• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Minimizing contrast dose and radiation exposure while maintaining image quality during computed tomography angiography (CTA) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is desirable, but not well established. This systematic review compares image quality for low contrast and low kV CTA versus conventional CTA in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review to identify clinical studies comparing imaging strategies for patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR planning. The primary outcomes of image quality as assessed by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were reported as random effects mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: We included 6 studies reporting on 353 patients. There was no difference in cardiac SNR (mean difference, -1.42; 95% CI, -5.71 to 2.88; p = 0.52), cardiac CNR (mean difference, -3.83; 95% CI, -9.98 to 2.32; p = 0.22), aortic SNR (mean difference, -0.23; 95% CI, -7.83 to 7.37; p = 0.95), aortic CNR (mean difference, -3.95; 95% CI, -12.03 to 4.13; p = 0.34), and ileofemoral SNR (mean difference, -6.09; 95% CI, -13.80 to 1.62; p = 0.12) between the low dose and conventional protocols. There was a difference in ileofemoral CNR between the low dose and conventional protocols with a mean difference of -9.26 (95% CI, -15.06 to -3.46; p = 0.002). Overall, subjective image quality was similar between the 2 protocols. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggests that low contrast and low kV CTA for TAVR planning provides similar image quality to conventional CTA.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.779-785
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• 2019

By applying an ergonomically developed Bismuth shield to the endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysm the radiation dose of the scalp and lens from the medical radiation exposure was reduced. The enrtance surface dose was analyzed by measuring the occipital parts, bilateral temporal parts, bilateral quadriceps, and nasal tip of the developed bismuth shield using a photostimulable fluorescence dosimeter before (Group A) before use (Group B). Signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) analysis were used to evaluate the image quality when Bismuth shielding was used. The mean entrance surface dose of A group and B group was 26.92% lower than that of A group. The analysis of CNR and SNR was the same for both Roadmap and DSA. The use of Bismuth shielding is an alternative that can reduce the radiation impairment due to temporary hair loss and other stochastic effects that may occur after cerebrovascular intervention.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between exposure index (EI) and dose factors related to radiation dose optimization in digital radiography (DR) system. Two phantoms with built-in regional test object for quantitative assessment of images were used to produce image signals that acquired in chest radiography background. EI and entrane surface dose (ESD) increased proportionally with rise of radiation dose (kVp, mAs) in both DR and CR systems. Especially, DR detector was effective to form good contrast and hence, reached easily to improvement of image quality with minimal dose changes. It made operators possible to expect the accuracy of EI values deeply related to absorbed dose of the detector. The evaluation of images was obtained specially employed calculation of noise to signal ratio (NSR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). These measurements were performed for how exposure factors affect image quality. NSR was inversely proportional to kVp and mAs and low NSR represented high signal detection efficiency. Consequently, EI values was the measure of the amount of exposure received by the image receptor and it was proportional to exposure factors. Therefore the EI in a recommended range from manufacturer can offer optimal image quality. Also, continuous monitoring of EI values in the digital radiography can reduce the unnecessary patient dose and help the quality control of the system.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2023

When taking X-rays, various auxiliary tools were used to fix a patient's exact shooting position and posture. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of carbon fiber reinforced plastics(CFRP) 3K as a material of auxiliary tools by comparing poly methyl metha acrylate(PMMA), polycarbonate(PC), and CFRP 3K each of which has high radiolucency. X-ray radiolucencies were measured by stacking 1 mm panels of each material, and contrast to noise ratio(CNR) and signal to noise ratio(SNR) of images of each material were measured by comparing with None, which stands for images that are taken without any material. All three materials showed over 90% X-ray radiolucencies within 2 ㎜ thickness, and there was no significant difference. PC, PMMA and CFRP 3K had high CNR and SNR in order, and CFRP 3K showed the closest CNR and SNR to those of None. While taking X-rays, by using CFRP 3K material within 2 ㎜ thickness as a material of auxiliary tools, which are used to reduce re-shooting and X-ray exposure by fixing a patient's exact shooting position and posture and improve the quality of medical images, a high X-ray radiolucency of over 90% would be obtained, and the influence on the image could be minimized.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.623-628
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to design fast non local means (FNLM) noise reduction algorithm and to confirm its application feasibility in light microscopic image. For that aim, we acquired mouse first molar image and compared between previous widely used noise reduction algorithm and our proposed FNLM algorithm in acquired light microscopic image. Contrast to noise ratio, coefficient of variation, and no reference-based evaluation parameter such as natural image quality evaluator (NIQE) and blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator (BRISQUE) were used in this study. According to the result, our proposed FNLM noise reduction algorithm can achieve excellent result in all evaluation parameters. In particular, it was confirmed that the NIQE and BRISQUE evaluation parameters for analyzing the overall morphologcal image of the tooth were 1.14 and 1.12 times better than the original image, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated the usefulness and feasibility of FNLM noise reduction algorithm in light microscopic image of small animal tooth.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.75-86
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply a newly developed free software program, at low cost and with minimal time, to evaluate the quality of dental and maxillofacial cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Materials and Methods: A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom, CQP-IFBA, was scanned in 3 CBCT units with 7 protocols. A macro program was developed, using the free software ImageJ, to automatically evaluate the image quality parameters. The image quality evaluation was based on 8 parameters: uniformity, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), noise, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), spatial resolution, the artifact index, geometric accuracy, and low-contrast resolution. Results: The image uniformity and noise depended on the protocol that was applied. Regarding the CNR, high-density structures were more sensitive to the effect of scanning parameters. There were no significant differences between SNR and CNR in centered and peripheral objects. The geometric accuracy assessment showed that all the distance measurements were lower than the real values. Low-contrast resolution was influenced by the scanning parameters, and the 1-mm rod present in the phantom was not depicted in any of the 3 CBCT units. Smaller voxel sizes presented higher spatial resolution. There were no significant differences among the protocols regarding artifact presence. Conclusion: This software package provided a fast, low-cost, and feasible method for the evaluation of image quality parameters in CBCT.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.402-412
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• 2022

Objective: To evaluate the image quality and lesion detectability of lower-dose CT (LDCT) of the abdomen and pelvis obtained using a deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm compared with those of standard-dose CT (SDCT) images. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 123 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 63 ± 11 years; male:female, 70:53) who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic LDCT between May and August 2020 and had prior SDCT obtained using the same CT scanner within a year. LDCT images were reconstructed with hybrid iterative reconstruction (h-IR) and DLIR at medium and high strengths (DLIR-M and DLIR-H), while SDCT images were reconstructed with h-IR. For quantitative image quality analysis, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise ratio were measured in the liver, muscle, and aorta. Among the three different LDCT reconstruction algorithms, the one showing the smallest difference in quantitative parameters from those of SDCT images was selected for qualitative image quality analysis and lesion detectability evaluation. For qualitative analysis, overall image quality, image noise, image sharpness, image texture, and lesion conspicuity were graded using a 5-point scale by two radiologists. Observer performance in focal liver lesion detection was evaluated by comparing the jackknife free-response receiver operating characteristic figures-of-merit (FOM). Results: LDCT (35.1% dose reduction compared with SDCT) images obtained using DLIR-M showed similar quantitative measures to those of SDCT with h-IR images. All qualitative parameters of LDCT with DLIR-M images but image texture were similar to or significantly better than those of SDCT with h-IR images. The lesion detectability on LDCT with DLIR-M images was not significantly different from that of SDCT with h-IR images (reader-averaged FOM, 0.887 vs. 0.874, respectively; p = 0.581). Conclusion: Overall image quality and detectability of focal liver lesions is preserved in contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic LDCT obtained with DLIR-M relative to those in SDCT with h-IR.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.453-458
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• 2019

In this study we analyzed the tendency of the image characteristic by changing filtering factor for the proposed fast non local means (FNLM) noise reduction algorithm with designed Male Adult mesh (MASH) phantom through Geant4 application for tomographic emission (GATE) simulation program. To accomplish this purpose, MASH phantom for human copy was designed through the GATE simulation program. In addition, we acquired degraded image by adding Gaussian noise with a value of 0.005 using the MATALB program in MASH phantom. Moreover, in degraded image, the FNLM noise reduction algorithm was applied by changing the filtering factors, which set to 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 value, respectively. To quantitatively evaluate, the coefficient of variation (COV), signal to noise ratio (SNR), and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were calculated in reconstructed images. Results of the COV, SNR and CNR were most improved in image with a filtering factor of 0.05 value. Especially, the COV was decreased with increasing filtering factor, and showed nearly constant values after 0.05 value of the filtering factor. In addition, SNR and CNR were showed that improvement with increasing filtering factor, and deterioration after 0.05 value of the filtering factor. In conclusion, we demonstrated the significance of setting the filtering factor when applying the FNLM noise reduction algorithm in degraded image.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2012

Although 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the advantages of a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast than 1.5T MRI, there are limitations on the contrast between white and grey matter because of the long T1 recovery time when T1 images are obtained using the Spin Echo Technique. To overcome this, T1 weighted images are obtained occasionally using the inversion recovery (IR) technique, which employs a relatively long TR. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal TI in a brain examination when a T1 weighted image is obtained using the IR technique. Eight participants (male: 7, female: 1, average age: $34{\pm}14.11$) with a normal diagnosis were targeted from February 18, 2012 to February 27, 2012, and the contrast between white and grey matter as well as the contrast to noise ratio (CNRs) in each participant were measured. The CNRs of white matter and grey matter were highest at TI = 600, 650, 750, 900, 1050 and 1100 ms when the TR was 1100, 1400, 1700, 2000, 2300 and 2600 ms, respectively. Therefore, as the TIs were $44.425{\pm}0.877%$ of the TRs in the TR range of 1400-2300 ms, the optimal T1 weighted images that describe the contrast between white and grey matter can be obtained if the TIs are compensated for with $44.425{\pm}0.877%$ of the TRs in the time of setting TIs.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of automatic exposure control (AEC) control factors in digital radiography systems based on the fine contrast images using coin phantoms. The AEC control factors were targeted at the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density. The dominent zone was divided into cases where a single coin was used to cover the field configuration, and cases where seven coins were used to cover the field configuration. The sensitivity was classified into three stages (200, 400, 800) and the density was classified into three stages (2.5, 0, 2.5). Image quality was evaluated by signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). Then, the automatically exposed tube current was measured. As a result, the X-ray image of seven coins obtained a result value of about 1.2 times higher for SNR and 1.9 times higher for CNR than the X-ray image for one coin. The tube current was also about 1.6 times higher. In conclusion, In AEC, the higher the field configuration and dominent zone are matched and the higher the density, the lower the sensitivity, which increases the tube current and CNR, which increases the image quality. Therefore, it is judged that the appropriate setting of the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density of the control, which is the AEC control factor, could improve the fine contrast of images.