• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.502-508
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• 2013

In this paper, 2D array transducers using a conductive backer similar to 1-3 composites have been designed, fabricated, and evaluated. The conductive backer was based on well known manufacturing process of 1-3 composites with affordable ingredients. The 2D array transducer had 4,096 elements designed to have 3.5 MHz center frequency and a fractional bandwidth over 60 %. Fabricated prototype of the transducer satisfied the specifications in the center frequency and bandwidth. Performance over the entire elements was so uniform that the standard deviation was less than 0.81 dB. Thus applicability of the conductive backer proposed in this work to 2D array transducers was verified.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.37 no.2
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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.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2016

Ultrasonic tomography is a powerful tool for identifying defects within an object or structure. But practical application of ultrasonic tomography to solids is often limited by time consuming transducer coupling. Air-coupled ultrasonic measurements may eliminate the coupling problem and allow for more rapid data collection and tomographic image construction. This research aims to integrate recent developments in air-coupled ultrasonic measurements with current tomography reconstruction routines to improve testing capability. The goal is to identify low velocity inclusions (air-filled voids and notches) within solids using constructed velocity images. Finite element analysis is used to simulate the experiment in order to determine efficient data collection schemes. Comparable air-coupled ultrasonic signals are then collected through homogeneous and isotropic solid (PVC polymer) samples. Volumetric (void) and planar (notch) inclusions within the samples are identified in the constructed velocity tomograms for a variety of transducer configurations. Although there is some distortion of the inclusions, the experimentally obtained tomograms accurately indicate their size and location. Reconstruction error values, defined as misidentification of the inclusion size and position, were in the range of 1.5-1.7%. Part 2 of this paper set will describe the application of this imaging technique to concrete that contains inclusions.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.373-382
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• 2021

Purpose: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions were analysed to elucidate factors affecting the anatomical relationship between tooth roots and the mandibular canal(MC). Materials and Methods: Images of 300 volumetric tomography scans of patients aged between 20 and 79 years old (167 women and 133 men) were analysed. The mean distances between 2,053 dental root apices and the internal border of the MC were obtained by measuring the horizontal and vertical distances on coronal CBCT images. The actual distance was then calculated mathematically with the Pythagorean formula. The statistical significance of differences between men and women was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. Correlations with patient age were evaluated with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: The mean distances ranged from 2.17 mm, for single right third molar roots in women, to 8.02 mm for single left third molar mesiolingual roots in men. The mean distances measured for the mandibular right second molar mesial roots and the right second premolar roots were larger in men than in women. Age showed a significant positive correlation with the measured distances for mesial and distal roots of the first and second molar on both sides and the right third molar, mesiolingual roots of the left third molar, and single roots of the right third molar. Conclusion: The root-to-mandibular canal distance depended on age and the type of tooth. In 2 root types, this distance was impacted by sex.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2002

Purpose : Hippocampal atrophy is one of the characteristic pathologic findings of hippocampal sclerosis, for which MR imaging of the hippocampus is essential in the evaluation of hippocampal sclerosis. The purpose of this study is to present the normal MR volumetric data of the hippocampus in normal adult Korean and to compare those with MR volumetric data of hippocampus in patients with hippocampal s-clerosis, providing the diagnostic volume criteria of the hippocampal atrophy. Materials and methods : MR volumetry was performed in 30 normal adults and 28 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy whose final diagnosis was hippocampal sclerosis. The volumetric data were compared between sexes, right and left sides, and normal and abnormal hippocampus, and the volume criteria for the diagnosis of hippocampal atrophy was determined. Results : The mean $volumes({\pm}standard$ deviation) of normal Korean adult were $2.20{\pm}0.73\textrm{cm}^3$ (right) and $2.17{\pm}0.72\textrm{cm}^3$ (left) in male and $2.27{\pm}0.47{\;}\textrm{cm}^3$ (right) and $2.23{\pm}0.48\textrm{cm}^3$ (left) in female. The mean right-left differences were $0.14{\pm}0.11\textrm{cm}^3$ and $0.19{\pm}0.13\textrm{cm}^3$ in male and female, respectively. The MR volumetry showed no significant statistical differences between sexes and between right and left. The mean volume and standard deviation of the hippocampus in hippocampal sclerosis patients was $1.46{\pm}0.60{\;}\textrm{cm}^3$, and the right-left difference was $0.51{\pm}0.41\textrm{cm}^3$, In comparison of two volume distributions between normal adult group and hippocampal sclerosis patients group, the reasonable diagnostic volume criteria was $0.4{\;}\textrm{cm}^3$ as right-left volume difference, in which the sensitivity and specificity are 0.61 and 0.90. In all patients with right-left volume difference more than $0.4{\;}\textrm{cm}^3$, visual determination of unilateral hippocampal atrophy was possible. Conclusion : The MR-based hippocampal volumetry is a useful add-on of visual MR diagnosis, only when visual diagnosis of hippocampal sclerosis is difficult.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2021

Purpose: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain atrophy in this disease spectrum begins in the medial temporal lobe structure, which can be recognized by magnetic resonance imaging. To overcome the unsatisfactory inter-observer reliability of visual evaluation, quantitative brain volumetry has been developed and widely investigated for the diagnosis of MCI and AD. The aim of this study was to assess the prediction accuracy of quantitative brain volumetry using a fully automated segmentation software package, NeuroQuant^®, for the diagnosis of MCI. Materials and Methods: A total of 418 subjects from the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease cohort were included in our study. Each participant was allocated to either a cognitively normal old group (n = 285) or an MCI group (n = 133). Brain volumetric data were obtained from T1-weighted images using the NeuroQuant software package. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to investigate relevant brain regions and their prediction accuracies. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that normative percentiles of the hippocampus (P < 0.001), amygdala (P = 0.003), frontal lobe (P = 0.049), medial parietal lobe (P = 0.023), and third ventricle (P = 0.012) were independent predictive factors for MCI. In ROC analysis, normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala showed fair accuracies in the diagnosis of MCI (area under the curve: 0.739 and 0.727, respectively). Conclusion: Normative percentiles of the hippocampus and amygdala provided by the fully automated segmentation software could be used for screening MCI with a reasonable post-processing time. This information might help us interpret structural MRI in patients with cognitive impairment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.231-240
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• 2014

The purpose of this study were to analyze that the Seoul neuropsychological screening battery (SNSB) for the evaluating cognitive assessment of the Parkinson's disease patients with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and the changes of the cerebral ventricle volume in the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and we has been bring forward the guideline to determine the diagnostic criteria for the PD-MCI. To achieve this, we was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease patients (PD-MCI group: 34 patients; Parkinson's disease with normal cognition, PD-NC group: 34 patients) to perform the SNSB test for the attention, language, memory, visuospatial, and frontal/executive functions and the brain MRI. Additionally, to compared the change of the cerebral ventricle volume, we performed the brain MRI for the 32 normal control (NC) group. The volumetric analysis for a specific cerebral ventricle performed by using Freesurfer Ver. 5.1 (Massachusetts general Hospital, Boston MA, USA). As a results, compared to the PD-NC group, the PD-MCI group were statistically significant reduction in the ability to perform the memory and the visuospatial function (p<0.05). The volumetric changes for a specific cerebral ventricle were statistically significant variation in the left and right lateral ventricle, left and right inferior lateral ventricle, and 3rd ventricle. Although, in order to compared the objectification, the normalized percentage applied to the volumetric changes showed to extend the PD-MCI group than the PD-NC group. Specially, the left and right ventricle extension for the PD-MCI patients conspicuously had showed a quantitative linear relationship between the memory and the visuospatial function for the SNSB (r>0.5, p<0.05). Therefore, we were able to judge the diagnostic criteria of the PD-MCI through that can observe the volumetric variation of the specific cerebral ventricle by using Freesurfer in brain MRI, and to analyze the correlation between the SNSB.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2012

Purpose: To determine feasibility of RapidArc in sequential or simultaneous integrated tumor boost in whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for poor prognostic patients with four or more brain metastases. Materials and Methods: Nine patients with multiple (${\geq}4$) brain metastases were analyzed. Three patients were classified as class II in recursive partitioning analysis and 6 were class III. The class III patients presented with hemiparesis, cognitive deficit, or apraxia. The ratio of tumor to whole brain volume was 0.8-7.9%. Six patients received 2-dimensional bilateral WBRT, (30 Gy/10-12 fractions), followed by sequential RapidArc tumor boost (15-30 Gy/4-10 fractions). Three patients received RapidArc WBRT with simultaneous integrated boost to tumors (48-50 Gy) in 10-20 fractions. Results: The median biologically effective dose to metastatic tumors was 68.1 $Gy_{10}$ and 67.2 $Gy_{10}$ and the median brain volume irradiated more than 100 $Gy_3$ were 1.9% (24 $cm^3$) and 0.8% (13 $cm^3$) for each group. With less than 3 minutes of treatment time, RapidArc was easily applied to the patients with poor performance status. The follow-up period was 0.3-16.5 months. Tumor responses among the 6 patients who underwent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging were partial and stable in 3 and 3, respectively. Overall survival at 6 and 12 months were 66.7% and 41.7%, respectively. The local progression-free survival at 6 and 12 months were 100% and 62.5%, respectively. Conclusion: RapidArc as a component in whole brain radiation therapy for poor prognostic, multiple brain metastases is an effective and safe modality with easy application.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.147-151
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• 2009

Purpose: 2-[$^{18}F$]Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([$^{18}F$]FDG) particularly plays as a important role in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging in nuclear medicine. Domestic [$^{18}F$]FDG auto synthesizers are installed in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) at June 2008, these modules were known that it's synthetic yields were guaranteed in average $45{\pm}5%$ so far. To improve yields and convenience of domestic [$^{18}F$]FDG auto synthesizer, numerous trials in reaction time, base concentration, pressure and temperature were performed to increase [$^{18}F$]FDG yields. Materials and Methods: Several synthetic factors (temperature, time and pressure) and shortcoming were corrected based on many evaporation test. Syringe dispensing of tetra-butylammonium bicarbonate (TBAB) was replaced with micro pipette to prepare tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride salt ([$^{18}F$]TBAF). Troublesome refill of liquid nitrogen every 2 hours which was used to protect vacuum system was changed to charcoal cartridge, base guard filter. To monitor the volume of delivered $[^{18}O]OH_2$ from cyclotron by surveillance camera, we set up the volumetric vial on the cover of the module. In addition to, the recovery vial was added in [$^{18}F$]FDG production system to recover [$^{18}F$]FDG loss due to the leak of valve ($V_{13,14}$) in [$^{18}F$]FDG purification process. Results: When we used micro pipette for adding TBAB ($30\;{\mu}L$ in 12% $H_2O$ in acetonitrile), this quantitative dispensation has enabled to improve $5.5{\pm}1.7%$ residual fluorine-18 activity in fluorine separation cartridge compared to syringe adding. Besides, the synthetic yields of [$^{18}F$]FDG has increased $58{\pm}2.6%$ (n=19), $58{\pm}2.9%$ (n=14), $60%{\pm}2.5%$ (n=17) for 3 months. The life cycle of charcoal cartridge and base vacuum was 3 months prior to filling liquid nitrogen every 2 hours and additional side separator can prevent pump corrosion by organic solvent. After setting of volumetric indicator vial, the operator can easily monitor the total volume of irradiated $[^{18}O]OH_2$ from cyclotron. The recovery vial can be used for the stabilizer when an irregular [$^{18}F$]FDG loss was generated by the leak of valves ($V_{13,14}$). Conclusions: We has optimized appropriate synthetic conditions (temperature, time, pressure) in domestic [$^{18}F$]FDG auto synthesizer. In addition to, the remodeling with several accessories improve yields of domestic [$^{18}F$]FDG auto synthesizer with reliable reproducibility.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.675-681
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the amount of 3D volume imaging on the hand, knee, and foot human phantom in CT, After analyzing the data, three - dimensional volumetric images were implemented using MMWP program to evaluate reproducibility. First, the data amount of three human phantoms according to each increment was analyzed. Secondly, the reproducibility evaluation and the measured length were compared. As a result of analyzing the amount of image data for each phantom according to the increment, it was confirmed that the amount of data is reduced to about 1/10 when the increment is set to 1.0 mm as compared with the case where the increment is set to 0.1 mm. In the evaluation of the feasibility, gap was generated from 0.7mm for hand phantom, 0.6mm for knee phantom and foot phantom, and it was confirmed that even when the actual phantom and actual length were compared, the length was much different and the implementation was lowered. As the increment is closer to 1.0mm, the number of images is small and the 3D implementation time is small. Therefore, it is best to determine the increase before the gap of the image is generated and to apply the Increment for preoperative diagnosis. We hope that this study will be an indicator of the accurate increment setting when implementing 3D image through VRT Rendering after CT scan.