• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.985-991
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• 2023

A tissue-equivalent phantom is necessary for quality control of hyperthermia therapy. However, since there is no phantom for this purpose, phantoms made from agar are being used in various studies. The tissue-equivalent properties of the agar phantom were confirmed by comparison with the tissue-equivalent material bolus in this study. CT images of the agar phantom and bolus were acquired, and tissue equivalent characteristics were analyzed with image analysis and dose calculation using a computerized radiation therapy planning system. The average pixel value was 96.960±10.999 in bolus, 108.559±8.233 in 3% agar phantom, and 111.844±8.651 in 4% agar phantom. Using the SSD technique, 100 cGy was prescribed at a depth of 1.5 cm and 6 MV X -ray was set to irradiated to 10x10 cm2, and the absorbed dose according to depth was calculated from the central axis of the beam. The intraclass correlation coefficient of dose distribution of bolus, 3% agar phantom, and 4% agar phantom was 0.979 (p<.001, 95%CI .957-.991). The density (g/cm3) at the point where the absorbed dose was calculated was 0.990±0.020 at the bolus, 1.018±0.020 at the 3% agar phantom, and 1.035±0.024 at the 4% agar phantom. In this study, the internal density distribution and uniformity of the agar phantom were confirmed to be appropriate as a tissue equivalent material by analysis of CT images and a computerized radiation therapy planning system.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.10b
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• pp.484-485
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• 2008

초음파는 의학적 진단 및 치료의 목적으로 널리 사용되어 왔다. 일반적으로, 초음파 조사의 생물학적 무해성은 많은 연구를 통하여 보고되었으나, 최근 초음파 집속을 통한 강력 초음파의 사용에 대한 열적 안전성 평가가 중요한 요소로 대두되고 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 강력 집속 초음파의 전달 에너지와 열적 분포를 측정하여 안전성 평가에 활용 가능한 초음파 열분포 팬텀을 제안하였다. 온도 분포 측정용 팬텀은 초음파 조직유사 팬텀 재료인 한천을 이용하였으며, 음향학적 특성의 유사성을 평가하였다. 온도 효과를 측정하기 위하여 $3{\times}3$의 형태로 온도 센서를 팬텀 내부에 배열하여 초음파 조사에 따른 온도 분포를 측정하였고 온도 측정을 위한 시스템을 개발하여, 초음파 가열 실험을 수행하였다. 본 연구에서 제안된 초음파 온도 분포 측정용 팬텀의 유용성을 확인하였으며, 온도 분포용 팬텀을 통한 강력 집속 초음파 장비의 열적 성능 평가에 적용 될 수 있을 것으로 사료되었다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.919-927
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• 2023

Elastography utilizes the fact that the tissue of a malignant tumor is harder than that of a benign tumor and increases the specificity of diagnosis according to the elastic modulus of the tumor, helping to reduce unnecessary biopsies. However, the reliability of elastography can be influenced by the equipment used and the examiner's skills. In this study, the researchers analyzed the reproducibility of elastography by evaluating phantom images when measuring the elasticity values repeatedly. Phantoms were created using silicone and gelatin with different levels of stiffness, and they were inserted at varying depths from the surface. The elasticity values were measured using shear wave elastography. The study aimed to determine whether the reproducibility of elasticity values remains consistent depending on the stiffness and depth of the lesions. The experimental results showed that there was no statistically significant correlation between the elasticity values obtained through shear wave elastography and the depth or stiffness of the lesions. However, in the lesions with the lowest stiffness, the elasticity values were statistically significant (p<0.001) and showed a high correlation with the depth of the lesions. Although there were variations in the measured elasticity values based on the differences in lesion stiffness and depth, these differences did not significantly impact the diagnosis. Therefore, shear wave elastography remains a reliable diagnostic method, and it is suggested that it can be helpful in the diagnosis of breast lesions.

• 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 Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.33-40
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• 1982

Although ultrasonic CT is one of the useful techniques for tissue characterization, the reconstructed images, such as the velocity distribution and attenuation constant distribution, are degraded by reflection and refraction of ultrasonic beam. This paper studied the degradation effects on attenuation images using agar gel phantoms which were developed to evaluate ultrasonic CT. We found that the reconstructed attenuation constants at the center of the phantoms were less than the actual values by 0.6 dB/cm when phantom velocity differs by 25 m/s from surrounding saline. We also studied a correction method for refraction and phase cancellation effects, where the correction was made using the maximum value in the received subdata, as obtained by sub-arraying microprobes located at each sampling point. Using this method, we could obtain an improvement in the reconstructed image by the correction on the attenuation effect.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.52-52
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• 2003

악성종양을 치료하는 방법중 방사선과 온열요법은 가장 강력한 치료방법으로 연구되어왔으며 이를 병용함으로 서 상승효과를 얻을 수 있다. 인체조직에 41$^{\circ}C$ 이상의 열을 가하면 세포질의 단백질변성으로 세포에 손상을 주어 세포가 사멸하게 되며 세포의 생존율은 가열시간 즉 열량에 따라 지수적으로 감소한다. 온열은 세포주기중 방사선 저항성이 매우 큰 DNA 합성시기와 산도가 높을 때 감수성이 매우 크기 때문에 방사선과 병용요법은 상호 상승효과를 가져온다. 이와 같이 온열을 이용한 악성종양의 치료가능성은 생물학적 기초연구와 임상시험에서 경이적인 효과를 얻을 수 있었으나 아직 까지 가열방법과 온도분포측정이 큰 과제로 남아있으며 주위건강조직의 가열을 피하면서 인체 깊은 곳에 존재하는 종양에만 집중 가열하는 방법인 삽입형 온열치료방법에 대한 연구가 집중되었다. 한편 방사선 치료방법은 주위 건강조직의 피폭을 최소로 줄이고 종양에만 집중 조사가 요구되며 자궁암, 유방암, 뇌암등 부피가 작고 집중적 치료를 요하는 종양은 방사성동위원소를 이용한 근접 삽입치료 (Brachyradiotherapy)가 큰 효과를 나타내고 있다 방사선과 온열의 병행 치료를 위하여 방사선 삽입 치료에 사용한 선원 삽입관을 그대로 두고 삽입관 속에 방사성 동위원소 대신 온열 전극을 넣어 열을 가하는 방사선 온열 병용치료방법을 고안하였으며 방사선과 온열병용에 사용할 최적 삽입관의 제작과 이에 따른 온도분포의 측정과 최적삽입방법을 결정하였다. 방사선 삽입치료용 폴리에찌렌 삽입관의 외부에 금박을 입혀 라디오파 첨극을 삽입할 때 서로 연결되도록 고안 제작함으로서 방사선 삽입치료와 자입식 온열치료를 동시에 만족하게 수행할 수 있는 병용삽입관 (Flexible thermoradiotherapy probes)을 제작하였다. 전도율이 큰 금박부위가 직접 조직에 접촉됨으로 라디오파의 전달이 용이하며 금박의 길이를 2 cm 에서 5 cm 로 구분제작 함으로서 종양의 크기와 모양에 따라 선택할 수 있도록 하였다. 라디오파를 이용한 온열분포의 측정은 인체조직과 전기적 특성이 비슷한 물질인 한천 팬텀 제작하여 사용하였으며 온도분포 측정은 열전대와 서머그람으로 시행하였다. 생체조직 내에서의 온도분포와 온열효과를 관찰하기 위하여 직접 개의 뇌를 이용하여 시행하였으며 4 개의 전극을 이용하여 43$^{\circ}C$로 50분간 가열하고 일주일후 개를 회생시켜 개 뇌에 대한 조직학적 검사를 시행하였다. 한편 팬텀 표면에서 중앙부로 안테나 길이가 2 cm 인 4 개의 전극을 1 cm 간격으로 정사각형이 되도록 삽입하여 가열하였을 때 90% 등온곡선이 반경 1.25의 원형으로 균일하게 분포되었고 종단면상 삽입관의 길이에 따라 균일한 온도분포가 이루어졌다. 전극을 2 cm 간격으로 삽일 하였을 때 90% 등온곡선이 1.75 반경으로 거의 4 각형의 균일한 분포를 얻었으나 전극의 간격이 증가하면 전도율이 떨어져서 전극 중심부에 불균일한 온도분포를 형성하였다. 동물실험에서 정상 개의 뇌 실질에 자입하여 직접 정방형의 중심을 43$^{\circ}C$로 유지하며 50분간 온열 요법을 시행한 후 관찰한 조직병리학적 소견은 liquefactive necrosis, pyknosis of neuronal element 및 polymorphonuclear leukocytes들의 회백질에서 급성기에 관찰되었고 liquefactive necrosis 주위에 lipid-laden macrophage들이 관찰됨이 공통적인 특정이었으며 후기변화로 괴사조직 주위로 신경교세포의 증식이 관찰되었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.85-87
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• 2004

We fabricated flexible thermoradiotherapy probes to alternated combination with Interstitial hyperthermia and Brachyradiotherapy thermoradiotherapy probe was coated by gold plate on polyethylene brachytherapy probe. When Agar phantom was heated 15 minute with 30 W radiofrequency power, temperature increased as 5oC for polyethylene probe and 20oC for gold coated polyethylene probe. We observed that the 1 cm square array would heat a volume with a 1.25 cm radius circular field cross section to therapeutic temperatures (90% relative SAR using Tm) and the 2 cm square array with a 1.75 cm radius rectangular field with central inhomogeneity. With 2 cm long electrode implants, we observed that the 1 cm square array would heat a 3 cm long sagittal section to therapeutic temperature (90% relative SAR using Tm). The histopathological changes associated with RF heating of normal canine brains have been correlated with thermal distributions. RF needle electrode heating was applied for 50 min to generate tissue temperatures of 43${\circ}$C. We obtained a quarter of the heated tissue material immediately after heating and sacrificed at intervals from 7${\sim}$30 days. The acute stage was demonstrated by liquefactive necrosis, pyknosis of neuronal element in the gray matter. Mild gliosis occurring around the necrosis was demonstrated in the last sacrificed (days30)canine brain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.23-26
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• 2009

This study proposed an improved center array-sequencing phase unwrapping (ICASPU) algorithm. 2% agarose phantom dopped with 0.6mM/l MnCl2 was used with clinical 1.5T MRI system and commercial knee coil. Obtained k-space data(raw-data) was transmitted to PC and reconstructed into phase image with MATLAB software. Previous center array-sequence phase unwrapping algorithm wascompared with proposed ICASP algorithm using second order regression analysis. As a result, we found that the amount of error on proposed ICASPU method is less about 5 times than that of previous CASPU method. In this study, we exploit improved Center array-sequence phase unwrapping algorithm and expect to apply to images including phase informations.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1987

Hypertermia for the treatment of cancer has been introduced for a long time and the biological effect for the use of hyperthermia to treat malignant tumors has been well established and encouraging clinical results have been obserbed. Unfortunately, however, the engineering or technical aspects of hyperthermia for the deep seated tumors has not been satisfactory. We developed the radiofrequency capactive hyperthermia device (Greenytherm-GY8) in cooperation with Yonsei Cancer Center and Green Cross Medical Corporation. It was composed with $8{\sim}10MHz$ RF generator, capacitive electrode, matching system, cooling system, temperature measuring system and control PC computer. The thermal profile was investigated in agar phantom, animals and in human tumors, heated with capactivie RF device. Deep and homogeneous heating could be achieved in a large phantom of 25cm diameter and 19cm thick when heated with a pair of 23cm diameter electrodes, coupled to both bases of the phantom, when the size of the two electrodes was not the same, the region near the smaller electrode was preferentially heated. It was, therefore, possible to control the depth of heating by choosing proper size of electrodes. Therapeutic temperature $(42^{\circ}C{\sim}43^{\circ}C)$ could be obtained in the living animal experiments. Indications are that deep heating of humn tumors might be achieved with the capacitive method, provided that subcutaenous fat layer is cooled by temperature controlled bolus and large size of electrodes.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

Purpose : This study proposes the keyhole method in order to improve the time resolution of the proton resonance frequency(PRF) MR temperature monitoring technique. The values of Root Mean Square (RMS) error of measured temperature value and Signal-to-Noise Ratio(SNR) obtained from the keyhole and full phase encoded temperature images were compared. Materials and Methods : The PRF method combined with GRE sequence was used to get MR temperature images using a clinical 1.5T MR scanner. It was conducted on the tissue-mimic 2% agarose gel phantom and swine's hock tissue. A MR compatible coaxial slot antenna driven by microwave power generator at 2.45GHz was used to heat the object in the magnetic bore for 5 minutes followed by a sequential acquisition of MR raw data during 10 minutes of cooling period. The acquired raw data were transferred to PC after then the keyhole images were reconstructed by taking the central part of K-space data with 128, 64, 32 and 16 phase encoding lines while the remaining peripheral parts were taken from the 1st reference raw data. The RMS errors were compared with the 256 full encoded self-reference temperature image while the SNR values were compared with the zero filling images. Results : As phase encoding number at the center part on the keyhole temperature images decreased to 128, 64, 32 and 16, the RMS errors of the measured temperature increased to 0.538, 0.712, 0.768 and 0.845$^{\circ}C$, meanwhile SNR values were maintained as the phase encoding number of keyhole part is reduced. Conclusion : This study shows that the keyhole technique is successfully applied to temperature monitoring procedure to increases the temporal resolution by standardizing the matrix size, thus maintained the SNR values. In future, it is expected to implement the MR real time thermal imaging using keyhole method which is able to reduce the scan time with minimal thermal variations.