• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.308-311
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• 2015

We design a crisscrossed double-layer birdcage (DLBC) coil by modifying the coil geometry of a standard single-layer BC (SLBC) coil to enhance the homogeneity of transmitting magnetic flux density ($B_1{^+}$) along the main magnetic field ($B_0$)-direction for small-animal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 300 MHz. The performance assessment of the crisscrossed DLBC coil is conducted by computational analysis with the finite-difference time domain method (FDTD) and compared with SLBC coil in terms of the $B_1$ and the $B_1{^+}$ distribution. As per the computational calculation studies, the mean value in the two-dimensional $B_1{^+}$ map obtained at the mid-axial slice with the proposed DLBC coil is slightly lower than that obtained with the SLBC coil, but the $B_1{^+}$ value of the DLBC coil in the outermost plane (40 mm away from the central plane) shows improvements of 19.3% and 24.8% over the SLBC coil $B_1{^+}$ value when simulating a spherical phantom and realistic mouse body modeling. These simulation results indicate that, the $B_1{^+}$ homogeneity along the z-direction was improved by using DLBC configuration. Our approach enables $B_1{^+}$ homogeneity improvement along the zdirection, and it can also be applied to ultra-high field (UHF) MRI systems.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.153-154
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• 2015

An 8-year-old intact male Pekingese (weighing 13 kg) was presented for evaluation of chronic coughing. Thoracic radiography found a redundant tissue swelling (protruded on expiration and collapsed on inspiration) on the ventral neck just cranial to the thoracic inlet. Fluoroscopy also identified that the cranial portion of the right/left cranial lung lobe was seen to protrude through the thoracic inlet into the ventral neck on expiration. On the echocardiogram, there were no abnormal jets in all cardiac valves and no dilation in all cardiac chambers. Based on diagnostic imaging studies, the case was diagnosed as cervical lung lobe herniation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.140-147
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to estimate internal motion using molecular sieve for quantitative improvement of lung tumor and to localize lung tumor in the small animal PET image by evaluated data. Internal motion has been demonstrated in small animal lung region by molecular sieve contained radioactive substance. Molecular sieve for internal lung motion target was contained approximately 37 kBq Cu-64. The small animal PET images were obtained from Siemens Inveon scanner using external trigger system (BioVet). SD-Rat PET images were obtained at 60 min post injection of FDG 37 MBq/0.2 mL via tail vein for 20 min. Each line of response in the list-mode data was converted to sinogram gated frames (2~16 bin) by trigger signal obtained from BioVet. The sinogram data was reconstructed using OSEM 2D with 4 iterations. PET images were evaluated with count, SNR, FWHM from ROI drawn in the target region for quantitative tumor analysis. The size of molecular sieve motion target was $1.59{\times}2.50mm$. The reference motion target FWHM of vertical and horizontal was 2.91 mm and 1.43 mm, respectively. The vertical FWHM of static, 4 bin and 8 bin was 3.90 mm, 3.74 mm, and 3.16 mm, respectively. The horizontal FWHM of static, 4 bin and 8 bin was 2.21 mm, 2.06 mm, and 1.60 mm, respectively. Count of static, 4 bin, 8 bin, 12 bin and 16 bin was 4.10, 4.83, 5.59, 5.38, and 5.31, respectively. The SNR of static, 4 bin, 8 bin, 12 bin and 16 bin was 4.18, 4.05, 4.22, 3.89, and 3.58, respectively. The FWHM were improved in accordance with gate number increase. The count and SNR were not proportionately improve with gate number, but shown the highest value in specific bin number. We measured the optimal gate number what minimize the SNR loss and gain improved count when imaging lung tumor in small animal. The internal motion estimation provide localized tumor image and will be a useful method for organ motion prediction modeling without external motion monitoring system.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.25.1-25.6
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• 2023

An eight-year-old Maltese dog presented with diarrhea and anorexia. Ultrasonography revealed marked focal wall thickening with loss of layering in the distal ileum. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a preserved wall layer with hypoattenuating middle wall thickening. In some segments of the lesion, small nodules protruding toward the mesentery from the outer layer were observed. Histopathology revealed focal lipogranulomatous lymphangitis (FLL) with lymphangiectasia. This is the first report to describe the CT features of FLL in a dog. CT features of preserved wall layers with hypoattenuating middle wall thickening and small nodules can assist in diagnosing FLL in dogs.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.1209-1214
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• 2011

Photoacoustics has been broadly studied in biomedicine, for both human and small animal tissues. Photoacoustics uniquely combines the absorption contrast of light or radio frequency waves with ultrasound resolution. Moreover, it is non-ionizing and non-invasive, and is the fastest growing new biomedical method, with clinical applications on the way. This paper provides a brief recap of recent developments in photoacoustics in biomedicine, from basic principles to applications. The emphasized areas include the new imaging modalities as well as translational research topics. A primary PA application in biomedicine is photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The past decade has seen fast developments in both theoretical reconstruction algorithms and innovative imaging techniques, and PAT has been implemented in imaging different tissues, from centimeter-large breast tumors to several micrometer-large single red blood cels (RBC). PAT now provides structural, functional and molecular imaging. Overall, PA techniques for biomedicine are maturing. They have been widely used to study both animal and human tissues. Recently, more and more research focuses on clinical applications. Commercialized PA systems are expected to be available in the near future, and wide clinical PA applications are foreseen.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.177-181
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• 2020

Dual-modality imaging strategy using near-infrared fluorescence (FLI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) demands a suitable probe to enable dual-modular signal production. Herein, we demonstrate a synthetic protocol of small molecular dye for dual-modular FLI and PAI. A condensation reaction between squaric acid and carboxypentyl benzoindolium, and followed by basic hydrolysis to give the benzoindole derived squaraine (BSQ) dye in 49% yield. Next, the carboxylic acid group of BSQ was further functionalized with N-hydroxysuccinimide or azide group for an efficient conjugation with a targeting biomolecule. BSQ showed a maximum fluorescent emission at around 680 nm and the photoacoustic signal reached a maximum intensity at 680-700 nm. Based on these results, we conclude that BSQ analogs will be useful probes for dual-modular (FLI/PAI) imaging studies in animal models.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Inveon PET is a recently developed preclinical PET system for small animal. This study was conducted to measure the performance of Inveon PET as recommended by the NEMA NU 4-2008. We measured the spatial resolution, the sensitivity, the scatter fraction and the NECR using a F-18 source. A 3.432 ns coincidence window was used. A $1\;mm^3$ sized F-18 point source was used for the measurement of spatial resolution within an energy window of 350~625 keV. PET acquisition was performed to obtain the spatial resolution from the center to the 5 cm offset toward the edge of the transverse FOV. Sensitivity, scatter fraction, and NECR were measured within an energy window of 350~750 keV. For measuring the sensitivity, a F-18 line source (length: 12.7 cm) was used with concentric 5 aluminum tubes. For the acquisition of the scatter fraction and the NECR, two NEMA scatter phantoms (rat: 50 mm in diameter, 150 mm in length; mouse: 25 mm in diameter, 70 mm in length) were used and the data for 14 half-lives (25.6 hr) was obtained using the F-18 line source (rat: 316 MBq, mouse: 206 MBq). The spatial resolution of the F-18 point source was 1.53, 1.50 and 2.33 mm in the radial, tangential and axial directions, respectively. The volumetric resolution was $5.43\;mm^3$ in the center. The absolute sensitivity was 6.61%. The peak NECR was 486 kcps @121 MBq (rat phantom), and 1056 kcps @128 MBq (mouse phantom). The values of the scatter fraction were 20.59% and 7.93% in the rat and mouse phantoms, respectively. The performances of the Inveon animal PET scanner were measured in this study. This scanner will be useful for animal imaging.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2008

Purpose: The HSV1-tk gene has been extensively studied as a type of reporter gene. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), only a small proportion of patients are eligible for surgical resection and there is limitation in palliative options. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new treatment modalities and gene therapy is a leading candidate. In the present study, we investigated the usefulness of substrate, 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-${\beta}$-D-arabino-furanosyi-5-[$^{124/125}I$]iodo- uracil ([$I^{124/125}I$]FIAU) as a non-invasive imaging agent for HSV1-tk gene therapy in hepatoma model using small animal PET. Material and Methods: With the Morris hepatoma MCA cell line and MCA-tk cell line which was transduced with the HSV1-tk gene, in vitro uptake and correlation study between [$^{125}I$]FIAU uptake according to increasing numeric count of percentage of MCA-tk cell were performed. The biodistribution data and small animal PET images with [$^{124}I$]FIAU were obtained with Balb/c-nude mice bearing both MCA and MCA-tk tumors. Results:, Specific accumulation of [[$^{125}I$]FIAU was observed in MCA-tk cells but uptake was low in MCA cells. Uptake in MCA-tk cells was 15 times higher than that of MCA cells at 480 min. [$^{125}I$]FIAU uptake was linearly correlated (R2 =0.964, p =0.01) with increasing percentage of MCA-tk numeric cell count. Biodistribution results showed that [$^{125}I$]FIAU was mainly excreted via the renal system in the early phase. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to blood acting were 10, 41, and 641 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h post-injection, respectively. The maximum ratio of MCA-tk to MCA tumor was 192.7 at 24 h. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to liver were 13.8, 66.8, and 588.3 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h, respectively. On small animal PET, [$^{124}I$]FIAU accumulated in substantial higher levels in MCA-tk tumor and liver than MCA tumor. Conclusion: FIAU shows selective accumulation to HSV1-tk expressing hepatoma cell tumors with minimal uptake in normal liver. Therefore, radiolabelled FIAU is expected to be a useful substrate for non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene therapy and therapeutic response monitoring of HCC.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.368-371
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• 2016

A four month-old intact female Maltese (weighing 1.8 kg) was present with major complaints of severe coughing and dyspnea. Diagnostic imaging studies revealed abnormally elongated chordae tendineae attached to anterior leaflet and shortened chordae tendineae attached to posterior leaflet of mitral valve causing mitral insufficiency and regurgitant blood flow into left atrium, indicating congenital mitral valve dysplasia. Therapy was directed to control existing clinical signs and to prevent further deterioration of cardiac enlargement using conventional cardiac medications. The dog is currently survived and being monitored at regular interval. This is the first case report describing mitral valve dysplasia causing mitral insufficiency of dog in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.113-115
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• 2016

A 6 month-old castrated male Yorkshire terrier (weighing 1.0 kg) was presented with acute respiratory distress. Diagnostic imaging studies found post-obstructive pulmonary edema sequel to upper airway obstruction by a rubber plug lodged at thoracic esophagus. The rubber plug was removed endoscopically. After removal of this rubber plug with conventional therapy for pulmonary edema, the clinical condition of dog was stabilized. To the best knowledge of authors, this is the first case report describing postobstructive pulmonary edema in a dog in Korea.