• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2005

Purpose : To develop a novel approach to calculate the sensitivity profiles of the phased array coil for use in non-uniform intensity correction. Materials and Methods : The proposed intensity correction method estimates the sensitivity profile of the coil to extract intensity variations that represent the scanned image. The sensitivity profile is estimated by fitting a non-linear curve to various angles of projections through the imaged object in order to eliminate the high-frequency image content. Filtered back projection is then used to compute the estimates of the sensitivity profile of each coil. The method was applied both to phantom and brain images from 8-channel phased-array coil and 4-channel phased-array coil, respectively. Results : Intensity-corrected images from the proposed method have more uniform intensity than those from the commonly used 'sum-of-squares' approach. By using the proposed correction method, the intensity variation was reduced to $6.1\%$ from $13.1\%$, acquired from the 'sum-of-squares'. Conclusion : The proposed method is more effective at correcting the intensity non-uniformity of the phased-array surface-coil images than the conventional 'sum-of-squares' method.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2000

Purpose: Episodic memory is described as an 'autobiographical' memory responsible for storing a record of the events in our lives. We performed functional brain activation study using ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET to reveal the neural basis of the encoding and the retrieval of episodic memory in human normal volunteers. Materials and Methods: Four repeated ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET scans with two reference and two activation tasks were performed on 6 normal volunteers to activate brain areas engaged in encoding and retrieval with verbal materials. Images from the same subject were spatially registered and normalized using linear and nonlinear transformation. Using the means and variances for every condition which were adjusted with analysis of covariance, t-statistic analysis were performed voxel-wise. Results: Encoding of episodic memory activated the opercular and triangular parts of left inferior frontal gyrus, right prefrontal cortex, medial frontal area, cingulate gyrus, posterior middle and inferior temporal gyri, and cerebellum, and both primary visual and visual association areas. Retrieval of episodic memory activated the triangular part of left inferior frontal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, right prefrontal cortex and medial temporal area, and both cerebellum and primary visual and visual association areas. The activations in the opercular part of left inferior frontal gyrus and the right prefrontal cortex meant the essential role of these areas in the encoding and retrieval of episodic memory. Conclusion: We could localize the neural basis of the encoding and retrieval of episodic memory using ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET, which was partly consistent with the hypothesis of hemispheric encoding/retrieval asymmetry.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2008

Purpose : To describe the clinical, MR imaging, and pathologic findings of pediatric meningiomas. Materials and Methods : The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records and MR images of 16 pediatric patients with pathologically proven meningioma. Mean patient age at diagnosis was 14 years (range, 3-18). MR images were reviewed for details of lesion sizes, locations, signal intensity (SI), marginal characteristics, internal architectures, enhancements, and dural and parenchymal changes. The findings of other imaging modalities and of pathological examinations were also analyzed. Results : Mean tumor size was 5.24 cm (range, 1.3-18.1 cm) and locations were supratentorial in 12 and infratentorial in 4. SI of masses were variable, that is, high in 9, iso in 4, and low in 3 on T2 weighted images (T2WI), and low (n=11), iso (n=4), or high (n=1) on T1WI images. All lesions were visualized as well-demarcated enhancing masses. Five of the tumors were heterogeneous with cystic or necrotic components. Dural attachment was observed in 11 patients and adjacent brain edema in 10. Tumors exhibited hyperdense (n=6) or isodense (n=4) on non-enhanced CT scans, and 3 of the 7 angiograms demonstrated blood supply from the internal carotid artery. Pathologic examinations revealed the following subtypes; transitional cell (n=4), meningotheliomatous (n=4), chordoid (n=2), fibrous (n=2), clear cell (n=1), hyalinized (n=1), rhabdoid papillary (n=1), and atypical (n=1). Conclusion : Pediatric meningiomas occur usually in teenagers, have diverse pathological types, and may produce atypical imaging findings, such as, a heterogeneous internal content or findings suggestive of intraaxial tumors.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.124-130
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• 2003

Currently, as a consequence of PACS (Picture Archiving Communication System) implementation many hospitals are replacing conventional film-type interpretations of diagnostic medical images with new digital-format interpretations that can also be saved, and retrieve However, the big limitation in PACS is considered to be the lack of mobility. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal communication packet size. This was done by considering the terms occurred in the wireless communication. After encoding medical image using JPGE2000 image compression method, This method embodied auto-error correction technique preventing the loss of packets occurred during wireless communication. A PC class server, with capabilities to load, collect data, save images, and connect with other network, was installed. Image data were compressed using JPEG2000 algorithm which supports the capability of high energy density and compression ratio, to communicate through a wireless network. Image data were also transmitted in block units coeded by JPEG2000 to prevent the loss of the packets in a wireless network. When JPGE2000 image data were decoded in a PUA (Personal Digital Assistant), it was instantaneous for a MR (Magnetic Resonance) head image of 256${\times}$256 pixels, while it took approximately 5 seconds to decode a CR (Computed Radiography) chest image of 800${\times}$790 pixels. In the transmission of the image data using a CDMA 1X module (Code-Division Multiple Access 1st Generation), 256 byte/sec was considered a stable transmission rate, but packets were lost in the intervals at the transmission rate of 1Kbyte/sec. However, even with a transmission rate above 1 Kbyte/sec, packets were not lost in wireless LAN. Current PACS are not compatible with wireless networks. because it does not have an interface between wired and wireless. Thus, the mobile JPEG2000 image viewing system was developed in order to complement mobility-a limitation in PACS. Moreover, the weak-connections of the wireless network was enhanced by re-transmitting image data within a limitations The results of this study are expected to play an interface role between the current wired-networks PACS and the mobile devices.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the microstructural changes according to aging on the thickness and signal intensity (SI) of the cortical gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) on the T2-, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1-weighted MR images in normal subjects. Materials and Methods : The 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 year age groups of men and women (each 10 individuals) who underwent routine brain MRI, including the T2-, FLAIR and T1-weighted images, were selected for this study. We measured the thickness and the SI of the cortical GM and WM at the postcentral gyrus, which has an even thickness at the level of centrum semiovale, on the axial scans and we calculated the mean values of the thickness ratio of the gray/white matter (TRGW) and the signal intensity ratio of the gray/white matter (SRGW), and we compared the ratios of each age group. Results : On the T2-weighted images, the TRGWs were 0.81 and 0.79 at the age of 10 and they were 0.73 and 0.71 at the age of 90 in the men and women, respectively. So, the GM thickness was decreased more than the WM thickness was with aging. On the FLAIR images, the TRGWs were 1.09 and 1.00 at the age of 10 and they were 1.11 and 0.95 at the age of 70 in the men and women, respectively. On the T1-weighted images, the TRGWs were 0.66 and 0.80 at the age of 10, and the ratio was changed to 0.90 and 0.78 at the age of 90 in the men and women, respectively. On the T2-weighted image, the SRGWs were 1.53 and 1.43 at the age of 10, and they were 1.23 and 1.27 at the age of 90 in the men and women, respectively. On the FLAIR images, the SRGWs were 1.23 and 1.25 at the age of 10 and they were 1.06 and 1.05 at the age of 90 in the men and women, respectively. On the T1-weighted images, the SRGWs were 0.86 and 0.85 at the age of 10, and they were 0.90 and 0.87 at the age of 90 in the men and women, respectively. Conclusion : We suggest that the age-related microstructural changes of the thickness and the SI of the cortical GM and WM on the T2-, FLAIR and T1-weighted images are unique, and so this knowledge will be helpful to differentiate neurodegenerative disease from normal aging of the brain.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.122-140
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• 2000

Somatization disorder is a chronic condition characterized by multiple somatic complaints that are not due to any apparent organic illness. Somatization disorder is related historically to hysteria and hysteria has been defined by the existence of somatic complaints for which no organic reason can be found. Therefore most theories of somatization have focused on the psychodynamic and sociological perspectives. However, the concept that the somatic presentation of emotional distress or psychiatric illness might have a neurobiological basis has also aroused considerable interest. Relative to this perspective, the case of Anna O. which has been considered the prototype of hysteria, was reformulated from a neuropsychological perspective. Several neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies, studies concerning hemispheric differences in symptom presentation of the patients with hysteria have been shown the evidences for the biological basis of somatization. Moreover, recent neuroimaging studies in somatization disorder also show that brain dysfunction in somatization. The author reviewed several candidate theories which could help to explain the process of somatization in the perspective of biological basis and proposed the new neuropsychological model of somatization. The author also examined the possible application of this model to the treatment of somatization disorder and discussed it's limitation and the future directions in this field.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.504-511
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• 2010

In this paper, we propose the face region recognition system for City-Security CCTV(Closed Circuit Television) using hippocampal neural network which is modelling of human brain's hippocampus. This system is composed of feature extraction, learning and recognition part. The feature extraction part is constructed using PCA(Principal Component Analysis) and LDA(Linear Discriminants Analysis). In the learning part, it can label the features of the image-data which are inputted according to the order of hippocampal neuron structure to reaction-pattern according to the adjustment of a good impression in a dentate gyrus and remove the noise through the auto-associative memory in the CA3 region. In the CA1 region receiving the information of the CA3, it can make long-term memory learned by neuron. Experiments confirm the each recognition rate, that are shape change and light change. The experimental results show that we can compare a feature extraction and learning method proposed in this paper of any other methods, and we can confirm that the proposed method is superior to existing methods.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristic perfusion changes in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome by comparison of the findings of brain MR images and perfusion SPECT images. $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO or $^{99m}Tc$-ECD interictal brain SPECTs were performed on 5 pediatric patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome within 2 weeks after MR imaging. Brain SPECTs of three patients without calcification showed diminished perfusion in the affected area on MR image. A 3 month-old patient without brain atrophy or calcification demonstrated paradoxical hyperperfusion in the affected hemisphere, and follow-up perfusion SPECT revealed decreased perfusion in the same area. The other patient with advanced calcified lesion and atrophy on MR image showed diffusely decreased perfusion in the affected hemisphere, but a focal area of increased perfusion was also noted in the ipsilateral temporal lobe on SPECT. In conclusion, brain perfusion of the affected area of Sturge-Weber syndrome patients was usually diminished, but early or advanced patients may show paradoxical diffuse or focal hyperperfusion in the affected hemisphere. Further studies are needed for better understanding of these perfusion changes and pathophysiology of Sturge-Weber syndrome.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2004

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to assess supplementary motor area (SMA) activation during motor, sensory, word generation, listening comprehension, and working memory tasks using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Materials and Methods : Sixteen healthy right-handed subjects (9M, 7F) were imaged on a Siemens 1.5T scanner. Whole brain functional maps were acquired using BOLD EPI sequences in the axial plane. Each paradigm consisted of five epochs of activation vs. the control condition. The activation tasks consisted of left finger complex movement, hot sensory stimulation of the left hand, word generation, listening comprehension, and working memory. The reference function was a boxcar waveform. Activation maps were thresholded at an uncorrected p=0.0001. The thresholded activation maps were placed into MNI space and the anatomic localization of activation within the SMA was compared across tasks. Results : SMA activation was observed in 16 volunteers for the motor task, 11 for the sensory task, 15 for the word generation task, 5 for the listening comprehension task, and 15 for the working memory task. The rostral aspects of the SMA showed activity during the word generation and working memory tasks, and the caudal aspects of the SMA showed activity during the motor and sensory tasks. Right (contralateral) SMA activation was observed during the motor and sensory tasks, and left SMA activation during the word generation and memory tasks. Conclusion : Our results suggest that SMA is involved in a variety of functional tasks including motor, sensory, word generation, and working memory. The results obtained also support the notion that functionally specific subregions exist within the region classically defined as the SMA.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.421-429
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• 2005

Purpose: It has been postulated that dopamine release in the striatum underlies the reinforcing properties of nicotine. Substantial evidence in the animal studies demonstrates that nicotine interacts with dopaminergic neuron and regulates the activation of the dopaminergic system. The aim of this study was to visualize the dopamine release by smoking in human brain using PET scan with $[^{11}C]raclopride$. Materials and Methods: Five male non-smokers or ex-smokers with an abstinence period longer than 1 year (mean age of $24.4{\pm}1.7$ years) were enrolled in this study $[^{11}C]raclopride$, a dopamine D2 receptor radioligand, was administrated with bolus-plus-constant infusion. Dynamic PET was performed during 120 minutes ($3{\times}20s,\;2{\times}60s,\;2{\times}120s,\;1{\times}180s\;and\;22{\times}300s$). following the 50 minute-scanning, subjects smoked a cigarette containing 1 mg of nicotine while in the scanner. Blood samples for the measurement of plasma nicotine level were collected at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minute after smoking. Regions for striatal structures were drawn on the coronal summed PET images guided with co-registered MRI. Binding potential, calculated as (striatal-cerebellar)/cerebellar activity, was measured under equilibrium condition at baseline and smoking session. Results: The mean decrease in binding potential of $[^{11}C]raclopride$ between the baseline and smoking in caudate head, anterior putamen and ventral striatum was 4.7%, 4.0% and 7.8%, respectively. This indicated the striatal dopamine release by smoking. Of these, the reduction in binding potential in the ventral striatum was significantly correlated with the cumulated plasma level of the nicotine (Spearman's rho=0.9, p=0.04). Conclusion: These data demonstrate that in vivo imaging with $[^{11}C]raclopride$ PET could measure nicotine-induced dopamine release in the human brain, which has a significant positive correlation with the amount or nicotine administered bt smoking.