• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mutual relations by measuring SNR from T2 weighted image and ADC values on the basis of the stiffness values from liver tissues. This study was conducted that total 37 people(23 of males and 11 of females) were taken the liver MRI examination and average age was $54.5{\pm}12.7$ years old. The equipment was MAGNETOM Skyra 3.0T (SIEMENS, Erlangen, Germany) and 32 channel body-array coil. The examination were conducted with HASTE T2 weighted image by axial plane, Spin-echo EPI (echo planner image) DWI (b-value = 800) and Magnetic resonance elastography. The ROIs (region of interest: 200-300 $mm^2$) were established on the basis of the first axial stiffness image corresponded 95% confidence interval from axial stiffness image and then were measured values. After drawing the grid lines, signals were measured SNR from T2 weighted image and ADC values on the same locations that were analysed other 3 planes respectively. The results were showed correlation (0.057) that were increased to SNR from T2 weighted image by increasing stiffness value that no significant difference statistically p = 0.003. Other results were showed correlations (-0.301) that were decreased to ADC values by increasing stiffness values that no significant difference statistically p = 0.088. In the 3.0T equipment, the results may be error in much the same fashion as the 1.5T from ADC values by evaluation of fibrosis stage. However, Magnetic resonance elastography would be useful method that is used to diagnose exactly liver fibrosis stages in the 3.0T.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2009

We have fabricated a low-noise 61-channel axial-type first-order gradiometer system for measuring fetal magnetocardiography(MCG) signals. Superconducting quantum interference device(SQUID) sensor was based on double relaxation oscillation SQUID(DROS) for detecting biomagnetic signal, such as MCG, magnetoencphalogram(MEG) and fetal-MCG. The SQUID sensor detected axial component of fetal MCG signal. The pickup coil of SQUID sensor was wound with 120 ${\mu}m$ NbTi wire on bobbin(20 mm diameter) and was a first-order gradiometer to reject the environment noise. The sensors have low white noise of 3 $fT/Hz^{1/2}$ at 100 Hz on average. The fetal MCG was measured from $24{\sim}36$ weeks fetus in a magnetically shielded room(MSR) with shielding factor of 35 dB at 0.1 Hz and 80 dB at 100 Hz(comparatively mild shielding). The MCG signal contained maternal and fetal MCG. Fetal MCG could be distinguished relatively easily from maternal MCG by using independent component analysis(ICA) filter. In addition, we could observe T peak as well as QRS wave, respectively. It will be useful in detecting fetal cardiac diseases.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2012

Electric activity of cardiac muscles generates magnetic fields. Magnetocardiography (or MCG) technology, measuring these magnetic signals, can provide useful information for the diagnosis of heart diseases. It is already about 40 years ago that the first measurement of MCG signals was done by D. Cohen using SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) sensor inside a magnetically shielded room. In the early period of MCG history, bulky point-contact RF-SQUID was used as the magnetic sensor. Thanks to the development of Nb-based Josephson junction technology in mid 1980s and new design of tightly-coupled DC-SQUID, low-noise SQUID sensors could be developed in late 1980s. In around 1990, several groups developed multi-channel MCG systems and started clinical study. However, it is quite recent years that the true usefulness of MCG was verified in clinical practice, for example, in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. For the practical MCG system, technical elements of MCG system should be optimized in terms of performance, fabrication cost and operation cost. In this review, development history, technical issue, and future development direction of MCG technology are described.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2009

The purpose of this study would evaluate if having clinical effects on diffusion image with quantitative analysis through ADC values of brain's normal tissue and lesions before and after contrast injections using a 3.0T. From November in 2007 until December in 2008, a total of 32 patient was performed on 3.0T(Signa Excite, GE Medical System, USA) with the normal or lesions in the patient who requests diffusion weighted image with 8channel head coil. The pulse sequence was used with spin echo EPI(TR: 10000msec, TE: 72.2 msec, Matrix: 128*128, FOV: 240 mm, NEX: 1, diffusion direction: 3, b-value: 1000). Measurement results of ADC values on lesions, CSF, white matter, gray matter, lesions after contrast injection were measured less 75% than before contrast injection, infarction: 100%, CSF: 78%(high), white matter: 71.4%(low), gray matter: 50%(high, low). The results of paired t-test on the deference of ADC values which statically is significant in three(lesions, CSF, white matter)regions except for white matter(p<0.05). Quantitative analysis of lesions, CSF, white matter, gray matter have difference on all regions. ADC values were low in lesions and white matter, normal CSF after contrast injection commonly is high than before contrast injection, ADC values which white matter were high and low (50:50) after contrast injection. 3.0T diffusion weighted image clinically supposed that performing DWI examination after contrast injection was not desirable because of having effects on brain tissue.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1128-1138
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• 2010

One of the typical problems in the precise vibration is resonance characteristics at low frequency disturbance due to a heavy mass. An electro-magnetic(EM) air spring is a kind of vibration control unit and active isolator. The EM air spring in this study aims at removing the low frequency resonance for semiconductor manufacturing. The mechanical and electronic parts in the active isolator are designed to operate under a weight of 2.5 tons. The EM spring is floated using air pressure in a pneumatic elastic chamber and actuated by EM levitation force. The actuator consists of a EM coil and a permanent magnetic plate which are installed inside of the chamber. An air mount was constructed for the experiment with a stone surface plate, 4 active air springs, 4 gap sensors, a DSP controller, and a multi-channel power amp. A PD control method and operating logic was applied to the DSP. Simulation using 1/4 model was carried out and compared with the experiments. The time duration and maximum peak at resonance frequency can be reduced sharply by the proposed system. The results show that the active system can avoid the resonance caused by the natural frequency of the passive system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.513-514
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• 2006

Recently intradiscal electrothermal therapy is introduced, which is a new and minimally invasive technique fer the treatment of discogenic low back pain. This procedure involves the percutaneous threading of a flexible catheter into the disc under fluoroscopic guidance. The catheter, composed of thermal resistive coil, heats the posterior annulus of the disc, causing contraction of collagen fibers and destruction of afferent nociceptors. This study tries to investigate the effects of the important factors of this procedure such as heat source temperature and heat applying time on the temperature distribution within the intervertebral disc. This study utilized both computer simulation and the experiment for the verification of finite element analysis. FE analysis was carried out with ANSYS v7.0 (ANSYS Inc, USA) using 10,980 number of brick element and 12,551 number of node. The functional spinal units of 5 month old swine were used for the experiment and the temperature was monitored using 10 channel temperature measurement device MV200. Through this study, it was able to analyze the temperature range of inner intervertebral disc by two mechanisms which are known to alleviate pain clinically. The results showed that when the heat source temperature was kept up 80 degree for 1,020 seconds, the temperature of inner annulus reached at 45 degree up to the distance of 15.6mm from heat source, which explains coagulation of inner annulus by heat. When the same heat source was used, the temperature of inner nucleus reached at 60 degree up to the distance of 9mm from heat source, which explains contraction of inner nucleus by heat.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

The purpose of this study evaluated the hemo-dynamic information within 30 seconds clinically in 3D breast MRI. From January to March 2014, A total of 40 people were examined at 1.5 Tesla(Philips, Medical System, Achieva, The Netherlands) MRI equipments using 16 channel SENSE breast coil. The imaging parameters on vibrant are fellow as: $TR/TE/FA^{\circ}$/Matrix size/Slice thickness/Slab($5ms/2ms/10^{\circ}/180{\times}139{\times}2mm/80$). This study used a Gadovist and injected it with injection speed of 4 ml /sec by auto injector with 15 ml saline flushing. Firstly, for the delay time study, it divided three different delay time from immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds. In quantitative analysis, the ROI signal intensities of tumor and surrounding tissues were measured retrospectively. In qualitative analysis, the image quality was scored from 1 to 5 point by one experienced radiological technologists as a visual test. The significance level of each delay time was evaluated with a one-way ANOVA(p<0.05). In the visual test, score levels on 30 seconds delay time was a little bit higher than others(p<0.05). The signal intensity of the tumor were $1445{\pm}360$, $1410{\pm}320$, $1510{\pm}415$ on immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds and score levels were $4.18{\pm}0.85$, $3.54{\pm}0.94$, $4.45{\pm}0.74$(p<0.05). The data on immediate images showed better results than that others(p<0.05). Conclusively, Although it has been high scored in 30sec delay time for visual test in order to avoid failure in 20second, 30seconds delay time after contrast media administration, we recommend that the DCE 3D breast MRI commence immediately.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 2004

Liquid Injection Nozzle(LIN) tube and Calandria tube(CT) in pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) are .ross-aligned horizontally. These neighboring tubes can contact each other due to the sag of the calandria tube resulting from the irradiation creep and thermal creep, and fuel load, etc. In order to judge the contact which might be the safety concern, the remote field eddy current (RFEC) technology is applied for the gap measurement in this paper. LIN can be detected by inserting the RFEC probe into pressure tube (PT) at the crossing point directly. To obtain the optimal conditions of the RFEC inspection, the sensitivity, penetration and noise signals are considered simultaneously. The optimal frequency and coil spacing are 1kHz and 200mm respectively. Possible noises during LIN signal acquisition are caused by lift-off, PT thickness variation, and gap variation between PT and CT. The simulated noise signals were investigated by the Volume Integral Method(VIM). Signal analysis on the voltage plane describes the amplitude and shape of LIN and possible defects at several frequencies. All the RFEC measurements in the laboratory were done in variance with the CT/LIN gap and showed the relationship between the LIN gap and the signal parameters by analyzing the voltage plane signals.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.256-262
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• 2008

To evaluate the metabolic changes in normal adult brains due to alterations SENSE and NEX (number of excitation) by multi voxel MR Spectroscopy at 3.0 Tesla. The study group was composed of normal volunteers (5 men and 8 women) with a mean ($\pm$ standard deviation) age of 41 (${\pm}11.65$). Their ages ranged from 28 to 61 years. MR Spectroscopy was performed with a 3.0T Achieva Release Version 2.0 (Philips Medical System-Netherlands). The 8 channel head coil was employed for MRS acquisition. The 13 volunteers underwent multi voxel spectroscopy (MVS) and single voxel spectroscopy (SVS) on the thalamus area with normally gray matter. Spectral parameters were as follows: 15 mm of thickness; 230 mm of FOV (field of view); 2000 msecs of repetition time (TR); 288 msecs of echo time (TE); $110{\times}110$ mm of VOI (view of interest); $15{\times}15{\times}15$ mm of voxel size. Multi voxel spectral parameters were made using specially in alteration of SENSE factor (1~3) and 1~2 of NEX. All MRS data were processed by the jMRUI 3.0 Version. There was no significant difference in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratio between MVS and SVS likewise the previous results by Ross and coworkers in 1994. In addition, despite the alterations of SENSE factor and NEX in MVS, the metabolite ratios were not changed (F-value : 1.37, D.F : 3, P-value : 0.262). However, line-width of NAA peak in MVS was 3 times bigger than that in SVS. In the present study, we demonstrated that the alterations of SENSE factor and NEX were not critically affective to the result of metabolic ratios in the normal brain tissue.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.101-106
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• 2009

Purpose of this study is to compare the signal intensity (SI) and CNR with T1 weighted image using FLASH at 3T abdominal MRI by varying flip angle (FA). Totally 20 patients (male : 12, female : 8, Age : $28{\sim}63$ years with mean : 51) were examined by 3 Tesla MR scanner (Magnetom Tim Trio, SIEMENS, Germany) with 8 channel body array coil between september and October 2008. Imaging parameters were as follows : FLASH sequence, TR : 120 ms, TE : minimum, FOV (field of view) : $360{\times}300\;mm$, Matrix : $256{\times}224$, slice : 6 mm, scan time : 15 sec and Breath-hold technique. Abdominal image, with a 50 ml syringe filled with water placed in the FOV measuring the water signal, were acquired with varying FA through $10^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$ with $10^{\circ}$ interval. SI's were measured three times at liver parenchyme, water, spleen and background and averaged. The CNR's were measured between the ROIs (region of interest). Statistic analysis was performed with ANOVA test using SPSS software (version 17.0). Less than FA $30^{\circ}$, abdominal images were severely inhomogeneity. Especially, T1 effect of water signal was weak. As the flip angle increased, the signal intensity decreased at all the regions. Especially, flip angle of the highest signal intensity was observed with $40^{\circ}$ at the liver parenchyme, $20^{\circ}$ at water, $30^{\circ}$ at the spleen, respectively. The CNR between liver and water was -60.92 at FA $10^{\circ}$ and 15.16 at FA $80^{\circ}$. The CNR between liver and spleen was -3.18 at FA $10^{\circ}$ and 9.65 at $80^{\circ}$. In conclusion, FA $80^{\circ}$ is optimal for T1 weighted effect using FLASH pulse sequence at 3.0 T abdominal MRI.