• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2012

Purpose : During brain MRI scanning, subject's head motion can adversely affect MRI images. To minimize MR image distortion by head movement, we developed an optical tracking system to detect the 3-D movement of subjects. Materials and Methods: The system consisted of 2 CCD cameras, two infrared illuminators, reflective sphere-type markers, and frame grabber with desktop PC. Using calibration which is the procedure to calculate intrinsic/extrinsic parameters of each camera and triangulation, the system was desiged to detect 3-D coordinates of subject's head movement. We evaluated the accuracy of 3-D position of reflective markers on both test board and the real MRI scans. Results: The stereo system computed the 3-D position of markers accurately for the test board and for the subject with glasses with attached optical reflective marker, required to make regular head motion during MRI scanning. This head motion tracking didn't affect the resulting MR images even in the environment varying magnetic gradient and several RF pulses. Conclusion: This system has an advantage to detect subject's head motion in real-time. Using the developed system, MRI operator is able to determine whether he/she should stop or intervene in MRI acquisition to prevent more image distortions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.227-232
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• 2019

MRI examination for patients with metal objects has in poor image quality. Metallic implants can result in poor image because magnetic susceptibility causes signal loss and distortion and makes poor imaging, which is called magnetic susceptibility artifact or metal artifact. There are several approaches to reduce metal artifacts. In this study, we study the reduction of metal artifact by VAT and SEMAC techniques. A metal implant used for orthopedic surgery was attached to the phatom and the distortion caused by the artifact was measured under T1WI and T2WI protocols. Several techniques of VAT only and VAT and SEMAC for the reduction of metal artifact were compared. The metal artifact showed a reduction of at least 8% to a maximum of 26% in the VAT-SEMAC. The VAT-SEMAC technique can be applied to patients with orthopedic implants to improve image quality. If scan time and image quality are simultaneously considered in VAT-SEMAC technique, metal artifact will be reduced in clinical practice.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.253-257
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• 2014

Wandering spleen is a rare clinical condition caused by lax splenic suspensory ligaments. The laxity of ligaments causes torsion of splenic vascular pedicle. CT scan of a 7-year-old girl with abdominal pain showed a non-enhancing lobular mass in lower abdomen. Small bowel loops were located at the right-sided abdomen and colonic loops at the left-sided abdomen. MRI scan showed non-enhancing heterogeneous mass with twisted vascular pedicle. To our knowledge, only a few cases have been reported about wandering spleen diagnosed on MRI.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2014

Purpose : To evaluate the correlation of lesion-to-normal ratio (LNR) of signal intensity from double inversion recovery MR imaging and total choline-containing compound (tCho) resonance from single voxel MR spectroscopy in breast cancers. Materials and Methods: Between August 2008 and December 2009, 28 patients who were diagnosed as breast cancer and had undergone both double inversion recovery (DIR) MR imaging and MR spectroscopy (MRS) were included in this study. The signal intensities of the lesion (L) and ipsilateral normal breast tissue (N) were measured in region of interest of each breast cancer in DIR and contrast enhance MR image (CE-T1WI) to calculate the LNR value for each technique. MRS was performed using single-voxel MR spectroscopy. The height, width and area of tCho resonance were compared with each LNR of DIR and CE-T1WI. We used Pearson's correlation coefficient(r) for correlation analysis and the significance level was p=0.05. Results: There was no statistically significant correlation between LNR of CE-T1WI and height (r=-0.322, p=0.094), width (r=-0.233, p=0.232) and area (r=-0.309, p=0.109) of MRS tCho. There was no statistically significant correlation between LNR of DIR and height (r=0.067, p=0.735), width (r=-0.287, p=0.139) and area (r=0.012, p=0.953) of MRS tCho, either. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.186 between LNRs of CET1WI and DIR (p=0.344). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant correlation between LNR of DIR and relative amount of tCho resonance of MRS.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to determine whether adding an angled oblique sagittal plane to the routine shoulder MRI improves the diagnostic performance in the evaluation of supraspinatus tendon tears with arthroscopic correlation. Materials and Methods: The study included 121 patients who had a shoulder MRI followed by arthroscopy. Two radiologists separately evaluated the supraspinatus tendon for tears on shoulder MRI either with or without the angled oblique sagittal images. Arthroscopy was used as the reference standard. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing supraspinatus tendon tears were calculated and compared by using McNemar test. Interobserver and intertechnique variability in the interpretation of supraspinatus tendon tears were calculated as a kappa value. Results: Adding the angled oblique sagittal images to the standard shoulder MRI showed improvement in the sensitivity for diagnosing full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears and also in the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the detection of partial-thickness tears. However, there was no statistically significant difference in all of them between with and without the angled set. Interobserver agreement was substantial to almost perfect and intertechnique agreement was moderate. Conclusion: Adding an angled oblique sagittal plane image to the routine shoulder MRI showed no significantly different diagnostic performance in detecting the partial- and full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears, compared to MRI without angled oblique sagittal plane.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find and categorize the various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of spinal metastases that correlate with the type of primary cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance images of 30 patients with 169 spinal metastatic lesions from lung cancer (n = 56), breast cancer (n = 29), colorectal cancer (n = 20), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 17), and stomach cancer (n = 47). The size, location, extent of invasion, signal intensity, margin, enhancement pattern, and osteoblastic or osteolytic characteristics of each metastatic tumor were analyzed. Results: The metastatic lesions from HCC were larger than those from the other primary tumors (P < 0.05) except for colorectal cancer (P = 0.268). Well-defined metastatic tumor margins were more frequently seen in lung cancer and breast cancer (P < 0.01). All but HCC showed a tendency to invade the vertebral body rather than the posterior elements (P < 0.02). Colorectal cancer and HCC showed a tendency toward extraosseous invasion without statistical significance. HCC showed a characteristic enhancement pattern of 'worms-in-a-bag'. Rim enhancement with a sclerotic center was only seen in spinal metastases from stomach cancer. Conclusion: Despite many overlapping imaging features, spinal metastases of various primary tumors display some characteristic MRI findings that can help identify the primary cancer.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2133-2141
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• 2012

The Purpose of this study was to report magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) changes of six cases of Lumbar herniated disc which was treated with spinal decompression therapy, oriental medical therapy. 'Disc heights' were measured on sagittal view of $T_2$-weighted MRI. Size of the herniated disc was measured by MRI and 'disc herniations index'. The grading system and algorithm for 'disc degeneration' were based on MRI signal intensity, disc structure, distinction between nucleus and anulus, and disc height. Data for disc height, disc herniations index and disc degeneration grade were collected before and after the treatment together with calculation from the MRI. Case studies were showed that decompression therapy for the herniated disc has an positive effect on disc herniations index, disc regeneration, not disc heights. The clinical evidence for the use of decompression in herniated disc remains inconclusive because of limited researches. Further trials, which give attention to these areas, are needed before any firm conclusions may be made.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 1998

In magnetic resonance imaging, the fast spin echo imaging technique is a widely used clinical imaging method. since its scanning time is much shorter than the conventional spin echo imaging and it gives the almost same image quality. However, the fast spin echo technique has two times longer imaging time for the dual echo acquisition which can obtain a spin density image and a T-give the same qulity images at the single echo imaging time. T he proposed technique reduces the imaging time by overlapping most of were obtained at the 0.3T permanent MRI system are presented.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.60-65
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• 2014

Purpose: To diagnose soft tissue tumor, such as lipoma and Schwannoma, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is sufficient in most cases. However, various characteristics are found in MRI images of Schwannoma, thus other type of tumors are often misdiagnosed as Schwannoma with MRI images. In this study, we evaluate the diagnostic value of specific MRI findings of Schwannoma. Materials and Methods: From January 2002 to May 2013, 104 patients who are suspected as Schwannoma rith MRI images are included in data, and the final diagnosis is confirmed with biopsy. Patients are divided into group 1 and group 2 who are confirmed as Schwannoma and other disease with biopsy, respectively. Results: 92 patients were diagnosed as Schwannoma (group 1) and 12 patients were diagnosed as other disease (group 2). We investigate the diagnostic value of specific MRI findings of Schwannoma. 41 patients of group 1 (45%) and 0 patients of group 2 (0%) showed target sign, 47 patients of group 1 (51%) and 2 patients of group 2 (17%) showed fascicular sign, 44 patients of group 1 (48%) and 5 patients of group 2 (42%) showed fat split sign, 28 patients of group 1 (30%) and 1 patients of group 2(9%) showed nerve entering and exiting sign, and 8 patients of group 1 (9%) and 6 patients of group 2 (50%) showed none of four specific findings on their MRI images. 52 patients of group 1 (57%) and 5 patients of group 2 (42%) have tumors on the pathway of nerve. Target sign could be considered as the best diagnostic value of the sign we investigate (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although specific MRI findings have powerful diagnostic value, patients are often misdiagnosed as Schwannoma with MRI findings. Therefore, if patients who are suspected as Schwannoma based on MRI findings have no target sign on their MRI images, we should consider the possibility of other disease.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 1997

MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) is very useful to visualize the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury of the knee. Differential features of ACL injury at MRI according to acute and chronic stage should be evaluated to enable accurate assessment of the integrity or ACL. Distinguishing features of normal anatomy. acute and chronic injuries or ACL at MRI will be reviewed.