• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2022

Fluorescence imaging is widely used to image cells or small animals due to its high temporal and spatial resolution. Because conventional fluorescence imaging uses visible light, the penetration depth of light within the tissue is low, phototoxicity may occur due to visible light, and the detection sensitivity is lowered due to interference by background autofluorescence. In order to overcome this limitation, long-wavelength light should be used, and fluorescence imaging using near-infrared-I (NIR-I) in the region of 700~900 nm has been developed. To further improve imaging quality, researchers are interested in using a longer wavelength light, near-infrared-II (NIR-II) ranging from 1000 to 1700 nm. In the NIR-II region, light scattering is further minimized, and the penetration depth of light in the tissue is improved up to about 10 mm, and autofluorescence of the tissue is reduced, enabling high sensitivity and resolution fluorescence imaging. In this review, among various NIR-II fluorescence imaging probes, inorganic nanoparticle-based probes with excellent photostability and easily tunable emission wavelength were described, focusing on single-walled carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and lanthanide nanoparticles.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.12
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• pp.1821-1826
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• 2018

Uniformity is a key feature of state-of-the-art infrared focal planed array (IRFPA) and infrared imaging system. Unlike traditional infrared telescope facility, a ground-based infrared radiant characteristics measurement system with an IRFPA not only provides a series of high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) infrared image but also ensures the validity of radiant measurement data. Normally, a long integration time tends to produce a high SNR infrared image for infrared radiant characteristics radiometry system. In view of the variability of and uncertainty in the measured target's energy, the operation of switching the integration time and attenuators usually guarantees the guality of the infrared radiation measurement data obtainted during the infrared radiant characteristics radiometry process. Non-uniformity correction (NUC) coefficients in a given integration time are often applied to a specified integration time. If the integration time is switched, the SNR for the infrared imaging will degenerate rapidly. Considering the effect of the SNR for the infrared image and the infrared radiant characteristics radiometry above, we propose a-wide-dynamic-range NUC algorithm. In addition, this essasy derives and establishes the mathematical modal of the algorithm in detail. Then, we conduct verification experiments by using a ground-based MWIR(Mid-wave Infared) radiant characteristics radiometry system with an Ø400 mm aperture. The experimental results obtained using the proposed algorithm and the traditional algorithm for different integration time are compared. The statistical data shows that the average non-uniformity for the proposed algorithm decreased from 0.77% to 0.21% at 2.5 ms and from 1.33% to 0.26% at 5.5 ms. The testing results demonstrate that the usage of suggested algorithm can improve infrared imaging quality and radiation measurement accuracy.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.280-293
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• 2018

The conversion of an invisible thermal radiation pattern of an object into a visible image using infrared (IR) thermal technology is very useful to understand phenomena what we are interested in. Although IR thermal images were originally developed for military and space applications, they are currently employed to determine thermal properties and heat features in various applications, such as the non-destructive evaluation of industrial equipment, power plants, electricity, military or drive-assisted night vision, and medical applications to monitor heat generation or loss. Recently, IR imaging-based monitoring systems have been considered for application in agricultural, including crop care, plant-disease detection, bruise detection of fruits, and the evaluation of fruit maturity. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of IR thermal imaging techniques and suggests possible applications of thermal imaging techniques in agriculture.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.62-73
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• 2015

We developed an evans blue-indocyanine green-$^{99m}Tc$-human serum albumin conjugate for sentinel lymph node mapping and we describe its unique potential usage for clinical implications. This conjugate has combined the strengths of visible blue dye, near-infrared fluorescence and radioisotope into one single conjugate without any additional weakness/disadvantage. All the components of evans blue-indocyanine green-$^{99m}Tc$-human serum albumin are safe and of low cost, and they have already been clinically used. This conjugate was stable in the serum, it showed a long retention time in the lymphatic system and the lymph nodes showed a much higher signal-to-noise ratio after the conjugate was injected intradermally into the paw of mice. Both the single-photon emission computed tomography and near-infrared fluorescent images of the mice were successfully obtained at the same time as the excised sentinel lymph nodes showed blue color. The visual color, near-infrared fluorescence and gamma ray from this agent could be complementary for each other in all the steps of sentinel lymph node sampling: exploring and planning sentinel lymph node before excision with visualization of the exact sentinel lymph node location during an operation. Therefore, the triple modal agent will possibly be very ideal for sentinel lymph node mapping because of the high signal-to-noise ratio for non-invasive imaging and its complementary multimodal nature, easy preparation and safety. It is promising for clinical applications and it may have great advantages over the traditional single modal methods.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.205-220
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• 2019

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging provides a safe and cost-efficient method for immediate data acquisition and visualization of tissues, with technical advantages including minimal autofluorescence, reduced photon absorption, and low scattering in tissue. In this review, we introduce recent advances in NIR fluorescence imaging systems for thoracic surgery that improve the identification of vital tissues and facilitate the resection of tumorous tissues. When coupled with appropriate NIR fluorophores, NIR fluorescence imaging may transform current intraoperative thoracic surgery methods by enhancing the precision of surgical procedures and augmenting postoperative outcomes through improvements in diagnostic accuracy and reductions in the remission rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.342-348
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• 2013

In this paper, the evaluation method for the responsivity and noise characteristics of an infrared thermal imaging camera was presented. Signal transfer function and noise equivalent temperature difference of the infrared thermal imaging camera were obtained by using a differential mode blackbody that is able to control the temperature difference ${\Delta}$T between an infrared target and its background. And we verified the suitability of our evaluation method through comparison between the found noise equivalent temperature difference and the specification of the camera. In addition, the difference of 0.01 K of the two noise equivalent temperature differences calculated from with and without nonuniformity correction suggests that the nonuniformity correction is essential process for the evaluation of the infrared thermal imaging camera.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 1994

In the conventional infrared imaging system, complex infrared lens systems are usually used for directing collimated narrow infrared beams into the high speed 2-dimensional optic scanner. In this paper, a simple reflective infrared optic system with a 2-dimensionaloptic scanner is proposed for the realization of medical infrared thermography system. It has been experimentally proven that the infrared thermography system composed ofthe proposed optic system has the temperature resolution of $0.1{\circ}C$ under the spatial resolution of 1mrad, the image matrix size of $256{\times}240$, and the imaging time of 4 seconds.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.301-310
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• 1998

Infrared thermographic imaging visualizes noninvasively various abnormal condition by detecting the skin temperature. As the imaging represents the objective condition by the changes in blood flow under the control of autonomic nervous system, it is used to diagnosis and monitor the lumboscral radiculopathy. And asymmetry is important in the diagnosis of disc herniation. The most common type of disc herniation occurs psoterolaterally. This frequently causes nerve root compression leading to a radiculopathy in the distribution of the involved nerve root, most of which also provoke the asymmetric changes in thermography. Central disc herniation, which accounts for 5% to 35% of disc herniation, is typically associated with low back pain. But radiculopathy is usually abscent unless central disc heriniaton is large enough to cause compression of the cauda equina. To evalute the diagnostic value of the thermographic imaging in the diagnosis of central disc herniation, the imaging of 15 normal subjects and 48 patients with central disc herniation documented by CT scan were analyzed. The patients had either bilateral radiculophathy or no radiculopathy. The imaging of patient group with non rediculopathy did not show any significant thermal difference to control. While bilateral radiculopathy group reveled hypothermic pattern compared twith control. Thermal difference between left and right side did not present any significance in non radiculopathy group but hypothermia in bilateral radiculopathy group. Large herniation group demonstrated hyperthemic pattern while the others showed no significant change. Cranial caudal thermal difference did not show any difference between experiment groups. These results shows that infrared thermographic imaging can be used central disc herniation with bilateral radiculopathy, while it seems to little useful on the diagnosis of non radiculopathic disc herniation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 1994

In the conventional thermograph systems, expensive infrared lens systems are usually used for accomodating infrared beams to high speed optical scanners. In this study, a cheap focussing mirror with a two dimensional scanner are used for the development of medical infrared thermograph system in which high speed imaging is not critically required. The infrared thermograph system can be used for two dimensional imaging of human skin temperature by measuring the amount of infrared lights radiating from it. It has been experimentally proven that the accuracy of temperature measurements using the developed system is under 0.1$^{\circ}C$ with image matrix size of 256${\times}$240, and imaging time of 4 seconds.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.365-371
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• 2019

We have developed and applied a diagnostic Multi-Leaf Collimator (MLC) to optimized the X-ray field in medical imaging and the usefulness evaluated through the fusion of infrared image and X-ray image acquired by infrared camera. The hand and skull radiography with multi-leaf collimator(MLC) showed significant area dose reductions of 22.9% and 31.3% compared to ARC and leakage dose was compliant with KS A 4732. Also scattering doses of 50 cm and 100 cm showed a significant decrease to confirm the usefulness of MLC. It was confirmed that the fusion of infrared images with an adjustable degree of transparency was possible in the X-ray images. Therefore, fusion of anatomical information with physiological convergence is expected to contribute and improvement of diagnostic ability. In addition, the feasibility of convergence X-ray imaging and DITI devices and the possibility of driving MLC with infrared images were confirmed.