• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.139-147
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• 1998

Purpose: Tissue inhomogeneity such as lung affects tumor dose as well as transmission dose in new concept of on-line dosimetry which estimates tumor dose from transmission dose using the new algorithm. This study was carried out to confirm accuracy of correction by tissue density in tumor dose estimation utilizing transmission dose. Methods: Cork phantom (CP, density $0.202\;gm/cm^3$) having similar density with lung parenchyme and polystyrene phantom (PP, density $1.040\;gm/cm^3$) having similar density with soft tissue were used. Dose measurement was carried out under condition simulating human chest. On simulating AP-PA irradiation, PPs with 3 cm thickness were placed above and below CP, which had thickness of 5, 10, and 20 cm. On simulating lateral irradiation, 6 cm thickness of PP was placed between two 10 cm thickness CPs additional 3 cm thick PP was placed to both lateral sides. 4, 6, and 10 MV x-ray were used. Field size was in the range of $3{\times}3$ cm through $20{\times}20$ cm, and phantom-chamber distance (PCD) was 10 to 50 cm. Above result was compared with another sets of data with equivalent thickness of PP which was corrected by density. Result: When transmission dose of PP was compared with equivalent thickness of CP which was corrected with density, the average error was 0.18 (${\pm}0.27$) % for 4 MV, 0.10 (${\pm}0.43$) % for 6 MV, and 0.33 (${\pm}0.30$) % for 10 MV with CP having thickness of 5 cm. When CP was 10 cm thick, the error was 0.23 (${\pm}0.73$) %, 0.05 (${\pm}0.57$) %, and 0.04 (${\pm}0.40$) %, while for 20 cm, error was 0.55 (${\pm}0.36$) %, 0.34 (${\pm}0.27$) %, and 0.34 (${\pm}0.18$) % for corresponding energy. With lateral irradiation model, difference was 1.15 (${\pm}1.86$) %, 0.90 (${\pm}1.43$) %, and 0.86 (${\pm}1.01$) % for corresponding energy. Relatively large difference was found in case of PCD having value of 10 cm. Omitting PCD with 10 cm, the difference was reduced to 0.47 (${\pm}$1.17) %, 0.42 (${\pm}$0.96) %, and 0.55 (${\pm}$0.77) % for corresponding energy. Conclusion When tissue inhomogeneity such as lung is in tract of x-ray beam, tumor dose could be calculated from transmission dose after correction utilizing tissue density.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.119-120
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• 2002

The aim is to urge the need of elaborate commissioning of 3D RTP system from the firsthand experience. A 3D RTP system requires so much data such as beam data and patient data. Most data of radiation beam are directly transferred from a 3D dose scanning system, and some other data are input by editing. In the process inputting parameters and/or data, no error should occur. For RTP system using algorithm-bas ed-on beam-modeling, careless beam-data processing could also cause the treatment error. Beam data of 3 different qualities of photon from two linear accelerators, patient data and calculated results were commissioned. For PDD, the doses by Clarkson, convolution, superposition and fast superposition methods at 10 cm for 10${\times}$10 cm field, 100 cm SSD were compared with the measured. An error in the SCD for one quality was input by the service engineer. Whole SCD defined by a physicist is SAD plus d$\sub$max/, the value was just SAD. That resulted in increase of MU by 100${\times}$((1_d$\sub$max//SAD)$^2$-1)%. For 10${\times}$10 cm open field, 1 m SSD and at 10 cm depth in uniform medium of relative electron density (RED) 1, PDDs for 4 algorithms of dose calculation, Clarkson, convolution, superposition and fast-superposition, were compared with the measured. The calculated PDD were similar to the measured. For 10${\times}$10 cm open field, 1 m SSD and at 10 cm depth with 5 cm thick inhomogeneity of RED 0.2 under 2 cm thick RED 1 medium, PDDs for 4 algorithms were compared. PDDs ranged from 72.2% to 77.0% for 4 MV X-ray and from 90.9% to 95.6% for 6 MV X-ray. PDDs were of maximum for convolution and of minimum for superposition. For 15${\times}$15 cm symmetric wedged field, wedge factor was not constant for calculation mode, even though same geometry. The reason is that their wedge factor is considering beam hardness and ray path. Their definition requires their users to change the concept of wedge factor. RTP user should elaborately review beam data and calculation algorithm in commissioning.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 1998

Treatment of a large diseased area with electron often requires the use of two or more adjoining fields. In such cases, not only electron beam divergence and lateral scattering but also fields overlapping and separation may lead to significant dose inhomogeneities(${\pm}20\%$) at the field junction area. In this study, we made Acrylic Electron Wedges to improve dose homogeneities(${\pm}5\%$) in these junction areas and considered application it to clinical practices. All measurements were made using 6, 9, 12, 16, 20MeV Electron beams from a linear accelerator for a $10{\times}10cm$ field at 100cm SSD. Adding a 1 mm sheet of acryl gradually from 1 mm to 15 mm, We acquired central axis depth dose beam profile and isodose curves in water phantom. As a result, for all energies, the practical range was reduced by approximately the same distance as the thickness of the acryl insert, e.g. a 1 mm thick acryl insert reduce the practical range by approximately 1 mm. For every mm thickness of acryl inserted, the beam energy was reduced by approximately 0.2MeV. These effects were almost independent of beam energy and field size. The use of Acrylic Electron Wedges produced a small increase $(less\;than\;3\%)\;in\;the\;surface\;dose\;and\;a\;small\;Increase(less\;than\;1\%)$ in X-ray contamination. For acryl inserts, thickness of 3 mm or greater, the penumbra width increased nearly linear for all energies and isodose curves near the beam edge were nearly parallel with the incident beam direction, and penumbra width was $35\;mm{\sim}40\;mm$. We decide heel thickness and angle of the wedge at this point. These data provide the information necessary to design Acrylic Electron Wedge which can be use to improve dose uniformity at electron field junctions and it will be effectively applicated in clinical practices.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.24-33
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• 2002

Purpose : In order to improve dose homogeneity and to reduce acute toxicity in tangential whole breast radiotherapy, we evaluated two treatment techniques using multiple static fields or universal compensators. Materials and Methods : 1) Multistatic field technique : Using a three dimensional radiation treatment planning system, Adac Pinnacle 4.0, we accomplished a conventional wedged tangential plan. Examining the isodose distributions, a third field which blocked overdose regions was designed and an opposing field was created by using an automatic function of RTPS. Weighting of the beams was tuned until an ideal dose distribution was obtained. Another pair of beams were added when the dose homogeneity was not satisfactory. 2) Universal compensator technique : The breast shapes and sizes were obtained from the CT images of 20 patients who received whole breast radiation therapy at our institution. The data obtained were averaged and a pair of universal physical compensators were designed for the averaged data. DII (Dose Inhomogeneity Index : percentage volume of PTV outside $95\~105\%$ of the prescribed dose) $D_{max}$ (the maximum point dose in the PTV) and isodose distributions for each technique were compared. Results : The multistatic field technique was found to be superior to the conventional technique, reducing the mean value of DII by $14.6\%$ (p value<0.000) and the $D_{max}$ by $4.7\%$ (p value<0.000). The universal compensator was not significantly superior to the conventional technique since it decreased $D_{max}$ by $0.3\%$ (p value=0.867) and reduced DII by $3.7\%$ (p value=0.260). However, it decreased the value of DII by maximum $18\%$ when patients' breast shapes fitted in with the compensator geometry. Conclusion : The multistatic field technique is effective for improving dose homogeneity for whole breast radiation therapy and is applicable to all patients, whereas the use of universal compensators is effective only in patients whose breast shapes fit inwith the universal compensator geometry, and thus has limited applicability.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.36-42
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• 1998

Treatment of a large diseased area with electron often requires the use of two or more adjoining fields. In such cases, not only electron beam divergence and lateral scattering but also fields overlapping and separation may lead to significant dose inhomogeneities(${\pm}20%$) at the region of junction of fields. In this study, we made Acrylic Electron Wedges to improve dose inhomogeneities(${\pm}5%$) in these junction areas and to apply it to clinical practices. All measurements were made using 6, 9, 12, 16, 20 MeV Electron beams from a linear accelerator for a $10{\times}10\;cm$ field at 100cm of SSD. Adding a 1 mm sheet of acryl gradually from 1 mm to 15 mm acquires central axis depth dose beam profile and isodose curves in water phantom. As a result, for all energies, the practical range was reduced by approximately the same distance according to the acryl insert, e.g. a 1 mm thick acryl insert reduces the practical range by approximately 1 mm. For every mm thickness of acryl inserted, the beam energy was reduced to approximately 0.2 MeV. These effects were almost Independent of beam energy and field size. The use of Acrylic Electron Wedges produced a small increase(less than 3%) in the surface dose and a small increase(less than 1%) in X-ray contamination. For acryl inserts, thickness of 3 mm or greater, the penumbra width increased nearly linear for all energies and isodose curves near the beam edge were nearly parallel with the incident beam direction at the point of penumbra width($35\;mm{\sim}40\;mm$). We decide heel thickness and angle of the wedge at this point. These data provide the information necessary to design Acrylic Electron Wedge which can be used to improve dose uniformity at electron field junctions and it will be effectively applied to clinical practices.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.513-519
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• 2021

Metallic suture anchors are very useful and common fixation devices that are inserted into the target bone to sustain the tendon of a patient with musculus supraspinatus tendon ruptures. On the other hand, the presence of a metallic material prosthesis, such as a metal suture anchor, causes severe MR imaging artifacts, including field distortion, signal loss, and failure of fat suppression. The difference in magnetic susceptibility between metal and other organic materials causes magnetic field distortion surrounding the prosthesis. The resulting magnetic field inhomogeneity makes the images with a lower signal-to-noise ratio and distortion. For a patient with a suture anchor implanted, MR imaging is the golden standard for determining the postoperative prognosis, and a fat-saturation sequence is one of the imaging methods most affected by metal-induced artifacts. In this study, three fat-saturation sequences were compared. Artifact quantification and contrast comparison between the supraspinatus tendon and the surrounding muscle were presented. The images obtained using the STIR pulse sequence showed fewer susceptibility artifacts and better visibility in the supraspinatus tendon and the tissue area. Therefore, the STIR sequence is the most appropriate fat-saturation imaging method for patients with a metallic prosthesis.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.70-73
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• 2006

The magnetization angle and thickness dependence of magnetic anisotropy in the exchange-biased [Pd/Co]${\times}$5/FeMn multilayers with an out-of-plane anisotropy were investigated to determine the origin of perpendicular exchange biasing. As the Co thickness increased to 1.5 nm in the [Pd(0.8 nm)/Co(t)]${\times}$5/FeMn(120 nm) films, the hysteresis loops were converted from square loops at a thin Co (<0.4 nm) to complicated round ones at a thick Co. The irregularly asymmetric step (IAS) at the left top of the loop appeared in the loop of the 0.6-nm Co film due to an inhomogeneity in the exchange anisotropy. As the Pd thickness increased to 1.6 nm, the step disappeared, and the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was maximized in the Co thickness between 0.6 and 0.9 nm. The conversion of the magnetization loop along the magnetization angle coincided with the equation $H_{(eff)}=H_o\;cos{\theta}$. The IAS of the 0.8-nm Pd film disappeared after thermal annealing up to $200^{\circ}C$ under an external magnetic field.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.229-240
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• 1999

The groundwater flow and grout flow in individual rock joint and jointed rock mass are studied using various methods of analysis such as (i) the finite difference method, (ii) channel network analysis and (iii) joint network analysis. The flow behaviour is investigated in two distinguishable scales of observation: one for a rough joint of a laboratory scale having variable aperture, and the other for field- scale rock masses having three sets of intermittent joints. In the former case, the aperture-dependent channel flow is identified for both water and grout flows. The comparison of the flow rate in a rough joint is made between the finite difference analysis and existing analytical solution. In the latter case, the effects of increasing number of joints on the groundwater inflow into a circular opening of various diameters are analyzed using both the joint network method and Goodman's analytic solution. Comparisons are made between the two methods. The boundary effects in the joint network method are discussed. The inhomogeneity of joint network and its impacts on the groundwater inflow are also discussed.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.14-22
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• 2011

This study is to estimate delay time model of signalized intersection by using travel data of Bus Information System. BIS, which applies the advanced information technology to an existing bus system, has been developing and operating in many cities. However, even though some useful traffic informations have been collected from BIS operation, utilization of real-time data to the traffic operation has not been promoted due to the inhomogeneity of modal speeds. Accordingly, in this study, a fundamental research is performed for traffic controls in urban areas and providing a traffic information throughout a methodology for estimating delay time using the data from BIS was developed. This delay time model setting bus travel time excluding service time of a bus stop as explanatory variables was constructed as a regression model, and the coefficient of determination of a linear regression model most highly appeared as 0.826. As a result of performing T-test with field survey values and model estimation values for verifying constructed models statistically, it was analyzed to be statistically significant in a confidence level of 95%.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.141-155
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• 2021

Purpose: To develop a 3D magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) method for application in high resolution knee cartilage PD, T₁, T₂ mapping. Materials and Methods: A novel 3D acquisition trajectory with golden-angle rotating radial in k_xy direction and interleaved echo planar imaging (EPI) acquisition in the k_z direction was implemented in the MRF framework. A centric order was applied to the interleaved EPI acquisition to reduce Nyquist ghosting artifact due to field inhomogeneity. For the reconstruction, singular value decomposition (SVD) compression method was used to accelerate reconstruction time and conjugate gradient sensitivity-encoding (CG-SENSE) was performed to overcome low SNR of the high resolution data. Phantom experiments were performed to verify the proposed method. In vivo experiments were performed on 6 healthy volunteers and 2 early osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Results: In the phantom experiments, the T₁ and T₂ values of the proposed method were in good agreement with the spin-echo references. The results from the in vivo scans showed high quality proton density (PD), T₁, T₂ map with EPI echo train length (N_ETL = 4), acceleration factor in through plane (R_z = 5), and number of radial spokes (N_spk = 4). In patients, high T₂ values (50-60 ms) were seen in all transverse, sagittal, and coronal views and the damaged cartilage regions were in agreement with the hyper-intensity regions shown on conventional turbo spin-echo (TSE) images. Conclusion: The proposed 3D MRF method can acquire high resolution (0.5 mm³) quantitative maps in practical scan time (~ 7 min and 10 sec) with full coverage of the knee (FOV: 160 × 160 × 120 mm³).