• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.160-169
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• 2009

In the paper, the Image SNR(Signal-to-Noise) distribution proposed in [1] is reviewed from the three points of views: verification, variation, and application of the distribution. First, the proposed Image SNR distribution is verified through the noise-based simulation over a 2D image detector. Second, its variation over the linear/nonlinear gains shows that the noise-effect itself cannot explain every reason for the degraded Image SNR distribution. Third, through the application to optimal selection of the operation parameters, the usefulness of the proposed distribution is clarified.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2009

The paper identifies noise characteristics of a nonliner image sensor model which reflects a saturation effect of each detector pixel and extends the result to estimate an image SNR (Signla-to-Noise Ratio) distribution over all the pixels in a detector. In particular, nonlinearity of a pixel is studied from two perspectives of including asymmetry of a noise PDF (Probability Distribution Function) and enhancing a pixel SNR value, in comparison to a linear model. It is noted that the proposed image SNR distribution function is useful to effectively select new optimal operation parameter values: an integration time and an pixel-summing number, even after a launch campaign, assuming sensor gain degradation in orbit or inevitable modification of some operation parameter values due to space contingency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2011

To examine the possible changes in the SNRs, CNRs, and ADC values for lumbar spines with metastasis based on the DW images before and after contrast agent injection taken from metastatic spinal cancer patients using a 1.5 T MR machine. The quantitative analysis revealed that in case of spinal cancer subjects, both SNRs and CNRs at all of those assessed locations significantly increased on the DWI after contrast agent injection compared to before, while on the ADC map images, SNRs significantly decreased. On the other hand, significantly decreased ADC values at all the assessed locations were found on the ADC map images. With reference to the normal group, significantly increased SNRs were found at all of the assessed locations on the DWI image after injection compared to before, while significantly decreased SNRs were found on the ADC map images. Also, significantly decreased ADC values at all the assessed locations were found on the ADC map images. For the qualitative analysis, after contrast agent injection, significantly increased signal intensities were found at the locations with spinal cancer on the DWI. In contrast, significantly decreased signal intensities were found on the ADC map images. The implication from the results showing that SNR and CNR significantly increased while ADC value significantly decreased at, above, and below the location of metastatic spinal cancer on DWI after contrast agent injection is that DWI obtained after contrast agent injection can be made available for wider application to vertebral disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of diffusion weighted images in breast MRI by performing a quantitative comparative analysis in patients diagnosed with DCIS. On a 3.0T MR scanner, diffusion weighted images and ADC map images were obtained from 20 patients histologically diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The findings from the quantitative image analysis are the following: The diffusion weighted images showed higher SNR and CNR at the lesion area. In addition, the ADC values were lower at the lesion area.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2004

Purpose : The quantization noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems is analyzed. The signal-to-quantization noise ratio (SQNR) in the reconstructed image is derived from the level of quantization in the signal in spatial frequency domain. Based on the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with different receiver systems are evaluated. From the evaluation, the quantization noise could be a major noise source determining overall system signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high field MRI system. A few methods to reduce the quantization noise are suggested. Materials and methods : In Fourier imaging methods, spin density distribution is encoded by phase and frequency encoding gradients in such a way that it becomes a distribution in the spatial frequency domain. Thus the quantization noise in the spatial frequency domain is expressed in terms of the SQNR in the reconstructed image. The validity of the derived formula is confirmed by experiments and computer simulation. Results : Using the derived formula, the SQNRs in various main magnetic fields with various receiver systems are evaluated. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, yet it cannot be reduced by simple signal averaging, it could be a serious problem in high field imaging. In many receiver systems employing analog-to-digital converters (ADC) of 16 bits/sample, the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in a high field imaging. Conclusion : The field strength of MRI system keeps going higher for functional imaging and spectroscopy. In high field MRI system, signal amplitude becomes larger with more susceptibility effect and wider spectral separation. Since the quantization noise is proportional to the signal amplitude, if the conversion bits of the ADCs in the receiver system are not large enough, the increase of signal amplitude may not be fully utilized for the SNR enhancement due to the increase of the quantization noise. Evaluation of the SQNR for various systems using the formula shows that the quantization noise could be a major noise source limiting overall system SNR, especially in three dimensional imaging in a high field imaging. Oversampling and off-center sampling would be an alternative solution to reduce the quantization noise without replacement of the receiver system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2019

We examined the effect of Siemens ADMIRE (Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction) on image quality by measuring changes in HU, noise, and SNR of background air, fat, muscle, and background signals on a chest CT scan. Experimental results show that as the ADMIRE Strength increases, the noise decreases and the signal increases, consequently the signal-to-noise ratio increases. ADMIRE can reduce noise by 28 ~ 61% compared to FBP, which is a conventional image reconstruction algorithm, and improves SNR by 16 ~ 100%.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2010

This study tested how S/N (Signal to Noise Ratio) ratios and ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) values vary with different T-scores in a group of patients with osteoporosis. Based on DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) T-scores for L1.L4 for two groups of subjects consisting of 30 healthy people without osteoporosis and 30 patients who came for treatment of waist (lumbar or low back) pain and were suspected to have osteoporosis as judged from the simple X-ray findings, this study classified every spine into two groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Signal intensity measurements were made in the four regions of L1 to L4 on diffusion-weighted MR images obtained using 1.5T MR scanner, while ADC measurements were obtained from ADC map images. As an approach for quantitative analysis, the comparison of the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for varying T-scores in the selected regions of interest was carried out based on averaged T-scores, S/N ratios, and ADC values. Also, the variances in S/N ratios and ADC values for each of the groups of osteoporosis and osteopenia, which were classified into by T-scores, were compared. For qualitative analysis, a careful naked eye examination of signal intensity differences in the area of L4 was made on T1-weighted sagittal images for each of the healthy (normal), osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups. In the qualitative analysis, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the S/N ratios on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the S/N ratio found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest S/N ratio was found in the osteoporosis group. With respect to ADC map, it was found that for both the osteopenia group and the osteoporosis group, as T-scores deceased, the ADC values on diffusion-weighted MR images also decreased, with the greatest decrease in the ADC values found in the osteoporosis group. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest ADC value was found in the osteoporosis group. On the other hand, in the qualitative analysis, the osteoporosis group showed the highest signal intensity. Additionally, among the three groups, the lowest signal intensity was found in the healthy (normal) group. It was found that as osteoporosis progressed, S/N ratio and ADC decreased, whereas signal intensity increased on T1-weighted images. Also, in diagnosing osteoporosis, MRI tests turned out to be (more) effective.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.130-134
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• 1997

Purpose: To analyze contrast-enhancement pattern of stomach cancer on dynamic MRI and to verify the efficacy of intravenous contrast agent in the evaluation of stomach cancer. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with proven stomach cancer underwent dynamic MRI. By using l.OT scanner, we obtained precontrast FLASH images, and 30, 60, 90 second delay FLASH images after intravenous contrast injection. All patients ingested one liter of water and had intramuscular injection of Buscopan just before MR study. For quantitative analysis we measured signal to noise ratio (SiN) of stomach cancer on each image, and signal difference to noise ratio (SD/N) between cancer and intraluminal fluid, cancer and the pancreas. For qualitative analysis two radiologists evaluated lesion conspicuity on each image by grading system(grade 0, 1, 2, 3: poor, fair, good, excellent). Results: SiN of stomach cancer increased gradually by time(precontrast, 30, 60, 90 second delay: 38.7, 42.5, 57.4, 65.7). SD/N between cancer and intraluminal fluid significantly increased after contrast enhancement(l.24, 25.01, 39.30, 45.89). SD/Ns between cancer and the pancreas were 10.5, 9.33, 9.99, 10.66, respectively. In qualitative analysis, precontrast images were better than postcontrast images for delineation of stomach cancer. Postcontrast images showed clear endo-Iuminal side of stomach cancer, but outer margin of stomach cancer was more distinct on precontrast images. Conclusion: Precontrast MR images are better than postcontrast MR images in the depiction of stomach cancer. Intravenous contrast agent is not imperative in the evaluation of stomach cancer.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2003

본 연구에서는 코일의 온도를 액체질소 온도 정도의 저온으로 냉각시켜 핵자기공명 신호 및 영상의 신호대잡음비를 향상시키는데 그 목적을 두었다. 핵자기공명 신호의 신호대잡음비에 대한 이론적인 분석을 토대로 다양한 형태의 고주파코일을 제작했고, 저온의 표면고주파코일로 획득된 신호를 상온의 일반 구리코일로 획득된 신호와 비교하였다. 본 연구에서 제작된 저온코일의 경우, 상온코일에 비해서 신호대잡음비의 향상을 얻을 수 있었다. 이러한 신호대잡음비의 향상을 통하여 핵자기공명영상 시간을 단축할 수 있으며, 이를 통한 진단의 신뢰도 향상에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2017

The Satellite Electro-Optic Payload System needsspecial requirements with the conditions of limited power consumption and the space environment of solar radiation. The acquired image quality should be mainly depend on the GSD (Ground Sampled Distance), SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio), and MTF (Modulation Transfer Function). On the well-manufactured sensor level, the thermal noise is removed on ASP (Analog Signal Processing) using the CDS (Corrective Double Sampling); the noise signal from the image sensor can be reduced from the offset signals based on the pre-pixels and the dark-pixels. The non-uniformity shall be corrected with gain, offset, and correction parameter of the image sensor pixel characteristic on the sensor control system. This paper describes the SNR enhancement method of the satellite EOS payload using the mentioned noise remove processes on the system design and operation, which is verified by tests and simulations.