• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• 제73권11호
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• pp.1764-1773
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• 2018

A-PET is a quad-head PET scanner developed for use in small-animal imaging. The dimensions of its volumetric field of view (FOV) are $46.1{\times}46.1{\times}46.1mm^3$ and the gap between the detector modules has been minimized in order to provide a highly sensitive system. However, such a small FOV together with the quad-head geometry causes image quality degradation. The main factor related to image degradation for the quad-head PET is the mispositioning of events caused by the penetration effect in the detector. In this paper, we propose a precise method for modelling the system at the high spatial resolution of the A-PET using a LOR (line of response) based ML-EM (maximum likelihood expectation maximization) that allows for penetration effects. The proposed system model provides the detection probability of every possible ray-path via crystal sampling methods. For the ray-path sampling, the sub-LORs are defined by connecting the sampling points of the crystal pair. We incorporate the detection probability of each sub-LOR into the model by calculating the penetration effect. For comparison, we used a standard LOR-based model and a Monte Carlo-based modeling approach, and evaluated the reconstructed images using both the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU 4-2008 standards and the Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission simulation toolkit (GATE). An average full width at half maximum (FWHM) at different locations of 1.77 mm and 1.79 mm are obtained using the proposed system model and standard LOR system model, which does not include penetration effects, respectively. The standard deviation of the uniform region in the NEMA image quality phantom is 2.14% for the proposed method and 14.3% for the LOR system model, indicating that the proposed model out-performs the standard LOR-based model.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2023

Purpose: This study evaluated maxillary sinus volume changes in military jet aircraft pilot candidates before and after the training program, in comparison with a control group, considering the effects of pressurization, altitude, and total flight hours, through multislice computed tomography. Materials and Methods: Fifteen fighter pilots were evaluated before initiating the training program and after the final approval. The control group consisted of 41 young adults who had not flown during their military career. The volumes of each maxillary sinus were measured individually before and at the end of the training program. Results: When comparing the initial and final volumes in the pilots, a statistically significant increase was observed both in the left and right maxillary sinuses. When evaluating the average total volume of the maxillary sinuses(i.e., the average volume of the right and left maxillary sinuses together), a significant increase in the volume of the maxillary sinuses was observed in the pilot group when compared to the control group. Conclusion: The maxillary sinus volumes in aircraft pilot candidates increased after the 8-month training program. This may be explained by changes in the gravitational force, the expansion of gas, and positive pressure from oxygen masks. This unprecedented investigation among pilots might lead to other investigations considering paranasal sinus alterations in this singular population.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.102-113
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• 2019

Objective: To assess the accuracy and potential bias of computed tomography (CT) ventricular volumetry using semiautomatic three-dimensional (3D) threshold-based segmentation in repaired tetralogy of Fallot, and to compare them to those of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 32 patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot who had undergone both cardiac CT and MRI within 3 years. For ventricular volumetry, semiautomatic 3D threshold-based segmentation was used in CT, while a manual simplified contouring 2D method was used in MRI. The indexed ventricular volumes were compared between CT and MRI. The indexed ventricular stroke volumes were compared with the indexed arterial stroke volumes measured using phase-contrast MRI. The mean differences and degrees of agreement in the indexed ventricular and stroke volumes were evaluated using Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The indexed end-systolic (ES) volumes showed no significant difference between CT and MRI (p > 0.05), while the indexed end-diastolic (ED) volumes were significantly larger on CT than on MRI (93.6 ± 17.5 mL/m² vs. 87.3 ± 15.5 mL/m² for the left ventricle [p < 0.001] and 177.2 ± 39.5 mL/m² vs. 161.7 ± 33.1 mL/m² for the right ventricle [p < 0.001], respectively). The mean differences between CT and MRI were smaller for the indexed ES volumes (2.0-2.5 mL/m²) than for the indexed ED volumes (6.3-15.5 mL/m²). CT overestimated the stroke volumes by 14-16%. With phase-contrast MRI as a reference, CT (7.2-14.3 mL/m²) showed greater mean differences in the indexed stroke volumes than did MRI (0.8-3.3 mL/m²; p < 0.005). Conclusion: Compared to 2D MRI, CT ventricular volumetry using semiautomatic 3D threshold-based segmentation provides comparable ES volumes, but overestimates the ED and stroke volumes in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Inveon PET은 최근에 출시된 소동물 전용 PET 시스템이다. 이 연구에서는 Inveon PET 스캐너의 성능을 평가하기 위하여 공간 분해능, 민감도, 산란분획, 잡음등가계수(Noise equivalent count rate: NECR)를 측정하였다. 공간 분해능 측정은 에너지창 350~625 keV, 민감도, 산란분획, NECR 측정은 350~750 keV에서 수행하였고 동시계수창은 3.432 ns였다. 크기 $1\;mm^3$의 F-18 점 선원을 만들어 중심에서부터 5 cm 벗어난 위치까지 공간 분해능을 측정하였다. 민감도를 측정하기 위하여 스캐너의 축방향 길이와 동일한 길이 12.7 cm의 F-18 선 선원을 만들고 두께 2 mm의 알루미늄 관을 1개에서 5개까지 차례로 씌우며 절대 민감도를 계산하였다. 산란분획과 NECR 측정하기 위하여 두 가지 NEMA 산란 팬텀(랫(rat): 지름 50 mm, 길이 150 mm/마우스(mouse): 지름 25 mm, 길이 70 mm)을 이용하였고, F-18 선 선원(랫: 353 MBq, 마우스: 201 MBq)를 만들어 14반감기(25.6시간) 동안 데이터를 획득하였다. F-18의 중심에서 공간 분해능은 반경, 접선, 축 방향에서 각각 1.53, 1.50, 2.33 mm이고, 체적 공간 분해능은 $5.43\;mm^3$이었다. 절대민감도는 6.61%이었다. F-18 최대 NECR은 486 kcps @121 MBq (랫 팬텀), 1056 kcps @128 MBq (마우스 팬텀)이었다. 랫과 마우스의 산란분획은 각각 20.59%, 7.93%이었다. 이 연구에서 최신 소동물용 PET인 Inveon PET의 표준성능을 평가하였고 소동물 PET영상 획득에 유용함 을 보여주었다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.829-839
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• 2021

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3-tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) for the detection of visceral pleural surface invasion (VPSI). Visceral pleural invasion by non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be classified into two types: PL1 (without VPSI), invasion of the elastic layer of the visceral pleura without reaching the visceral pleural surface, and PL2 (with VPSI), full invasion of the visceral pleura. Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients with pathologically confirmed VPSI by NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Multidetector CT and contrast-enhanced 3T MRI with a free-breathing radial three-dimensional fat-suppressed volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) pulse sequence were compared in terms of the length of contact, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. Supplemental evaluation of the tumor-pleura interface (smooth versus irregular) could only be performed with MRI (not discernible on CT). Results: At the tumor-pleura interface, radial VIBE MRI revealed a smooth margin in 20 of 21 patients without VPSI and an irregular margin in 10 of 12 patients with VPSI, yielding an accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F-score for VPSI detection of 91%, 83%, 95%, 91%, 91%, and 87%, respectively. The McNemar test and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed no significant differences between the diagnostic accuracies of CT and MRI for evaluating the contact length, angle of mass margin, or arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio as predictors of VPSI. Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced radial T1-weighted gradient-echo 3T MRI and CT were equal in terms of the contact length, angle of mass margin, and arch distance-to-maximum tumor diameter ratio. The advantage of MRI is its clear depiction of the tumor-pleura interface margin, facilitating VPSI detection.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.391-401
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• 2004

이차원 위상 어레이 변환자를 이용하는 실시간 3차원 영상 시스템은 많은 수의 채널 수를 가지기 때문에 고 비용의 매우 복잡한 빔집속부를 사용하여야 한다. 또한 각 주사선에 대해 초음파를 매번 송수신해야 하므로 볼륨 레이트 또한 낮게 된다. 이를 해결하기 위해 기존에 제안된 교차어레이를 이용한 3차원 영상화 기법은 실시간 3차원 영상을 위한 고속 주사가 가능하고 측방향으로는 동적집속이 가능하지만, 고도방향으로는 송신집속깊이를 제외하고는 고도방향의 해상도가 저하된다는 문제점이 있다. 이러한 문제점을 극복하기 위해 본 논문에서는 합성구경 기반의 교차 어레이를 사용한 3차원 영상화 기법을 제안한다. 제안한 방법에서는 고도방향으로 놓인 일차원 송신어레이의 각 변환소자를 한번에 하나씩 순차적으로 송신하고, 반사된 신호들을 측방향으로 놓인 일차원 수신어레이의 모든 변환소자를 이용하여 수신하게 된다. 수신시 측방향으로는 동적집속, 고도방향으로는 합성구경 기법을 이용하여 빔을 집속함으로써 모든 영상 점에 대해 측방향과 고도방향 모두 동적집속된 효과를 얻을 수 있다. 또한, 제안한 방법은 고도방향으로 합성구경 기법을 이용함으로써 송신어레이 변화소자 개수만큼의 초음파 송수신 과정을 통해 관심 영역의 입제영상을 임의의 요구되는 단면영상 수를 이용하여 구성할 수 있다. 제안한 방법을 통해 기존의 고정집속 기반의 교차어레이를 이용한 3차원 영상화 기법과 비교하여 측방향으로는 동일하고 고도방향으로는 훨씬 우수한 해상도의 영상을 획득할 수 있음을 컴퓨터 모사실험을 통해 점증하였다. 또한 동반논문에서는 제안한 방법에 비해 송신전력과 고도방향 해상도를 더욱 향상시킬 수 있는 선형파면 기반의 합성구경 기법을 제안한다.

• 한국가시화정보학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2014

Magnetic resonance velocimetry (MRV) is a versatile flow visualization technique using magnetic resonance imaging machine developed for the medical purpose. Recently, MRV is often utilized to analyze engineering flows due to its superior features of MRV such as capabilities of measuring flows with complicated, opaque flow geometry unlike optical techniques, 3-dimensional volumetric velocity vectors within a few hours, and etc. The purpose of this study was to validate the MRV data and evaluate the accuracy of the mean velocity profiles that we acquired for a turbulent flow in a circular pipe using a MR machine installed in Korea Basic Science Institute, Ochang, Korea. In addition, we briefly describe a procedure of parameter optimization for the operation of MRV. The results indicate that the MRV measurements provided well resolved mean velocity fields with a quite reasonable accuracy according to the inner and outer layer scaling laws of the turbulent pipe flows.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.120-123
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• 2012

Objective : Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is usually carried out under three-dimensional (2D) fluoroscopic guidance. However, operative complications or bone cement distribution might be difficult to assess on the basis of only 2D radiographic projection images. We evaluated the feasibility of performing an intraoperative and postoperative examination in patients undergoing PVP by using three-dimensional (3D) reconstructive C-arm. Methods : Standard PVP procedures were performed on 14 consecutive patients by using a Siremobil Iso-$C^{3D}$ and a multidetector computed tomography machine. Post-processing of acquired volumetric datasets included multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and surface shaded display (SSD). We analyzed intraoperative and immediate postoperative evaluation of the needle trajectory and bone cement distribution. Results : The male : female ratio was 2 : 12; mean age of patients, 70 (range, 77-54) years; and mean T score, -3.4. The mean operation time was 52.14 min, but the time required to perform and post-process the rotational acquisitions was 7.76 min. The detection of bone cement distribution and leakage after PVP by using MPR and SSD was possible in all patients. However, detection of the safe trajectory for needle insertion was not possible. Conclusion : 3D rotational image acquisition can enable intra- or post-procedural assessment of vertebroplasty procedures for the detection of bone cement distribution and leakage. However, it is difficult to assess the safe trajectory for needle insertion.

• 한국음향학회지
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.502-508
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• 2013

본 논문에서는 1-3 복합체 형태의 전도성 후면층을 이용한 2D 배열 초음파 트랜스듀서를 설계 및 제작하고 그 특성을 평가하였다. 1-3 복합체 형태의 전도성 후면층은 일반적인 재료를 사용해 널리 쓰이는 1-3 복합체 공정을 통하여 제작되었다. 본 연구의 대상이 되는 2D 배열 트랜스듀서는 4,096개의 구동 소자로 이루어져 있고, 각 소자의 중심주파수 및 비대역폭은 각각 3.5 MHz 및 60 % 이상을 목표로 설계하였다. 제작된 트랜스듀서는 중심주파수 및 비대역폭 목표치를 만족하였으며, 전체 구동 소자간의 특성도 0.81 dB 이내로 균일하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서 제시한 전도성 후면층의 2D 배열 초음파 트랜스듀서에 대한 적용 가능성이 검증되었다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.84-89
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• 2016

In this study, we proposed ameliorated method for region of interest (ROI) study to improve its accuracy using partial volume effect (PVE). PVE which arose in volumetric images when more than one tissue type occur in a voxel, could be used to reduce an amount of gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid within ROI of diffusion tensor image (DTI). In order to define ROIs, individual b0 image was spatially aligned to the JHU DTI-based atlas using linear and non-linear registration (http://cmrm.med.jhmi.edu/). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were estimated by fitting diffusion tensor model to each image voxel, and their mean values were computed within each ROI with PVE threshold. Participants of this study consisted of 20 healthy controls, 27 Alzheimer's disease and 27 normal-pressure hydrocephalus patients. The result showed that the mean FA and MD of each ROI were increased and decreased respectively, but standard deviation was significantly decreased when PVE was applied. In conclusion, the proposed method suggested that PVE was indispensable to improve an accuracy of DTI ROI study.