• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.756-767
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• 2007

For the combination of phosphor screens having various thicknesses and a photodiode array manufactured by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, we report the observation of image-quality degradation under the irradiation of 45-kVp spectrum x rays. The image quality was assessed in terms of dark pixel signal, dynamic range, modulation-transfer function (MTF), noise-power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE). For the accumulation of the absorbed dose, the radiation-induced increase both in dark signal and noise resulted in the gradual reduction in dynamic range. While the MTF was only slightly affected by the total ionizing dose, the noise power in the case of $Min-R^{TM}$ screen, which is the thinnest one among the considered screens in this study, became larger as the total dose was increased. This is caused by incomplete correction of the dark current fixed-pattern noise. In addition, the increase tendency in NPS was independent of the spatial frequency. For the cascaded model analysis, the additional noise source is from direct absorption of x-ray photons. The change in NPS with respect to the total dose degrades the DQE. However, with carefully updated and applied correction, we can overcome the detrimental effects of increased dark current on NPS and DQE. This study gives an initial motivation that the periodic monitoring of the image-quality degradation is an important issue for the long-term and healthy use of digital x-ray imaging detectors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.423-428
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• 2014

Digital X-ray imaging devices using a TFT based flat panel array has been used in medical field. But, recently, lots of research on the photon counting sensor has been reported. In this study, we evaluated the physical properties of the photoconductor by suggesting the standard and testing method for quantitative performance evaluation of photon counting x-ray imaging sensor. First, we measured the leakage current and the sensitivity of photon counting x-ray imaging sensor and we evaluated the characteristic of rising time for determining the signal shaping time. In addition, the set-up study was conducted on the basis of the IEC 62220-1-2 recommendations to define the number of incident photons per unit area. And the efficiency of the charge collection was also evaluated. As a result, the characteristic was measured as $200pA/mm^2$ of the leakage current, $7{\mu}C/cm^2R $ of the X-ray sensitivity, and $0.765{\mu}s$ of the rising time.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2012

In a normal x-ray examination, the cooperation of a patient in positioning greatly influences the improvement of work performance, the quality of the images and the reduction in time spent on the examination. An attempt was made to discover the connection between an examination information printout and the effects of the examination by informing the patient before the examination on the examination positions in order to increase the level of cooperation by the patient and by surveying the degree of satisfaction of the patient during the examination proceedings. An examination information printout was prepared on five positions that patients consider to be difficult while receiving normal x-ray examinations and were shown to 257 male and female patients between the ages of 30 to 79 who had visited this hospital between January 1 to February 29, 2012 or to a person who had accompanied the patients before the examination to research the degree of satisfaction regarding the printout. In addition, the examination explanation printout was given to Radiologic Technologists with over 1 year experience in this hospital to use while taking the x-rays and the degree of satisfaction was surveyed and it was examined if the increase of the degree of satisfaction had an effect on the reduction in the examination time. The patients who utilized the examination information printout revealed results of approximately a 7.8% higher degree of satisfaction among the patients who had previous experience receiving x-ray examinations compared to those were having an x-ray for the first time. In the age groups between 30 to 70 years of age, the age group in the 30's revealed the lowest level of satisfaction at approximately 69% and the group in the 50's showed the highest degree of satisfaction of 87.94%. In the survey of the Radiologic Technologists, 85% responded that they were satisfied. In the question that stated "Will the examination information printouts reduce the time involved in unnecessary conversations with the patients?," the responses showed a 95% degree of satisfaction. The degree of satisfaction was high over the examination information printout by both the patients and the Radiologic Technologists. Although the effects of examination time reduction varied based on the ages of the patients and physical conditions that they were in and could not be given measurement values, it was able to be seen through the survey that reduction of the unnecessary communication between the patient and the Radiologic Technologists contributed to the increase in the degree of satisfaction. As a result, both the patients and the Radiologic Technologists had an increased degree of satisfaction over the examination information printout and it was possible for improvements to be made in the quality of medical service provided as well. Nevertheless, it is considered that a more developed manual in terms of quality and quantity must be produced using a more systematic approach and design.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.456-459
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• 2004

Analog film/screen systems have been being changed to a digital x-ray imaging device using direct conversion materials. Photocoductors for a direct detection flat-panel imager require high x-ray absorption, ionization and charge collection, low leakage current and large area deposition. In this work, $HgI_2$ films with excellent properties for x-ray detector were deposited by screen printing method. The thickness of $HgI_2$ film was about $150\;{\mu}m$. The passivation layer is fabricated using a-Se and parlyene, the both fabrication $HgI_2$ film were compared for analyzing the leakage current reduction. We measured electrical properties-leakage current, photosensitivity, SNR though I-V measurement, As the result, $HgI_2$ film using a-Se passivation layer had the greater

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2014

Recently the development of portable digital wireless imaging system, which acquires digital radiation images by using wireless LAN telecommunications function in an easy and fast way, provides lots of convenience for people. Considering the characteristics of portable imaging tests on emergency and critical patients, this study aims to suggest guidelines for Digital wireless detector by evaluating the effect of de-centering of focus-grid and displacement of subject in detector on the quality of image. The equipments used for this study were Elmo-T6 Digital Mobile X-ray system (SIMAZU Corp.), el' Tor ($14{\times}17$ "Wireless detector), Grid (10:1) and Chest & head phantom. After acquiring post-processing image according to dose increase and de-centering image of grid-focus and head phantom displacement image, this study compared, analyzed and evaluated these images by using a digital image analysis program by Image J. In the change of images based on dose increase, images were rough in the dose of 0.5 mAs, while there was no difference among images in the proper dose of 1~2 mAs and, especially from 2.5 mAs, average value of pixels radically decreased, affecting contrast. Over 3 mAs, contrast dropped due to saturation phenomenon of lungs. As the result of analysis using Image J program, with the increase of displacement between focus-grid and head phantom, the frequency of low pixel value also increase, causing the outline of surface image to disappear, which in turn affects contrast. For better quality imaging, a radiographer must be aware before the time of test that the image quality can be changed based on the critical patient's posture, movement, respiration, displacement of X-ray tube and distance of imaging.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.1442-1450
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• 2017

In liquid metal fast breeder reactors, postulated failures of the plant protection system may lead to serious unprotected accidental consequences. Unprotected transients are generically categorized as transient overpower accidents and transient under cooling accidents. In both cases, core meltdown may occur and this can lead to a molten fuel coolant interaction (MFCI). The understanding of MFCI phenomena is essential for study of debris coolability and characteristics during post-accident heat removal. Sodium is used as coolant in liquid metal fast breeder reactors. Viewing inside sodium at elevated temperature is impossible because of its opaqueness. In the present study, a methodology to depict MFCI phenomena using a flat panel detector based imaging system (i.e., real time radiography) is brought out using a woods metal-water experimental facility which simulates the $UO_2-Na$ interaction. The developed imaging system can capture attributes of the MFCI process like jet breakup length, jet front velocity, fragmented particle size, and a profile of the debris bed using digital image processing methods like image filtering, segmentation, and edge detection. This paper describes the MFCI process and developed imaging methodology to capture MFCI attributes which are directly related to the safe aspects of a sodium fast reactor.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2000

Purpose : To evaluate the bone densities measured on copper-equivalent image of cross sectional view of mandibular edentulous premolar area obtained by multifuctional panoramic x-ray machine, PM 2002 CC with transversal slicing system. Materials and Methods: Panoramic cross sectional views with 8 mm focal layer of aluminum step and blocks, of hydroxyapatite (RA) step, 6 HA blocks and copper step wedge having 0.03 mm thickness of each step, and of 3 bone blocks cutted by 8 mm thickness mesiodistally and a dry mandible with copper step wedge were taken by using transversal slicing system in PM 2002 Cc. All reference-equivalent images were made and analyzed by NIH image program. Results: The average copper-equivalent value of cancellous bone of bone blocks on the panoramic cross sectional view was 0.026 ± 0.020 mm Cu. The calculated average bone density was 0.38g/cm². There was no significant difference (P>0.1) between the bone densities on intraoral digital view and on the panoramic digital cross sectional view. Conclusion: The copper-equivalent image of panoramic digital cross sectional view obtained by PM 2002 CC with very thin copper step wedge was supposed to be useful to measure the bone density of cancellous bone of mandible at the premolar edentulous area.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2017

Scattered radiation is inherent phenomenon of x-ray, which occurs to the subject (or patient). Therefore it cannot be avoidable but also interacts as serious noise factor because the only meaningful information on x-ray radiography is primary x-ray photons. The purpose of this study was to quantify scattered radiation for various shooting parameters and to verify the effect of anti-scatter grid. We employed beam stopper method to characterize scatter to primary ratio. To evaluate effect on the projection images calculated contrast to noise ratio of given shooting parameters. From the experiments, we identified the scattered radiation increases in thicker patient and smaller air gap. Moreover, scattered radiation degraded contrast to noise ratio of the projection images. We find out that the anti-scatter grid rejected scattered radiation effectively, however there were not fewer than 100% of scatter to primary ratio in some shooting parameters. The results demonstrate that the scattered radiation was serious problem of medical x-ray system, we confirmed that the scattered radiation was not considerable factor of dig ital radiog raphy.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.306-309
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• 2007

PXLM(Phosphor based x-ray light modulator) has a combined structure by phosphor, photoconductor, and liquid crystal and it can realize x-ray image of high resolution in clinical diagnosis area. In this study, we fabricated a photoconductor and investigated electrical and optical properties to confirm application possibility of radiator detector of PXLM structure. As photoconductor, amorphous selenium(a-Se), which is used most in DR(Digital radiography) of direct conversion method, was used and for formation of thin film, it was formed as $20{\mu}m-thick$ by using thermal vacuum evaporation system. For a produced a-Se film, through XRD(X-ray diffraction) and SEM(Scanning electron microscope), we investigated that amorphous structure was uniformly established and through optical measurement, for visible light of 40 $0\sim630nm$, it had absorption efficiency of 95 % and more. After fabricated a-Se film on the top of ITP substrate, hybrid structure was manufactured through forming $Gd_2O_3:Eu$ phosphor of $270{\mu}m-thick$ on the bottom of the substrate. As the result to confirm electrical property of the manufactured hybrid structure, in the case of appling $10V/{\mu}m$, leakage current of $2.5nA/cm^2$ and x-ray sensitivity of $7.31nC/cm^2/mR$ were investigated. Finally, we manufactured PXLM structure combined with hybrid structure and liquid crystal cell of TN(Twisted nematic) mode and then, investigated T-V(Transmission vs. voltage) curve of external light source for induced x-ray energy. PXLM structure showed a similar optical response with T-V curve that common TN mode liquid crystal cell showed according to electric field increase and in appling $50\sim100V$, it showed linear transmission efficiency of $12\sim18%$. This result suggested an application possibility of PXLM structure as radiation detector.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2011

Now a days, there's many change over for PACS among the most of hospital and it standard for DICOM 3.0. These kind of using of DICOM 3.0 improves increasing of medical imaging exchange and service for patient. However, there's some problems of compatibility caused during carry out CD and DVD from hospital. For this reason, this thesis analyzed patients image targeting those storages requested to hospitals in Seoul by using Validation Toolkit which is recommended from KFDA. The analyze type is like this. Make 100 data, total 500, each of MRI CT Plain x-ray Ultrasound PET-CT images and analyzed type of error occurred and loyalty of information. If express percentage of error occurred statistically, we can get a result as follows MRI 5%, Plain x-ray 11%, CT 18%, US 25%, PET-CT 30%. The reson why percentage of error occurred in PET-CT is because of imperfective support and we could notice that we weren't devoted to information. Even though, PET-CT showed highest percentage of error occurred, currently DICOM data improved a lot compare to past. Moreover, it should be devoted to rule of IHE TOOL or DICOM. In conclusion, we can help radiographer to analyze information of image by providing clues for solving primary problem and further more, each of PACS company or equipment company can enhance fidelity for following standard of image information through realizing the actual problem during transfer of image information.