• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2023

Objective: To compare Octopus multipurpose (MP) electrodes, which are capable of saline instillation and direct tissue temperature measurement, and conventional electrodes for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in porcine livers in vivo. Materials and Methods: Sixteen pigs were used in this study. In the first experiment, RFA was performed in the liver for 6 minutes using Octopus MP electrodes (n = 15 ablation zones) and conventional electrodes (n = 12 ablation zones) to investigate the effect of saline instillation. The ablation energy, electrical impedance, and ablation volume of the two electrodes were compared. In the second experiment, RFA was performed near the gallbladder (GB) and colon using Octopus MP electrodes (n = 12 ablation zones for each) with direct tissue temperature monitoring and conventional electrodes (n = 11 ablation zones for each). RFA was discontinued when the temperature increased to > 60℃ in the Octopus MP electrode group, whereas RFA was performed for a total of 6 minutes in the conventional electrode group. Thermal injury was assessed and compared between the two groups by pathological examination. Results: In the first experiment, the ablation volume and total energy delivered in the Octopus MP electrode group were significantly larger than those in the conventional electrode group (15.7 ± 4.26 cm³ vs. 12.5 ± 2.14 cm³, p = 0.027; 5.48 ± 0.49 Kcal vs. 5.04 ± 0.49 Kcal, p = 0.029). In the second experiment, thermal injury to the GB and colon was less frequently noted in the Octopus MP electrode group than that in the conventional electrode group (16.7% [2/12] vs. 90.9% [10/11] for GB and 8.3% [1/12] vs. 90.9% [10/11] for colon, p < 0.001 for all). The total energy delivered around the GB (2.65 ± 1.07 Kcal vs. 5.04 ± 0.66 Kcal) and colon (2.58 ± 0.57 Kcal vs. 5.17 ± 0.90 Kcal) were significantly lower in the Octopus MP electrode group than that in the conventional electrode group (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusion: RFA using the Octopus MP electrodes induced a larger ablation volume and resulted in less thermal injury to the adjacent organs compared with conventional electrodes.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 2023

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternative treatment for liver cancer to the surgical intervention preferred by surgeons. However, the main challenge remains the use of RF for the ablation of large tumours (i.e., tumours with a diameter of >3 cm). For large tumours, RFA takes a large duration in the ablation process compared with surgery, which increases patient pain. Therefore, RFA for large tumours is not preferred by surgeons. The currently materials used in RF electrodes, such as the nickeltitanium alloy (nitinol), are characterized by low thermal and electrical conductivities. On the other hand, the use of materials that have high thermal and electrical conductivities, such as titanium aluminide alloy (gamma titanium), produces more thermal energy for tumours. In this paper, we developed a cool-tip RF electrode model that uses nickel-titanium alloy and replaced it with titanium aluminide alloy by using the finite element model (FEM). The aim of this paper is to study the effect of the thermal and electrical conductivities of gamma titanium on the ablation volume. Results showed that the proposed design of the electrode increased the ablation rate by 1 cm³ /minute and 6.3 cm³/10 minutes, with a decrease in the required time ablation. Finally, the proposed model reduces the ablation time and damages healthy tissue while increasing the ablation volume from 22.5% cm³ to 62.5% cm³ in ten minutes compared to recent studies.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 2016

Purpose: To determine whether liver stiffness (LS) measured by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can predict the outcome of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 107 patients with Child-Pugh class A liver function who were treated with RFA for single HCC and who had undergone a gradient-echo MRE within 6 months before RFA were included. We evaluated the relationship between the LS values and the ablation volume, local tumor progression (LTP), and intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR). We also constructed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to examine the role of LS in predicting liver function deterioration, which was defined as an increase of Child-Pugh score by one point or more at 1 year after RFA. Results: There was no significant correlation between LS and ablation volume, and neither time to LTP nor IDR was associated with LS. Among the 66 patients who did not have recurrence 1 year after RFA, 5 patients (7.6%) developed liver function deterioration. A high LS value was significantly associated with development of liver function deterioration after RFA and the area under the ROC curve was 0.764 (95% CI 0.598-0.929, P = 0.003). Conclusion: LS measured by MRE could not predict ablation volume and tumor recurrence. However, high LS values were significantly associated with development of liver function deterioration.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.944-950
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• 2021

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of percutaneous microwave ablation in desmoid fibromatosis with respect to tumor volume control and improvement in the quality of life. Materials and Methods: Twelve microwave ablations were performed in 9 patients with a histological diagnosis of desmoid fibromatosis between January 2010 and January 2019. The study population included 6 female and 3 male, with an age range of 21-76 years (mean = 46.6 years; standard deviation [SD] = 19.3 years). The mean major axis of the tumors was 10.9 cm (SD = 5.2 cm) and mean lesion volume was 212.7 cm³ (SD = 213 cm³). Their anatomical distribution was as follows: 3 lesions in the thigh, 2 in the gluteus, 2 in the leg and 2 in the periscapular region. We evaluated the reduction in tumor volume and improvement in the quality of life based on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale. Results: An average tumor volume reduction of 70.4% (SD = 24.9) was achieved, while the quality of life (ECOG scale) improved in 88.9% of patients. Conclusion: Percutaneous microwave ablation may potentially be a safe, effective, and promising technique for controlling tumor volume and improving the quality of life in patients with desmoid fibromatosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2013

Ultra-short laser pulses are effective, when high requirements concerning accuracy, surface roughness and heat affected zone are demanded for surface structuring. In particular, picosecond laser systems that are suited to be operated in industrial environments are of great interest for many practical applications. This paper focused on inducing optimum process parameters for higher volume ablation rate by analyzing a relationship between crater diameter and optical spot size. In detail, the dependency of the volume ablation rate, penetration depth and threshold fluence on the pulse duration 8 ps and wavelength of 515 nm was discussed. The experimental results showed that wavelength of 515 nm resulted in less threshold fluence ($0.075J/cm^2$) on copper than IR wavelength ($0.3J/cm^2$). As a result, it was possible that optimum fluence for higher volume ablation rate was achieved with $0.28J/cm^2$.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2007

Background : The occurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation of atrial flutter is clinically important. We investigated variables predicting this evolution in ablated patients without a previous atrial fibrillation history. Materials and Methods : Thirty-six patients (Male=28) who were diagnosed as atrial flutter without previous atrial fibrillation history were enrolled in this study. Group 1 (n=11) was defined as those who developed atrial fibrillation after atrial flutter ablation during 1 year follow-up. Group 2 (n=25) was defined as those who has not occurred atrial fibrillation during same follow-up term. Echocardiogram was performed to all patients. We measured left atrial size, left ventricle end diastolic and systolic dimension, ejection fraction and left atrial volume index before and after ablation of atrial flutter. The differences of each variables were compared and analyzed between two groups. Results : The preablation left ventricular ejection fraction (preLVEF) and postablation left ventricular ejection fraction (postLVEF) are $54{\pm}14%$, $56{\pm}13%$ in group 1 and $47{\pm}16%$, $52{\pm}13%$ in group 2. The differences between each two groups are statistically insignificant ($2.2{\pm}1.5$ in group 1 vs $5.4{\pm}9.8$ in group 2, p=0.53). The preablation left atrial size (preLA) and postablation left atrial size (postLA) are $40{\pm}4mm$, $41{\pm}4mm$ in group1 and $44{\pm}8mm$, $41{\pm}4mm$ in group 2. The atrial sizes of both groups were increased but, the differences of left atrial size between two groups before and after flutter ablation were statistically insignificant ($0.6{\pm}0.9mm$ in group 1 vs $-3.8{\pm}7.4mm$ in group 2, p=0.149). The left atrial volume index before flutter ablation was significantly reduced in group 1 than group 2 ($32{\pm}10mm^3/m^2$, $35{\pm}10mm^3/m^2$ in group 1 and $32{\pm}10mm^3/m^2$, $29{\pm}8mm^3/m^2$ in group 2, p<0.05). Conclusion : The difference between left atrial volume index before and after atrial flutter ablation is the robust predictor of occurrence of atrial fibrillation after atrial flutter ablation without previous atrial fibrillation.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.291-292
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• 2021

• Laser Solutions
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.17-22
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• 2015

In this paper, ablation rate of $Al_2O_3$ ceramics by femtosecond laser fluence is derived with experimental method. The automatic three axis linear stage makes laser optics to move with high spatial resolution. With 10 times objective lens, minimal pattern width of $Al_2O_3$ is measured in the focal plane. Ablated surface area is shown as linear tendency increasing number of machining times with various laser power conditions. Machining times is most sensitive condition to control $Al_2O_3$ pattern width. Also, the linear increment of pattern width with laser power change is investigated. In high machining speed, the ablation volume rate is more linear with fluence because pulse overlap is minimized in this condition. Thermal effect to surrounding medium can be minimized and clean laser process without melting zone is possible in high machining speed. Ablation volume rate decelerates as increasing machining times and multiple machining times should be considered to achieve proper ablation width and depth.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.39-45
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• 2000

The volume and depth of the craters produced on silicon samples during high power laser ablation show a strong nonlinear change as the laser irradiance increases across a threshold value, approximately 2.2$\times$10$\^$10/ W/㎠. Time-resolved shadowgraph images of the ablation plume reveal the ejection of large particulates from the sample for laser irradiance above the threshold, with a time delay of about 300-400 ㎱. The numerically estimated thickness of the superheated liquid layer, considering the transformation of liquid metal into liquid dielectric near the critical state, agrees with the measured agrees with crater depths. It is suggested that a phase explosion of the deep superheated liquid layer near the critical state is responsible for the measured sudden increase of crater volume and the ejection of large particulates.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.243-250
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• 2019

The nanosecond laser assisted ablation have been investigated. The biocompatable polymer PMMA was employed as the target material and the two distinctive surface conditions were test. The first surface condition is a dry surface for which the target surface is exposed to air and the second surface condition is the wet surface for which the target surface is covered with dehydrated water. The ablation volume, the laser induced acoustic wave, the laser induced plasma were investigated for both wet and dry condition. The nanosecond laser pulse ablatied more on the wet surface compared to the dry surface. The enhanced ablation of wet surface is attributed to the confined acoustic wave and the laser-induced plasma in the liquid layer.