• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.475-481
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• 2014

이 연구의 목적은 감마선 검출 시스템을 개발하여 평행구멍형 조준기와 바늘구멍 조준기를 이용하여, 각각 소동물용 감마영상 획득과 환경 방사선 검출 영상을 획득하는 것이다. 본 연구에서는 크기가 $50{\times}50mm$ 이며, 6 mm 두께의 CsI(Tl) 섬광체와 $50{\times}50mm$ 크기의 Hamamatsu H8500C 위치민감형 광전자증배관, 저항분배회로, 전치증폭기, 성형증폭기, NIM 모듈 및 아날로그 디지털 변환기로 구성된 감마카메라를 개발하였다. 또한. 바늘구멍 감마카메라와 전하결합소자 카메라를 결합하여 환경모니터링에 적용할 수 있는 장비를 개발하였다. 본 연구 결과는 평행 구멍형 조준기와 바늘구멍 조준기를 이용한 감마카메라를 각각 소동물용 감마영상 획득과 환경방사선 측정에 적용 할 수 있음을 보여주었다. 이 시스템은 소 동물전용 감마카메라와 환경방사선 측정 시스템으로 활용 될 수 있을 것이다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.439-443
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• 2019

To improve the noise characteristics, software-based noise reduction algorithms are widely used in cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) pixelated semiconductor gamma camera system. The purpose of this study was to develop an improved median filtering algorithm using a thresholding method for noise reduction in a CZT pixelated semiconductor gamma camera system. The gamma camera system simulated is a CZT pixelated semiconductor detector with a pixel-matched parallel-hole collimator and the spatial resolution phatnom was designed with the Geant4 Application for Tomography Emission (GATE). In addition, a noise reduction algorithm with a median filter using an improved thresholding method is developed and we applied our proposed algorithm to an acquired spatial resolution phantom image. According to the results, the proposed median filter improved the noise characteristics compared to a conventional median filter. In particular, the average for normalized noise power spectrum, contrast to noise ratio, and coefficient of variation results using the proposed median filter were 10, 1.11, and 1.19 times better than results using conventional median filter, respectively. In conclusion, our results show that the proposed median filter using improved the thresholding method results in high imaging performance when applied in a CZT semiconductor gamma camera system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.719-722
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• 2019

Gamma-ray images generally suffer from a lot of noise because of low photon detection in the gamma camera system. The purpose of this study is to improve the image quality in gamma-ray images using a gamma camera system with a fast nonlocal means (FNLM) noise reduction algorithm with an acceleration function. The designed FNLM algorithm is based on local region considerations, including the Euclidean distance in the gamma-ray image and use of the encoded information. To evaluate the noise characteristics, the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and coefficient of variation (COV) were used. According to the NNPS result, the lowest values can be obtained using the FNLM noise reduction algorithm. In addition, when the conventional methods and the FNLM noise reduction algorithm were compared, the average CNR and COV using the proposed algorithm were approximately 2.23 and 7.95 times better than those of the noisy image, respectively. In particular, the image-processing time of the FNLM noise reduction algorithm can achieve the fastest time compared with conventional noise reduction methods. The results of the image qualities related to noise characteristics demonstrated the superiority of the proposed FNLM noise reduction algorithm in a gamma camera system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.2567-2571
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• 2023

Scintillator materials are widely used in the medical and industrial fields for imaging systems using gamma cameras. In this study, image evaluation is performed by modeling a gamma camera system based on a lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) scintillation detector using a pinhole collimator that can improve the spatial resolution. A LYSO detector-based gamma camera system is modeled using a Monte Carlo simulation tool. The geometric concept of the pinhole collimator is designed using various magnification factors, and the spatial resolution is measured using the acquired source image. To evaluate the resolution, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) and natural image quality assessment (NIQE), a no-reference-based parameter, are used. We confirm that the FWHM and NIQE values decrease simultaneously when the diameter of the pinhole collimator increases. Additionally, we confirm that the spatial resolution improves as the magnification factor increases under the same pinhole diameter condition. Particularly, a 0.57 mm FWHM value is obtained using the modeled gamma camera system with a LYSO scintillation detector. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that a pinhole collimator with a LYSO scintillation detector is a promising gamma camera imaging system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권11호
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• pp.2594-2600
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• 2020

A gamma camera system using radionuclide has a functional imaging technique and is frequently used in the field of nuclear medicine. In the gamma camera, it is extremely important to improve the image quality to ensure accurate detection of diseases. In this study, we designed a blind-deconvolution framework after a noise-reduction algorithm based on a non-local mean, which has been shown to outperform conventional methodologies with regard to the gamma camera system. For this purpose, we performed a simulation using the Monte Carlo method and conducted an experiment. The image performance was evaluated by visual assessment and according to the intensity profile, and a quantitative evaluation using a normalized noise-power spectrum was performed on the acquired image and the blind-deconvolution image after noise reduction. The result indicates an improvement in image performance for gamma camera images when our proposed algorithm is used.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.351-360
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• 1998

아날로그 감마카메라에 비해 디지털 카메라는 Q.C가 편리하고, Calibration과 조작이 매우 쉬운 장점들을 갖고 있어 영상 질을 향상시킬 뿐만 아니라 진단의 정확도를 높일 수 있다. 더욱이, 디지털 카메라로 획득한 디지털 영상은 PACS(Picture Archiving and Communication System) 뿐만 아니라 원격진료에도 활용될 수 있다. 그러나, 많은 병원들이 아직도 아날로그 카메라를 사용하고 있고 이들을 디지털 카메라로 대체하기는 어려운 상황에 있다. 본 연구는 아날로그 감마카메라를 디지털화 할 수 있는지의 가능성을 보는 것이었다. 카메라를 디지털화 한 후 균일도 계수능력 등의 물리적 특성을 측정하였다. 임상에서의 사용 가능성을 보기 위해 아날로그 시스템과 디지털 시스템을 동시에 연결하여 임상 데이터들을 획득하였다. 이들의 결과는 임상환경에서 아날로그 카메라를 디지털화 하 수 있다는 가능성을 보여주었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권8호
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• pp.2873-2878
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to perform radiation monitoring by acquiring gamma images and real-time optical images for ^99mTc vial source using charge couple device (CCD) cameras equipped with the proposed compact gamma camera. The compact gamma camera measures 86×65×78.5 mm³ and weighs 934 g. It is equipped with a metal 3D printed diverging collimator manufactured in a 45 field of view (FOV) to detect the location of the source. The circuit's system uses system-on-chip (SoC) and field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) to establish a good connection between hardware and software. In detection modules, the photodetector (multi-pixel photon counters) is tiled at 8×8 to expand the activation area and improve sensitivity. The gadolinium aluminium gallium garnet (GAGG) measuring 0.5×0.5×3.5 mm³ was arranged in 38×38 arrays. Intrinsic and extrinsic performance tests such as energy spectrum, uniformity, and system sensitivity for other radioisotopes, and sensitivity evaluation at edges within FOV were conducted. The compact gamma camera can be mounted on unmanned equipment such as drones and robots that require miniaturization and light weight, so a wide range of applications in various fields are possible.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권8호
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• pp.3188-3198
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• 2024

Efficient and secure decommissioning of nuclear facilities demands advanced technologies. In this context, gamma-ray detection and imaging are crucial in identifying radioactive hotspots and monitoring radiation levels. Our study is dedicated to developing a gamma-ray detection system tailored for integration into robotic platforms for nuclear decommissioning, offering a safe and automated solution for this intricate task and ensuring the safety of human operators by mitigating radiation exposure and streamlining hotspot localization. Our approach integrates a Compton camera based 3D reconstruction algorithm with a single Timepix3 detector. This eliminates the need for a second detector and significantly reduces system weight and cost. Additionally, combining a 3D camera with the setup enhances hotspot visualization and interpretation, rendering it an ideal solution for practical nuclear decommissioning applications. In a proof-of-concept measurement utilizing a 137Cs source, our system accurately localized and visualized the source in 3D with an angular error of 1° and estimated the activity with a 3% relative error. This promising result underscores the system's potential for deployment in real-world decommissioning settings. Future endeavors will expand the technology's applications in authentic decommissioning scenarios and optimize its integration with robotic platforms. The outcomes of our study contribute to heightened safety and accuracy for nuclear decommissioning works through the advancement of cost-effective and efficient gamma-ray detection systems.

• 전기학회논문지
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• 제58권7호
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• pp.1450-1455
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• 2009

Assumed that an IPTV camera system is to be used as an ad-hoc sensor for the surveillance and diagnostics of safety-critical equipments installed in the in-containment building of the nuclear power plant, an major problem is the presence of high dose-rate gamma irradiation fields inside the one. In order to uses an IPTV camera in such intense gamma radiation environment of the in-containment building, the radiation-weakened devices including a CCD imaging sensor, FPGA, ASIC and microprocessors are to be properly shielded from high dose-rate gamma radiation using the high-density material, lead or tungsten. But the passive elements such as mirror, lens and window, which are placed in the optical path of the CCD imaging sensor, are exposed to a high dose-rate gamma ray source directly. So, the gamma-ray irradiation characteristics of the passive elements, is needed to test. A CCD camera lens, made of glass material, have been gamma irradiated at the dose rate of 4.2 kGy/h during an hour up to a total dose of 4 kGy. The radiation induced color-center in the glass lens is observed. The degradation performance of the gamma irradiated lens is explained using an color component analysis.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.65-77
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• 1995

A new gamma camera using a-Si : H photodetectors has been designed for the imaging of heart and other small organs. In this new design the photomultiplier tubes and the position sensing circuitry are replaced by 2-D array of a-Si : H p-i-n pixel photode tectors and readout circuitry which are built on a substrate. Without the photomultiplier tubes this camera is light weight, hence can be made portable. To predict the characteristics and the performance of this new gamma camera we did Monte Carlo simulations. In the simulations 128${\times}$128 imaging array of various pixel sixes were used. $\^$99m/Tc(140keV)and $\^$201/Tl(70keV) were used as radiation sources. From the simulations we could obtain the resolution of the camera and ther overall system, and the blurring effects due to scattering in the phantom. Using the Wiener filter for image processing, restoration of the blurred image could be achieved. Simulation results of a-Si : H based gamma camera were compared with those of a conwentional gamma camera.