• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2008

According to improved radiation therapy technology such as IMRT and proton therapy, the accuracy of patient alignment system is more emphasized and IGRT is dominated research field in radiation oncology. We proposed to study the feasibility of cone-beam CT system using simple x-ray imaging systems for image guided proton therapy at National Cancer Center. 180 projection views ($2,304{\times}3,200$, 14 bit with 127 ${\mu}m$ pixel pitch) for the geometrical calibration phantom and humanoid phantoms (skull, abdomen) were acquired with $2^{\circ}$ step angle using x-ray imaging system of proton therapy gantry room ($360^{\circ}$ for 1 rotation). The geometrical calibration was performed for misalignments between the x-ray source and the flat-panel detector, such as distances and slanted angle using available algorithm. With the geometrically calibrated projection view, Feldkamp cone-beam algorithm using Ram-Lak filter was implemented for CBCT reconstruction images for skull and abdomen phantom. The distance from x-ray source to the gantry isocenter, the distance from the flat panel to the isocenter were calculated as 1,517.5 mm, 591.12 mm and the rotated angle of flat panel detector around x-ray beam axis was considered as $0.25^{\circ}$. It was observed that the blurring artifacts, originated from the rotation of the detector, in the reconstructed toomographs were significantly reduced after the geometrical calibration. The demonstrated CBCT images for the skull and abdomen phantoms are very promising. We performed the geometrical calibration of the large gantry rotation system with simple x-ray imaging devices for CBCT reconstruction. The CBCT system for proton therapy will be used as a main patient alignment system for image guided proton therapy.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of (widely used) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: Images were obtained with CT performance phantoms (The American Association of Physicists in Medicine; AAPM). CT phantom as the destination by using PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system (Asahi Roentgen Ind. Co., Ltd., Japan) and i-CAT CBCT (Imaging Science International Inc., USA) that have different kinds of detectors and field of view, and compared these images with the CT number for linear attenuation, contrast resolution, and spatial resolution. Results: CT number of both PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and i-CAT CBCT did not conform to the base value of CT performance phantom. The contrast of i-CAT CBCT is higher than that of PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system. Both contrasts were increased according to thickness of cross section. Spatial resolution and shapes of reappearance was possible up to 0.6 mm in PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and up to 1.0 mm in i-CAT CBCT. Low contrast resolution in region of low contrast sensitivity revealed low level at PSR $9000N^{TM}$ dental CT system and i-CAT CBCT. Conclusion: CBCT images revealed higher spatial resolution, however, contrast resolution in region of low contrast sensitivity was the inferiority of image characteristics.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.123-129
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• 2006

The use of computed tomography for dental procedures has increased recently. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems have been designed for imaging hard tissues of the dentomaxillofacial region. CBCT is capable of providing high resolution in images of high diagnostic quality. This technology allows for 3-dimensional representation of the dentomaxillofacial skeleton with minimal distortion, but at lower equipment cost, simpler image acquisition and lower patient dose. Because this technology produces images with isotropic sub-millimeter spatial resolution, it is ideally suited for dedicated dentomaxillofacial imaging. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of cone beam scanning technology and compare it with the fan beam scanning used in conventional CT and the basic principles of currently available CBCT systems.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2020

Purpose: The detection and exact localization of penetrating foreign bodies are crucial for the appropriate management of patients with dentoalveolar trauma. This study compared the efficacy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and spiral computed tomography (CT) scans for the detection of different foreign bodies composed of 5 frequently encountered materials in 2 sizes. The effect of the location of the foreign bodies on their visibility was also analyzed. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, metal, tooth, stone, glass, and plastic particles measuring 1×1×1 mm and 2×2×2 mm were prepared. They were implanted in a sheep's head in the tongue muscle, nasal cavity, and at the interface of the mandibular cortex and soft tissue. CBCT and spiral CT scans were taken and the visibility of foreign bodies was scored by 4 skilled maxillofacial radiologists who were blinded to the location and number of foreign bodies. Results: CT and CBCT were equally accurate in visualizing metal, stone, and tooth particles of both sizes. However, CBCT was better for detecting glass particles in the periosteum. Although both imaging modalities visualized plastic particles poorly, CT was slightly better for detecting plastic particles, especially the smaller ones. Conclusion: Considering the lower patient radiation dose and cost, CBCT can be used with almost equal accuracy as CT for detecting foreign bodies of different compositions and sizes in multiple maxillofacial regions. However, CT performed better for detecting plastic particles.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2010

Purpose: The mental foramen (MF) is an important anatomical structure during local anesthesia and surgical procedures in terms of achieving effective mental nerve blocks and avoiding injuries to the neurovascular bundles. Thus, understanding the anatomic features of the mandibular canal and accessory mental foramen in Korean could contribute to the surgical anatomic assessment. This study was to elucidate frequency, position and course of AMF (accessory mental foramen) in Korean using 3D cone beam computed tomography. Materials and Methods: The CBCT (Conbeam computed tomography) DICOM data (Alphard, Asahi, Japan) from 540 patients in korean were analyzed. We investigated images of 3D CBCT using Ondemand (CyberMed, Korea) software program on the incidence and anatomical characteristics of accessory foramen. Results: The accessory mental foramina were found in 17 patients. Accessory mental foramina exist predominantly in the apical area of the second premolar and posteroinferior area of the mental foramen. The accessory branches of the mandibular canal showed common characteristics in the course of gently sloping posterosuperior direction in the buccal surface area. The size of most AMF was obviously smaller than that of MF. Conclusion: We could identify frequency, position and course of AMF (accessory mental foramen) by the anatomical study of the accessory mental foramen using 3D cone beam CT in Korean.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2008

Purpose: Cone-beam CT using linear accelerator attached to on-board imager is a image guided therapy equipment. Because it is to check the patient's set-up error, correction, organ and target movement. but imaging dose should be cause of the secondary cancer when taking a image. The aim of this study is investigation of appropriate cone beam CT scan mode to compare and estimate the image quality and skin dose. Materials and Methods: Measurement by Thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD-100, Harshaw) with using the Rando phantom are placed on each eight sites in seperately H&N, thoracic, abdominal section. each 4 methods of scan modes of are measured the for skin dose in three time. Subsequently, obtained average value. Following image quality QA protocol of equipment manufacturers using the catphan 504 phantom, image quality of each scan mode is compared and analyzed. Results: The results of the measured skin dose are described in here. The skin dose of Head & Neck are measured mode A: 8.96 cGy, mode B: 4.59 cGy, mode C: 3.46 cGy mode D: 1.76 cGy and thoracic mode A: 9.42 cGy, mode B: 4.58 cGy, mode C: 3.65 cGy, mode D: 1.85 cGy, and abdominal mode A: 9.97 cGy, mode B: 5.12 cGy, mode C: 4.03 cGy, mode D: 2.21 cGy. Approximately, dose of mode B are reduced 50%, mode C are reduced 60%, mode D are reduced 80% a point of reference dose of mode A. the results of analyzed HU reproducibility, low contrast resolution, spatial resolution (high contrast resolution), HU uniformity in evaluation item of image quality are within the tolerance value by recommended equipment manufacturer in all scan mode. Conclusion: Maintaining the image quality as well as reducing the image dose are very important in cone beam CT. In the result of this study, we are considered when to take mode A when interested in soft tissue. And we are considered to take mode D when interested in bone scan and we are considered to take mode B, C when standard scan. Increasing secondary cancer risk due to cone beam CT scan should be reduced by low mAs technique.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.294-299
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• 2006

$\underline{Purpose}$: Using cone beam CT, we can compare the position of the patients at the simulation and the treatment. In on-line image guided radiation therapy, one can utilize this compared data and correct the patient position before treatments. Using cone beam CT, we investigated the errors induced by setting up the patients when use only the markings on the patients' skin. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: We obtained the data of three patients that received radiation therapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology in Chung-Ang University during August 2006 and October 2006. Just as normal radiation therapy, patients were aligned on the treatment couch after the simulation and treatment planning. Patients were aligned with lasers according to the marking on the skin that were marked at the simulation time and then cone beam CTs were obtained. Cone beam CTs were fused and compared with simulation CTs and the displacement vectors were calculated. Treatment couches were adjusted according to the displacement vector before treatments. After the treatment, positions were verified with kV X-ray (OBI system). $\underline{Results}$: In the case of head and neck patients, the average sizes of the setup error vectors, given by the cone beam CT, were 0.19 cm for the patient A and 0.18 cm for the patient B. The standard deviations were 0.15 cm and 0.21 cm, each. On the other hand, in the case of the pelvis patient, the average and the standard deviation were 0.37 cm and 0.1 cm. $\underline{Conclusion}$: Through the on-line IGRT using cone beam CT, we could correct the setup errors that could occur in the conventional radiotherapy. The importance of the on-line IGRT should be emphasized in the case of 3D conformal therapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which have complex target shapes and steep dose gradients.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.332-339
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• 2010

We aimed to setup an adaptive radiation therapy platform using cone-beam CT (CBCT) and multileaf collimator (MLC) log data and also intended to analyze a trend of dose calculation errors during the procedure based on a phantom study. We took CT and CBCT images of Catphan-600 (The Phantom Laboratory, USA) phantom, and made a simple step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plan based on the CT. Original plan doses were recalculated based on the CT ($CT_{plan}$) and the CBCT ($CBCT_{plan}$). Delivered monitor unit weights and leaves-positions during beam delivery for each MLC segment were extracted from the MLC log data then we reconstructed delivered doses based on the CT ($CT_{recon}$) and CBCT ($CBCT_{recon}$) respectively using the extracted information. Dose calculation errors were evaluated by two-dimensional dose discrepancies ($CT_{plan}$ was the benchmark), gamma index and dose-volume histograms (DVHs). From the dose differences and DVHs, it was estimated that the delivered dose was slightly greater than the planned dose; however, it was insignificant. Gamma index result showed that dose calculation error on CBCT using planned or reconstructed data were relatively greater than CT based calculation. In addition, there were significant discrepancies on the edge of each beam while those were less than errors due to inconsistency of CT and CBCT. $CBCT_{recon}$ showed coupled effects of above two kinds of errors; however, total error was decreased even though overall uncertainty for the evaluation of delivered dose on the CBCT was increased. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate dose calculation errors separately as a setup error, dose calculation error due to CBCT image quality and reconstructed dose error which is actually what we want to know.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2022

Purpose: The aim of this review was to systematically analyze the available literature on the correlation between the gray values (GVs) of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and the Hounsfield units (HUs) of computed tomography (CT) for assessing bone mineral density. Materials and Methods: A literature search was carried out in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, and LILACS for studies published through September 2021. In vitro, in vivo, and animal studies that analyzed the correlations GVs of CBCT and HUs of CT were included in this review. The review was prepared according to the PRISMA checklist for systematic reviews, and the risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. A quantitative analysis was performed using a fixed-effects model. Results: The literature search identified a total of 5,955 studies, of which 14 studies were included for the qualitative analysis and 2 studies for the quantitative analysis. A positive correlation was observed between the GVs of CBCT and HUs of CT. Out of the 14 studies, 100% had low risks of bias for the domains of patient selection, index test, and reference standards, while 95% of studies had a low risk of bias for the domain of flow and timing. The fixed-effects meta-analysis performed for Pearson correlation coefficients between CBCT and CT showed a moderate positive correlation (r=0.669; 95% CI, 0.388 to 0.836; P<0.05). Conclusion: The available evidence showed a positive correlation between the GVs of CBCT and HUs of CT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 1998

Purpose : To generate the axial, coronal and sagittal images from conventional simulation images, as a preliminary study of broad-beam simulator CT. Methods and Materials : Volumetric filtered back-projection was performed using 90 sheets of films from conventional simulator for every $4^{\circ}$ gantry angle. Two mAs exposure condition for 120kvp beam qualify at SFD 140cm was given to each film. Outside the silhouette portion was removed and scatter component was deconvolved before back-projection. Results : The axial, the sagittal and the coronal images with same spatial resolutions over all direction could be obtained. But image quality was very poor. Conclusion : CT images could be obtained using broad-beam. Scatter deconvolution technique was effective for this reconstruction. The fact that same spatial resolutions over all direction tells us the possibility of application of this technique to DRR or Simulator-CT. But the quality of image should be improved for clinical application practically.