• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.168-175
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• 2024

Purpose: The presence of alcoholic stool in biliary atresia (BA) patients is the basis of a stool color card (SCC), a screening tool that has led to more patients receiving Kasai portoenterostomy earlier. This study aimed to evaluate the color image processing of stool images captured using smartphones. We propose that measuring digital color parameters is a more objective method for identifying BA stools and may improve the sensitivity of BA screening. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in five hospitals in Thailand between October 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Stools from infants presenting with jaundice, acholic stool, or dark-colored urine were photographed. Digital image color analysis was performed, and software was developed based on the color on the original SCC. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting BA stools were compared between the SCC and the software. Results: Of 33 infants eligible for data collection, 19 were diagnosed with BA. Saturation and blue were two potential digital color parameters used to differentiate BA stools. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimum cutoff point of both values, and when saturation ≤56 or blue ≥61 was set as a threshold for detecting BA stool, high accuracy was achieved at 81.8% and 78.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Digital image processing is a promising technology. With appropriate cutoff values of saturation in hue, saturation, value and blue in red, green, blue color models, BA stools can be identified, and equivocal-colored stools of non-BA patients can be differentiated with acceptable accuracy in infants presenting with jaundice.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2009

Purpose : To compare the subchondral fracture on plain radiography and MR image as a method for assessing osteonecrosis in Legg-Calve-Perthes(LCP) pateients. Materials and methods: We retrospetively reviewed 15 hip joint MR images and plain radiography which visualized subchondral fracture. With basis of the Salter-Thompson classification, extent of necrosis was graded group A to B, as follows; Group A = < 50%, B = > 50%. On PACS workstation, necrotic area of each MR image was measured to calculate the volume of necrotic portion: volume = necrotic area $\times$ slice thickness. Necrotic areas on MR images were graded group A to B and results were compared with that measured in Salter-Thompson classification. On follow up, bone resorption was measured and the extent was compared with subchondral fracture representing necrotic area and that on MR volume method respectively. Results : In 9 joints of 15 hip joints (60%), the degree of necrosis in Salter-Thompson classification on plain radiographs was different from that on MR volume method. Based on plain radiographs by Salter-Thompson classification, the degree of necrosis was overestimated in 6(67%) joints, and underestimated in 3(33%) joints compared with MR volume method. On follow up study, bone resorption was not correlated with necrotic extent of subchondral fracture and MR volume method. Conclusion : The extent of femoral head necrosis measured by subchondral fracture was different from that measured by MR and was not correlated with bone resorption on follow up. Therefore, usefulness of subchondral fracture as a prognostic factor may be limited.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2011

Purpose: It's essential to minimize the tumor motion and identify the exact location of the lesions to achieve the improvement in radiation therapy efficiency during SBRT. In this study, we made the established compression belt to reduce respiratory motion and evaluated the usefulness of clinical application in SBRT. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the merits and demerits of the established compression belt to reduce the respiratory motion and improved the reproducibility and precision in use. To evaluate the usefulness of improved compression belt for respiratory motion reduction in SBRT, firstly, we reviewed the spiral CT images acquired in inspiration and expiration states of 8 lung cancer cases, respectively, and analyzed the three dimensional tumor motion related to respiration. To evaluate isodose distribution, secondly, we also made the special phantom using EBT2 film (Gafchronic, ISP, USA) and we prepared the robot (Cartesian Robot-2 Axis, FARARCM4H, Samsung Mechatronics, Korea) to reproduce three dimensional tumor motion. And analysis was made for isodose curves and two dimensional isodose profiles with reproducibility of respiratory motion on the basis of CT images. Results: A respiratory motion reduction compression belt (Velcro type) that has convenient use and good reproducibility was developed. The moving differences of three dimensional tumor motion of lung cancer cases analyzed by CT images were mean 3.2 mm, 4.3 mm and 13 mm each in LR, AP and CC directions. The result of characteristic change in dose distribution using the phantom and rectangular coordinates robot showed that the distortion of isodose has great differences, mean length was 4.2 mm; the differences were 8.0% and 16.8% each for cranio-caudal and 8.1% and 10.9% each for left-right directions in underdose below the prescribed dose. Conclusion: In this study, we could develop the convenient and efficient compression belt that can make the organs' motion minimize. With this compression belt, we confirmed that underdose due to respiration can be coped with when CTV-PTV margins of mean 6 mm would be used. And we conclude that the respiratory motion reduction compression belt we developed can be used for clinical effective aids along with the gating system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of SPIO contrast agent in Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) by performing a quantitative comparative analysis in patients undergoing MRCP for gallbladder stones with and without oral injection of SPIO (Superparamagnetic iron oxide) contrast agent. The subjects were 36 patients undergoing MRCP for suspected gallbladder stones between January 2009 and February 2010 and they were divided into halves to compare the two groups of with and without SPIO agent. For each subject in both the injected and non-injected group, T2-weighted images on a 1.5T MR scanner were obtained, using both the breath-holding and respiratory-triggered methods, respectively. The following regions were measured; for breath-hold T2-weighted images, the measurement regions were located at the central part of the gallbladder, and the areas 15 mm away from its center, toward the front and back, respectively, which were chosen to include surrounding tissues, while for respiratory-triggered T2-weighted images, at the central part of the gallbladder, and segment 5 and 6 of liver. In a quantitative analysis, average signal to noise ratio (SNR) in each of regions of interest (ROI) for each group were calculated and then average contrast to noise ratio (CNR) in each of ROI were obtained by using the SNR in the gallbladder as the basis to compare and analyze the values between the two groups. The CNR were higher for the injected group in those regions.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2008

Purpose: There have been something difficulties in locating focuses and quantitative analysis in case of pediatric patients because of the relatively small body compared to adults. This author of this study, therefore, evaluated the usefulness of DFOV (Display Field Of View) according to its changes in PET/CT image reconstruction by means of the phantom experiment and pediatric patients examination. Materials & Methods: 0.023 MBq/cc of $^{18}F$-FDG was put into the uniform NU2-94 phantom, and then emission scan was acquired for 10 minutes. For reconstruction, DFOV values were changed to 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, and 25 cm respectively. As for patient images, 20 patients who were diagnosed as the one or suspicion of the children tumor are targeted from Oct 2007 to Jan 2008. For image reconstruction, 50 cm was the basis of DFOV, and the value was adjusted to DFOV 45 cm to 25 cm respectively. In the phantom and the reconstruction image of pediatric patients, the changes in pixel size and $SUV_{max}$ according to DFOV changes were analyzed. Results: As DFOV decreased to 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, and 25 cm by means of the phantom, the pixel size was changed to 3.906, 3.515, 3.125, 2.734, 2.343, and 1.953 mm respectively. Besides, as a result of reconstruction DFOV in images of pediatric patients to 50, to 25 cm, the different values of $SUV_{max}$ are shown as 3.3, 7.3, 12, 14, 18% and 2.6, 4.3, 5.0, 7.0, 10.0% on respectively when 50 cm was the standard. Conclusion: In $SUV_{max}$ using the phantom, as DFOV decreased every 5 cm, the mean value gradually increased. With 50 cm as the standard, the increase rates were 3.7, 6.5, 11.2, 19.5, and 32.1% respectively. As for pediatric patients image too, as DFOV decreased, the rates increased as in the phantom experiment. In image reconstruction, since DFOV decrease regardless of matrix size change reduced the pixel size, the image quality can be improved. This would be more useful than reconstruction and enlarge images of pediatric patients in the same way of examining adults. However, when the value of 35 cm DFOV was applied, this may result in truncated artifact, and thus the application should be properly controlled. Change of DFOV may produce better image for pediatric patients, but changes of SUV values according to DFOV change should be considered in reading.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.5_1
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• pp.1029-1042
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• 2021

As part of the next-generation Compact Advanced Satellite 500 (CAS500) project, CAS500-4 is scheduled to be launched in 2025 focusing on the remote sensing of agriculture and forestry. To obtain quantitative information on vegetation from satellite images, it is necessary to acquire surface reflectance through atmospheric correction. Thus, it is essential to develop an atmospheric correction method suitable for CAS500-4. Since the absorption and scattering characteristics in the atmosphere vary depending on the wavelength, it is needed to analyze the sensitivity of atmospheric correction parameters such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) and water vapor (WV) considering the wavelengths of CAS500-4. In addition, as CAS500-4 has only five channels (blue, green, red, red edge, and near-infrared), making it difficult to directly calculate key parameters for atmospheric correction, external parameter data should be used. Therefore, thisstudy performed a sensitivity analysis of the key parameters (AOD, WV, and O₃) using the simulated images based on Sentinel-2 satellite data, which has similar wavelength specifications to CAS500-4, and examined the possibility of using the products of GEO-KOMPSAT-2A (GK2A) as atmospheric parameters. The sensitivity analysisshowed that AOD wasthe most important parameter with greater sensitivity in visible channels than in the near-infrared region. In particular, since AOD change of 20% causes about a 100% error rate in the blue channel surface reflectance in forests, a highly reliable AOD is needed to obtain accurate surface reflectance. The atmospherically corrected surface reflectance based on the GK2A AOD and WV was compared with the Sentinel-2 L2A reflectance data through the separability index of the known land cover pixels. The result showed that two corrected surface reflectance had similar Seperability index (SI) values, the atmospheric corrected surface reflectance based on the GK2A AOD showed higher SI than the Sentinel-2 L2A reflectance data in short-wavelength channels. Thus, it is judged that the parameters provided by GK2A can be fully utilized for atmospheric correction of the CAS500-4. The research findings will provide a basis for atmospheric correction of the CAS500-4 in the future.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.43
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• pp.265-288
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• 2016

This essay begins by discussing the issue of the definition of a catastrophe as a trauma by visual media and the problems that result. We assume a concrete approach towards these problems by examining the process through which 9/11 was defined as a "national trauma" in the exclusion of images of bodies falling from towers, which were some of the most shocking images in the media coverage of 9/11. The choice to exclude images of falling men from American visual media representations of 9/11 goes hand in hand with the tendencies of a contemporary trauma theory. This essay assumes that the representations in the U.S visual media depend on "antimimetic theory," one of the leading contemporary trauma theories, in order to validate its logic, and examines the limitations and problems of the theory. This work aims to examine the issue of the definition of a catastrophe as trauma by visual media on the basis on the "antimimetic theory" and the danger that results. Because the antimimetic theory, which the visual media in the United States uses to define 9/11 as trauma, emphasizes literal and unmediated representation of an external event, it lacks an understanding of the human aspects of the event. There is no way to intervene in the construction and interpretation of the trauma. As a result, the theory discourages active attempts to find a solution to the problems of the people directly connected with the event. Thus, it provides an opening for manipulative intervention of an external power. This essay attempts to provide a critical analysis of the "antimimetic theory" in order to help people who witness catastrophic events through various types of visual media, and to seek an alternative means of experiencing and responding to the trauma, that does not stem from the perspective of specific media outlets or external powers.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2000

Purpose: Episodic memory is described as an 'autobiographical' memory responsible for storing a record of the events in our lives. We performed functional brain activation study using ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET to reveal the neural basis of the encoding and the retrieval of episodic memory in human normal volunteers. Materials and Methods: Four repeated ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET scans with two reference and two activation tasks were performed on 6 normal volunteers to activate brain areas engaged in encoding and retrieval with verbal materials. Images from the same subject were spatially registered and normalized using linear and nonlinear transformation. Using the means and variances for every condition which were adjusted with analysis of covariance, t-statistic analysis were performed voxel-wise. Results: Encoding of episodic memory activated the opercular and triangular parts of left inferior frontal gyrus, right prefrontal cortex, medial frontal area, cingulate gyrus, posterior middle and inferior temporal gyri, and cerebellum, and both primary visual and visual association areas. Retrieval of episodic memory activated the triangular part of left inferior frontal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, right prefrontal cortex and medial temporal area, and both cerebellum and primary visual and visual association areas. The activations in the opercular part of left inferior frontal gyrus and the right prefrontal cortex meant the essential role of these areas in the encoding and retrieval of episodic memory. Conclusion: We could localize the neural basis of the encoding and retrieval of episodic memory using ${H_2}^{15}O$ PET, which was partly consistent with the hypothesis of hemispheric encoding/retrieval asymmetry.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

Radiation exposure from medical diagnostic imaging procedures to patients is one of the most significant interests in diagnostic x-ray system. A miniature x-ray intraoral tube was developed for the first time in the world which can be inserted into the mouth for imaging. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging device for clinical use. In this study, dose evaluation of the new x-ray unit was performed by 1) using a custom made in vivo Pig phantom, 2) determining exposure condition for the clinical use, and 3) measuring patient dose of the new system. On the basis of DRLs (Diagnostic Reference Level) recommended by KDFA (Korea Food & Drug Administration), the ESD (Entrance Skin Dose) and DAP (Dose Area Product) measurements for the new x-ray imaging device were designed and measured. The maximum voltage and current of the x-ray tubes used in this study were 55 kVp, and 300 mA. The active area of the detector was $72{\times}72mm$ with pixel size of $48{\mu}m$. To obtain the operating condition of the new system, pig jaw phantom images showing major tooth-associated tissues, such as clown, pulp cavity were acquired at 1 frame/sec. Changing the beam currents 20 to $80{\mu}A$, x-ray images of 50 frames were obtained for one beam current with optimum x-ray exposure setting. Pig jaw phantom images were acquired from two commercial x-ray imaging units and compared to the new x-ray device: CS 2100, Carestream Dental LLC and EXARO, HIOSSEN, Inc. Their exposure conditions were 60 kV, 7 mA, and 60 kV, 2 mA, respectively. Comparing the new x-ray device and conventional x-ray imaging units, images of the new x-ray device around teeth and their neighboring tissues turn out to be better in spite of its small x-ray field size. ESD of the new x-ray device was measured 1.369 mGy on the beam condition for the best image quality, 0.051 mAs, which is much less than DRLs recommended by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and KDFA, both. Its dose distribution in the x-ray field size was observed to be uniform with standard deviation of 5~10 %. DAP of the new x-ray device was $82.4mGy*cm^2$ less than DRL established by KDFA even though its x-ray field size was small. This study shows that the new x-ray imaging device offers better in image quality and lower radiation dose compared to the conventional intraoral units. In additions, methods and know-how for studies in x-ray features could be accumulated from this work.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2001

Compressional wave velocity and electrical resistivity of muddy sediments in the southeastern inner shelf of Korea were studied using nine piston core samples. The acoustic and physical properties were measured with 10 cm depth interval. Sediment structures were examined by x-radiographs of the cored sediments. Subbottom profiles were obtained by a high-resolution acoustic subbottom profiler. Acoustic turbid layers are clearly seen on the profiles, and x-radiographs of the sediments showed degassying structures formed by gas escaping. On the basis of x-radiographic images, velocities, electrical resistivities and physical properties, the sediments are divided into gassy and non-gassy sediments. The presence of gas and degassying structures result in a marked variation in velocity and electrical resistivity. It can be concluded that velocity and electrical resistivity arep arameter to recognize gassy sediment. The velocity is important parameter to indicate gassy sediment.