• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.339-345
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• 2021

Background: Ultrasound-guided caudal epidural injection (CEI) is limited in that it cannot confirm drug distribution at the target site without fluoroscopy. We hypothesized that visualization of solution flow through the inter-laminar space of the lumbosacral spine using color Doppler ultrasound alone would allow for confirmation of drug distribution. Therefore, we aimed to prospectively evaluate the usefulness of this method by comparing the color Doppler image in the paramedian sagittal oblique view of the lumbosacral spine (LS-PSOV) with the distribution of the contrast medium observed during fluoroscopy. Methods: Sixty-five patients received a 10-mL CEI of solution containing contrast medium under ultrasound guidance. During injection, flow was observed in the LSPSOV using color Doppler ultrasonography, following which it was confirmed using fluoroscopy. The presence of contrast image at L5-S1 on fluoroscopy was defined as "successful CEI." We then calculated prediction accuracy for successful CEI using color Doppler ultrasonography in the LS-PSOV. We also investigated the correlation between the distribution levels measured via color Doppler and fluoroscopy. Results: Prediction accuracy with color Doppler ultrasonography was 96.9%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 96.7%, 100%, 100%, and 60.0%, respectively. In 52 of 65 patients (80%), the highest level at which contrast image was observed was the same for both color Doppler ultrasonography and fluoroscopy. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that color Doppler ultrasonography in the LS-PSOV is a new method for determining whether a drug solution reaches the lumbosacral region (i.e., the main target level) without the need for fluoroscopy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1049-1055
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of twinkling artifacts according to the types of urinary stones in color Doppler ultrasound. For two types of urinary stones with different colors, the degree of occurrence of color Doppler twinkling artifact in water tank was analyzed, and the surface condition and composition of the stones were analyzed. The composition of Calcium and phosphorus were the most frequent components in white and brown stones excluding carbon and oxygen. Twinkling artifacts of color Doppler appear stronger in brown stone. The higher the phosphorus content of the stones, the shorter the twinkling artifact appears, so it is possible to predict the main composition of stones.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2014

When a tooth shows discoloration and does not respond to the cold test or electric pulp test (EPT) after a traumatic injury, its diagnosis can be even more difficult due to the lack of proper diagnostic methods to evaluate its vitality. In these case reports, we hope to demonstrate that ultrasound Doppler might be successfully used to evaluate the vitality of the tooth after trauma, and help reduce unnecessary endodontic treatments. In all three of the present cases, the teeth were discolored after traumatic injuries and showed negative responses to the cold test and EPT. However, they showed distinctive vital reactions in the ultrasound Doppler test during the whole observation period. In the first case, the tooth color returned to normal, and the tooth showed a positive response to the cold test and EPT at 10 wk after the injury. In the second case, the tooth color had returned to its normal shade at 10 wk after the traumatic injury but remained insensitive to the cold test and EPT. In the third case, the discoloration was successfully treated with vital tooth bleaching.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.2261-2266
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• 2011

Being the most widely used in ultrasound Doppler color flow mapping, the Kasai algorithm, also known as lag-1 autocorrelation method, is capable of estimating the Doppler mean frequency relatively accurately with a modest amount of computation. Particularly in the case of imaging deep lying areas, however, its performance suffers due to low signal-to-noise ratios. The purpose of this paper is to propose a dealiased lag-2 autocorrelation method which is superior to the Kasai algorithm even at low signal-to-noise ratios and to compare their performances through simulations. The proposed algorithm is found to be better by about 2 to 3 dB than the Kasai algorithm in terms of Doppler mean frequency estimation error in the presence of measurement noise.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to determine the doppler fluid effects of carbonated water (CBW) in a bi-directional flow phantom model. A bi-directional flow phantom model was chosen to realize arterial and venous flow, and the structure of the inner and outer tanks allowed for fluid circulation and also made the size of the phantom small. Carbonated water (CBW), salt fluid (SAF), sugar fluid (SUF), and distilled water (DW) were used as fluids, and ultrasound scans were performed at depths of 1.5 cm and 3.0 cm from the surface of the tank, using B-mode and color Doppler effects. All fluids tested showed color Doppler effects, but CBW had the highest doppler shift and the least variation with depth. In conclusion, we determined that CBW was the most suitable fluid to be used as a doppler fluid and confirmed that the bubbles dissolved in CBW act as doppler scatterers, just like red blood cells inside human blood. Therefore, it is possible that CBW can be used as a blood-mimicking fluid in doppler ultrasound phantoms through further research, and this study will provide basic data.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.175-202
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• 2016

Ultrasound imaging is a widely used tool for visualizing human body's internal organs and quantifying clinical parameters. Due to its advantages such as safety, non-invasiveness, portability, low cost and real-time 2D/3D imaging, diagnostic ultrasound industry has steadily grown. Since the technology advancements such as digital beam-forming, Doppler ultrasound, real-time 3D imaging and automated diagnosis techniques, there are still a lot of demands for image quality improvement, faster and accurate imaging, 3D color Doppler imaging and advanced functional imaging modes. In order to satisfy those demands, mathematics should be used properly and effectively in ultrasound imaging. Mathematics has been used commonly as mathematical modelling, numerical solutions and visualization, combined with science and engineering. In this article, we describe a brief history of ultrasound imaging, its basic principle, its applications in obstetrics/gynecology, cardiology and radiology, domestic-industrial products, contributions of mathematics and challenging issues in ultrasound imaging.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.443-449
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• 2015

An ultrasound probe has a big impact on Doppler images even though it has very high risk of frequent function-breakdowns occurring in medical ultrasound scanners. This study experimentally analyses the impacts of an ultrasonic probe's defected elements on power & color Doppler images. The results show that, the bigger the size of defected probe elements is, and the closer a group of action elements is to the center, the more the brightness of images and the velocity of Doppler diminish. When elements' defects increase in color & power Doppler images, false images are formed to be mistaken for blood-vessel plaque in neighboring regions. Accordingly, whenever element defects are suspected, we need check-up process in B-mode. From this respective, it is advisable to have primary interest in a probe and carry out continuous probe QA for ultrasonography.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2001

Objectives: The clinical efficacy of the color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound with spectral waveform analysis for differentiation of malignant from benign cervical lymphadenopathy was prospectively evaluated in cervical lymphadenopathy. Materials and Methods: Color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound examination was prospectively performed in 32 cervical lymph nodes in 28 patients. These 10 nodes from 10 patients were malignant and 22 nodes from 18 patients were benign, proved by operation, biopsy, and follow-up examination. Another 12 lymph nodes from 12 normal volunteers were evaluated as control group. The peak systolic velocity (PSV), minimal diastolic velocity (MDV) , and resistive indexes (RI) of arterial flows within the 32 lymph nodes were assessed to differentiate the malignant from benign nodes with pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. The results were qualitified with one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni method of multiple comparison. Results: The mean values of PSV of malignant, benign, and control nodes were 38.2(10.1-134)cm/sec, 23.3(9-38.5) cm/sec and 11.8(6.7-18.1) cm/sec, respectively. The mean values of MDV of them were 0.9(-7.5-10.7)cm/sec, 9.7(2.9-18.6)cm/sec and 6.5(3.7-9.3)cm/sec, respectively. However, there was no statistical significance in differentiation of malignant from benign nodes with PSV and MDV. The mean values of RI of malignant, benign, and control nodes were 0.99(0.80-1.30), 0.59(0.46-0.77) and 0.45(0.38-0.50), respectively. RI value of 0.8 is suggestive value for discrimination of malignant from benign lymphadenopathy during examination of color Doppler ultrasound of cervical lymphadenopathy. Conclusion: Color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound examination with spectral waveform analysis may be quite helpful in the differentiation between benign and malignant alterations of cervical lymph nodes.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.159-163
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• 1997

The complications of deep neck infection have become much less common in the antibiotic era. The vascular complications of deep neck infection can have devasting consequences. Most commonly, the internal carotid artery is involved, although the common carotid and external carotid artery can also be affected.0 the cases of patients with a protracted course, recurrent bleeding, cranial neuropathies, or trismus, the presence of vascular complications must be considered. Appropriate imaging should be carried out to allow the localization of the infection and ascertain the status of the vessels in the neck The vascular structures can be imaged with duplex doppler or color doppler flow ultrasound to see the flow between the mass and vessels. Also angiography plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of vascular complication of deep neck infection. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of these patients is necessary to prevent significant hemmorrhagic complications. We experienced a case of pseudoaneurysm of the common carotid artery secondary to deep neck infection treated successfully with surgical excision in 45-year-old-male.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2013

Pilomatricoma is a benign skin tumor that develops from hair matrix cells. It most commonly occurs in the head and neck, followed by the upper extremities. Accuracy of preoperative diagnosis was low in previous studies and excisional biopsy was even performed frequently without imaging studies. We report a case of pilomatricoma of the shoulder that was easily diagnosed by ultrasound including color Doppler, which is a more useful imaging modality than computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans not only because of its cost effectiveness but also because of the precise information obtained from mass contents.