• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

Purpose: The pelvic phantom was fabricated in the following purposes: (1) Dose verification of IMRT plan using Eclipse planning computer, (2) to study the interface effect at the interface between rectal wall and air. The TLD can be inserted in the pelvic phantom to confirm the dose distribution as well as uncertainty at the interface. Materials and Methods: A pelvic phantom with the dimension of 30 cm diameter, 20 cm height and 20 cm thickness was fabricated to investigate the dose at the rectal wall. The phantom was filled with water and has many features like bladder, rectum, and prostate and seminal vesicle (SV). The rectum is made of 3 cm-dimater plastic pipe, and it cab be blocked by using a plug, and film can be inserted around the rectal wall. The phantom was scanned with Philips Brillance scanner and various organs such as prostate, SV, and rectal wall, and bladder wall were delineated. The treatment parameters used in this study are the same as those used in the protocols in the SNUH. TLD chips are inserted to the phantom to evaluate the dose distribution to the rectal wall (to simulate high dose gradient region), bladder wall and SV (to simulate the high dose region) and 2 spots in anterior surface (to simulate the low dose region). The TLD readings are compared with those of the planning computer (ECLIPSE, Varian, USA). Results: The target TLD doses represented as the prostate and SV show excellent agreements with the doses from the RTP within +/-3%. The rectal wall doses measured at the rectal wall are different from the those of the RTP by -11%. This is in literatures called as an interface effect. The underdosages at the rectal wall is independent of 3 heterogeneity correction algorithm in the Eclipse RTP. Also the low dose regions s represented as surface in this study were within +/-1%. Conclusion: The RTP estimate the dosage very accurately withihn +/-3% in the high dose (SV, or prostate) and low dose region (surface). However, the dosage at the rectal wall differed by as much as 11% (In literatures, the underdosage of 9$\sim$15% were reported). This range of errors occurs at the interface, for example, at the interface between lung and chest wall, or vocal cord. This interface effect is very important in clinical situations, for example, to estimate the NTCP (normal tissue complication probability) and to estimate the limitations of the current RTP system. Monte-carlo-based RTP will handle this issue correctly.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2006

Purpose: Post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMR) is known to decrease loco-regional recurrence. Adequate skin and dermal dose are achieved by adding bolus. The more difficult clinical issue is determining the necessary number of bolus treatment, given the limits of normal skin tolerance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessary number of bolus treatment after PMR in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Four female breast cancer patients were included in the study. The median age was 53 years(range, $38{\sim}74$), tumor were left sided in 2 patients and right sided in 2patients. All patients were treated with postoperative radiotherapy after MRM. Radiotherapy was delivered to the chest wall (C.W) and supraclavicular lymph nodes (SCL) using 4 MV X-ray. The total dose was 50 Gy, in 2 Gy fractions (with 5 times a week). CT was peformed for treatment planning, treatment planning was peformed using $ADAC-Pinnacles^3$ (Phillips, USA) for all patients without and with bolus. Bolus treatment plans were generated using image tool (0.5 cm of thickness and 6 cm of width). Dose distribution was analyzed and the increased skin dose rate in the build-up region was computed and the skin dose using TLD-100 chips (Harshaw, USA) was measured. Results: No significant difference was found in dose distribution without and with bolus; C.W coverage was $95{\sim}100%$ of the prescribed dose in both. But, there was remarkable difference in the skin dose to the scar. The skin dose to the scar without and with bolus were $100{\sim}105%\;and\;50{\sim}75%$. The increased skin dose rates in the build-up region for Pt. 1, Pt. 2. Pt. 3 and Pt. 4 were 23.3%, 35.6%, 34.9%, and 41.7%. The results of measured skin dose using TLD-100 chips in the cases without and with bolus were 209.3 cGy and 161.1 cGy, 200 cGy and 150.2 cGy, 211.4 cGy and 160.5 cGy, 198.6 cGy and 155.5 cGy for Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3, and Pt. 4. Conclusion: It was concludes through this analysis that the adequate number of bolus treatments is 50-60% of the treatment program. Further, clinical trial is needed to evaluate the benefit and toxicity associated with the use of bolus in PMR.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2009

Purpose: The introduction of image guided radiation therapy/four-dimensional radiation therapy (IGRT/4DRT) potentially increases the accumulated dose to patients from imaging and verification processes as compared to conventional practice. It is therefore essential to investigate the level of the imaging dose to patients when IGRT/4DRT devices are installed. The imaging dose level was monitored and was compared with the use of pre-IGRT practice. Materials and Methods: A four-dimensional CT (4DCT) unit (GE, Ultra Light Speed 16), a simulator (Varian Acuity) and Varian IX unit with an on-board imager (OBI) and cone beam CT (CBCT) were installed. The surface doses to a RANDO phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY USA) were measured with the newly installed devices and with pre-existing devices including a single slice CT scanner (GE, Light Speed), a simulator (Varian Ximatron) and L-gram linear accelerator (Varian, 2100C Linac). The surface doses were measured using thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs) at eight sites-the brain, eye, thyroid, chest, abdomen, ovary, prostate and pelvis. Results: Compared to imaging with the use of single slice non-gated CT, the use of 4DCT imaging increased the dose to the chest and abdomen approximately ten-fold ($1.74{\pm}0.34$ cGy versus $23.23{\pm}3.67$cGy). Imaging doses with the use of the Acuity simulator were smaller than doses with the use of the Ximatron simulator, which were $0.91{\pm}0.89$ cGy versus $6.77{\pm}3.56$ cGy, respectively. The dose with the use of the electronic portal imaging device (EPID; Varian IX unit) was approximately 50% of the dose with the use of the L-gram linear accelerator ($1.83{\pm}0.36$ cGy versus $3.80{\pm}1.67$ cGy). The dose from the OBI for fluoroscopy and low-dose mode CBCT were $0.97{\pm}0.34$ cGy and $2.3{\pm}0.67$ cGy, respectively. Conclusion: The use of 4DCT is the major source of an increase of the radiation (imaging) dose to patients. OBI and CBCT doses were small, but the accumulated dose associated with everyday verification need to be considered.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.16 no.1 s.79
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• pp.43-53
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• 2004

The current Korean Concrete Design Code(KCI Code) requires the minimum and maximum content of shear s in order to prevent brittle and noneconomic design. However, the required content of the steel reinforcement In KCI Code is quite different to those of the other design codes such as fib-code, Canadian Code, and Japanese Code. Furthermore, since the evaluation equations of the minimum and maximum shear reinforcement for the current KCI Code were based on the experimental results, the equations can not be used for the RC members beyond the experimental application limits. The concrete tensile strength, shear stress, crack inclination, strain perpendicular to the crack, and shear span ratio are strongly related to the lower and upper limits of shear reinforcement. In this research, an evaluation equation for the minimum content of shear reinforcement is theoretical proposed from the Wavier's three principals of the mechanics of materials.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1126-1133
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• 2002

Purpose : Prader-Willi syndrome(PWS) is a complex disorder affecting multisystems with characteristic clinical features. Its genetic basis is an expression defect in the paternally derived chromosome 15q11-q13. We analyzed the clinical features and genetic basis of PWS patients for early detection and treatment. Methods : We retrospectively studied 24 patients with PWS in Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, from September 1997 to September 2001. We performed cytogenetic and molecular genetic techniques using high resolution GTG banding techniques, fluorescent in situ hybridization and methylation-specific PCR for CpG island of SNRPN gene region. Results : The average birth weight of PWS patients was $2.67{\pm}0.47kg$ and median age at diagnosis was 1.3 years. The average height and weight of PWS patients under one year at diagnostic time were located in a 3-10 percentile relatively, and a rapid weight gain was seen between two and six years. Feeding problems in infancy and neonatal hypotonia were the two most consistently positive major criteria in over 95% of the patients. In 18 of the 24 cases(75%), deletion of chromosome 15q11-q13 was demonstrated and one case among 18 had an unbalanced 14;15 translocation. In four cases without any cytogenetic abnormality, it may be considered as maternal uniparental disomy and the rest showed another findings. Conclusion : We suggest diagnostic testing for PWS in all infants/neonates with unexplained feeding problems and hypotonia. It is necessary for clinically suspicious patients to undergo an early genetic test. As the genetic basis of PWS was heterogenous and complex, further study is required.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.170-177
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• 2004

Agroenvironmental characteristics in paddy fields irrigated with the water of Nagdong river were analyzed along the river watershed for two years from 1999. The sites monitored from upper reaches of the river were Andong, Sangju, Gumi, Goryeong, Changnyeong, Milyang and Pusan. In paddy soils, the contents of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn and As were around natural values showing the highest values in Pusan followed by Goryeong. In brown rice, the contents of heavy metals were lower than natural values. Soil chemical properties appeared higher values in the lower reaches including Goryeong than the upper ones. The highest parameters in Goryeong were pH ($5.9{\sim}6.1$), EC ($0.8{\sim}0.9\;dS/m$), $Av.P_2O_5$ ($155{\sim}201\;mg/kg$), exchangeable Ca ($6.7{\sim}7.4\;cmol^+/kg$), Mg ($1.92{\sim}2.50\;cmol^+/kg$), K ($0.18{\sim}0.21\;cmol^+/kg$) and those in Pusan were organic matter ($23.0{\sim}29.1\;g/kg$) and T-N ($1.6{\sim}1.8\;mg/kg$). In conclusion, the recommended rates of N fertilizer for rice cropping were 21.4%, 11.8% and 8.8% high for Andong, Sangju and Gumi, respectively and 14.9%, 4.6%, 4.5% and 11.5% low for Goryeong, Changnyeong, Milyang and Pusan, respectively reflecting the chemical properties of soils and the quality of irrigation water on the basis of 110 kgN/ha. In the case of phosphorous, the rates were 18.9% and 33.3% low for Changnyeong and others, respectively on the basis of $45\;kgP_2O_5/ha$. The populations of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, Bacillus, fluorescent Pseudomonas and Biomass C were high at the lower reaches including Goryeong, which showed relatively much nutrient contents of organic matter, total N and phosphorous etc.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2002

The immunohistochemical localization of the nerve growth factor (NGF), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNIF) in the developing Mongolian gerbil forebrain was investigated by the immunohistochemical and electron microscopy methods. Generally, the NGF specifically recognizes the neurons, the GFAP does the glia, and the CNIF does the motor neurons. This study demonstrates the location of the NGF, GFAP and CNTF in the developing Mongolian gerbil from the embryonic days 17 (E17) to the postnatal weeks 3 (PNW 3). The NGF was localized at E19 in the olfactocy bulb and the cerebral cortex, expanded to the hippocampus, and the diagonal bond from the late prenatal period to PNW 3. GFAP was observed in the lateral ventricle and the third ventricle at E17, projected into the cerebral cortex at E19. The GFAP was observed to have the largest numbers in several parts of the forebrain at the postnatal days 2 (PND2), while the most numerous CNTF was observed at PNW 2. The CNTF-IR cells were observed only in the postnatal days and were found in the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex both neuron and neuroglia at PND3. Electron microscopy showed that the NGF, GFAP and CNTF were not related to any connections with any particular subcellular structure. These results suggest that NGF, GFAP and CNTF be related to the neuron and neuroglia at the prenatal and postnatal stages in the developing Mongolian gerbil.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2007

A thermal neutron beam facility utilizing a typical tangential beam port for Neutron Capture Therapy was installed at the HANARO, 30 MW multi-purpose research reactor. Mixed beams with different physical characteristics and relative biological effectiveness would be emitted from the BNCT irradiation facility, so a quantitative analysis of each component of the mixed beams should be performed to determine the accurate delivered dose. Thus, various techniques were applied including the use of activation foils, TLDs and ionization chambers. All the dose measurements were perform ed with the water phantom filled with distilled water. The results of the measurement were compared with MCNP4B calculation. The thermal neutron fluxes were $1.02E9n/cm^2{\cdot}s\;and\;6.07E8n/cm^2{\cdot}s$ at 10 and 20 mm depth respectively, and the fast neutron dose rate was insignificant as 0.11 Gy/hr at 10 mm depth in water The gamma-ray dose rate was 5.10 Gy/hr at 20 mm depth in water Good agreement within 5%, has been obtained between the measured dose and the calculated dose using MCNP for neutron and gamma component and discrepancy with 14% for fast neutron flux Considering the difficulty of neutron detection, the current study support the reliability of these results and confirmed the suitability of the thermal neutron beam as a dosimetric data for BNCT clinical trials.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 1996

Purpose : Multileaf collimator(MLC) is very suitable tool for conformal radio-therapy and commissioning measurements for a multileaf collimator installed on a dual energy accelerator with 6 and 10MV photons are required, For modeling the collimator with treament planning software, detailed dosimetric characterization of the multileaf collimator including the penumbra width, leaf transmission between leaf leakage and localization of the leaf ends and sides is an essential requirement. materials and Methods : Measurement of characteristic data of the MLC with 26 pair block leaves installed on CLINAC 2100C linear accelerator was performed. Low sensitive radiographic film(X-omatV) was used for the penumbra measurement and separate experiments using radiographic film and thermoluminescent dosimeters were performed to verify the dose distribution, Measured films were analized with a photodensitometer of WP700i scanner. Results : For 6 & 10 MV x-ray energies, approximately $2.0\%$ of photons incident on the multileaf collimator were transmitted and an additional $0.5\%$ leakage occurs between the leaves. Localizing the physical end of the leaves showed less than 1mm deviation from the $50\%$ decrement line and this difference is attributed to the curved shaped end on the leaves One side of a sin히e leaf corresponded to the $50\%$ decrement line, but the opposite face was aligned with a lower value. This difference is due to the tongue and groove used to decrease between leaf leakage. Alignment of the leaves to form a straight edge resulted larger penumbra at far position from isocenter as compare with divergent alloy blocks. When the MLC edge is stepped by sloping field, the isodose lines follow the leaf pattern and Produce scalloping isodose curves in tissue. The effective penumbra by 45 degree stepped MLC is about 10mm at 10cm depth for 6MV x-ray. The difference of effective penumbra in deep tissue between MLC and divergent alloy blocks is small (5mm). Conclusion : Using the characteristic data of MLC, the MLC has the clinlical acceptability and suitability for 3-D conformal radiotherapy except small field size.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 1994

There are a number of reports suggesting that there may be a correlation between the clinical response to radiotherapy in various tumors and the clonogenic survival of cell lines derived from these tumors following exposure to 2 Gy(SF2). Authors conducted this study to determine SF2 for cells in primary culture from surgical specimens. The tumor tissues with squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix and head and neck were obtained. The tumor tissues were disaggregated to single cells by incubating with collagenase type w for 2 hours with constant stirring. Single cell suspensions were inoculated in four 24-well plates precoated with cell adhesive matrix. After 24 hours of incubation at 37$ ^{\circ}C $, rows of four wells were then irradiated, consisting of control set and five other sets each receiving doses of 1,2,3,4, and 6 Gy. After incubation for a total of 13 days, the cultures were stained with crystal violet and survival at each dose was determined by quantitative image analysis system, To determine whether cell growth was of epithelial origin, immunocytochemical staining with a mixture of cytokeratin and epithelial monoclonal antibodies were performed on cell cultures. During the period of this study, we received 5 squamous cell carcinoma specimens of head and neck and 20 of uterine cervical carcinoma. Of these, 15 yielded enough cells for radiosensitivity testing. This resulted an overall success rate of 60$ \% $. The mean SF2 value for 15 tumours was 0.55$\pm$0.17 ranging from 0.20 to 0.79. These results indicate that there is a broad range of sensitivities to radiation in same histologic type. So with a large patient population, we plan to determine whether a different SF2 value is associated with tumours that are controlled with radiotherapy than those that are not.