• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.127-133
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• 2014

Purpose: Low dose of PET/CT is important because of Patient's X-ray exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose PET/ CT image through the CTAC and QAC of patient study and phantom study. Materials and Methods: We used the discovery 710 PET/CT (GE). We used the NEMA IEC body phantom for evaluating the PET data corrected by ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction method and NU2-94 phantom for uniformity. After injection of 70.78 MBq and 22.2 MBq of 18 F-FDG were done to each of phantom, PET/CT scans were obtained. PET data were reconstructed by using of CTAC of which dose was for the diagnosis CT and Q. AC of which was only for attenuation correction. Quantitative analysis was performed by use of horizontal profile and vertical profile. Reference data which were corrected by CTAC were compared to PET data which was corrected by the ultra-low dose. The relative error was assessed. Patients with over weighted and normal weight also underwent a PET/CT scans according to low dose protocol and standard dose protocol. Relative error and signal to noise ratio of SUV were analyzed. Results: In the results of phantom test, phantom PET data were corrected by CTAC and Q.AC and they were compared each other. The relative error of Q.AC profile was been calculated, and it was shown in graph. In patient studies, PET data for overweight patient and normal weight patient were reconstructed by CTAC and Q.AC under routine dose and ultra-low dose. When routine dose was used, the relative error was small. When high dose was used, the result of overweight patient was effectively corrected by Q.AC. Conclusion: In phantom study, CTAC method with 80 kVp and 10 mA was resulted in bead hardening artifact. PET data corrected by ultra- low dose CTAC was not quantified, but those by the same dose were quantified properly. In patients' cases, PET data of over weighted patient could be quantified by Q.AC method. Its relative difference was not significant. Q.AC method was proper attenuation correction method when ultra-low dose was used. As a result, it is expected that Q.AC is a good method in order to reduce patient's exposure dose.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.35-43
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• 2012

Purpose : PET/CT performed CT-based attenuation correction generates the beam hardening artifact by metallic implant. The attenuation correction causes over or underestimate of the area adjacent to metallic hip prosthetic material and change of $^{18}F$-FDG uptake. Also, the image quality and the diagnosability on genitourinary disease are reduced. Therefore, this study will evaluate the usefulness of MAR (Metal Artifact Reduction) algorithm method to improve the image quality on PET/CT. Materials and Methods : PET/CT was performed by fixing hip prosthesis in SPECT/PET phantom. In PET images with and Without MAR algorithm, the Bright streak, Dark streak, Metal region and Background area that appeared on CT were confirmed, and the change of each SUV (standardized uptake value) was analyzed. Also, in 15 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty, each MAR algorithm and Without MAR algorithm and non attenuation correction was evaluated. Results : In PET image Without MAR algorithm, SUV of Bright streak region was $0.98{\pm}0.48$ g/ml; Dark streak region was $0.88{\pm}0.02$ g/ml; Metal region was $0.24{\pm}0.16$ g/ml, Background area was $0.91{\pm}0.18$ g/ml. In SUV of PET image with MAR algorithm, Bright streak region was $0.88{\pm}0.49$ g/ml, Dark streak region was $0.63{\pm}0.21$ g/ml, Metal region was $0.06{\pm}0.07$ g/ml, Background was $0.90{\pm}0.02$ g/ml. SUV generally decreased when applying MAR algorithm. In PET image Without MAR algorithm, SUVs of Bright region were higher than those measured in the Background, and it was false positive uptake. But, in PET image with MAR algorithm, SUVs of Bright region were similar to the Background, and false positive uptake disappeared. Conclusion : MAR algorithm could reduce an increase of $^{18}F$-FDG uptake due to attenuation correction in the hip surrounding tissue. However, decrease of SUV in Dark streak region should be considered in the future. Therefore, this study propose that the diagnostic accuracy can be improved in genitourinary diseases adjacent to metallic hip prosthesis, if provided PET images with and Without MAR algorithm, and non attenuation correction images at the same time.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2019

With regard to current Neck CT, Bismuth shielding boards are often being used to reduce exposure to superficial organs such as the thyroid. However, beam hardening often occurs near superficial organs with Bismuth shielding boards and variations in CT Number, Noise, and Uniformity values occur severely. This study looked into the usefulness of shielding boards made from aluminum and silicone that can be easily obtained and have good machinability by comparing them to the existing Bismuth shielding board. An Aluminum 7.3mm and a Silicone 21.5mm were made with shielding ratios similar to that of the Bismuth(0.06 mmPb). TLD (TLD-100) was placed on the thyroid area of the Phantom (RS-108T) and 5 doses were measured for each. To compare image quality, CT Number and Noise variations in axial images of the thyroid area in Neck CT images were compared. Also, variations in CT Number, Noise, and Uniformity were measured in the AAPM phantom images and compared. In the results, when thyroid doses for each shielding board were compared, the Bismuth shielding board showed a 14% reduction, the Silicone 21.5mm showed a 15% reduction, and the Aluminum 7.3mm showed a 13% reduction compared to the Non-Shield. Statistically, there were no significant differences in comparison with the Bismuth shielding board. In CT Number variations of thyroid area images, variations were largest for the Bismuth shielding board. With Uniformity evaluations of the AAPM phantom, the Bismuth shielding board was found unsuitable and the Aluminum 7.3mm and Silicone 21.5mm satisfied the acceptance criteria. Research results show that the Aluminum 7.3mm and Silicone 21.5mm have a similar shielding ratio to the high-priced Bismuth shielding board that is currently being used clinically and in comparison tests of CT Number attenuation coefficient variations, Noise, and Uniformity which are phantom image evaluation items, they proved to be better than Bismuth shielding boards. If various shielding boards are made using aluminum and silicone, sized appropriately for superficial organs, it would be useful in decreasing patient doses.