• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 2010

Purpose: The Molybdenum which is the raw material of $^{99}Mo$-$^{99m}Tc$ generator (generator) is produced from the nuclear reactor. However, output has dwindled as the two nuclear reactors supplying the bulk of radioactive material-one in Chalk River, Ontario and the other in Petten, the Netherlands-have been closed for repairs or maintenance. This resulted in the enhancement of its price. Therefore we have tried to seek the new method which could run generator to increase activity of $^{99m}Tc$ in this study. Materials and Methods: The $^{99m}Tc$ activity obtained from 5 times elution for 5 days from Monday to Friday using two generators was compared with 10 times elution. Appearance test, pH test, LAL test, sterility test, chemical impurity(Al) test, radio chemical purity test, ratio of $^{99}Mo$/$^{99m}Tc$ activity test have been done to check the stability of $^{99m}Tc$ eluting from generator respectively. Results: The $^{99m}Tc$ activity obtained from 5 times elution for 5 days was 168.2 GBq (4545 mCi) and 10 times was 230.5 GBq (6230 mCi). All quality control tests were within normal limit. Conclusion: We got to know that 2 times elution a day obtained more $^{99m}Tc$ activity than one time elution in this study.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2010

Purpose: Recently, $^{18}F$-FDG Fusion PET which has a high sensitivity for diagnosing cancer is being used for purpose of health examination. This study is to demonstrate that $^{18}F$-FDG fusion PET study is useful for diagnosing an early stage cancer. Materials and Methods: This research has been conducted with 2790 patients visited Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System (SNUHHS) for $^{18}F$-FDG fusion PET study for a health examination from February, 2004 to December 2008. PET/CT images were acquired from skull base to femur after 1 hour from injecting $^{18}F$-FDG 0.14 mCi/kg to the patients. GEMINI GS (Philips, Netherlands) was used for scanning. Results: From February 2004 to December 2008, $^{18}F$-FDG Fusion PET study was performed for 99,009 patients among all patients who visited SNUHHS and 2,790 patients was performed. Diagnostic rate for malignant cancer was 0.95% for the patients who were not examined by $^{18}F$-FDG Fusion PET study. 1.94% was for the patients who were. The rate of malignant tumor was showed 10% and benign tumor was 90% among 542 patients who showed abnormality in the PET/CT images. Types and rates of malignant tumor showed thyroid cancer: 31.5%, lung cancer: 14.8%, stomach cancer: 9.3%, rectum cancer: 3.7%, breast cancer: 3.7%, metastasis cancer: 16.7%. Nonspecific lymph node in the mediastinum, physiologic uptake in the colon, diffuse mild hypermetabolism in bilateral thyroid gland were shown as a benign tumor. Conclusion: The diagnostic rate of malignant tumor with $^{18}F$-FDG Fusion PET for a purpose of health examination was relatively higher than general medical examination. Consequently, it is superior and useful for applying $^{18}F$-FDG Fusion PET study for health examination.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.21-26
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• 2016

Purpose Because of many advantages, PET-CT Scanners generally use CT Data for attenuation correction. By using CT based attenuation correction, we can get anatomical information, reduce scan time and make more accurate correction of attenuation. However in case metal artifact occurred during CT scan, CT-based attenuation correction can induce artifacts and quantitative errors that can affect the PET images. Therefore this study infers true SUV of metal artifact region from attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected image count ratio. Materials and Methods Micro phantom inserted $^{18}F-FDG$ 4mCi was used for phantom test and Biograph mCT S(40) is used for medical test equipment. We generated metal artifact in micro phantom by using metal. Then we acquired both metal artifact region of correction factor and non metal artifact region of correction factor by using attenuation correction image count -to- non attenuation correction image count ratio. In case of clinical image, we reconstructed both attenuation corrected images and non attenuation corrected images of 10 normal patient($66{\pm}15age$) who examined PET-CT scan in SNUH. After that, we standardize several organs of correction factor by using attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio. Then we figured out metal artifact region of correction factor by using metal artifact region of attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio And we compared standard organs correction factor with metal artifact region correction factor. Results according to phantom test results, metal artifact induce overestimation of correction factor so metal artifact region of correction factors are 12% bigger than the non metal artifact region of correction factors. in case of clinical test, correction factor of organs with high CT number(>1000) is $8{\pm}0.5%$, correction factor of organs with CT number similar to soft tissue is $6{\pm}2%$ and correction factor of organs with low CT number(-100>) is $3{\pm}1%$. Also metal artifact correction factors are 20% bigger than soft tissue correction factors which didn't happened metal artifact. Conclusion metal artifact lead to overestimation of attenuation coefficient. because of that, SUV of metal artifact region is overestimated. Thus for more accurate quantitative evaluation, using attenuation correction image count -to-non attenuation correction image count ratio is one of the methods to reduce metal artifact affect.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.9-13
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• 2016

Purpose PET-CT examinations using $^{18}F-FDG$ to treat urinary system cancer are limited in terms of anatomical structure and excretion route of $^{18}F-FDG$. But one of the ongoing examinations utilizing $^{11}C-Acetate$ can compensate for such defects. We would like to introduce a clinical application of $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT in urinary cancer patients. Materials and Methods We conducted a clinical survey of 22 patients diagnosed with urinary cancer at our hospital, 10 prostate cancer patients, 10 renal cell carcinoma patients, and 2 bladder cancer patients. All patients were performed $^{18}F-FDG$ PET-CT examinations, $^{11}C-Acetate$ examinations were performed after two weeks on average. The equipment used to D-710 PET-CT in GE Company and we performed PET-CT procedures 15 minutes after injecting $^{11}C-Acetate$, and a medical doctor from the department of nuclear medicine appraised and compared images between $^{18}F-FDG$ and $^{11}C-Acetate$. Results According to our survey, prostate cancer patients generally had lower uptake of $^{18}F-FDG$ than other cancer patients did. In 2 out of 10 prostate cancer patients, metastasized cancer showed greater uptake in $^{11}C-Acetate$ than $^{18}F-FDG$. In renal cell carcinoma cases, 8 out of 10 patients displayed evidently greater uptake in $^{11}C-Acetate$ than $^{18}F-FDG$. We excluded bladder cancer cases in this study because uptake of $^{18}F-FDG$ in the bladder was too hot, the number of patients was insufficient, and the cases did not meet criteria such as the use of diuretics. Conclusion It is too premature to draw solid conclusions from the survey, since it involved only a small number of participants. However, there are a number of studies conducted abroad that prove the effectiveness of the $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT examinations in treating urinary system cancer, and this study is still ongoing at our hospital. If the tests were to be conducted on a larger number of participants, this study could lead to numerous other potential research topics, such as the correlation between Prostatic specific antigen (PSA) values and $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT, Gleason sum values from biopsy before surgery, Specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) between $^{18}F-FDG$ PET-CT examinations and $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT examinations in other urinary system cancers.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze translational and rotational adjustments during automatic rigid image-registration by using different control parameters for a total of five groups on TomoTherapy (Accuray Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). We selected a total of 50 patients and classified them in five groups (brain, head-and-neck, lung, abdomen and pelvic) and used a total of 500 megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) image sets for the analysis. From this we calculated the overall mean value(M) for systematic and random errors after applying the different control parameters. After randomization of the patients into the five groups, we found that the overall mean value varied according to three techniques and resolutions. The deviation for the lung, abdomen and pelvic groups was approximately greater than the deviation for the brain and head-and-neck groups in all adjustments. Overall, using a "full-image" produces smaller deviations in the rotational adjustments. We found that rotational adjustment has deviations with distinctly different control parameters. We concluded that using a combination of the "full-image" technique and "standard" resolution will be helpful in assisting with patients' repositioning and in correcting for set-up errors prior to radiotherapy on TomoTherapy.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2009

Purpose: We tested a sample of nuclear medicine workers at Korean healthcare institutions for internal contamination with radioactive isotopes, measuring concentrations and evaluating doses of individual exposure. Materials and Methods: The detection and measurement was performed on urine samples collected from 25 nuclear medicine workers at three large hospitals located in Seoul. Urine samples were collected once a week, 100~200 mL samples were gathered up to 6~10 times weekly. A high-purity germanium detector was used to measure gamma radiations in urine samples for the presence of radioactive isotopes. Based on the detection results, we estimated the amounts of intake and committed effective doses using IMBA software. In cases where committed effective doses could not be adequately evaluated with IMBA software, we estimated individual committed effective doses for radionuclides with a very short half life such as $^{99m}Tc$ and $^{123}I$, using the methods recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency. Results: Radionuclides detected through the analysis of urine samples included $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{131}I$ and $^{201}Tl$, as well as $^{18}F$, a nuclide used in Positron Emission Tomography examinations. The committed effective doses, calculated based on the radionuclide concentrations in urine samples, ranged from 0 to 5 mSv, but were, in the majority of cases, less than 1 mSv. The committed effective dose exceeded 1 mSv in three of the samples, and all three were workers directly handling radioactive sources. No nurses were found to have a committed effective dose in excess of 1 mSv. Conclusions: To improve the accuracy of results, it may be necessary to conduct a long-term study, performed over a time span wide enough to allow the clear determination of the influence of seasonal factors. A larger sample should also help increase the reliability of results. However, as most Korean nuclear medicine workers are currently not necessary to monitored routinely for internal contamination with radionuclides. Notwithstanding, a continuous effort is recommended to reduce any unnecessary exposure to radioactive substances, even if in inconsequential amounts, by regularly surveying workplace environments and frequently monitoring atmospheric concentrations of radionuclides.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2008

Since measuring the size of kidney with sonography becomes an important index for diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic prediction in kidney disease, the accurate measurement and evaluation on this are clinically very important. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to increase reproducibility and objectivity in measuring the size of kidney by enumerating factors that have an impact for measurement. It targeted 44 adults in Korea at the age of 21-27. It measured in order for both kidneys to be seen most largely while changing a subject-examiner's position in a state of fasting for 8 hours and a transducer's approaching direction. It compared a size of kidney by measuring, respectively, with the same method in 30 minutes and in 1 hour after drinking water in 700-1,000cc. In case of the lateral approach scan in decubitus position, the average length of the kidney both to the right and the left and the deviation of measurement to be the largest. In NPO(None Per Oral) state, the average length in the right kidney was 10.19cm, and the average length in the left kidney was 10.33cm. In 60 minutes after taking moisture, the average length in the right kidney was 10.94cm, and the average length in the left kidney was 11.13cm. In comparing the average length of the kidney in NPO state and its average length in 60 minutes after taking moisture, the size swelled by 7.3% for the length in the right kidney and by 7.7% in the left, thereby having been indicated to be statistically significant(P<0.003). The measurement in a size of kidney by using ultrasound may be measured differently depending on a patient's state of taking moisture and a transducer's approaching direction. It is thought that when the measurement in a size of kidney is especially important clinically, the intake and intake time in moisture need to be considered and that measuring with the posterior approach in prone position is a good method aiming to increase reproducibility in measuring length of the kidney.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.2 s.31
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• pp.59-66
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• 2004

This paper presents a novel fabrication process for a tapered hollow metallic microneedle array using backside exposure of SU-8, and analytic solutions of critical buckling of a tapered hollow microneedle. An SU-8 meta was formed on a Pyrex glass substrate and another SU-8 layer, which was spun on top of the SU-8 mesa, was exposed through the backside of the glass substrate. An array of SU-8 tapered pillar structures. with angles in the range of $3.1^{\circ}{\sim}5^{\circ}$ was formed on top of the SU-8 mesa. Conformal electrodeposition of metal was carried out followed by a mechanical polishing using a pianarizing polymeric layer. All organic layers were then removed to create a metallic hollow microneedle array with a fluidic reservoir on the backside. Both $200{\mu}m\;and\;400{\mu}m$ tall, 10 by 10 arrays of metallic microneedles with inner diameters of the tip in the range of $33.6{\sim}101\;{\mu}m$ and wall thickness of $10{\mu}m\;-\;20{\mu}m$ were fabricated. Analytic solutions of the critical buckling of arbitrary-angled truncated cone-shaped columns are also presented. It was found that a single $400{\mu}m$ tall hollow cylindrical microneedle made of electroplated nickel with a wall thickness of $20{\mu}m$, a tapered angle of $3.08^{\circ}$ and a tip inner diameter of $33.6{\mu}m$ has a critical buckling force of 1.8 N. This analytic solution can be used for square or rectangular cross-sectioned column structures with proper modifications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2013

Purpose: PET/CT scan using the SUV (Standardized Uptake Value) of radiopharmaceutical uptake in organs and tissues as an objective indicator makes it possible to analyze physiological and chemical reactions of human organs. This study analyzes the change of the SUV uptake in accordance with the way how PET/CT patients take a rest after the injection of $^{18}F-FDG$ (Fluororo-deoxyglucose). And also subjective satisfaction is assessed listening to music while taking a rest. Materials and Methods: From April 2011 until February 2013, Among the Primary cancer patients who admitted to the Catholic Medical Center (Seoul & Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital) and scanned $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT and also received care through the tracking test (mean age $55.61{\pm}12.41$ years, 108 people, 48 men and 60 women) were selected. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group (A: basal study) is requested to take a rest in bed quietly after the injection. However the second one (B: follow up study) is requested to listen to the music while taking a rest. And then SUV analysis was performed respectively. At the end of the scan, ROI (Region Of Interest) were set from the center of the liver (right lobe) and 3 spots of the brain (frontal, temporal, and occipital lobes). And the SUV was calculated. To identify the correlation among those ROIs, paired t-test was performed using SPSS software (Version 12.0K for windows, P>0.05). Also, after the PET/CT scan the satisfaction study was conducted of all the patients. 1:1 questionnaire survey was performed, and that questionnaire was made using the Likert 5-point scale. By utilizing those questionnaires, the analysis about simple frequency, percentage, average, and standard deviation was performed. Results: The SUV change of the 4 designated ROIs in accordance with listening to music was not statistically significant. (Frontal lobe P-value=0.611, Occipital lobe P-value=0.499, Temporal lobe P-value=0.717, Liver P-value=0.334: P-value>0.05) And the satisfaction study indicated that group B was appear to be 0.42 points (5 basis points) higher than group A. It showed that patients are more satisfied in group B than group A. Conclusion: when performing PET/CT scan using $^{18}F-FDG$, listening to music after the injection of the radiopharmaceuticals does not affect the SUV but given the state of the psychological comfort that may increase the patient's satisfaction.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.475-482
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• 2006

The quality characteristics and functional properties of fermented soybean by lactic acid bacteria (FSB) were investigated and compared with those of soybean (control) and commercial cheonggukjang Powder (CGP). The crude protein, lipid, and fiber contents of FSB were similar to those in CGP. The vitamin $B_2$ content in FSB (1.4 mg%) was similar to the control (1.3 mg%) whereas it was remarkably low in the CGP (0.2 mg%). The bright yellow color of FSB determined by Hunter's colormeter was quite different from the dark reddish brown color of the CGP. The pH of FSB was the lowest and thee amino-nitrogen was 517.2 mg%, which was higher than that in CGP (468.1 mg%). Glutamic acid, aspartic acid and leucine were the most abundant amino acids. In particular, the increase in the glutamic acid level was noticeable in FSB. The fatty acid compositions of FSB and CGP were similar to the control. However, the sucrose and fructose levels were lower after fermentation but the glucose level was higher. The results of isoflavone analysis by HPLC showed that the levels of daidzein and genistein in FSB were as much as 48.33 and 52.82 mg%, respectively, which is higher than that found in CGP. The DPPH free radical scavenging effects of FSB and CGP were 1.8 times higher an those of the control. The fibrinolytic activity determined by the diameter of the lysed area on the fibrin plate was the most effective in FSB. In conclusion, it is believed that FSB has a similar or higher quality than CGP. Therefore, FSB is expected to be good functional food material.