• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2003

Purpose : The efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating coronary artery disease has been reported. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of breath-hold segmented K-space cine MR imaging for evaluating the patency of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). Materials and Method s : Thirty eight patients with a total of 92 CABGs (36 internal thoracic arteries and 56 saphenous vein grafts) were evaluated using segmented K-space cardiac-gated fast gradient echo sequence (2D-FASTCARD) MR imaging. MR magnitude images were evaluated from the hard copies by two independent observers. A graft was defined as patent if it was seen as a bright small round area on at least two consecutive images throughout the cardiac cycle at a position consistent with the expected location for that graft. Results : MR images were obtained successfully for 23 patients (61%). The sagittal planes were most helpful in visualizing the cross-section of sapheneous vein bypass graft to left circumflex artery branch, whereas the transverse planes were used for identification of internal mammary artery grafts to left anterior descending coronary artery or its branch and identification of saphenous vein grafts to right coronary artery. Forty five grafts were visible using this MR technique, while the grafts were not visible on seven saphenous vein grafts and two internal mammary artery grafts. In two patients showing symptoms of myocardial ischemia, one or two bypass grafts were not visible. Imaging, perpendicular plane to a CABG was important to visualize the flow inside the CABG with maximum sensitivity. Conclusion : Evaluation of patency of the bypass graft was clinically feasible by 2D-FASTCARD MR imaging, whereas any invisible bypass grafts should be further studied by contrast-enhanced MR angiography or by conventional angiography for confirmation of abnormalities.

• Archives of design research
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• v.18 no.2 s.60
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• pp.37-46
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• 2005

Today's advertisement is dominated by visual images, which deliver messages in the most efficient and engaging way. Vivid and live images, through multimedia, attract the viewer to consume the products being advertised. In this course, the effect of 'Verfremdung' or alienation is often detected. This terminology was at first used in a epic play of Bertolt Brecht to signify a specific effect to block the empathy of the audience by reminding them of their position as the audience separate from the play. 'Verfremdung' helps them to have a sense of objectivity and critical attitude toward the performance. Multimedia commercials nowadays exhibit such a quality together with 'viewer participation:' criticism on reality: and 'speed.' In an advertisement for Shinsegi Communications' mobile system titled <017-I-Touch series, the hand transformed into a web>, the copy, 'my blood type is 'i', ' is accompanied by six unrelated fictitious scenes in which the same ocean appears as a common denominator. Because there is no connection between the scenes, free imagination of the viewer has to be involved and thus plays a significant role in making them into a context. This fact dearly exhibit some characteristics of post- modern advertisement. Momentary 'Gap' and 'Difference' between scenes contribute to 'Verfremdung' or alienation' that makes it hard for the consumers to comprehend the content on the spot. Such an uneasy situation, however, keeps the viewers thinking about the advertisement itself. While repeatedly exposed to the alienated images, the viewers come to get involved in the advertisement, trying to make the fragmented images into a coherent context. In addition, the leaps between the scenes produce a sense of 'speed' in a context, which adds more impact to the way of delivering messages using multimedia. With the help of multimedia, 'Verfremdung: which was originally intended to bring about objective and critical altitude of the audience in a play, plays a crucial role in attracting the viewer's attention and conveying a specific message in a moment in contemporary advertisement.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 2010

The objectives of this study is to figure out the unknown image processing methods of commercial CR system. We have implemented the processing curve of each Look up table(LUT) in REGIUS 150 CR system by using virtual digital test pattern method. The characteristic of Dry Imager was measured also. First of all, we have generated the virtual digital test pattern file with binary file editor. This file was used as an input data of CR system (REGIUS 150 CR system, KONICA MINOLTA). The DICOM files which were automatically generated output files by the CR system, were used to figure out the processing curves of each LUT modes (THX, ST, STM, LUM, BONE, LIN). The gradation curves of Dry Imager were also measured to figure out the characteristics of hard copy image. According to the results of each parameters, we identified the characteristics of image processing parameter in CR system. The processing curves which were measured by this proposed method showed the characteristics of CR system. And we found the linearity of Dry Imager in the middle area of processing curves. With these results, we found that the relationships between the curves and each parameters. The G value is related to the slope and the S value is related to the shift in x-axis of processing curves. In conclusion, the image processing method of the each commercial CR systems are different, and they are concealed. This proposed method which uses virtual digital test pattern can measure the characteristics of parameters for the image processing patterns in the CR system. We expect that the proposed method is useful to analogize the image processing means not only for this CR system, but also for the other commercial CR systems.