• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.108-115
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Minimizing contrast dose and radiation exposure while maintaining image quality during computed tomography angiography (CTA) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is desirable, but not well established. This systematic review compares image quality for low contrast and low kV CTA versus conventional CTA in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review to identify clinical studies comparing imaging strategies for patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. The primary outcomes of image quality as assessed by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were reported as random effects mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: We included 6 studies reporting on 353 patients. There was no difference in cardiac SNR (mean difference, -1.42; 95% CI, -5.71 to 2.88; p = 0.52), cardiac CNR (mean difference, -3.83; 95% CI, -9.98 to 2.32; p = 0.22), aortic SNR (mean difference, -0.23; 95% CI, -7.83 to 7.37; p = 0.95), aortic CNR (mean difference, -3.95; 95% CI, -12.03 to 4.13; p = 0.34), and ileofemoral SNR (mean difference, -6.09; 95% CI, -13.80 to 1.62; p = 0.12) between the low dose and conventional protocols. There was a difference in ileofemoral CNR between the low dose and conventional protocols with a mean difference of -9.26 (95% CI, -15.06 to -3.46; p = 0.002). Overall, subjective image quality was similar between the 2 protocols. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggests that low contrast and low kV CTA for TAVR planning provides similar image quality to conventional CTA.

• 한국정보통신학회논문지
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• 제23권7호
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• pp.779-785
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• 2019

인체공학적으로 개발된 Bismuth 차폐체를 뇌동맥류 코일 색전술에 적용함으로써 의료방사선 피폭으로부터 두피 및 수정체의 방사선 피폭을 감소시키고자 하였다. 광자극 형광 선량계를 이용하여 후두부, 양쪽 측두부, 양쪽 수정체부, 코 끝부를 개발된 Bismuth 차폐체를 사용 전 (A그룹) 후 (B그룹)로 측정하여 입사 표면 선량을 분석하였다. Bismuth 차폐체를 사용할 경우 화질에 대한 평가를 Signal to noise ratio (SNR)과 Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) 분석을 했다. A 그룹과 B 그룹의 입사 표면 평균 선량을 비교한 결과 A 그룹에 비해 B 그룹에서 평균 26.92% 감소되었다. CNR과 SNR의 분석은 로드맵과 디지털 감산조영 모두 동일하게 측정되었다. Bismuth 차폐체의 사용은 뇌혈관 중재적 시술 후 나타날 수 있는 일시적 탈모 및 기타 확률적 영향에 따른 방사선 장애를 화질의 저하 없이 감소시킬 수 있는 대안이 될 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.29-36
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• 2013

CR과 DR 장비에서 팬텀을 이용하여 선량과 노출지수(exposure index, EI)의 변화를 관찰하고 처리된 영상에서 NSR(noise to signal ratio)과 CNR (contrast to noise ratio)을 측정하여 디지털 시스템에서 방사선량을 최적화하기 위한 인자들 간의 상관관계를 알아보고자 하였다. EI와 입사표면선량(entrance surface dose, ESD)는 CR과 DR 장비에서 모두 주어진 선량의 증가에 따라 비례하여 증가하였다. 적정범위 내 EI 산출시 CR의 경우 DR 보다 더 많은 선량이 요구되었으나 두 시스템에서 모두 EI 지표는 노출인자인 kVp, mAs의 증가에 대해 선형으로 비례하여 증가하였다. 특히, 검출기 효율이 우수한 DR 시스템에서는 선량 변화에 대해 더 안정된 감도를 나타내었고, 최소의 선량증가에도 영상의 유용한 대조도를 형성하여 화질의 향상에 쉽게 도달할 수 있었다. 이는 검출기 흡수선량과 밀접한 관련이 있는 EI 지표의 정확성을 예측 가능하게 하였다. EI의 물리적 특징과 영상평가를 위한 NSR 측정은 DR 시스템에서 CR 보다 더 낮은 NSR이 나타났으며 CR에서는 6 mAs이상의 관전류에서는 관전압의 값에 따른 영향이 상대적으로 적었다. 본 연구 결론은 디지털 시스템 검출기의 흡수선량 측정의 지표인 EI는 노출인자와 선형비례관계에 있었고 EI가 제조사에서 제공한 범위 내에 존재할 때 그 EI 지표가 우수할수록 최적의 영상화질을 얻을 수 있었다. 또한 디지털 방사선 영상 기술에서 EI의 물리적 특징의 활용은 실제 임상에서 영상의 화질향상에 도움을 주고 검출기의 품질관리를 통하여 환자의 불필요한 피폭선량을 줄이는 데 많은 기여를 할 수 있을 것이다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.197-205
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• 2023

When taking X-rays, various auxiliary tools were used to fix a patient's exact shooting position and posture. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of carbon fiber reinforced plastics(CFRP) 3K as a material of auxiliary tools by comparing poly methyl metha acrylate(PMMA), polycarbonate(PC), and CFRP 3K each of which has high radiolucency. X-ray radiolucencies were measured by stacking 1 mm panels of each material, and contrast to noise ratio(CNR) and signal to noise ratio(SNR) of images of each material were measured by comparing with None, which stands for images that are taken without any material. All three materials showed over 90% X-ray radiolucencies within 2 ㎜ thickness, and there was no significant difference. PC, PMMA and CFRP 3K had high CNR and SNR in order, and CFRP 3K showed the closest CNR and SNR to those of None. While taking X-rays, by using CFRP 3K material within 2 ㎜ thickness as a material of auxiliary tools, which are used to reduce re-shooting and X-ray exposure by fixing a patient's exact shooting position and posture and improve the quality of medical images, a high X-ray radiolucency of over 90% would be obtained, and the influence on the image could be minimized.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.623-628
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• 2019

본 연구의 목적은 시간 분해능이 향상된 비지역적 평균 (fast non local means, FNLM) 노이즈 제거 알고리즘을 모델링하여 광학 현미경 영상에서의 적용 가능성을 확인하는 것이다. 이를 위해 실제 흰쥐 (mouse)의 첫째어금니 치아를 사용하여 영상을 획득한 후 기존에 널리 사용되고 있는 노이즈 제거 알고리즘과 제안하는 FNLM 알고리즘을 각각 적용하여 비교하였다. 정량적 평가는 대조도 대 잡음비 (contrast to noise ratio, CNR), 변동계수 (coefficient of variation, COV), 그리고 최근에 개발된 no reference 기반의 방법인 natural image quality evaluator (NIQE)와 Blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator (BRISQUE)를 사용하였다. 결과적으로 모든 정량적 평가 인자에서 제안하는 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘이 가장 우수한 값을 나타내었다. 특히나 치아의 전체적인 형태학적 영상을 분석할 수 있는 NIQE와 BRISQUE 인자는 원본영상에 비하여 각각 1.14와 1.12배 향상됨을 확인할 수 있었다. 결론적으로 소동물 치아 광학 현미경 영상에서의 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘의 유용성 및 가능성을 증명하였다.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.75-86
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply a newly developed free software program, at low cost and with minimal time, to evaluate the quality of dental and maxillofacial cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom, CQP-IFBA, was scanned in 3 CBCT units with 7 protocols. A macro program was developed, using the free software ImageJ, to automatically evaluate the image quality parameters. The image quality evaluation was based on 8 parameters: uniformity, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), noise, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), spatial resolution, the artifact index, geometric accuracy, and low-contrast resolution. Results: The image uniformity and noise depended on the protocol that was applied. Regarding the CNR, high-density structures were more sensitive to the effect of scanning parameters. There were no significant differences between SNR and CNR in centered and peripheral objects. The geometric accuracy assessment showed that all the distance measurements were lower than the real values. Low-contrast resolution was influenced by the scanning parameters, and the 1-mm rod present in the phantom was not depicted in any of the 3 CBCT units. Smaller voxel sizes presented higher spatial resolution. There were no significant differences among the protocols regarding artifact presence. Conclusion: This software package provided a fast, low-cost, and feasible method for the evaluation of image quality parameters in CBCT.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.402-412
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• 2022

Objective: To evaluate the image quality and lesion detectability of lower-dose CT (LDCT) of the abdomen and pelvis obtained using a deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm compared with those of standard-dose CT (SDCT) images. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 123 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 63 ± 11 years; male:female, 70:53) who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic LDCT between May and August 2020 and had prior SDCT obtained using the same CT scanner within a year. LDCT images were reconstructed with hybrid iterative reconstruction (h-IR) and DLIR at medium and high strengths (DLIR-M and DLIR-H), while SDCT images were reconstructed with h-IR. For quantitative image quality analysis, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise ratio were measured in the liver, muscle, and aorta. Among the three different LDCT reconstruction algorithms, the one showing the smallest difference in quantitative parameters from those of SDCT images was selected for qualitative image quality analysis and lesion detectability evaluation. For qualitative analysis, overall image quality, image noise, image sharpness, image texture, and lesion conspicuity were graded using a 5-point scale by two radiologists. Observer performance in focal liver lesion detection was evaluated by comparing the jackknife free-response receiver operating characteristic figures-of-merit (FOM). Results: LDCT (35.1% dose reduction compared with SDCT) images obtained using DLIR-M showed similar quantitative measures to those of SDCT with h-IR images. All qualitative parameters of LDCT with DLIR-M images but image texture were similar to or significantly better than those of SDCT with h-IR images. The lesion detectability on LDCT with DLIR-M images was not significantly different from that of SDCT with h-IR images (reader-averaged FOM, 0.887 vs. 0.874, respectively; p = 0.581). Conclusion: Overall image quality and detectability of focal liver lesions is preserved in contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic LDCT obtained with DLIR-M relative to those in SDCT with h-IR.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.453-458
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• 2019

본 연구에서는 Geant4 application for tomographic emission (GATE) 시뮬레이션 프로그램을 통해 설계 된 male adult mesh (MASH) 팬텀의 영상을 획득한 후 다양한 필터링 인자가 설정된 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘을 적용함으로써 그에 따른 영상 특성의 경향성을 알아보고자 한다. 이를 위해 GATE 시뮬레이션 프로그램을 통해 인체를 모사할 수 있는 MASH 팬텀을 설계하였다. 또한, 설계된 MASH 팬텀을 기반으로 MATLAB 프로그램을 통해 복부영상을 획득한 후 0.005의 $\sigma$ 값을 갖는 Gaussian noise를 추가하여 열화영상을 모델링하였다. 모델링 된 열화영상으로부터 제안하는 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘의 필터링 인자를 각각 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 으로 설정하여 적용하였으며, 정량적 평가를 위해 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘이 적용된 영상들로부터 각각의 coefficient of variation (COV), signal to noise ratio (SNR) 그리고 contrast to noise ratio (CNR)을 측정하였다. 결과적으로, 0.05의 필터링 인자가 적용된 영상에서 가장 개선된 COV, SNR 그리고 CNR 값을 보였다. 특히, COV는 설정된 필터링 인자가 증가함에 따라 감소하였으며, 0.05 값 이후부터 거의 일정한 값을 나타내었다. 또한, SNR 및 CNR의 경우 필터링 인자가 증가함에 따라 증가하였으며, 0.05 값 이후부터 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 결론적으로, 열화 영상으로부터 FNLM 노이즈 제거 알고리즘 적용 시 적합한 필터링 인자를 설정해야 함이 증명되었다.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.158-162
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• 2012

Although 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the advantages of a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast than 1.5T MRI, there are limitations on the contrast between white and grey matter because of the long T1 recovery time when T1 images are obtained using the Spin Echo Technique. To overcome this, T1 weighted images are obtained occasionally using the inversion recovery (IR) technique, which employs a relatively long TR. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal TI in a brain examination when a T1 weighted image is obtained using the IR technique. Eight participants (male: 7, female: 1, average age: $34{\pm}14.11$) with a normal diagnosis were targeted from February 18, 2012 to February 27, 2012, and the contrast between white and grey matter as well as the contrast to noise ratio (CNRs) in each participant were measured. The CNRs of white matter and grey matter were highest at TI = 600, 650, 750, 900, 1050 and 1100 ms when the TR was 1100, 1400, 1700, 2000, 2300 and 2600 ms, respectively. Therefore, as the TIs were $44.425{\pm}0.877%$ of the TRs in the TR range of 1400-2300 ms, the optimal T1 weighted images that describe the contrast between white and grey matter can be obtained if the TIs are compensated for with $44.425{\pm}0.877%$ of the TRs in the time of setting TIs.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of automatic exposure control (AEC) control factors in digital radiography systems based on the fine contrast images using coin phantoms. The AEC control factors were targeted at the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density. The dominent zone was divided into cases where a single coin was used to cover the field configuration, and cases where seven coins were used to cover the field configuration. The sensitivity was classified into three stages (200, 400, 800) and the density was classified into three stages (2.5, 0, 2.5). Image quality was evaluated by signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). Then, the automatically exposed tube current was measured. As a result, the X-ray image of seven coins obtained a result value of about 1.2 times higher for SNR and 1.9 times higher for CNR than the X-ray image for one coin. The tube current was also about 1.6 times higher. In conclusion, In AEC, the higher the field configuration and dominent zone are matched and the higher the density, the lower the sensitivity, which increases the tube current and CNR, which increases the image quality. Therefore, it is judged that the appropriate setting of the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density of the control, which is the AEC control factor, could improve the fine contrast of images.