• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.236-240
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• 2017

In this paper, we investigate the thermal response of skin tissue to high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) by means of infrared (IR) thermal imaging. For skin tightening, a 7-MHz ultrasound transducer is used to induce irreversible tissue coagulation in porcine skin. An IR camera is employed to monitor spatiotemporal changes of the temperature in the tissue. The maximum temperature in the tissue increased linearly with applied energy, up to $90^{\circ}C$. The extent of irreversible tissue coagulation (up to 3.2 mm in width) corresponds well to the spatial distribution of the temperature during HIFU sonication. Histological analysis confirms that the temperature beyond the coagulation threshold (${\sim}65^{\circ}C$) delineates the margin of collagen denaturation in the tissue. IR thermal imaging can be a feasible method for quantifying the degree of thermal coagulation in HIFU-induced skin treatment.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2020

In High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, effective localization of HIFU focus is important for developing a safe treatment plan. While Magnetic Resonance Imaging guided HIFU (MRIgHIFU) can visualize the ultrasound path during the treatment for localizing HIFU focus, it is challenging in ultrasound imaging guided HIFU (USIgHIFU). In the present study, a real-time ultrasound beam visualization technique capable of localizing HIFU focus is presented for USIgHIFU. In the proposed method, a short pulse, with the same center frequency of an imaging ultrasound transducer below the regulated acoustic intensity (i.e., Ispta < 720 mW/㎠), was transmitted through a HIFU transducer whereupon backscattered signals were received by the imaging transducer. To visualize the HIFU beam path, the backscattered signals underwent dynamic receive focusing and subsequent echo processing. From in vitro experiments with bovine serum albumin gel phantoms, the HIFU beam path was clearly depicted with low acoustic intensity (i.e., Ispta of 94.8 mW/㎠) and the HIFU focus was successfully localized before any damages were produced. This result indicates that the proposed ultrasound beam path visualization method can be used for localizing the HIFU focus in real time while minimizing unwanted tissue damage in USIgHIFU treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.437-443
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• 2010

In recent years, as nano scale structured thin film technology has emerged in various fields such as the materials, biomedical and acoustic sciences, the quantitative nondestructive adhesion evaluation of thin film interfaces using ultra high frequency scanning acoustic microscopy(SAM) has become an important issue in terms of the longevity and durability of thin film devices. In this study, an effective technique for investigating the interfaces of nano scale structured thin film systems is described, based on the focusing of ultrasonic waves, the generation of leaky surface acoustic waves(LSAWs), V(z) curve simulation and ultra high frequency acoustical imaging_ Computer simulations of the V(z) curve were performed to estimate the sensitivity of detection of micro flaws(i.e., delamination) in a thin film system. Finally, experiments were conducted to confirm that a SAM system operating at a frequency of 1 GHz can be useful to visualize the micro flaws in nano structured thin film systems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2018

For the measurement of biophysical properties related with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), various microfluidic devices were proposed. However, many devices were monitored by optical equipment. Ultrasound measurement to quantify the biophysical properties can provide new insights to understand the cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to check feasibility of microfluidic device for ultrasound image analysis based on 3D printer. To facilitate acoustic transmission, agarose solution is poured around 3D mold connected with holes of the acrylic box. By applying speckle image velocimetry(SIV) technique, flow information in the bifurcated channel was estimated. Considering that ultrasound signal amplitude is determined by red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, RBC aggregation in the bifurcated channel can be estimated through the analysis of ultrasound signal. As examples of microfluidic device which mimic the CVD model, velocity fields in microfluidic devices with stenosis and aneurysm were introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.466-471
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• 2011

Optical coherence tomography(OCT) is an emerging medical diagnostic tool that draws great attention in medical and biological fields. It has a 10-100 times higher spatial resolution than that of the clinical ultrasound but lower imaging depth such as 1-2 mm. In order to image internal organs, OCT needs an endoscopic probe. In this paper, the principle of Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography with high-speed imaging capability was introduced. An OCT endoscope based on MEMS technology was developed. It was attached to the Fourier-domain OCT system to acquire three-dimensional tomographic images of gastrointestinal tract of New Zealand white rabbit. The endoscope had a two-axis scanning mirror that was driven by electrostatic force. The mirror stirred an incident light to sweep two-dimensional plane by scanning. The outer diameter of the endoscope was 6 mm and the mirror diameter was 1.2 mm. A three-dimensional image rendered by 200 two-dimensional tomographs with $200{\times}500$ pixels was displayed within 3.5 seconds. The spatial resolution of the OCT system was 8 ${\mu}m$ in air.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.899-909
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• 2021

In Musculoskeletal ultrasound examination, a linear transducer (12-5 MHz) with a contact surface length of 6 cm, which is commonly distributed in medical institutions, does not contact with bent fingers and wrist depressions only by using a conventional liquid ultrasound gel, which causes image loss. In order to solve this image loss, the use of commercially available Water gel pad is increasing. However, it is a disposable medical product. Repeated use is prohibited and expensive. In this study, in order to reduce the economic burden caused by the use of the commercialized Water gel Pad, we searched for water-soluble food thickener powder that can be easily purchased around our lives and manufactured Gel pads. Among them, kappa-Carrageenan Gel Pad, iota-Carrageenan Gel Pad, and Agar-Agar Gel Pad satisfied the evaluation criteria without artifacts in image evaluation using the N-365 Multipurpose Phantom. Also, the price to purchase the food thickener powder was about 38 times cheaper than the existing commercialized Water gel pad. As a result, if you use the food thickener powder such as kappa-Carrageenan, iota-Carrageenan and Agar-Agar to make solidified elastic Gel pad without a cover instead of the commercially available expensive disposable Water gel pad, the convenience and usefulness of use are improved. It is judged that the manufactured Gel pads can contribute well to the role of efficient ultrasound propagation medium.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.444-449
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• 2022

Most cardiac tumors are metastases, and primary cardiac tumors are rare; even among primary cardiac tumors, primary cardiac neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of a patient presenting a left atrial mass without past medical history. Because of the location and movement of the mass, as well as the patient's cerebral infarction episode, the mass was initially suspected to be a thrombus. However, the mass was surgically diagnosed as NET.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.48-58
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• 2019

We investigate the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of time-domain (i.e. pulsed illumination) and frequency-domain (i.e. chirped illumination) photoacoustic signals measured by a spherically focused ultrasound transducer for spherical absorbers. The simulation results show that the time-domain photoacoustic SNR is higher than that of frequency-domain photoacoustic signals, as reported in the previous literature. We understand the reason for this SNR gap between the two measurement modes by analyzing photoacoustic-signal spectra, considering the incident beam energy controlled by the maximum permissible exposure. As the result of this approach, we find that filtering off the DC term in the chirped signal's spectrum improves frequency-domain photoacoustic SNRs by up to approximately 5 dB. In particular, it is observed that photoacoustic SNRs are highly sensitive to an upper-frequency value of frequency filtering functions, and the optimal upper-frequency values maximizing the SNR are different in time- and frequency-domain photoacoustic measurements.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.1523-1528
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• 2020

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly that can be difficult to detect and often remains undiagnosed. PAPVR is diagnosed using non-invasive imaging techniques such as echocardiography, CT, and MRI. Image data are reviewed on a 2-dimensional (D) monitor, which may not facilitate a good understanding of the complex 3D heart structure. In recent years, 3D printing technology, which allows the creation of physical cardiac models using source image datasets obtained from cardiac CT or MRI, has been increasingly used in the medical field. We report a case involving a 3D-printed model of PAPVR with a biatrial connection. This model demonstrated separate drainages of the right upper and middle pulmonary veins into the lower superior vena cava (SVC) and the junction between the SVC and the right atrium, respectively, with biatrial communication through the right middle pulmonary vein.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

The chest wall, an organ directly affected by environmental particles through respiration, consists of ribs, a pleural layer and intercostal muscles. To diagnose early and treat disease in this body part, it is important to visualize the details of the chest wall, but the structure of the pleural layer cannot be seen by chest computed tomography or ultrasound. On the other hand, optical coherence tomography (OCT), with a high spatial resolution, is suited to observe pleural-layer response to talc, one of the fine materials. However, intensity-based OCT is weak in providing information to distinguish the detailed structure of the chest wall, and cannot distinguish the reaction of the pleural layer from the change in the muscle by the talc. Polarization-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) takes advantage of the fact that specific tissues like muscle, which have optical birefringence, change the backscattered light's polarization state. Moreover, the birefringence of muscle associated with the arrangement of myofilaments indicates the muscle's condition, by measuring retardation change. The PS-OCT image is interpreted from three major perspectives for talc-exposure chest-wall imaging: a thickened pleural layer, a separation between pleural layer and muscle, and a phase-retardation measurement around lesions. In this paper, a rabbit chest wall after talc pleurodesis is investigated by PS-OCT. The PS-OCT images visualize the pleural layer and muscle, respectively, and this system shows different birefringence of normal and damaged lesions. Also, an analyisis based on phase-retardation slope supports results from the PS-OCT image and histology.