• The KIPS Transactions:PartA
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• v.14A no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2007

The intima media thickness(IMT) of the carotid artery from B mode ultrasound images has recently been proposed as the most useful index of individual atherosclerosis and can be used to predict major cardiovascular events. Ultrasonic measurements of the IMT are conventionally obtained by manually tracing interfaces between tissue layers. The drawbacks of this method are the inter and intra observer variability and its inefficiency. In this paper, we present a multiresolution snake method combined with the dynamic programming, which overcomes the various noises and sensitivity to initialization of conventional snake. First, an image pyramid is constructed using the Gaussian pyramid that maintains global edge information with smoothing in the images, and then the boundaries are automatically detected in the lowest resolution level by minimizing a cost function based on dynamic programming. The cost function includes cost terms which are representing image features and geometrical continuity of the vessel interfaces. Since the detected boundaries are selected as initial contour of the snake for the next level, this automated approach solves the problem of the initialization. Moreover, the proposed snake improves the problem of converging th the local minima by defining the external energy based on multiple image features. In this paper, our method has been validated by computing the correlation between manual and automatic measurements. This automated detection method has obtained more accurate and reproducible results than conventional edge detection by considering multiple image features.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.25-30
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• 2006

We intended to measure the IT, MT, and the IMT of carotid artery separately and tried to analyze the clinical significance. Two hundred and fifty consecutive patients (125 males, 125 females) underwent carotid artery scanning using high-resolution ultrasound. The images were off-line analyzed using B-mode ultrasound image processing, devised in our research. We measured the IT, MT, and IMT semi-automatically at the far wall of designated 1cm length of the right common carotid and calculated the average values over the 200 points. The IT (p < 0.05), MT (p < 0.05) as well as IMT (p < 0.01) of patients with atherosclerotic disease were significantly thicker than that of the patients without atherosclerotic disease. Patients with hypertension showed significantly thicker IT (p < 0.05), MT (p < 0.01), and IMT (p < 0.01) than that of the patients without hypertension. However, only IT was thicker in patients with smoking (p < 0.05) than that of the patients without smoking. Smoking was associated only with intima while hypertension was associated with the all three layer's thickness. This result suggests the atherosclerotic process can be different by cardiovascular risk factors.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.338-346
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• 2020

The present study was conducted in a goat farm for pregnancy diagnosis by using vaginal cytology and B-mode real time ultrasound using 5 MHz probe by transabdominal method. Seventeen pregnant does were used for this study. The objective of the study was to determine the earliest day of pregnancy and describe the chronological characteristics of pregnancy from day 22 to day 40 for vaginal cytology and day 25 to day 60 for ultrasonography of gestation. The differences among the average percentage of cell value in different age of pregnancy were significant (p < 0.05). The average percentage of intermediate cells (81.12%) was also significantly (p < 0.05) higher than superficial (9.41%), keratinized (7.10%) and neutrophil (2.61%) on 22-40th days of pregnancy. In case of real time B-mode ultrasonography, the gestational sac was observed only in three does out of seventeen (17.6 %) at 25-30 days whereas the placentomes and heart beat of the foetus were first detected at 31-35 days in six does (35.3%). The foetal leg buds were first visualized at 36-40 days in four does (23.5%) whereas the foetal vertebral column was first observed at 36-40 days of gestation in only three does (17.6%). In conclusion, vaginal cytology and trans-abdominal ultrasonography can be used for detection of early pregnancy in does.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.324-330
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to compare the muscle architecture of lower extremity using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in young adults in Seoul and Hanoi. Methods: The study design was a comparative study of muscle cross-sectional area of lower extremity. Sixty healthy young subjects (Seoul group: 30, Hanoi group: 30) participated in this study. Real-time B-mode RUSI with a 7.5MHz linear transducer was used for measurement of cross-sectional area, pennation angle, and muscle thickness of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Independent t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Significant difference in cross sectional area of rectus femoris was observed between Korean young adults and Hanoi young adults (p<0.01). Muscle thickness and pennation angle of tibialis anterior in Korean young adults were greater than in Hanoi young adults (p<0.01). In addition, the muscle thickness and pennation angle of the medial part of gastrocnemius muscle were greater in Korean young adults than in Hanoi young adults (p<0.01). In addition, in the results for gender, men had larger muscle architectures than women in both groups (p<0.01). Conclusion: This study, using RUSI, showed significant difference in muscle architectures of lower extremity in a diverse group of young adults RUSI.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.437-445
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to analysis on diaphragm thickness and lung function of stroke patients by walking ability. Methods : We recruited thirty-five adults after stroke(20 male, 15 female) for our study. The subjects were divided into two groups; independent walking group(11 male, 9 female) and non-independent walking group(9 male, 6 female). Assessment of diaphragm thickness was performed using ultrasound in B-mode with a 7.5 MHz linea probe. During the experiment, the subject was seated in the chair. All subjects performed maximal expiratory flow maneuvers using a spirometer in order to determine the forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$), forced vital capacity(FVC), peak expiratory flow(PEF) and $FEV_1$/FVC. Chest expansion was measured with a tape-measure placed circumferentially around the chest wall at the xiphoid process. The collected data analyzed by independent t-test. Results : The diaphragm thickness were significant differences between the independent walking and nonindependent walking group. Values of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at one second, peak expiratory flow in pulmonary function tests were significant differences between the independent walking and non-independent walking group. However, chest expansion were not significant differences in both of the group. Conclusion : This study showed that walking ability of stroke patients have influenced on diaphragm thickness and pulmonary function.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.344-349
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• 2014

A 5-year-old intact female Maltese, a 4-year-old neutered male Chihuahua, and a 5-year-old neutered male Maltese were referred to Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Seoul National University for assessment of traumatic corneal laceration accompanied by anterior lens capsule disruption by cat claw. Severe uveitis, hypopyon, fibrinous exudate, diffuse corneal edema, and/or glaucoma were observed. B-mode ocular ultrasound showed lens capsule rupture and hyperechoic lens in all three cases. Despite aggressive treatments, the three eyes continued to deteriorate with endophthalmitis, leading to enucleation. Septic implantation syndrome associated with phakitis, severe pyogranulomatous endophthalmitis, and keratitis was confirmed by histopathological examination.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.263-269
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of breathing retraining on asymmetry of diaphragm thickness in stroke patients. METHODS: This study was nonequivalent control group pre-post test design. Subjects were assigned to two different groups(intervention group=10, control group=12). Intervention group conducted breathing retraining program for six-week. Diaphragm thickness was assessed by ultrasound in B-mode with a 7.5 MHz linea probe. The collected data analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The intervention group significantly increased diaphragm thickness ratio on paretic side but the control group showed no significant difference in diaphragm thickness ratio. The control group significantly increased asymmetry of diaphragm thickness, but intervention group showed no significant difference in asymmetry of diaphragm thickness. CONCLUSION: This study showed that breathing retraining increased diaphragm thickness ratio in stroke patients and prevent the increase of asymmetry in diaphragm thickness with stroke patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint and the bridging exercise on the trunk stabilizer muscles in healthy adults. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy adults were randomly allocated to either a PNF stabilization exercise group (n = 12) or a bridging exercise group (n = 16). The outcome measures included the contraction thickness ratio in the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO), and the TrA lateral slide was assessed during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver using b-mode ultrasound. The researcher measured the abdominal muscle thickness of each participant before the therapist began the intervention and at the moment that the intervention was applied. Between-group comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: The PNF intervention program showed a significant increase in the trunk stabilizer muscle. The percentage of change in the TrA thickness showed a significant interaction between intervention. However, there were no significant differences in the IO and EO between the two groups. Conclusion: The PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint can be used effectively to improve the IO and TrA muscles in healthy adults.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2015

Photoacoustic microscopy is capable of providing high-resolution molecular images, and its spatial resolution is typically determined by ultrasonic transducers used to receive the photoacoustic signals. Therefore, ultrasonic transducers for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) should have a high operating frequency, broad bandwidth, and high signal-reception efficiency. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a suitable material. To take full advantage of this material, the selection of the backing material is crucial, as it influences the center frequency and bandwidth of the transducer. Therefore, we experimentally determined the most suitable backing material among EPO-TEK 301, E-Solder 3022, and RTV. For this, three PVDF high-frequency single-element transducers were fabricated with each backing material. The center frequency and -6 dB bandwidth of each transducer were ascertained by a pulse-echo test. The spatial resolution of each transducer was examined using wire-target images. The experimental results indicated that EPO-TEK 301 is the most suitable backing material for a PAM transducer. This material provides the highest signal magnitude and a reasonable bandwidth because a large portion of the energy propagates toward the front medium, and the PVDF resonates in the half-wave mode.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2009

The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early structural marker of the atherosclerotic process and is the only non-invasive test that is currently recommended by the American Heart Association for evaluation of the risk. However, use of this parameter has a limitation because it assumes uniform thickness throughout the blood vessel, whereas atherosclerosis is a focal phenomenon that is confined to intima. In fact, plaque can be found along the atherosclerotic blood vessels even though its value is unknown. The aim of this study is to analyze the carotid plaque and IMT in the stroke patients. We investigated the patients with ischemic stroke, who were admitted to the department of neurology at the Stroke Special Hospital from January to March 2008. After the carotid IMT and plaque were assessed by B-mode ultrasonography, IMT and carotid plaque to risk variables (age, sex) were analyzed. The distribution of CCA IMT was significantly different in terms of age (p = 0.004). Likewise, the distribution of carotid plaque was also significantly different in terms of age (p = 0.006). Carotid plaque was 69 and 92% in normal and abnormal CCA IMTs respectively. The results showed that the CCA IMT was closely associated with carotid plaque.