahepatic bile ducts and cystic duct), (2) the suprapancreatic bile duct objectively. 24 students can access to (3) the intrapancreatic bile duct and only one student can even make an image for (4) the intrapapilla Duct Though the evaluation on extrahepatic bile duct has to be performed with multi-sided method considering intrahepatic cause, bile duct cause and pathophysiological cause, only if we can image the extrahepatic bile duct to ampular of Vater objectively and confidently, we can greatly reduce invasive procedure such as ERCP, which is for the purpose of simple differential diagnosis and painful to the patients. Therefore if we concentrate on the scanning train based on the new theory to raise the confidency about ultrasonography, the effect will be doubled.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.187-194
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• 2012

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in men and is a major cause of mortality in the most of countries. In many diagnostic and treatment procedures for prostate disease, transrectal ultrasound(TRUS) images are being used because the cost is low. But, accurate detection of prostate boundaries is a challenging and difficult task due to weak prostate boundaries, speckle noises and the short range of gray levels. This paper proposes a method for automatic prostate segmentation in TRUS images using its average shape model and invariant features. This approach consists of 4 steps. First, it detects the probe position and the two straight lines connected to the probe using edge distribution. Next, it acquires 3 prostate patches which are in the middle of average model. The patches will be used to compare the features of prostate and nonprostate. Next, it compares and classifies which blocks are similar to 3 representative patches. Last, the boundaries from prior classification and the rough boundaries from first step are used to determine the segmentation. A number of experiments are conducted to validate this method and results showed that this new approach extracted the prostate boundary with less than 7.78% relative to boundary provided manually by experts.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.529-537
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• 1994

Sector scanner which has a conical end is used to image through the intercostal space because heart is protected by the ribs. Cardiac data published all around the world were also obtained by sector scanner. Although scanners being used in every small animal practice and animal hospital at college in Korea include convex ape and linear type, linear type is not appropriate f3r cardiac scan because of a wide contact surface. The purpose of this study is to establish ultrasonographic images of normal cardiac structures by measuring shape, size of reflectable cardiac structure according to restraint position in scanning normal heart of the puppies with 6.5 MHz convex scanner(SonoAce 4500, Medison, Korea) used in our veterinary teaching hospital, Seoul national university. Seventeen male and female puppies considered having healthy hear by X-ray and clinical examination are used feom April to July 1994. Scanning point selection of probe head and the distinction of imaged cardiac structures were accomplished by necropsy and cardiac scanning performed through thoracotomy under general anesthesia. At 10 o'clock position of transducer(at an angle of 30$^{\circ}$ between imaginary line from elbow joint to 3rd sternum and probe head, 60$^{\circ}$ from body surface, 4th intercostal space of right thorax) with the marker of scanner toward the head of dogs right atrium, left atrium and left ventricle were observed in 2, 3, 4, 5 intercostal space(2cm from the sternum) of experimental dog positioned ventrodorsally under general anesthesia. Under these conditions, the numerical values of imaged diastolic hear are as follows : the distance from skin to apex(mean$\pm$S.D) 47.53$\pm$6.94mm, thickness of left ventricular wall 6.00$\pm$1.60mm, length of left ventricle 16.27$\pm$5.31mm, width of left ventricle 15,33$\pm$4.25mm, length of left atrium 12.33$\pm$3.82mm, width of left atrium 11. 33$\pm$3.94mm, length of right atrium 1.00$\pm$2.41mm, width of right atrium 11.21$\pm$2.76mm and the area of left ventricle 270.92$\pm$109.81mm$^2$, area of left atrium 98.00$\pm$41.08mm$^2$, area of right atrium 62.75$\pm$21.04mm$^2$.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.257-264
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• 1992

Diagnostic approaches such as angiography, ultrasound, computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance have limitation for contributing to the early clinical diagnosis of atherosclerosis. Recently, $^{99m}Tc-labelled$ low density lipoprotein was developed to detect early atherosclerotic lesion by external imaging with gamma camera. To determine whether $^{99m}Tc-LDL$ scintigraphy can visualize the active atherosclerotic lesion, rabbits were injected with $^{99m}Tc-LDL$, 3 months after feeding dietary fat (lanolin) and we obtained following results. 1) Labelling efficiency of $^{99m}Tc-LDL$ was $79\sim88%$. 2) Biodistribution study of normal rabbits with $^{99m}Tc-LDL$ revealed the high activities in spleen, adrenal gland, liver, kidney which are major organs of high metabolic rate of LDL. 3) Three months after feeding lanolin, serum cholesterol was markedly increased from $74{\pm}17mg/dl$ to $979{\pm}153mg/dl$ and histologic study of aorta after sacrificing the rabbit demonstrated marked atherosclerotic changes. 4) Atherosclerotic lesion of abdominal aorta which was confirmed with histologic study could be demonstrated in $^{99m}Tc-LDL$ scintigraphy after feeding lanolin for 3 months. In conclusion, the results of this preliminary investigation suggest that it may be possible to image active atheromatous lesion with $^{99m}Tc-LDL$. It is anticipated that this promising agent may allow the in vivo monitoring of preclinical atherosclerotic lesions and may be useful to evaluate the metabolic pathway of LDL in humans.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.437-442
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• 2015

Accurate volume measurement of the prostate is a significant role in determining the result of diagnosis and treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. The purpose of this study was to determine, when measuring prostate volume by TRUS, whether location is more accurately determined by transaxial or longitudinal scanning. With reference to the patient's image, it was produced six prostate model. It compares the actual volume and the measurement volume, and find the optimal measurement position of each specific model. Prostate volume measured by TRUS closely correlates with prostate phantom volume. There was no significant difference(p = .156). To measure the accurate volume of prostate with focal protrusion, its length should be measured exclude the protrusions.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.387-394
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to verify the usefulness and feasibility of ultrasonographic imaging for the detection of the disorders of the surrounding supporting structure such as articular capsule, retrodiscal tissue and related ligaments, osteoarthritic evidence and associated disc displacement at the temporomandibular joint(TMJ) Materials and Methods : 20 patients(40 joints) with periodic lock and crepitations were investigated prospectively using 12 MHz array transducer. Ultrasonographic Imagings were assessed for osteoarthritic surface changes of condyle, extent of disc displacement and disorders of surrounding structures. Ultrasonographic images were compared with clinical investigations, conventional radiography and Dental Computed Tomographic scans. Results : In clinical and conventional radiography, osteoarthritic changes were diagnosed in 8 joints. Ultrasonographically 7 of the 8 osteoarthritic changes were diagnosed correctly. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasonography in the osteoarthritic detections were 87.5%, 62.5%, and 67.5% respectively. About the detection of disc displacement, disc displacement were diagnosed in 21 joints clinically. Ultrasonographically 19 of the 21 disc displacements were diagnosed correctly. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasonography in the osteoarthritic detections were 95%, 90%, and 92.5% respectively. when the disorders of supportive structure were figured out, the disorders of supportive structure were diagnosed in 18 joints clinically. Ultrasonographically 1 of the 18 the disorders of supportive structure were diagnosed correctly. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasonography in the osteoarthritic detections were 5.5%, 4.5%, and 55% respectively. Conclusion : Ultrasonography is an relatively reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of disc displacement and some of osteoarthritic changes. But it's not an insufficient imaging technique for the detection of the disorders of the surrounding structure.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.607-613
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• 2016

The pleura is known as an end target organ of exposure to toxic environmental materials such as fine particulate matter and asbestos. Moreover, long-term exposure to hazardous materials can eventually lead to fatal lung disease such as diffuse pleural fibrosis or mesothelioma. Chest computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound are gold standard imaging modalities for detection of advanced pleural disease. However, a diagnostic tool for early detection of pleural reaction has not been developed yet due to difficulties in imaging ultra-fine structure of the pleura. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), which provides cross-sectional images of micro tissue structures at a resolution of 2-10 μm, can image the mesothelium with a thickness of ~100 μm and therefore enables investigation of the early pleural reaction. In this study, we induced the early pleural reaction according to a time sequence after pleurodesis using talc, which has been widely used in the clinical field. The pleural reaction in talc grouped according to the time sequence (1st, 2nd, 4th weeks) showed a significant thickening (average thickness: 45 ± 7.5 μm, 80 ± 10.7 μm, 90 ± 12.5 μm), while the pleural reaction in sham and normal groups showed pleural change from normal to minimal thickening (average thickness: 16 ± 5.5 μm, 17 ± 4.5 μm, 15 ± 6.5 μm, and 12 ± 7.5 μm, 13 ± 2.5 μm, 12 ± 3.5 μm). The measurement of pleural reaction by pathologic examinations was well-matched with the measurement by OCT images. This is the first study for measuring the thickness of pleural reactions using a biophotonic modality such as OCT. Our results showed that OCT can be useful for evaluating the early pleural reaction.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2010

This study analyzed speed of sound, impedance, attenuation coefficient in accordance with acoustic characteristic standard of body soft tissue corresponding with Annex DD of IEC standard 60601-2-37(2007) which is about tissue mimicking materials (TMM) synthesized by polyurethane as a main material and new type of n-type scatter materials. This study reached the following conclusion after analyzing and evaluating image characteristic with SONOACE 9900 c PRIME (MEDESON Co.) and brightness, maximum penetration with convex probe (2.5~5.0 MHz). When n-type scatter materials are increasingly synthesised 0~8% with prepolymer as a main material and polyol mixture as a catalyst, 1. The more scatter materials are increased, the more sound speed of TMM becomes closely similar to soft tissue. 2. The more scatter materials are decreased, the more acoustic impedance becomes closely similar to soft tissue. 3. The more scatter materials are increased, the more attenuation coefficient is increased. 4. The more scatter materials are increased, the more average brightness of images is increased, but there is threshold. 5. The maximum penetration becomes closely similar to soft tissue at the 6% TMM as a scatter material.