• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.31-42
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• 2009

Purpose: As the number of domestic medical institutions installing PET/CT is increasing rapidly, the transfer of PET/CT images among medical institutions is also increasing. Thus, it is necessary to collect the comparative SUV data from several medical institutions' PET/CT systems through a phantom study which semi-quantitatively compares the SUV on one bed, the change scale of the SUV on the slices, and the time of measuring. The phantom study to find differences among the SUVs from various PET/CT offers the opportunity to obtain the reliability of the SUV in PET/CT images. Materials and Methods: Ten PET/CT systems from medical institutions in Korea were used. To obtain the accurate data, the study has been using the radiation detector of Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science to verify. The internal structures of NEMA $phantom^{TM}$ were removed and Six thousand milliliters of distilled water which has 1mCi of $^{18}F$-FDG put into the phantom. The water was properly integrated with $^{18}F$-FDG using magnetic stirrer. The images were acquired at 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120-minutes for 3 minute each. Two hundred square centimeters of region of interests were placed and analyzed. To confirm the usefulness, the correction-table came out from patients' data. Results: The coefficient of variability of the SUV from -11.0 to 9.90 % fell into the range of international standards(${\pm}10%$) along with the SUV on a bed, the change scale of the SUV on the slices, and the time of measuring, except one PET/CT system. Using the data of the differences among the SUVs, we came to withdraw the correction-table ranging from 0.803 to 1.246. The correction-table was confirmed its usefulness through Linear Regression Analysis which was applied to normal cases. Conclusions: Although studies have been made on the variation of the SUV, there is little attention on the standardization of the SUV. Based on this study of the quantitatively comparable data about the SUV accommodating the correction-table, it would help to have more corrective diagnosis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.42-54
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• 2014

This study was conducted to identify landscaping elements such as location, situation and feng shui included in the spatiality of Jangseong Pilmaseowon and to interpret aesthetic features of visual-perceptual spatial composition according to its arrangement. As it is shown in 'Pilamseowon', 'Pilbongseowon', and 'Gimhaseoseowon' appearing in antique maps, the awareness considering 'Pilam' as 'Pilbong' and 'Gimhaseo' was revealed. Mountain Pilamsan[Mountain Munpilsan] which is the location of seowon and Pilam(Brush-shaped rock) is the core of establishment of location identity of Pilamseowon and the symbol of Haseo Kim In-hu, which shows that they are deeply related to Ingeoljiryeong(人傑地靈: 'a place derives reflected glory from an illustrious human') based on connection. Pilamseowon shows locational characteristics of living in stream(溪居) facing panoramic 'jeungsan field' without Ansan(案山). Based on the teachings of Neo-Confucianism, Village Maekdong which is the birth place of Haseo, Pilam, seowon geomancy considering the Danbonghamseo-type(丹鳳含書形) geographical shape, formative reflection, Pilmaseowon and structures revealed in building naming more clearly show symbolic landscaping features resulting from 'theory of 'Heaven-Man Unity'(天人合一)' representing the union of nature and haman, than other seowons. The maximization of centrality through connected yards constructed with the 'jeondang hujae(前堂後齋)' arrangement in the order of Whakyeon-lu, Chenogjeol-dang, Jindeak-jae or Sungui-jae, and Woodong-sa is a unique feature of spatial frame of Pilmaseowon. In addition, it reveals the centrality reinforced with 'the move of inner center through arrangement of Kyeongjang-kag and Kyesengbi inside 'YuSik(遊息)' space and religious space' and the landscaping arrangement of Pilmaseowon from installation and device for reinforcement of territoriality. Moreover, it was found that orders and aesthetic features based on Neo-Confucianism were logically realized in the formation of Pilmaseowon with visual and compositional landscaping arrangement such as 'reinforcement of view centrality through composition of windows and doors', 'securement of visual transparency through framing and duplication', and 'realization of hierarchy through height of jaesil toenmaru'. The meaning system and spatial or visual aesthetic features of Pilmaseowon newly arranged and interpreted through landscaping recomposition is not a coincidental but inevitable result. It is another resource basis and an element that can improve the internal exuberance of Pilamseowon. This landscaping reading study is expected to improve the understanding of landscapes of Pilmaseowon and elevate the sensibility of unrevealed cultural landscapes.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2013

Purpose: Bed, living a long time is required in adult patients with brain lesions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's disease, causing pneumonia and respiratory diseases may be due to aspiration of food or saliva. In patients with recurrent pneumonia or pulmonary symptoms, there is a need to determine the possibility of pulmonary aspiration due to aspiration of saliva. Materials and Methods: Saliva due to aspiration pneumonia diagnosis in patients with brain lesions request for inspection to the Department of Nuclear Medicine, 10 patients (male 6, female 4) were included in this study. Patients were fasted before the test, $^{99m}Tc_{O4}$ 185 MBq (5 mCi) of less than 1 mL of solution was administered in the oral cavity. Administration and 20 minutes of dynamic imaging acquisition, and immediately after that the static images were acquired. Delayed scan after 2-4 hours if necessary. Results: Positivity rate of all 10 patients was 60%. In 4 patients showed positive reactions after the administration of oral cavity in a 20-minute dynamic imaging were able to confirm whether the aspiration. In the remaining 2 patients, four hours of additional delay tests were able to confirm whether the aspiration. Conclusion: Does not require changes in patient posture compared to the other checks that can be diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. A simple test and takes less time. Therefore be useful in providing information for the diagnosis and treatment modality.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2013

Purpose: Currently, decrement revision using LDCT is used in PET/CT. But cold artifacts are often found in decrement revision image by mismatch between LDCT image and Emission image near diaphragm due to patient's respiration. This research studied reduction of cold artifact by patient's respiration using CTAC Shift among revision methods. Materials and Methods: From March to September in 2012, 30 patients who had cold artifacts by respiration were targeted using PET/CT Discovery 600 (GE Healthcare, MI, USA) equipment. Patients with cold artifacts were additionally scan in diaphragm area, and the image shown cold artifacts at whole body test were revised using CTAC Shift. Cold artifacts including image, additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image were evaluated as 1~5 points with naked eye by one nuclear medicine expert, 4 radiotechnologists with over 5 year experience. Also, standard uptake value of 3 images was compared using paired t-test. Results: Additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image received relatively higher score in naked eye evaluation than cold artifacts including image. The additional scan image and CTAC Shift revision image had high correlation as the results of ANOVA test of standard uptake value and did not show significant difference. Conclusion: When cold artifacts are appeared by patient's respiration at PET/CT, it causes not only patient inconvenience but troubles in test schedule due to extra radiation exposure and time consumption by additional scan. But if CTAC Shift revision image can be acquired with out additional scan, it is considered to be helped in exact diagnosis without unnecessary extra radiation exposure and additional scan.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2012

Purpose : Combined MR/PET scanners that use the MRI for PET AC face the challenge of absent surface coils in MR images and thus cannot directly account for attenuation in the coils. To make up for the weak point of MR attenuation correction, Three Modality System (PET/CT +MR) were used in Severance hospital. The goal of this work was to investigate the effects of MR Torso Coil on CT attenuation correction for PET. Materials and Methods : PET artifacts were evaluated when the MR Torso Coil was present of CTAC data with changing various kV and mA in uniformity water phantom and 1994 NEMA cylinderical phantom. They evaluated and compared the following two scenarios: (1) The uniform cylinder phantom and the MR Torso Coil scanned and reconstructed using CT-AC; (2) 1994 NEMA cylinderical phantom and the MR Torso Coil scanned and reconstructed using CT-AC. Results : Streak artifacts were present in CT images containing the MR Torso Coil due to metal components. These artifacts persisted after the CT images were converted for PET-AC. CT scans tended to over-estimate the linear attenuation coefficient when the kV and mA is increasing of the metal components when using conventional methods for converting from CT number. Conclusion : The presence of MR coils during PET/CT scanning can cause subtle artifacts and potentially important quantification errors. Alternative CT techniques that mitigate artifacts should be used to improve AC accuracy. When possible, removing segments of an MR coil prior to the PET/CT exam is recommended. Further, MR coils could be redesigned to reduce artifacts by rearranging placement of the most attenuating materials.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.44-48
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• 2012

Purpose : Arm motion can give rise to striking cold artifact on PET/CT. We investigated that evaluation of scatter-limit correction and correct the patient arm motion artifact in Discovery 600 PET/CT. Materials and Methods : To evaluate a radioactivity uptake (Bq/ml) and a standard uptake value (SUV), the scatter limit correction and scatter correction were compared using 1994 NEMA Phantom$^{TM}$ in Discovery 600 PET/CT (GE Healthcare, Mi, We). Arm motion phantom study was involved a central 20 cm diameter cylinder simulating the neck and 2 peripheral 10 cm diameter cylinders simulating arms. The positions of the arms were altered so as to introduce different amounts of misalignment. The evaluation of arm motion phantom study used the radioactivity uptake and SUV in scatter correction and scatter limit correction. Results : The statistical significance of radioactivity uptake and SUV did not show the differences in comparisons of the scatter limit correction and the scatter correction that not show (p<0.05). Radioactivity uptake of the scatter correction was up to 3.1 kBq/ml in the 0.04 kBq/ml. It was approximately 98.7% undervalued in the arm motion phantom study. However, Radioactivity uptake of the scatter limit correction was up to 3.0 kBq/ml in the 2.11 kBq/ml. It was approximately 30% undervalued in arm motion phantom study. SUV of the scatter correction was 1.05 to 0.006 and underestimated about 98%. However, an applying SUV of the scatter limit correction changed the value as 0.67 which is underestimated about 25%. Radioactivity uptake and SUV of the scatter limit correction was increased approximately 60%, or more than the scatter correction. Conclusion : It is considered that if the patient arm motion artifact was occurred the scatter limit correction will be applicable to give an accurate diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2011

Purpose: Normal pancreas has low uptake rate in $^{18}F$-FDG PET scan. However, it is possible to diagnose malignancy of pancreatic cancer which has high uptake rate. Many studies approve a high prevalence of diabetes in pancreatic cancer and if the blood glucose level (BGL) is over the normal range, FDG uptake will be decreased and there will be inconvenience for patients from the delay time to reduce the high BGL or could cause difficulty to arrange the schedule. Therefore, we studied the relation of BGL and image quality in pancreatic cancer on PET. Materials and Methods: A hundred patients had PET scan. The prevalence of pancreatic cancer and diabetes were evaluated using SPSS ver. 17. The fasting BGL of patients were examined and sorted as diabetes mellitus (DM) group and Non-DM group. For the evaluation, patients were divided into 3 groups (Non-DM, DM; BGL${\geq}7.0mmol/L$, and DM; BGL<7.0 mmol/L). The ROI was drown on Liver and Lung for the PET imaging analysis. Results: Fifty three male and forty seven female were in the patients. The average age was $60.1{\pm}13.5$. There were 36 patients (male: 22, female: 14, 36%) who had pancreatic cancer with DM. There were 15 patients who showed over 7.0 mmol/L in their fasting BGL and 85 patients who showed under 7.0 mmol/L in their fasting BGL. Among the Non-DM, DM; BGL${\geq}7.0mmol/L$, and DM; BGL<7.0 mmol/L, there was not a statistical significance (p>0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of pancreatic cancer was comparatively high in this study. If the fasting BGL was slightly over the normal BGL, we believe it will not give a severe disturbance when the patients have PET scan. Furthermore, the examination schedule doesn't need to change and the inconvenience from the delay of patients preparation will be reduced.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2011

Purpose: It appears the different value when the injection dose is calculating for patients on each PET/CT systems. It directly affects the technologists' radiation exposed dose. We studied the effect of the variable injection doses from several PET/CT systems to exposure dose for technologists. Materials and Methods: Six technologists have worked for 5 months through unit rotations with 3 PET/CT systems {Scanner 1 (S1): 0.15 mCi/kg, Scanner 2 (S2): 0.17 mCi/kg, Scanner 3 (S3): 0.12 mCi/kg}. Eighteen to 19 patients have had examinations per a day on each PET/CT systems. Examination parameters were adjusted to the same. TLDs were used for checking the exposure dose of technologists. Results: Each technologists' the monthly average exposure dose was as follows; S1: 0.76 mSv, S2: 0.93 mSv, S3: 0.47 mSv. The maximum exposure dose was 1.12 mSv, and minimum was 0.42 mSv. The results showed significance in the correlation between the PET/CT system and the exposure dose (p<0.005). Conclusion: When the amount of injection dose was small, the exposure dose was decreased not only the patients but also the technologists. The exposure dose was decreased by the individual proficiency of technologists. However, the low injection dose can highly reduce the exposure dose for technologist so that there will be needed to following studies.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 2008

Purpose: There are various methods to diagnose hemangioma, such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear medicine. However, by development of SPECT imaging, the blood-pool scan using $^{99m}Tc$-labeled red blood cell has been used, because it was non-invasive and the most economical method. Therefore, in this study, we proposed that the usefulness of $^{99m}Tc$-RBC scan and SPECT of the head and neck to diagnose unlocated hemangiomas. Materials and Methods: $^{99m}Tc$-RBC scan and SPECT was performed on 6 patients with doubtful hemangioma (4 person, head; 1 person, neck; 1 person, another). We labeled radiopharmaceutical using modified in vivo method and then, centrifuged it to remove plasma. After a bolus injection of tracer, dynamic perfusion flow images were acquired. Then, anterior, posterior, both lateral static blood-pool images were obtained as early and 4 hours delayed. SPECT was progressed 64 projections per 30 seconds. Each image was interpreted by physicians, Nuclear medicine specialist, and technologist blinded to patient's data. Results: In 5 patients of all the radioactivity of doubtful site didn't change in flow images, but, in blood-pool, delayed and SPECT images, it was increased. So, it was a typical hemangioma finding. The size of lesion was over 2 cm, and it could discriminate as comparing to the delayed and SPECT imaging. On the other hand, in 1 patient, the radioactivity was increased in blood-pool images, but, not in delayed and SPECT images, so, it was proved no hemangioma. Conclusion: Using $^{99m}Tc$-RBC Scan and SPECT, we could diagnose the hemangiomas in head and neck, as well as, liver, more non-invasive, economical, and easy. Therefore, it considered that $^{99m}Tc$-RBC scan and SPECT would offer more useful information for diagnosis of hemangioma, rather than otherimaging such as US, CT, MRI.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2008

Purpose: Whole body imaging with radioiodine can detect functioning metastases. Non-physiologic I-131 uptake detected on images usually is interpreted as suggesting functioning thyroid metastases. However, extra-thyroidal I-131 accumulation does not always imply thyroid cancer metastases and has been reported in many circumstances. In order to avoid unnecessary therapeutic interventions it is important to distinguish false-positive sites of I-131 localization. We study here to remove false-positive sites around esophagus region on I-131 whole body imaging in patients who were administrated thyroidectomy. Materials and Methods: From April to August in 2007, we had the patients who had visited our department after they received thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer. They were given I-131, and performed radioiodine body scan after 41 to 50 hours. Patients were whole-body-scanned for the speed of 8 cm per minute. After that, we took anterior and posterior static images around the patients' neck measured by 300 thousand counts per image. We selected 44 patients who had hot spots around neck region, we divided the patients into two groups. One group was given 0.5 L of water and the other group was given 0.5 L of water with 1 g of Vitamin C dissolved. The patients were asked to drink the fluid for one minute in sitting position and after that, we measured 300 kilo counts per image again. We compared prior anterior, posterior static images with anterior, posterior images after the patients had water or water that Vitamin C resolved. Results: In using water, both observer 1 and 2 interpreted 6 patients were washed out. In the water with Vitamin C resolved, observer 1 and 2 interpreted 9 and 8 patients were washed out. Observer 1 and 2 interpreted 6 and 5 patients had 'indeterminate' when they used water. Both observer 1 and 2 interpreted 6 patients had 'indeterminate' when they used water with Vitamin C resolved. When they used water, observer 1 interpreted 10 patients had 'unchanged' and observer 2 interpreted 11 patients had 'unchanged'. Differently, when they used water with vitamin C resolved, observer1 had 8 patients having 'unchanged'and observer 2 had 9. Conclusion: As a result, by making patients drink 0.5 liter of water which has vitamin C resolved helped getting rid of false-positive sites in esophagus. Therefore, based on this study, we believe that drinking water with vitamin C dissolved is very in terms of reducing false-positive hot spot around the esophagus for the iodine-131 whole body scan.