• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.4380-4386
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• 2014

This study was conducted to minimize the imaging distortion by reducing the differences in susceptibility between the tissue and air surrounding it while performing a thyroid diffusion imaging procedure. The study group was composed of 23 healthy adults. Thyroids with many distortions near the air, larynx, and trachea were chosen to test and evaluate the diffusion imaging difference between before and after an application of silicon. As a result, there was reduced distortion with silicon application, and the differences decreased from 30% to 10%. According to One-way ANOVA and Duncan's post-hoc test, there were no significant differences between imaging with a silicon application and T2 imaging of the surface area, which was the standard image. In conclusion, this study presented a radical improvement in reducing the distortions in imaging by compensating for an uneven tissue surface near air without affecting the magnetic resonance contrast and complicating the imaging processes.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.120-132
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• 2014

Purpose : To compare dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) for the differentiation of tumor recurrence and delayed radiation therapy (RT)-related changes in patients treated with RT for primary brain tumors. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 24 patients treated with RT for various primary brain tumors, who showed newly appearing enhancing lesions more than one year after completion of RT on follow-up MRI. The enhancing-lesions were confirmed as recurrences (n=14) or RT-changes (n=10). We calculated the mean values of normalized cerebral blood volume (nCBV), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and proportion of dark signal intensity on SWI (proSWI) for the enhancing-lesions. All the values between the two groups were compared using t-test. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the best predictor of differential diagnosis. The cutoff value of the best predictor obtained from receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was applied to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis. Results: The mean nCBV value was significantly higher in the recurrence group than in the RT-change group (P=.004), and the mean proSWI was significantly lower in the recurrence group (P<.001). However, no significant difference was observed in the mean ADC values between the two groups. A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that proSWI was the only independent variable for the differentiation; the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 78.6% (11 of 14), 100% (10 of 10), and 87.5% (21 of 24), respectively. Conclusion: The proSWI was the most promising parameter for the differentiation of newly developed enhancing-lesions more than one year after RT completion in brain tumor patients.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.437-442
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• 2017

Previously, studies on compensation material to increase the signal intensity have been conducted which does not affect the reading of images. However, the compensation material has a concern on patient infection as it is attached directly on the skin. Therefore, in this study, we tested an indirect attachment of the compensation material as an alternative method of the direct attachment. The silicon compensation material was fabricated in the form of a cylindrical bar and attached to each element of the 8 channel head coil. Then the signal intensities of the water phantom pre and post application of the silicon were measured. T1 and T2-weighted images were acquired using an 8-channel head coil and a 3.0T superconducting MRI. Signal intensities were measured by using an image measuring program. Paired t-test was used to verify if there were significant differences. The signal intensity before application of the silicon was significantly increased by 3.39% and 2.62% in T1 and T2 weighted images, respectively. Although the indirect attachment method had a limitation to completely replace the existing method, it was considered to be useful in patients with infectious diseases such as diabetic complications since it had a meaningful improvement in signal intensity based on the filling factor increase.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2016

Single-shot echo planar imaging(SS-EPI) is well established as high sensitivity for ischemic stroke. However, it is prone to susceptibility artifact in brain stem that diminish the image quality. single-shot turbo spin echo(SS-TSE) is a new DWI technique that can reduce susceptibility artifact. Thus, this research was conducted so as to reduce geometric distortion in brain stem by using single-shot turbo spin echo technique. Thirty patients without brain disease underwent diffusion MR on a 3T scanner with SS-EPI and SS-TSE. Obtained images with both sequences were analyzed for geometric distortion and error percentage as well. Image quality in terms of geometric distortion of SS-TSE were found to be significantly better than those for SS-EPI. And error percentage was considerably reduced for 2.4% of b0 image(from 11.1% to 8.7%), 1.2% of b1000 image(from 11.4% to 10.1%), respectively. In summary, diffusion MR using SS-TSE significantly reduce geometric distortion compared to SS-EPI in brain stem and may provide improved diagnostic performance.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.275-282
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• 2013

In medical image processing field, object recognition is usually carried out by computerized processing of various input information such as brightness, shape, and pattern. If the information mentioned does not make sense, however, many limitations could occur with object recognition during computer processing. Therefore, this paper suggests effective object recognition method based on the magnetic resonance (MR) theory to resolve the basic limitations in computer processing. We propose the efficient method of robust gray-white matter segmentation by texture analysis through the Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) for contrast enhancement. As a result, an average area difference of 5.2%, which was higher than the accuracy of conventional region segmentation algorithm, was obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.6
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• pp.1367-1372
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• 2023

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare vasculitis in the central nervous system. Herein, we report a case of diagnosis and treatment of necrotic pattern PACNS, which was difficult to differentiate from a brain abscess. A 19-year-old male presented with blurred vision and a headache. Brain MRI revealed irregular rim-enhancing necrotic masses with central diffusion-high signal intensity in the corpus callosum and peripheral diffusion-high signal intensity in the left parietotemporal periventricular area. Susceptibility-weighted imaging revealed multiple punctate hemorrhages in the lesions. The patient was diagnosed with unusual abscess or tumefactive PACNS. Therefore, we initially treated the patient with antibiotics to rule out brain abscess. However, the brain lesions did not improve on follow-up MRI after the antibiotic treatment. Surgical biopsy was performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was PACNS with a necrotic pattern. The necrotic lesions became smaller on follow-up MRI after high-dose corticosteroid treatment.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.323-331
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• 2011

We evaluated clinical usefulness of Arterial spin labeling perfusion MR imaging on the acute ischemic cerebral infarction patients through this study. We compared 22 patients who were done with DSC imaging and ASL imaging in admitted emergency room with acute ischemic cerebral infarction, with 36 normal comparison persons (DSC image on 21persons, ASL images on 15persons). Siemens Magnetom Verio 3.0T with 12 channel head coil was used for this study. DSC image obtained 4 maps(rCBV, rCBF, rMTT, TTP) through post-processing. For qualitative analysis we compared the area of lesion macro-diagonal with the size of diffusion weighted MR image for rMTT, TTP, rCBF, rCBV, ASL maps. For Quantitative analysis we analyzed significant correlations between less than 3 cm infarction group and normal comparison group using mean relative value of flowing image with Mann-Whitney U test. TTP(95.5%) and rCBF(95.5%) maps showed high recognition rate in qualitative analysis for >3cm infarction group. The rCBF and rCBV map tests were highly related with final stage stroke areas. Mean relative value of infarction group showed a significant correlations in quantitative analysis(p<0.05). As a conclusion, arterial spin labeling image showed high lesion recognition rate in the >3cm infarction group. Mean relative values in quantitative evaluation were used for reference data. If we do more sustainable researches, ASL image will be useful for an early diagnosis of cerebral infarction, determination of the range of ischemic pneumbra and effective treatments.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 1994

After proving home-made imaging pulse sequences including tailored RF pulse by phantom, susceptibility-contrast-enhanced MR venograms of cat brain were obtained using tailored RF gradient-echo(TRGE) method. Sagittal MR imaging of the cat brain obtained by TRGE technique shows several veins, for example, dorsal sagittal sinus, straight sinus, vein of corpus callosum and internal cerebral vein, etc., compared with cats anatomical figure. Tailored RF waveform was generated by PASCAL language in ASPECT 3000 computer(Switzland, Bruker). Rectangular-shaped slice profile with bi-linear ramp function as phase distribution in the slice, at which maximum value was 2$\pi$, was fourier transformed to make tailored RF pulse. Experimental MR imaging parameters were TR/TE=205/10 msec, slice thickness TH=7mm, maxtrix size=256$\times$256, in-plane resolution=0.62$\times$0.31mm$^2$, and field of view(FOV)=8cm for both conventional gradient-echo(GE) imaging and TRGE imaging techniques.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1992 no.05
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• pp.85-91
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• 1992

In MRI, an image contrast can be developed as a result of the susceptibility effect if an object has paramagnetic substances. This is mainly due to the non-uniform phase distribution or linear gradient developed by the magnetic susceptibility within a voxel, which in turn reduces the signal intensity; e.g., spin phases are dephased and thereby cancel each other resulting in a reduced signal. In this paper, a new concept for manipulating the susceptibility effect through the use of tailored RF pulses is proposed. As potential applications of the method, two different types of tailored RF pulses are introduced: one for susceptibility artifact correction and the other for contrast enhancement. The latter, for example, can be applied to angiography utilizing the paramagnetic property of deoxygenated blood. Both a theoretical study of the method and experimental results are reported.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.4704-4710
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to obtain a useful diagnostic image by increasing the signal strength of the peripheral artery, was to use a T1 shortening effect of gadolinium contrast agents to improve the disadvantages of the phase image. From october to december 2014 thirty patients were underwent the MRI scanning, except for heart disease. Research method was evaluated comparing the image after gadolinium contrast MR image acquisition step before evaluating the difference between the signal intensity for T1 shortening effect. In frontal lobe 19.45%, temporal lobe 23.09%, occipital lobe 25.45%, parietal lobe 18.82%, cerebellum 20.93% after peripheral arterial signal strength results of gadolinium contrast agent injection was increased significantly after injection of gadolinium both statistically significant. After injecting a contrast agent gadolinium in SWI by increasing the signal strength of the T1 shortening effect can be obtained when using the phase image to give a useful image in diagnosis and treatment.