• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2024

Recently, various techniques are being applied through the development of medical AI, and research has been conducted on the application of super-resolution AI models. In this study, evaluate the results of the application of the super-resolution AI model to brain CT as the basic data for future research. Acquiring CT images of the brain, algorithm for brain and bone windowing setting, and the resolution was downscaled to 5 types resolution image based on the original resolution image, and then upscaled to resolution to create an LR image and used for network input with the original imaging. The SRCNN model was applied to each of these images and analyzed using PSNR, SSIM, Loss. As a result of quantitative index analysis, the results were the best at 256×256, the brain and bone window setting PSNR were the same at 33.72, 35.2, and SSIM at 0.98 respectively, and the loss was 0.0004 and 0.0003, respectively, showing relatively excellent performance in the bone window setting CT image. The possibility of future studies aimed image quality and exposure dose is confirmed, and additional studies that need to be verified are also presented, which can be used as basic data for the above studies.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.123-133
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• 2007

Z-axis automatic tube current modulation technique automatically adjusts tube current based on size of body region scanned. The purpose of the current study was to compare noise, and radiation dose of multi-detector row CT (MDCT) of lower extremity performed with Z-axis modulation technique of automatic tube current modulation with manual selection fixed tube current. Fifty consecutive underwent MDCT venography of lower extremity with use of a MDCT scanner fixed tube current and Z-axis automatic tube current modulation technique (10, 11 and 12 HU noise index, $70{\sim}450\;mA$). Scanning parameters included 120 kVp, 0.5 second gantry rotation time, 1.35:1 beam pitch, and 1 mm reconstructed section thickness. For each subject, images obtained with Z-axis modulation were compared with previous images obtained with fixed tube current (200, 250, 300 mA) and with other parameters identical. Images were compared for noise at five levels: iliac, femoral, popliteal, tibial, and peroneal vein of lower extremity. Tube current and gantry rotation time used for acquisitions at these levels were recorded. All CT examinations of study and control groups were diagnostically acceptable, though objective noise was significantly more with Z-axis automatic tube current modulation. Compared with fixed tube current, 2-axis modulation resulted in reduction of CTDIvol (range, $-6.5%{\sim}-35.6%$) and DLP (range, $-0.2%{\sim}-20.2%$). Compared with manually selected fixed tube current, 2-axis automatic tube current modulation resulted in reduced radiation dose at MDCT of lower extremity venography.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.252-260
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• 2012

The reduction of radiation dose from x-ray is a main concern in computed tomography (CT) imaging due to the side-effect of the dose on human body. Recently, the various methods for dose reduction have been studied in CT and one of the method is a iterative reconstruction based on total variation (TV) minimization at few-views data. In this paper, we evaluated the image quality between total variation (TV) minimization algorithm and Feldkam-Davis-kress (FDK) algorithm in micro computed tomography (CT). To evaluate the effect of TV minimization algorithm, we produced a cylindrical phantom including contrast media, water, air inserts. We can acquire maximum 400 projection views per rotation of the x-ray tube and detector. 20, 50, 90, 180 projection data were chosen for evaluating the level of image restoration by TV minimization. The phantom and mouse image reconstructed with FDK algorithm at 400 projection data used as a reference image for comparing with TV minimization and FDK algorithm at few-views. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), Universal quality index (UQI) were used as a image evaluation metric. When projection data are not insufficient, our results show that the image quality of reconstructed with TV minimization is similar to reconstructed image with FDK at 400 view. In the cylindrical phantom study, the CNR of TV image was 5.86, FDK image was 5.65 and FDK-reference was 5.98 at 90-views. The CNR of TV image 0.21 higher than FDK image CNR at 90-views. UQI of TV image was 0.99 and FDK image was 0.81 at 90-views. where, the number of projection is 90, the UQI of TV image 0.18 higher than FDK image at 90-views. In the mouse study UQI of TV image was 0.91, FDK was 0.83 at 90-views. the UQI of TV image 0.08 higher than FDK image at 90-views. In cylindrical phantom image and mouse image study, TV minimization algorithm shows the best performance in artifact reduction and preserving edges at few view data. Therefore, TV minimization can potentially be expected to reduce patient dose in clinics.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is computed tomography contrast agent at low concentrations and low tube voltage technique to evaluate the usefulness on the phantom image. By varying the degree of mixture by the contrast medium concentration it was inserted in phantom. It was taken by changing the tube voltage and tube current step by step, and to evaluate the dose and the CT value obtained from the phantom image. As a result, low-contrast, low tube voltage(300 mgI/ml, 100 kV) was reduced by an average 21%(CTDIvol; computed tomography dose indexvol) more standard condition(350 mgI/ml, 120 kV). SNR was increased at all depths of the phantom, respectively 1:10 and 1:20(by diluting a contrast agent and normal saline) 12.2(26%) 6.2(17%). CNR was increased at all depths of the phantom, respectively 1:10 and 1:20(by diluting a contrast agent and normal saline) 11.5(32%), 6.3(26%). Research work on the CT scan is necessary in a variety of studies on the low contrast concentration and low tube voltage techniques for dose reduction and reducing of side effects the contrast agent.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate CTDI (computed tomography dose index at center) for various phantom shapes, sizes, and compositions by using GATE (geant4 application for tomographic emission) simulations. GATE simulations were performed for various phantom shapes (cylinder, elliptical, and hexagonal prism PMMA phantoms) and phantom compositions (water, PMMA, polyethylene, polyoxymethylene) with various diameters (1-50 cm) at various kVp and mAs levels. The $CTDI_{100center}$ values of cylinder, elliptical, and hexagonal prism phantom at 120 kVp, 200 mAs resulted in 11.1, 13.4, and 12.2 mGy, respectively. The volume is the same, but $CTDI_{100center}$ values are different depending on the type of phantom. The water, PMMA, and polyoxymethylene phantom $CTDI_{100center}$ values were relatively low as the material density increased. However, in the case of Polyethylene, the $CTDI_{100center}$ value was higher than that of PMMA at diameters exceeding 15 cm ($CTDI_{100center}$ : 35.0 mGy). And a diameter greater than 30 cm ($CTDI_{100center}$ : 17.7 mGy) showed more $CTDI_{100center}$ than Water. We have used limited phantoms to evaluate CT doses. In this study, $CTDI_{100center}$ values were estimated and simulated by GATE simulation according to the material and shape of the phantom. CT dosimetry can be estimated more accurately by using various materials and phantom shapes close to human body.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.367-372
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of exposure factors such as kVp and mA applied by BMI on the image quality and patients absorbed dose of Coronary angiography in CT. Each data sets were into 4groups with different exposure values : Group A at 100kVp, 240mAs, Group B at 120kVp, 240mAs, Group C at 100kVp, 270mAs and Group D at 120kVp, 270mAs, and the mean of the scores of 4 groups was calculated for image quality as 4grades that is, 1(poor), 2(fair), 3(good) and 4(very good). Patient absorbed dose was calculated as DLP on the monitor. In case of absorbed dose, deviation in 2groups at 100kVp was 5.6 $mGy{\cdot}cm$, 11 $mGy{\cdot}cm$, was at 120kVp(DLP) with p<0.05. There was rather difference between groups with 100kVp or 120kVp respectively but the gaps were very little. No significant correlation was found between exposure factors and image quality in any images assessed(p>0.05), and the image quality was sufficient for diagnosis. As we applying coronary angiography, the selection of adequate exposure factors considering BMI identified might be effective for reduction of patient absorbed dose, improvement of image quality and diagnostic accuracy.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.290-299
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• 2013

This study included 198 patients who underwent prospectively electrocardiogram-triggered high-pitch spiral mode(FLASH mode) in cardiac CT for health check: 123 patients who underwent manual exposure control(Group A) and 75 patients who underwent automatic exposure control(Group B). Patients were classified according to BMI grades: Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4. Radiation dose, objective and subjective image quality between two groups were compared. In Group B, tube voltage were significantly decreased in all BMI grades. Both $CTDI_{vol}$ and effective dose were significantly reduced in the BMI Grade 1, 3, and 4 whereas they were slightly reduced in the Grade 2(p>0.05), SNR was significantly decreased in the Grade 1 and increased in the Grade 3(p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the Grade 2, 4 between the two groups(p>0.05). CNR was significantly decreased in the Grade 1(p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the Grade 2, 3, 4 between the two groups(p>0.05). The subjective image quality showed no significant difference in all BMI Grades between the two groups(p>0.05). Automatic exposure control can lead to a significant reduction of radiation exposure dose without degradation of subjective image quality.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.21-29
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• 2024

Reducing the radiation dose during CT scanning can lower the risk of radiation exposure, but not only does the image resolution significantly deteriorate, but the effectiveness of diagnosis is reduced due to the generation of noise. Therefore, noise removal from CT images is a very important and essential processing process in the image restoration. Until now, there are limitations in removing only the noise by separating the noise and the original signal in the image area. In this paper, we aim to effectively remove noise from CT images using the wavelet transform-based GAN model, that is, the WT-GAN model in the frequency domain. The GAN model used here generates images with noise removed through a U-Net structured generator and a PatchGAN structured discriminator. To evaluate the performance of the WT-GAN model proposed in this paper, experiments were conducted on CT images damaged by various noises, namely Gaussian noise, Poisson noise, and speckle noise. As a result of the performance experiment, the WT-GAN model is better than the traditional filter, that is, the BM3D filter, as well as the existing deep learning models, such as DnCNN, CDAE model, and U-Net GAN model, in qualitative and quantitative measures, that is, PSNR (Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and SSIM (Structural Similarity Index Measure) showed excellent results.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2007

Purpose: We proposed the method using dose-volume Histogram index to compare prospective plan trials in tomotherapy planning optimization. Materials and Methods: For 3 patients in cranial region, thorax and abdominal region, we acquired computed tomography images with PQ 5000 in each case. Then we delineated target structure and normal organ contour with pinnacle Ver 7.6c, after transferred each data to tomotherapy planning system (hi-art system Ver 2.0), we optimized 3 plan trials in each case that used differ from beam width, pitch, importance. We analyzed 3 plan trials in each region with isodose distribution, dose-volume histogram and dose statistics. Also we verified 3 plan trials with specialized DVH-indexes that is dose homogeneity index in target organ, conformity index around target structure and dose gradient index in non-target structures. Results: We compared with the similarity of results that the one is decide the best plan trial using isodose distribution, dose volume histogram and dose statistics, and the another is using DVH-indexes. They all decided the same plan trial to better result in each case. Conclusion: In some of case, it was appeared a little difference of results that used to DVH-index for comparison of plan trial in tomotherapy by special goal in it. But because DVH-index represented both dose distribution in target structure and high dose risk about normal tissue, it will be reasonable method for comparison of many plan trials before the tomotherapy treatments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to reduce the dose to the patient by different application of ASIR according to the Body Mass Index (BMI). In particular, we wanted to find out the application values of ASIR that are most appropriate for the standard weight. Studies have shown that increasing the application of ASIR to 50% in patients with a body mass index of 25 or less reduces CTDIvol 58.17% and DLP 60.49% compared to using only FBP. A comparative analysis of the noise by the BMI and the SNR values found that the noise increased as the BMI increased, but the application of ASIR resulted in less noise than the FBP alone. In addition, it was found that the more ASIR is applied, the more SNR is increased.