• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.809-817
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• 2023

Single source and dual source measurements using anthropomorphic phantoms in which the phantoms are lined up in human body equivalents use OSLD (Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeter), so the effective dose is calculated using OSLD. For hospital images, SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and CNR (Contrast to Noise Ratio) were measured in MCA (Middle Cerebral Artery) for single source and dual source, and for phantom images, SNR and CNR were measured for brain parenchyma of single source and dual source. For hospital imaging, SNR and CNR were measured in MCA for both single-source and dual-source, and for phantom images, SNR and CNR were measured for brain parenchyma from single-source and dual-source. As a result of comparing the SNR and CNR of the hospital image and the phantom image, there was no statistical difference. Comparing patient doses in hospital images, the effective dose of the dual source was 53.53% less and the effective dose of the dual energy phantom was 57.94% less. The dose can be increased in other areas, but the cerebrovascular area is useful because the dose is small.

• Journal of International Society for Simulation Surgery
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2016

Computed tomography (CT) can completely digitize the interior and the exterior of nearly any object without any destruction. Generally, the resolution for industrial CT is below a few microns. The industrial CT scanning, however, has a limitation because it requires long measuring and processing time. Whereas, 2D X-ray imaging is fast. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of 3D non-destructive inspection technique using the advantages of both micro-CT and dual X-ray images. After registering the master object’s CT data and the sample objects’ dual X-ray images, 3D non-destructive inspection is possible by analyzing the matching results. Calculation for the registration is accelerated by parallel computing using graphics processing unit (GPU).

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2021

CT is a diagnostic tool with many clinical applications. The CT voxel intensity is related to the magnitude of X-ray attenuation, which is not unique to a given material. Substances with different chemical compositions can be represented by similar voxel intensities, making the classification of different tissue types challenging. Compared to the conventional single-energy CT, spectral CT is an emerging technology offering superior material differentiation, which is achieved using the energy dependence of X-ray attenuation in any material. A specific form of spectral CT is dual-energy imaging, in which an additional X-ray attenuation measurement is obtained at a second X-ray energy. Dual-energy CT has been implemented in clinical settings with great success. This paper reviews the theoretical basis and practical implementation of spectral/dual-energy CT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2021

Metal material inserted into the body have a large difference in density from human tissues or bones around the Metal during CT scans.. Therefore, the Metal material inserted into the body produces Artifact. Metal Artifact, which occurs around Metals, can degrade the quality of CT images, causing confusion when medical team diagnose lesions. Through this experiment, we confirm that the occurrence of Artifacts decrease by using Dual energy CT and MAR algorithm in Single source Dual energy CT. We also want to present basic data on clinical application methods by comparing and analyzing the characteristics of images obtained by each method. Using GE 750HD CT, artificial implants were scanned using general method and Dual energy. Then we apply the MAR algorithm to each image obtained. And all previously acquired images were compared and analyzed the characteristics of the examination, such as image quality evaluation and dose evaluation. Images with MAR algorithm and Dual Energy confirmed a decrease in Metal Artifact. Images with MAR algorithm have reduced Metal Artifact, but have the disadvantage of distorting the details of artificial joint implants. On the other hand images teseted with Dual Energy have the advantage of being able to implement details than those applied with MAR algorithms, it takes longer to reconstruct the image and the exposure dose was about four times higher than those applied with MAR algorithm. In order to locate Metals, such as the post-operative follow-up period, it is useful to apply MAR algorithm to obtain images. And it is more useful to examine with Dual Energy when micro lesion identification, such as cardiac examination, and surgical planning or when tests are performed in diagnostic way.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2012

In this study, a simple post-reconstruction dual-energy computed tomography (CT) method is proposed. A dual-energy CT algorithm for monochromatic x-rays was adopted and applied to the dual-energy CT of polychromatic x-rays by assigning a representative mono-energy. The accuracy of algorithm implementation was tested with mathematical phantoms. To test the sensitivity of this algorithm to the inaccuracy of representative energy value in energy values, a simulation study was performed with mathematical phantom. To represent a polychromatic x-ray energy spectrum with a single-energy, mean energy and equivalent energy were used, and the results were compared. The feasibility of the proposed method was experimentally tested with two different micro-CTs and a test phantom made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), water, and graphite. The dual-energy calculations were carried out with CT images of all possible energy pairs among 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 kVp. The effective atomic number and the electron density values obtained from the proposed method were compared with theoretical values. The results showed that, except the errors in the effective atomic number of graphite, most of the errors were less than 10 % for both CT scanners, and for the combination of 60 kVp and 70 kVp, errors less than 6.0 % could be achieved with a Polaris 90 CT. The proposed method shows simplicity of calibration, demonstrating its practicality and feasibility for use with a general polychromatic CT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.275-279
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• 2012

Methods and results : The suspected patient who have results of CTA and CAG examinations to evaluate coronary stenose to undergo each 16MD CT(n=93) and dual source CT(n=100). As a results of statistic, the highest rank of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy in coronary artery with using 16MDCT was displayed in LAD(73.5%), RCA(74.5%), LAD(66.7%), LCX(75%), LCX(67.7%). The mean diagnostic accuracy of dual source CT was more 17% than 16MDCT. Dual source CT was recorded 84% mean of accuracy. In addition to, segments of coronary artery did not show significant differences in all of them. However, distal segment become more and more accurate than proximal site.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.969-977
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• 2019

Applying the bismuth shield used to reduce the radiation exposure, image quality may be reduced due to beam hardening caused by the shield during CT scan. Therefore, we tried to find out the energy range that can reduce image degradation by applying GSI mode of G company's dual energy CT and examine the possibility through experiment. As a result, after bismuth shielding, 118 ± 10.6 HU and 50.1 ± 14.6 HU at 50 keV after dual-energy CT scan were the most similar to the CT value before image deterioration(p> 0.05). It was measured 176.6 ± 7.1 and 138.3 ± 1.1 at 50 keV(p> 0.05). Experiments showed that the use of the shield during CT inspection inevitably degrades the image quality, but experiments show that the GSI function of the dual energy CT can maintain the image quality even when the shield is used. If the various shields are secured after the evaluation using the dual energy CT, it is expected to overcome the disadvantages of poor image quality caused by the use of the radiation shield for reducing the exposure, which is the biggest disadvantage of the CT scan.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.286-292
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• 2016

This study evaluates the change of computer tomography (CT) number in the case of the metal artifact reduction (MAR) algorithm, using the phantom. The images were obtained from dual CT using a gammex 467 tissue characterization phantom, which is similar to human tissues. The test method was performed by dividing pre and post MAR algorithm and measured CT values of nonmagnetic materials within the phantom. In addition, the changes of CT values for each material were compared and analyzed after measuring CT values up to 140 keV, using the spectral HU curve followed by CT scan. As a result, in the cases of N rod (trabecular bone) and E rod (trabecular bone), the CT numbers decreased as keV increasing but were constant above 90 keV. In the cases of I rod (dense bone) and K rod (dense bone), the CT numbers also decreased as keV increased but were uniform above 90 keV. The CT numbers from 40 keV to 140 keV were consistent in the cases of J rod (liver), D rod (liver), L rod (muscle), and F rod (muscle). For A rod (adipose), G rod (adipose), B rod (breast) and O rod (breast), the CT numbers increased as keV increased but were constant after 90 keV. The CT numbers from 40 keV to 140 keV were consistent in the cases of C rod (lung (exhale)), P rod (lung (exhale)), M rod (lung (inhale)) and H rod (lung (exhale)). Conclusively, because dual CT exhibits no changes in image quality and is able to analyze nonmagnetic materials by measuring the CT values of various materials, it will be used in the future as a useful tool for the diagnosis of lesions.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.951-958
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) obtained using dual-layer dual-energy CT (DL-DECT) for evaluating brain tumors. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 32 patients with brain tumors who had undergone non-contrast head CT using DL-DECT. Among them, 15 had glioblastoma (GBM), 7 had malignant lymphoma, 5 had high-grade glioma other than GBM, 3 had low-grade glioma, and 2 had metastatic tumors. Conventional polychromatic images and VMIs (40-200 keV at 10 keV intervals) were generated. We compared CT attenuation, image noise, contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between tumor and white matter (WM) or grey matter (GM) between VMIs showing the highest CNR (optimized VMI) and conventional CT images using the paired t test. Two radiologists subjectively assessed the contrast, margin, noise, artifact, and diagnostic confidence of optimized VMIs and conventional images on a 4-point scale. Results: The image noise of VMIs at all energy levels tested was significantly lower than that of conventional CT images (p < 0.05). The 40-keV VMIs yielded the best CNR. Furthermore, both contrast and CNR between the tumor and WM were significantly higher in the 40 keV images than in the conventional CT images (p < 0.001); however, the contrast and CNR between tumor and GM were not significantly different (p = 0.47 and p = 0.31, respectively). The subjective scores assigned to contrast, margin, and diagnostic confidence were significantly higher for 40 keV images than for conventional CT images (p < 0.01). Conclusion: In head CT for patients with brain tumors, compared with conventional CT images, 40 keV VMIs from DL-DECT yielded superior tumor contrast and diagnostic confidence, especially for brain tumors located in the WM.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2016

Dual energy cone-beam CT can distinguish two materials with different atomic compositions. The principle of dual energy cone-beam CT based on modulation layer is that higher energy spectrum can be acquired at blocked x-ray window. To evaluate the possibility of modulation layer based dual energy cone-beam CT, we analyzed x-ray spectrum for various thicknesses of modulation layers by Monte Carlo simulation. To compare with the results of simulation, the experiment was performed on prototype cone-beam CT for 50~100 kVp with CdTe XR-100T detector. As the result of comparing, the mean energy of energy spectrum for 80 kVp are well matched with that of simulation. The mean energy of energy spectrum for 80 and 120 kVp were increased as 1.67 and 1.52 times by 2.0 mm modulation layer, respectively. We realized that the virtual dual energy x-ray source can be generated by modulation layer.