• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2013

Purpose: In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of CT-based attenuation correction (AC) under the conventional CT protocol (140 kVp, on average 50-60 keV) by comparing the SPECT image qualities of different energy of radioisotopes, $^{201}Tl,\;^{99m}Tc$ and $^{131}I$. Materials and Methods: Using a cylindrical phantom, three different SPECT scans of $^{201}Tl$ (70 keV, 55.5 MBq), $^{99m}Tc$ (140 keV, 281.2 MBq) and $^{131}I$ (364 keV, 96.2 MBq) were performed. The CT image was obtained with 140 kVp and 2.5 mA in GE Hawkeye 4. The OSEM reconstruction algorithm was performed with 2 iterations and 10 subsets. The experiments were performed in the 4 different conditions; non-AC and non-scatter correction (SC), only AC, only SC, AC and SC in terms of uniformity and center to peripheral ratio (CPR). Results: The uniformity was calculated from the uniform whole region in the reconstructed images. For $^{201}Tl$ and $^{99m}Tc$, the uniformities were improved by about 10-20% AC was applied, but these were decreased by about 2% as SC was applied. The uniformity of $^{131}I$ was slightly increased as both AC and SC were applied. The CPR of the reconstructed image was close to one, when AC was applied for $^{201}Tl$ and $^{99m}Tc$ scans and $^{131}I$ was distant from 1 and that is only AC. Conclusion: The image uniformity improved by AC on low energy likely to $^{201}Tl$ and $^{99m}Tc$. However, image uniformity of high energy such as $^{131}I$ was improved, when both AC and SC was applied.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.279-286
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• 2005

Purpose : There are two modalities, those are small bowel series(SBS) and abdominal pelvic computed tomography(CT), for diagnosis of small bowel disease. The aim of this study is to lend radiological technologists who are doing the two modalities assistance in the understanding characteristic of disease by comparing the two results. Meterials and method : 284 patients were examined the two SBS and abdominal pelvic CT together from 1999 to 2003. 250 ml $BaSO_4$ suspension 40 w/v% and 600ml carboxy methyl cellulose 0.5 w/v% were used for SBS. Abdominal Pelvic CT was examined in one hour before taking 450 ml $BaSO_4$ suspension 1.5 w/v%. The CT scan was done in 72 sec after 150 ml contrast media injection. the used protocol was helical mode 5:5 mm pitch 1.375:1, speed 27.50, exposure 120 kv, 240 mA, tube rotation time 0.5 sec. the statistic analysis was conducted with statistical program SPSS 10 version with frequency and crossing analysis. P-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results : In the results of SBS, normal findings were 131 patients(46.1%), inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) 64(22.9%), ischemia+ileocolitis+vasculitis 22(7.7%), Obstruction+stricture 21(7.7%) and Others 45(15.9%). In the results of abdominal pelvic CT, normal findings were 103 patients(36.3%), inflammatory bowel disease 65(22.9%), wall thickening+lymphadenopathy 42(14.8%), Fluid collection 17(6%), and Others 57case(20%). The same results of the two were 130patients(45.8%). 30patients(10.6%) of normal finding in SBS were diagnosed as wall thickening+lymphadenopathy and IBD in CT, and 15patients(5.3%) of normal finding in CT were diagnosed as ischemia+ileocolitis+vasculitis, mass and IBD in SBS(p<0.05). Transit time delay was diagnosed in 10patients(3.5%) on only SBS, wall thickening+lymphadenopathy was diagnosed in 20patients(7%) in only CT(p<0.05). Conclusion : We think that proper examination method will be selected in the small bowel disease, if we understand the characteristics of the disease and method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.94-96
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• 2002

In order to achieve the radiotherapy more precisely using highly energetic heavy charged particles, it is important to know the distribution of the electron density in a human body, which is highly related to the range of charged particles. We can directly obtain the 2-D distribution of the electron density in a sample from a heavy ion CT image. For this purpose, we have developed a heavy ion CT system using a broad beam. The performance, especially the position resolution, of this system is estimated in this work. All experiments were carried out using the heavy ion beam from the HIMAC. We have obtained the projection data of polyethylene samples with various sizes using He 150 MeV/u, C 290 MeV/u and Ne 400 MeV/u beams. The used targets are the cylinders of 40, 60 and 80 mm in diameter, each of them has a hole of 10 mm in diameter at the center of it. The dependence of the spatial resolution on the target size and the kinds of beams will be discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.627-636
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• 2016

The causative agent of pandemic cholera, Vibrio cholerae, infects the anaerobic environment of the human intestine. Production of cholera toxin (CT), a major virulence factor of V. cholerae, is highly induced during anaerobic respiration with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as an alternative electron acceptor. However, the molecular mechanism of TMAO-stimulated CT production is not fully understood. Herein, we reveal that CT production during anaerobic TMAO respiration is affected by glucose fermentation. When the seventh pandemic V. cholerae O1 strain N16961 was grown with TMAO and additional glucose, CT production was markedly reduced. Furthermore, an N16961 Δcrp mutant, devoid of cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP), was defective in CT production during growth by anaerobic TMAO respiration, further suggesting a role of glucose metabolism in regulating TMAO-mediated CT production. TMAO reductase activity was noticeably decreased when grown together with glucose or by mutation of the crp gene. A CRP binding region was identified in the promoter region of the torD gene, which encodes a structural subunit of the TMAO reductase. Gel shift assays further confirmed the binding of purified CRP to the torD promoter sequence. Together, our results suggest that the bacterial ability to respire using TMAO is controlled by CRP, whose activity is dependent on glucose availability. Our results reveal a novel mechanism for the regulation of major virulence factor production by V. cholerae under anaerobic growth conditions.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1584-1589
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• 2014

This study analyzed CT values of radiolucent and radiopaque materials by energy region after selecting radiolucent and radiopaque materials at random using GE's DECT((Dual Energy Com-puted Tomography) at S University Hospital located in Gyeonggi-province from July through August in 2013. Besides, it drew out the most analogous energy region to the value of 120kVp CT, which is applied to existing SECT(Single Energy Computed Tomography), by utilizing the analysis method of CT values and tried to find out the most useful and appropriate materials when contrast was applied within visible area in clinical application. As a result, there was little decrease of CT value after 90KeV in the case of materials with low density and high moisture content such as normal saline, methyl-cellulose and gels used in ultra-sonic waves test; energy does not influence much on materials with extremely low or high density such as air and contrast medium; methyl-cellulose and gels used in ultra-sonic waves test are considered to be the most useful materials for clinical applications.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2014

Purpose : This study aims to evaluate 3D dosimetric impact for MIP image and each phase image in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung cancer using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Materials and Methods : For each of 5 patients with non-small-cell pulmonary tumors, a respiration-correlated four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) study was performed. We obtain ten 3D CT images corresponding to phases of a breathing cycle. Treatment plans were generated using MIP CT image and each phases 3D CT. We performed the dose verification of the TPS with use of the Ion chamber and COMPASS. The dose distribution that were 3D reconstructed using MIP CT image compared with dose distribution on the corresponding phase of the 4D CT data. Results : Gamma evaluation was performed to evaluate the accuracy of dose delivery for MIP CT data and 4D CT data of 5 patients. The average percentage of points passing the gamma criteria of 2 mm/2% about 99%. The average Homogeneity Index difference between MIP and each 3D data of patient dose was 0.03~0.04. The average difference between PTV maximum dose was 3.30 cGy, The average different Spinal Coad dose was 3.30 cGy, The average of difference with $V_{20}$, $V_{10}$, $V_5$ of Lung was -0.04%~2.32%. The average Homogeneity Index difference between MIP and each phase 3d data of all patient was -0.03~0.03. The average PTV maximum dose difference was minimum for 10% phase and maximum for 70% phase. The average Spain cord maximum dose difference was minimum for 0% phase and maximum for 50% phase. The average difference of $V_{20}$, $V_{10}$, $V_5$ of Lung show bo certain trend. Conclusion : There is no tendency of dose difference between MIP with 3D CT data of each phase. But there are appreciable difference for specific phase. It is need to study about patient group which has similar tumor location and breathing motion. Then we compare with dose distribution for each phase 3D image data or MIP image data. we will determine appropriate image data for treatment plan.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.868-869
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• 2008

An automatic excitation characteristics measurement system for the protective relaying current transformer(CT) with accuracy of about 1 % has been developed. The system can be used up to 2 kV and 10 A at power frequency. The developed system can calculate the voltage and current at knee points of $30^{\circ}$ and $45^{\circ}$ tangents in accordance with IEEE standard by the interpolation in log scale. The excitation curve of the CT is plotted in auto-scale simultaneously with measuring rms voltage and current at the secondary of the CT.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.356-363
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• 2014

Recently pediatric CT has been performed by reduced dose according to tube current modulation이라고, this fact has a possibility more reduce a dose because of strong affect depend on tube current modulation. Almost all MDCT snow show and allow storage of the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose length product (DLP), and effective dose estimations on dose reports, which are essential to assess patient radiation exposure and risks. To decrease these radiation exposure risks, the principles of justification and optimization should be followed. justification means that the examination must be medically indicated and useful. Results is using tube current modulation이라고 tend to the lower kV, the lower effective dose. In case of use a low dose CT protocol, we found a relatively lower effective dose than using tube current modulation. Average effective dose of our studies(brain, chest, abdomen-pelvis) less than 47%, 13.8%, 25.7% of germany reference dose, and 55.7%, 10.2%, 43.6% of UK(United Kingdom) reference dose respectively. when performed examination for reduced dose, we must use tube current modulation and low dose CT protocol including body-weight based tube current adaption.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

Background: In this study, we investigate the image quality of virtual monochromatic images synthesized from dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) at voltages of 80/140 kV and 100/140 kV. Materials and Methods: Virtual monochromatic images of a phantom are synthesized from DECT scans from 40 to 70 keV in steps of 1 keV under the two combinations of tube voltages. The dose allocation of dual-energy (DE) scan is 50% for both low- and high-energy tubes. The virtual monochromatic images are compared to single-energy (SE) images at the same radiation dose. In the DE images, noise is reduced using the 100/140 kV scan at the optimal monochromatic energy. Virtual monochromatic images are reconstructed from 40 to 70 keV in 1-keV increments and analyzed using two quality indexes: noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Results and Discussion: The DE scan mode with the 100/140 kV protocol achieved a better maximum CNR compared to the 80/140 kV protocol for various materials, except for adipose and brain. Image noise is reduced with the 100/140 kV protocol. The CNR values of DE with the 100/140 kV protocol is similar to or higher than that of SE at 120 kV at the same radiation dose. Furthermore, the maximum CNR with the 100/140 kV protocol is similar to or higher than that of the SE scan at 120 kV. Conclusion: It was found that the CNR achieved with the 100/140 kV protocol was better than that with the 80/140 kV protocol at optimal monochromatic energies. Virtual monochromatic imaging using the 100/140 kV protocol could be considered for application in breast, brain, lung, liver, and bone CT in accordance with the CNR results.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.10-14
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• 2013

Purpose: Due to developed simultaneous PET/MRI, it has become possible to obtain more anatomical image information better than conventional PET/CT. By the way, in the PET/CT, the linear absorption coefficient is measured by X-ray directly. However in case of PET/MRI, the value is not measured from MRI images directly, but is calculated by dividing as 4 segmentation ${\mu}-map$. Therefore, in this paper, we will evaluate the SUV's difference of attenuation correction PET images from PET/MRI and PET/CT. Materials and Methods: Biograph mCT40 (Siemens, Germany), Biograph mMR were used as a PET/CT, PET/MRI scanner. For a phantom study, we used a solid type $^{68}Ge$ source, and a liquid type $^{18}F$ uniformity phantom. By using VIBE-DIXON sequence of PET/MRI, human anatomical structure was divided into air-lung-fat-soft tissue for attenuation correction coefficient. In case of PET/CT, the hounsfield unit of CT was used. By setting the ROI at five places of each PET phantom images that is corrected attenuation, the maximum SUV was measured, evaluated %diff about PET/CT vs. PET/MRI. In clinical study, the 18 patients who underwent simultaneous PET/CT and PET/MRI was selected and set the ROI at background, lung, liver, brain, muscle, fat, bone from the each attenuation correction PET images, and then evaluated, compared by measuring the maximum SUV. Results: For solid $^{68}Ge$ source, SUV from PET/MRI is measured lower 88.55% compared to PET/CT. In case of liquid $^{18}F$ uniform phantom, SUV of PET/MRI as compared to PET/CT is measured low 70.17%. If the clinical study, the background SUV of PET/MRI is same with PET/CT's and the one of lung was higher 2.51%. However, it is measured lower about 32.50, 40.35, 23.92, 13.92, 5.00% at liver, brain, muscle, fat, femoral head. Conclusion: In the case of a CT image, because there is a linear relationship between 511 keV ${\gamma}-ray$ and linear absorption coefficient of X-ray, it is possible to correct directly the attenuation of 511 keV ${\gamma}-ray$ by creating a ${\mu}$map from the CT image. However, in the case of the MRI, because the MRI signal has no relationship at all with linear absorption coefficient of ${\gamma}-ray$, the anatomical structure of the human body is divided into four segmentations to correct the attenuation of ${\gamma}-rays$. Even a number of protons in a bone is too low to make MRI signal and to localize segmentation of ${\mu}-map$. Therefore, to develope a proper sequence for measuring more accurate attenuation coefficient is indeed necessary in the future PET/MRI.