• Applied Microscopy
• /
• 제46권2호
• /
• pp.100-104
• /
• 2016

Electron microscopy is currently the only available technique with a spatial resolution sufficient to identify fine neuronal processes and synaptic structures in densely packed neuropil. For large-scale volume reconstruction of neuronal connectivity, serial block-face scanning electron microscopy allows us to acquire thousands of serial images in an automated fashion and reconstruct neural circuits faster by reducing the alignment task. Here we introduce the whole reconstruction procedure of synaptic network in the rat hippocampal CA1 area and discuss technical issues to be resolved for improving image quality and segmentation. Compared to the serial section transmission electron microscopy, serial block-face scanning electron microscopy produced much reliable three-dimensional data sets and accelerated reconstruction by reducing the need of alignment and distortion adjustment. This approach will generate invaluable information on organizational features of our connectomes as well as diverse neurological disorders caused by synaptic impairments.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• 제41권2호
• /
• pp.78-84
• /
• 2007

Quantitative analysis of dynamic brain PET data using a tracer kinetic modeling has played important roles in the investigation of functional and molecular basis of various brain diseases. Parametric imaging of the kinetic parameters (voxel-wise representation of the estimated parameters) has several advantages over the conventional approaches using region of interest (ROI). Therefore, several strategies have been suggested to generate the parametric images with a minimal bias and variability in the parameter estimation. In this paper, we will review the several approaches for parametric imaging with linearized methods which include graphical analysis and mulilinear regression analysis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제41권6호
• /
• pp.371-376
• /
• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI] and apparent diffusion coefficiency [ADC] in distinguishing brain abscesses from cystic or necrotic brain tumors, which are difficult to be differentiated by conventional magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Methods : Seven patients with brain abscesses and ten patients with cystic brain tumors were studied from September 2003 to October 2005. Abscess, subdural empyema and ventriculitis were categorized to the abscess group and cystic or necrotic brain gliomas or metastatic brain tumors into the tumor group. Preoperative magnetic resonance images were performed in all patients and diffusion-weighted images and apparent diffusion coefficiency values of lesions were calculated directly from software of 1.5 tesla MRI [General Electrics, USA]. The ratio of the ADC of the lesion to contralateral regional ADC was also measured [relative ADC, rADC]. Results : The average ADC value of pyogenic abscesses group was $0.82+/-0.14{\times}10^{-3}\;[mean+/-S.D.]\;mm^2/s$ and mean rADC was 0.75. Cystic or necrotic areas had high ADC values [$2.49+/-0.79{\times}10^{-3}\;mm^2/s$, mean rADC=2.14]. ADC and rADC values of abscesses group showed about three times lower values than those of cystic or necrotic tumor group. Conclusion : This study results based on numerical comparison of signal intensities and quantitative analysis to distinguish between brain abscess and cystic or necrotic tumor, DWI and ADC mapping are thought to be very useful diagnostic tools.

• 대한의용생체공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한의용생체공학회 1995년도 추계학술대회
• /
• pp.86-89
• /
• 1995

A clinically oriented 32 channel Electroencephalogram (EEG) and evoked potential (EP) mapping system has been developed. The EEG and EP signals acquired from 32-channel electrodes are amplified by the pre-amplifier located near patient and are then tither amplified by main amplifier. An automatic artifact rejection scheme is employed using a neural network by which examination time is reduced substantially. Auditary and visual stimuli are used for the evoked potential mapping. A user-friendly graphical interface based on the Microsoft Window 3.1 is developed for the operation of the system. Statistical databases for the poop and individual comparisons are also included to support statistically based diagnosis.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• 제22권1호
• /
• pp.37-49
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The effect of global inhomogeneity on quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was investigated. A technique referred to as Simultaneous Unwrapping Phase with Error Recovery from inhomogeneity (SUPER) is suggested as a preprocessing to QSM to remove global field inhomogeneity-induced phase by polynomial fitting. Materials and Methods: The effect of global inhomogeneity on QSM was investigated by numerical simulations. Three types of global inhomogeneity were added to the tissue susceptibility phase, and the root mean square error (RMSE) in the susceptibility map was evaluated. In-vivo QSM imaging with volunteers was carried out for 3.0T and 7.0T MRI systems to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method. Results: The SUPER technique removed harmonic and non-harmonic global phases. Previously only the harmonic phase was removed by the background phase removal method. The global phase contained a non-harmonic phase due to various experimental and physiological causes, which degraded a susceptibility map. The RMSE in the susceptibility map increased under the influence of global inhomogeneity; while the error was consistent, irrespective of the global inhomogeneity, if the inhomogeneity was corrected by the SUPER technique. In-vivo QSM imaging with volunteers at 3.0T and 7.0T MRI systems showed better definition in small vascular structures and reduced fluctuation and non-uniformity in the frontal lobes, where field inhomogeneity was more severe. Conclusion: Correcting global inhomogeneity using the SUPER technique is an effective way to obtain an accurate susceptibility map on QSM method. Since the susceptibility variations are small quantities in the brain tissue, correction of the inhomogeneity is an essential element for obtaining an accurate QSM.

• 디자인학연구
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.157-166
• /
• 2000

인지과학이 새로운 학문으로 등장하기 시작하면서 인간의 두뇌를 연구하는 움직임 또한 매우 활발히 일어나고 있다. 이와 함께 디자인영역에서도 감성적 요소가 연구의 중심을 차지하기 시작했고 이를 활용한 디자인 프로세스 개발이 다양화되어 가고 있다. 본 연구에서는 변화하고 있는 이런 현상들을 적극적으로 수용하고 이를 디자인기법으로 전환시켜 보고자 노력하였다. 그를 위해 현재 유행처럼 확산되고 있는 마인드 맵을 기법의 대상으로 삼았고 고정관념에서 벗어 날 수 있는 방법에 대한 이론적 설명을 시도하였다. 문제에 접근하기 위해 학습되는 정보가 중요하다고 판단하고 좌, 우측 뇌의 역할을 아날로그이미지와 디지틀 이미지로 규정, 언어(디지틀 이미지)와 시각적 사고(아날로그 이미지)를 자유롭게 넘나드는 방식으로 맵핑기법을 활용하여 해석하였다. 기법의 연구목표는 멥핑방식을 이용한 발상법을 초점으로 추진하였고 그 결과 디자인프로세스 상에서 문제제기로 시작된 명제를 문제 해결까지 브레인스토밍기법으로 진행하며, 문제 해결은 컨셉제시로 가시화되어진다는 논리체계[그림8]를 구축하였다. 또 제시된 컨셉에 의해 디자인적 요구에 의한 아이디어 확산도 맵핑기법을 적용 해결할 수 있다고 보고 [그림12]와 같은 사례를 결과물로 제시하였다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제61권3호
• /
• pp.363-375
• /
• 2018

Intraoperative monitoring (IOM) utilizes electrophysiological techniques as a surrogate test and evaluation of nervous function while a patient is under general anesthesia. They are increasingly used for procedures, both surgical and endovascular, to avoid injury during an operation, examine neurological tissue to guide the surgery, or to test electrophysiological function to allow for more complete resection or corrections. The application of IOM during pediatric brain tumor resections encompasses a unique set of technical issues. First, obtaining stable and reliable responses in children of different ages requires detailed understanding of normal age-adjusted brain-spine development. Neurophysiology, anatomy, and anthropometry of children are different from those of adults. Second, monitoring of the brain may include risk to eloquent functions and cranial nerve functions that are difficult with the usual neurophysiological techniques. Third, interpretation of signal change requires unique sets of normative values specific for children of that age. Fourth, tumor resection involves multiple considerations including defining tumor type, size, location, pathophysiology that might require maximal removal of lesion or minimal intervention. IOM techniques can be divided into monitoring and mapping. Mapping involves identification of specific neural structures to avoid or minimize injury. Monitoring is continuous acquisition of neural signals to determine the integrity of the full longitudinal path of the neural system of interest. Motor evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials are representative methodologies for monitoring. Free-running electromyography is also used to monitor irritation or damage to the motor nerves in the lower motor neuron level : cranial nerves, roots, and peripheral nerves. For the surgery of infratentorial tumors, in addition to free-running electromyography of the bulbar muscles, brainstem auditory evoked potentials or corticobulbar motor evoked potentials could be combined to prevent injury of the cranial nerves or nucleus. IOM for cerebral tumors can adopt direct cortical stimulation or direct subcortical stimulation to map the corticospinal pathways in the vicinity of lesion. IOM is a diagnostic as well as interventional tool for neurosurgery. To prove clinical evidence of it is not simple. Randomized controlled prospective studies may not be possible due to ethical reasons. However, prospective longitudinal studies confirming prognostic value of IOM are available. Furthermore, oncological outcome has also been shown to be superior in some brain tumors, with IOM. New methodologies of IOM are being developed and clinically applied. This review establishes a composite view of techniques used today, noting differences between adult and pediatric monitoring.

• 감성과학
• /
• 제8권4호
• /
• pp.365-374
• /
• 2005

통증은 다른 일반 감각과는 달리 감각적인 면과 정서적인 면이 있어, 인격, 기대, 암시, 과거 통증경험과 같은 개인의 심리적 특성이나 사회문화적 환경 등 여러 요인에 의해 크게 영향을 받는다. 이러한 환자의 주관적인 통증의 호소를 객관화하려는 노력은 여러 통증 치료 의사들한테 많이 시도되어 왔으나 아직도 정확한 객관적인 진단방법이 나타나고 있지 않다. 최근에 PET이나 fMRI의 등장은 이러한 면에서 통증에 관한 연구를 하는 학자들에게 커다란 도움을 주고 있고 현재에도 이러한 뇌 기능적 자기공명영상을 이용한 많은 연구결과들이 보고되고 있다. 뇌는 어떠한 기능을 수행하기 위하여 특정부위의 뇌 신경활동이 항진되면 이와 함께 그 부위의 국소적 뇌 혈류 및 대사가 증가하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이러한 생리적 변화를 이용하여 뇌에 국소적 신경활성화가 생기는 위치를 mapping 할 수 있다. mapping 대상 뇌 기능은 지각, 운동, 기억, 언어 등의 기능에서 출발하여 최근 감정, 정서, 사회적 인식, 도덕적 판단, 의식, 마음까지 조사대상이 넓어지고 있다. 본 발표에서는 이러한 뇌 기능 영상기법에 대한 내용과 뇌 기능 영상 기법을 이용하여 통증의 평가를 어떻게 할 수 있는지를 알아보고자 한다.

• 대한한의학회지
• /
• 제45권1호
• /
• pp.150-164
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the levels of brain iron deposition in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) and to determine whether distinctions compared to the general population exist. Furthermore, we examined potential variations in iron deposition among different PD subtypes. Methods: Structural brain imaging was conducted on 75 participants at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital between August 2017 and May 2020. PD patients were categorized into Tremor Dominant (TD) and Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty (PIGD) subtypes. Voxel-based morphometry and QSM were employed to compare voxel-wise magnetic susceptibility across the entire brain between Normal Controls (NC) and PD groups. Subsequently, QSM values were compared between TD and PIGD groups. Results: QSM values were compared among 46 PD patients and 23 normal controls, as well as between TD (n=22) and PIGD (n=24) groups. Voxel-based QSM analysis revealed no significant differences between groups. Similarly, ROI-based QSM analysis showed no significant distinctions. Conclusions: No significant variations were observed between the PD patient group, NC group, or PD subtypes. This study systematically compared QSM values across a broad range of brain regions potentially linked to PD pathology. Additionally, the subdivision of the PD group into TD and PIGD subtypes for QSM-based iron deposition analysis represents a meaningful and innovative approach.

• 대한핵의학회지
• /
• 제32권3호
• /
• pp.225-237
• /
• 1998

목적: $H_2^{15}O$ 양전자단층촬영으로 작업기억을 조사할 때 뇌기능을 국소화한 뇌기능지도를 만들기 위해 동원되는 통계적 가정과 추론의 여러 방법을 해석하고 뇌활성화와 관련된 뇌기능 국소화 방법에 영향을 미치는 요소를 조사하였다. 대상 및 방법: 정상인 6명에 대하여 각각 대조과제, 언어성 작업기억 활성화과제 2종류, 시각적 작업기억 활성화과제 1종류를 수행시키며 뇌혈류 $H_2^{15}O$ PET 촬영을 시행하였다. SPM96 소프트웨어를 이용하여 각 영상과 표준지도의 뇌피질 경계가 일치 되도록 부분 선형적으로 변형하였으며 선형화한 비선형적 변형 방법으로 사람에 따라 나타나는 뇌피질 및 내부 구조의 미세한 차이를 제거하였다. 공간정규회된 영상들을 16mm의 FWHM을 갖는 가우시안 커널로 중첩적분하여 편평화하였다. 각 화소의 방사능 계수는 뇌피질전체 뇌혈류, 활성화에 의한 특정 효과, 여러 교란변수의 영향과 오차의 선형 결합으로 이루어진다는 일반선형모델을 가정하고 공분산분석 방법으로 전체 뇌혈류 차이를 제거하였다. 각 화소의 방사능 계수가 자극과 뇌활성화 작업에 상관없을 경우 평탄한 무작위 가우스장의 행동을 따른다고 가정하고 특정화소의 계수차이가 이 무작위장의 정상적인 교란 이상인지 검정하였다. 화소별 t 값을 Z 값으로 바꾸어 표현하고 가설검정 결과에 따라 화소, 덩어리, 화소 또는 덩어리의 차이가 얼마나 유의한지 제시하였다. 결합분석을 하여 여러 과제를 수행할 때 동시에 화소의 계수가 증가하는 곳을 찾았다. 각 화소의 Z 값을 3차원으로 렌더링한 표준지도와 투명유리뇌에 투사하여 활성화된 부위를 알아볼 수 있게 하였다. 결과: 피검자 모두 성공적으로 검사를 마쳤으며 대조 과제와 기억 과제를 수행하는 동안 피험자는 평균 95%를 맞췄다. 활성화된 덩어리의 개수는 언어성 기억과제 I에서 4개, 언어성 기억과제 II에서 9개, 시각적 기억과제에서 9개, 결합분석에서 6개였다. 언어성 기억과제에서는 주로 왼쪽 뇌가, 시각적 기억과제에서는 오른쪽 뇌가 활성화되었다. 결론: $H_2^{15}O$ 양전자 단층촬영술과 통계적 파라메터 지도작성법이 언어성 및 시각적 작업기억과 관련되어 활성화된 지 영역을 찾는데 유용하였다.