• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.487-493
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• 2021

Background: Predicting postoperative lung function after pneumonectomy is essential. We retrospectively compared postoperative lung function to predicted postoperative lung function based on computed tomography (CT) volumetry and perfusion scintigraphy in patients who underwent pneumonectomy. Methods: Predicted postoperative lung function was calculated based on perfusion scintigraphy and CT volumetry. The predicted function was compared to the postoperative lung function in terms of forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁), using 4 parameters: FVC, FVC%, FEV₁, and FEV₁%. Results: The correlations between postoperative function and predicted function based on CT volumetry were r=0.632 (p=0.003) for FVC% and r=0.728 (p<0.001) for FEV₁%. The correlations between postoperative function and predicted postoperative function based on perfusion scintigraphy were r=0.654 (p=0.002) for FVC% and r=0.758 (p<0.001) for FEV₁%. The preoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scores were significantly higher in the group in which the gap between postoperative FEV₁ and predicted postoperative FEV₁ analyzed by CT was smaller than the gap analyzed by perfusion scintigraphy (1.2±0.62 vs. 0.4±0.52, p=0.006). Conclusion: This study affirms that CT volumetry can replace perfusion scintigraphy for preoperative evaluation of patients needing pneumonectomy. In particular, it was found to be a better predictor of postoperative lung function for poor-performance patients (i.e., those with high ECOG scores).

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.543-547
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• 2016

Acute stroke is a one of common disease that require fast diagnosis and treatment to save patients life. however, the acute stroke may cause lifelong disability due to brain damage with no prompt surgical procedure. In order to diagnose the Stroke, brain perfusion CT examination and possible rapid implementation of 3D angiography has been widely used. However, a low-dose technique should be applied for the examination since a lot of radiation exposure to the patient may cause secondary damage for the patients. Therefore, the degradation of the measured CT images may interferes with a clinical check in that blood vessel shapes on the CT image are significantly affected by gaussian noise. In this study, we employed the spatio-temporal technique to analyze dynamic (brain perfusion) CT data to improve an image quality for successful clinical diagnosis. As a results, proposed technique could remove gaussian noise successfully, demonstrated a possibility of new image segmentation technique for CT angiography. Qualitative evaluation was conducted by skilled radiological technologists, indicated significant quality improvement of dynamic CT images. the proposed technique will be useful tools as a clinical application for brain perfusion CT examination.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.77-78
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• 2008

A 71-year-old woman was assigned to our department for Tc-99m myocardial perfusion SPECT(MPS) and coronary CT angiography. She admitted for substernal pain, via the ER, 2 days ago. The heart was scanned after intravenous injection of 925 MBq of $^{99m}Tc$-sestamibi adenosine-induced stress SPECT using dual head gamma camera (Hawkeye, GE healthcare. USA). The MPS shows decreased tracer uptake in the apical & mid area of anterior & lateral wall and mid & basal inferior wall. Coronary CT angiograph was obtained using Discovery VCT (GE healthcare). 3D angiography portrayed significant stenosis of ramus intermedius(RI) and posterolateral branch of right coronary artery(PLB) with fibrocalcified plaque. Two images were fused using Cardiac IQ fusion softwear package (Advantage workstation 4.4, GE healthcare) The fusion images explain the perfusion defect of anterior, lateral and inferior wall is due to stenosis of the RI and PLB. And 3 days later, coronary angiography was done and revealed the marked stenosis of RI and PLB. Then balloon angioplasty and stent was instituted in RI. Cardiac SPECT/CT fusion imaging provides additional information about hemodynamic relevance and facilitates lesion interpretation by allowing exact allocation of perfusion defects to its subtending coronary artery.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.235-243
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• 1992

Patterns of abnormality in regional cerebral perfusion and its relation to clinical severity was evaluated with 32 head injury patients using $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ single photon emission tomography (SPECT). The findings were compared with computed tomography (CT) done within 48 hours of each SPECT study. The initial SPECT study was done within 7 days of injury in 16 cases, between 1 week and 2 months in 12, and after over 2 months in 4. Nineteen of the patients underwent followup SPECT and CT after a mean interval of 1 to 2 months. The initial SPECT showed abnormalities in 96% (31/32) of the patients while CT showed abnormal findings in only 81% (26/32). There were a total of 54 supratentorial SPECT lesions in all. Ninity percent (49/54) of these were of regional hypoperfusion, while 5 lesions showed focal hyperperfusion. The lesions were most often localized in the frontal and temporal lobes. Fifty five percent (30/54) were areas not detected as a lesion on CT. Cerebellar diaschisis was observed in 50% (16/32) of the patients. The degree of perfusion abnormality was quantified by the product of differential activity and a size factor. Correlation between the degree of perfusion abnormality and the clinical severity (Glasgow coma scale) failed to show statistical significance (p=0.053). The amount of change in the degree of perfusion abnormality on follow up SPECT was compared to the amount of change in clinical severity. Perfusion abnormality showed a tendancy to improve in most patients, and the degree of improvement showed significant correlation with the amount of clinical improvement (p < 0.01).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6765-6768
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• 2015

Aims: To study the effectiveness of human recombinant endostatin injection (Endostar(R)) combined with cisplatin doublets in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to evaluate outcome by CT perfusion imaging. Methods: From April 2011 to September 2014, 76 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with platinum-based doublets were divided into group A (36 patients) and group B (40 patients). Endostar(R) 15mg/day was administered 4 days before chemotherapy and combined with chemotherapy from day 5 in group A, and combined with chemotherapy from the first day in Group B. Endostar(R) in the two groups was injected intravenously for 14 days. Results: Treatment effectiveness in the two groups differed with statistical significance (p<0.05). Effectiveness evaluated by CT perfusion imaging, BF, BV, MTT and PS also demonstrated significant differences (all p<0.05). Adverse reactions in the two groups did not significantly vary (p> 0.05). Conclusions: The response rate with Endostar(R) administered 4 days before chemotherapy and combined with chemotherapy from day 5 in group A was better than Endostar(R) combined with chemotherapy from the first day, and CT perfusion imaging could be a reasonable method for evaluation of patient outcomes.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2012

We investigated the vascular characteristics of tumors and normal tissue using perfusion CT in the rabbit brain tumor model. The VX2 carcinoma concentration of $1{\times}10^7$ cells/ml(0.1ml) was implanted in the brain of nine New Zealand white rabbits (weight: 2.4kg-3.0kg, mean: 2.6kg). The perfusion CT was scanned when the tumors were grown up to 5mm. The tumor volume and perfusion value were quantitatively analyzed by using commercial workstation (advantage windows workstation, AW, version 4.2, GE, USA). The mean volume of implanted tumors was $316{\pm}181mm^3$, and the biggest and smallest volumes of tumor were 497 $mm^3$ and 195 $mm^3$, respectively. All the implanted tumors in rabbits are single-nodular tumors, and intracranial metastasis was not observed. In the perfusion CT, cerebral blood volume (CBV) were $74.40{\pm}9.63$, $16.08{\pm}0.64$, $15.24{\pm}3.23$ ml/100g in the tumor core, ipsilateral normal brain, and contralateral normal brain, respectively ($p{\leqq}0.05$). In the cerebral blood flow (CBF), there were significant differences between the tumor core and both normal brains ($p{\leqq}0.05$), but no significant differences between ipsilateral and contralateral normal brains ($962.91{\pm}75.96$ vs. $357.82{\pm}12.82$ vs. $323.19{\pm}83.24$ ml/100g/min). In the mean transit time (MTT), there were significant differences between the tumor core and both normal brains ($p{\leqq}0.05$), but no significant differences between ipsilateral and contralateral normal brains ($4.37{\pm}0.19$ vs. $3.02{\pm}0.41$ vs. $2.86{\pm}0.22$ sec). In the permeability surface (PS), there were significant differences among the tumor core, ipsilateral and contralateral normal brains ($47.23{\pm}25.45$ vs. $14.54{\pm}1.60$ vs. $6.81{\pm}4.20$ ml/100g/min)($p{\leqq}0.05$). In the time to peak (TTP) were no significant differences among the tumor core, ipsilateral and contralateral normal brains. In the positive enhancement integral (PEI), there were significant differences among the tumor core, ipsilateral and contralateral brains ($61.56{\pm}16.07$ vs. $12.58{\pm}2.61$ vs. $8.26{\pm}5.55$ ml/100g). ($p{\leqq}0.05$). In the maximum slope of increase (MSI), there were significant differences between the tumor core and both normal brain($p{\leqq}0.05$), but no significant differences between ipsilateral and contralateral normal brains ($13.18{\pm}2.81$ vs. $6.99{\pm}1.73$ vs. $6.41{\pm}1.39$ HU/sec). Additionally, in the maximum slope of decrease (MSD), there were significant differences between the tumor core and contralateral normal brain($p{\leqq}0.05$), but no significant differences between the tumor core and ipsilateral normal brain($4.02{\pm}1.37$ vs. $4.66{\pm}0.83$ vs. $6.47{\pm}1.53$ HU/sec). In conclusion, the VX2 tumors were implanted in the rabbit brain successfully, and stereotactic inoculation method make single-nodular type of tumor that was no metastasis in intracranial, suitable for comparative study between tumors and normal tissues. Therefore, perfusion CT would be a useful diagnostic tool capable of reflecting the vascularity of the tumors.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.781-790
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• 2019

Objective: To assess the relationship between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) parameters and perfusion CT (PCT) parameters of gastric cancers and their correlation with histologic features. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. We included 43 patients with pathologically-proven gastric cancers undergoing CEUS using SonoVue^® (Bracco) and PCT on the same day. Correlation between the CEUS parameters (peak intensity [PI], area under the curve [AUC], rise time [RT] from 10% to 90% of PI, time to peak [TTP_US], and mean transit time [MTT_US]) and PCT parameters (blood flow, blood volume, TTP_CT, MTT_CT, and permeability surface product) of gastric cancers were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test. In cases of surgical resection, the CEUS and PCT parameters were compared according to histologic features using Mann-Whitney test. Results: CEUS studies were of diagnostic quality in 88.4% (38/43) of patients. Among the CEUS parameters of gastric cancers, RT and TTP_US showed significant positive correlations with TTP_CT (rho = 0.327 and 0.374, p = 0.045 and 0.021, respectively); PI and AUC were significantly higher in well-differentiated or moderately-differentiated tumors (n = 4) than poorly-differentiated tumors (n = 18) (p = 0.026 and 0.033, respectively), whereas MTT_CT showed significant differences according to histologic types (poorly cohesive carcinoma [PCC] vs. non-PCC), T-staging (≤ T2 vs. ≥ T3), N-staging (N0 vs. N-positive), and epidermal growth factor receptor expression (≤ faint vs. ≥ moderate staining) (p values < 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with gastric cancers, CEUS is technically feasible for the quantification of tumor perfusion and may provide correlative and complementary information to that of PCT, which may allow prediction of histologic features.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.756-763
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• 2020

Objective: To evaluate the effects of attenuation threshold on CT pulmonary vascular volume ratios in children and young adults with congenital heart disease, and to suggest an optimal attenuation threshold. Materials and Methods: CT percentages of right pulmonary vascular volume were compared and correlated with percentages calculated from nuclear medicine right lung perfusion in 52 patients with congenital heart disease. The selected patients had undergone electrocardiography-synchronized cardiothoracic CT and lung perfusion scintigraphy within a 1-year interval, but not interim surgical or transcatheter intervention. The percentages of CT right pulmonary vascular volumes were calculated with fixed (80-600 Hounsfield units [HU]) and adaptive thresholds (average pulmonary artery enhancement [PA_avg] divided by 2.50, 2.00, 1.75, 1.63, 1.50, and 1.25). The optimal threshold exhibited the smallest mean difference, the lowest p-value in statistically significant paired comparisons, and the highest Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The PA_avg value was 529.5 ± 164.8 HU (range, 250.1-956.6 HU). Results showed that fixed thresholds in the range of 320-400 HU, and adaptive thresholds of PA_avg/1.75-1.50 were optimal for quantifying CT pulmonary vascular volume ratios. The optimal thresholds demonstrated a small mean difference of ≤ 5%, no significant difference (> 0.2 for fixed thresholds, and > 0.5 for adaptive thresholds), and a high correlation coefficient (0.93 for fixed thresholds, and 0.91 for adaptive thresholds). Conclusion: The optimal fixed and adaptive thresholds for quantifying CT pulmonary vascular volume ratios appeared equally useful. However, when considering a wide range of PAavg, application of optimal adaptive thresholds may be more suitable than fixed thresholds in actual clinical practice.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2010

Purpose: In the early stage of using PET/CT, it was used to damper revision but recently shows that CT with MDCT is commonly used and works well for an anatomical diagnosis. This hospital makes the accuracy and convenience more higher in the diagnosis and evaluate of coronary heart disease through concurrently running myocardial perfusion SPECT examination, myocardial PET examination with FDG, and CT coronary artery CT angiography(coronary CTA) used PET/CT with 64-slice. This report shows protocol and image based on results from about 400 coronary heart disease examinations since having 64 channels PET/CT in July 2007. Materials and Methods: An Equipment for this examination is 64-slice CT and Discovery VCT (DVCT) that is consisted of PET with BGO ($Bi_4Ge_3O_{12}$) scintillation crystal by GE health care. First myocardial perfusion SPECT with pharmacologic stress test to reduce waiting time of a patient and get a quick diagnosis and evaluation, and right after it, myocardial FDG PET examination and coronary CTA run without a break. One-stop evaluation protocol of ischemic heart disease is as follows. 1)Myocardial perfusion SPECT with pharmacologic stress: A patient is injected with $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI 10 mCi and does not have any fatty food for myocardial PET examination and drink natural water with ursodeoxcholic acid 100 mg and we get SPECT image in an hour. 2)Myocardial FDG PET: To reduce blood fatty content and to increase uptake of FDG, we used creative oral glucose load using insulin and Acipimox to according to blood acid content. A patient is injected with $^{18}F$-FDG 5 mCi for reduction of his radiation exposure and we get a gated image an hour later and get delay image when we need. 3) Coronary CTA: The most important point is to control heart rate and to get cooperation of patient's breath. In order to reduce a heart rate of him or her below 65 beats, let him or her take beta blocker 50 mg ~ 200 mg after a consultation with a doctor about it and have breath-practices then have the examination. Right before the examination, we spray isosorbide dinitrate 3 to 5 times to lower tension of bessel wall and to extension a blood wall of a patient. It makes to get better the shape of an anatomy. At filming, a patient is injected CT contrast with high pressure and have enough practices before the examination in order to have no problem. For reduction of his radiation exposure, we have to do ECG-triggered X-ray tube modulation exposure. Results: We evaluate coronary artery stenosis through coronary CTA and study correlation (culprit vessel check) of a decline between stenosis and perfusion from the myocardial perfusion SPECT with pharmacologic stress, coronary CTA, and can check viability of infarction or hibernating myocardium by FDG PET. Conclusion: The examination makes us to set up a direction of remedy (drug treatment, PCI, CABG) because we can estimate of effect from remedy, lesion site and severity. In addition, we have an advantage that it takes just 3 hours and one-stop in that all of process of examinations run in succession and at the same time. Therefore it shows that the method is useful in one stop evaluation of ischemic heart disease.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.276-286
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• 2013

SVD-based deconvolution algorithm has been known as the most effective technique for CT perfusion image analysis. In this algorithm, in order to reduce noise effects, SVD coefficients smaller than a certain threshold are removed. As the truncation threshold, either a fixed value or a variable threshold yielding a predetermined OI (oscillation index) is frequently employed. Each of these two thresholding methods has an advantage to the other either in accuracy or efficiency. In this paper, we propose a Monte Carlo simulation method to evaluate the accuracy of the two methods. An extension of the proposed method is presented as well to measure the effects of image smoothing on the accuracy of the thresholding methods. In this paper, after the simulation method is described, experimental results are presented using both simulated data and real CT images.