• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.21-25
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• 2014

In order to develop 2nd generation (2G) high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires as commercial products, it is necessary to perform a high speed investigation of their superconducting performance. Room-temperature and non-contact optical scanning tools are necessary to verify the microstructure of the superconducting materials, the current flow below the critical temperature, and the critical current density. In this paper, we report our results of an inspection of the electrical transport properties of coated conductors. The samples that we used in our study were highly qualified rare-earth based coated conductors produced via co-evaporation, and $SmBa_2Cu_3O_{7-y}$ (SmBCO) was the superconducting materials used in our studies. A film grown on IBAD-MgO templates shows larger than 400 A/cm at 77 K and a self-field. The local transport properties of the films were investigated by room-temperature imaging by thermal heating. The room-temperature images show structural inhomogeneities on the surface of the films. Bolometric response imaging via low-temperature bolometric microscopy was used to construct the local current mapping at the surface. These results indicate that the non-uniform regions on the surface disturb the current flow, and laser scanning images at room-temperature and at a low-temperature suggest a correlation between the structural properties and transport properties. Thus this method can be effective to evaluate the quality of the coated conductors.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.15 no.4 s.57
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• pp.89-96
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• 2006

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner is the device to draw an image of conditions and the spread of various tissue in the body. It is used by making the patient into rounded superconductor and using high frequency which cause resonances. It uses superconduction magnet and high frequency that is non-ionizing radiation so can acquire biochemical, physical, and functional information of tissue. It is also very useful because it can scan tomography from many different angles to diagnose disease of a nervous system, the heart, and a skeletal structure. It also has advantages of that there is no risk of radiation exposure and the ability of observation on organizations such as brains, livers and the spinal cord of people. Since these features, the rate of use has been increased accordingly more considerations of the security are required when it plans. The weight of devices and the cover problem of the strong magnetic field which is occurred by magnetic resonance at the time of diagnosis can cause very important structure problems and architectural condition. That also the recent tendency which needs stronger equipment means that planning of the MRI unit should generally aim at purposing of the proximity for the device maintenance and up-grade and of further expansion. However there are not enough studies and data on the magnet resonance imaging in domestic hospitals. According to these reasons, this study has an object of indicating basic data on MRI unit plan standard and alternative proposals.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2020

Background: Previous studies showed neurography and tractography of the greater occipital nerve (GON). The purpose of this study was determining diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of bilateral GONs and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in unilateral cervicogenic headache as well as the grading value of DTI for severe headache. The correlation between DTI parameters and clinical characteristics was evaluated. Methods: The fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in bilateral GONs and cervical DRG (C2 and C3) were measured. Grading values for headache severity was calculated using a receiver operating characteristics curve. The correlation was analyzed with Pearson's coefficient. Results: The FA values of the symptomatic side of GON and cervical DRG (C2 and C3) were significantly lower than that of the asymptomatic side (all the P < 0.001), while the ADC values were significantly higher (P = 0.003, P < 0.001, and P = 0.003, respectively). The FA value of 0.205 in C2 DRG was considered the grading parameter for headache severity with sensitivity of 0.743 and specificity of 0.999 (P < 0.001). A negative correlation and a positive correlation between the FA and ADC value of the GON and headache index (HI; r = -0.420, P = 0.037 and r = 0.531, P = 0.006, respectively) was found. Conclusions: DTI parameters in the symptomatic side of the C2 and C3 DRG and GON were significantly changed. The FA value of the C2 DRG can grade headache severity. DTI parameters of the GON significantly correlated with HI.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2012

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the asymmetry observed in the rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of lateral abdominal muscle thickness and performance between the affected and unaffected side during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM), an exercise used to facilitate activation of selectively TrA to stabilize the trunk prior to limb movement. Methods : The Participants were twenty one patients with post-stroke hemiplegia in this study. Ultrasound imaging was used to measure amount of changes in thickness of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), transversus abdominis (TrA). A Paired t-test was used to compare relaxed muscle thickness to contracted muscle thickness of all 3 muscles between the affected and unaffected sides. Results : The outcome measures included side to side differences of absolute thickness, contraction ratio among the lateral abdominal muscles. There was no significantly difference in between the affected and unaffected side at rest. But, there was a significantly difference in absolute muscle thickness between the affected and unaffected side of only TrA muscle. Also contraction ratio was a significantly difference between the affected and unaffected TrA muscle. Conclusion : These findings support the asymmetrical activation of TrA muscle during abdominal muscle contraction in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia. Further studies are warranted for confirming this outcome.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.207-218
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• 2020

The following recommendations are presented herein: All trauma patients admitted to the resuscitation room should be constantly (or periodically) monitored for parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, electrocardiography, Glasgow Coma Scale, and pupil reflex (1C). Chest AP and pelvic AP should be performed as the standard initial trauma series for severe trauma patients (1B). In patients with severe hemodynamically unstable trauma, it is recommended to perform extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) as an initial examination (1B). In hemodynamically stable trauma patients, eFAST can be considered as the initial examination (2B). For the diagnosis of suspected head trauma patients, brain computed tomography (CT) should be performed as an initial examination (1B). Cervical spine CT should be performed as an initial imaging test for patients with suspected cervical spine injury (1C). It is not necessary to perform chest CT as an initial examination in all patients with suspected chest injury, but in cases of suspected vascular injury in patients with thoracic or high-energy damage due to the mechanism of injury, chest CT can be considered for patients in a hemodynamically stable condition (2B). CT of the abdomen is recommended for patients suspected of abdominal trauma with stable vital signs (1B). CT of the abdomen should be considered for suspected pelvic trauma patients with stable vital signs (2B). Whole-body CT can be considered in patients with suspicion of severe trauma with stable vital signs (2B). Magnetic resonance imaging can be considered in hemodynamically stable trauma patients with suspected spinal cord injuries (2B).

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2022

Purpose: This study compared the effectiveness of complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS) and photostimulable phosphor (PSP) plates as intraoral imaging systems in terms of time efficacy, patient comfort, and subjective image quality assessment in real clinical settings. Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight patients (25 women and 33 men) were included. Patients were referred for a full-mouth radiological examination including 1 bitewing radiograph (left and right) and 8 periapical radiographs for each side (left maxilla/mandible and right maxilla/mandible). For each patient, 1 side of the dental arch was radiographed using a CMOS detector, whereas the other side was radiographed using a PSP detector, ensuring an equal number of left and right arches imaged by each detector. Clinical application time, comfort/pain, and subjective image quality were assessed for each detector. Continuous variables were summarized as mean±standard deviation. Differences between detectors were evaluated using repeated-measures analysis of variance. P<0.05 was accepted as significant. Results: The mean total time required for all imaging procedures with the CMOS detector was significantly lower than the mean total time required for imaging procedures with PSP (P<0.05). The overall mean patient comfort scores for the CMOS and PSP detectors were 4.57 and 4.48, respectively, without a statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The performance of both observers in subjectively assessing structures was significantly higher when using CMOS images than when using PSP images for all regions (P<0.05). Conclusion: The CMOS detector was found to be superior to the PSP detector in terms of clinical time efficacy and subjective image quality.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.324-331
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• 2022

Prior abdominal liposuction can be viewed as a relative or absolute contraindication to abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction given concerns for damaged perforators and scarring complicating intraoperative dissection. This systematic review aims to explore the outcomes of abdominally based breast reconstruction in patients with a history of abdominal liposuction. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-guided literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from the earliest available date through June 2020. Deep inferior epigastric perforator, muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM), superficial inferior epigastric artery, and pedicled TRAM flaps were included for evaluation. Complications included total or partial flap loss, fat necrosis, seroma, delayed wound healing, and donor site complications. After inclusion criteria were applied, 336 non-duplicate articles were screened, yielding 11 for final review, representing 55 flaps in 43 patients. There was no instance of total flap loss, eight (14.5%) flaps developed partial loss or fat necrosis, three (5.4%) flaps had delayed wound healing, and two (4.6%) patients had donor site complications. Most authors (8/11) utilized some type of preoperative imaging. Doppler ultrasonography was the most used modality, and these patients had the lowest rate of partial flap loss or flap fat necrosis (8%), followed by those without any preoperative imaging (10%). In conclusion, this review supports that patients undergoing abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction with a history of abdominal liposuction are not at an increased risk of flap or donor site complications. Although preoperative imaging was common, it did not reliably decrease complications. Further prospective studies are needed to address the role of imaging in improving outcomes.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.70.1-70.13
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• 2022

Background: Fat stranding is a non-specific finding of an increased fat attenuation on computed tomography (CT) images. Fat stranding is used for detecting the underlying lesion in humans. Objectives: To assess the clinical significance of fat stranding on CT images for identifying the underlying cause in dogs and cats. Methods: In this retrospective study, the incidence, location, extent, distribution, and pattern of fat stranding were assessed on CT studies obtained from 134 cases. Results: Fat stranding was found in 38% (51/134) of all cases and in 35% (37/107) of tumors, which was significantly higher in malignant tumors (44%) than benign tumors (12%). Moreover, fat stranding was found in more than two areas in malignant tumors (16/33) and in a single area in benign tumors (4/4). In inflammation, fat stranding was demonstrated in 54% (7/13) in a single area (7/7) as a focal distribution (6/7). In trauma, fat stranding was revealed in 50% (7/14) and most were in multiple areas (6/7). Regardless of the etiologies, fat stranding was always around the underlying lesion and a reticular pattern was the most common presentation. Logistic regression analysis revealed that multiple areas (p = 0.040) of fat stranding and a reticulonodular pattern (p = 0.022) are the significant predictors of malignant tumor. Conclusions: These findings indicated that CT fat stranding can be used as a clue for identifying the underlying lesion and can be useful for narrowing the differential list based on the extent and pattern.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2022

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the change in signal sensitivity over different acquisition start times and optimize the scanning window to provide the maximal signal sensitivity of [1-¹³C]pyruvate and its metabolic products, lactate and alanine, using spatially localized hyperpolarized 3D ¹³C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Materials and Methods: We acquired 3D ¹³C MRSI data from the brain (n = 3), kidney (n = 3), and liver (n = 3) of rats using a 3T clinical scanner and a custom RF coil after the injection of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate. For each organ, we obtained three consecutive 3D ¹³C MRSI datasets with different acquisition start times per animal from a total of three animals. The mean signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of pyruvate, lactate, and alanine were calculated and compared between different acquisition start times. Based on the SNRs of lactate and alanine, we identified the optimal acquisition start timing for each organ. Results: For the brain, the acquisition start time of 18 s provided the highest mean SNR of lactate. At 18 s, however, the lactate signal predominantly originated from not the brain, but the blood vessels; therefore, the acquisition start time of 22 s was recommended for 3D ¹³C MRSI of the rat brain. For the kidney, all three metabolites demonstrated the highest mean SNR at the acquisition start time of 32 s. Similarly, the acquisition start time of 22 s provided the highest SNRs for all three metabolites in the liver. Conclusion: In this study, the acquisition start timing was optimized in an attempt to maximize metabolic signals in hyperpolarized 3D ¹³C MRSI examination with [1-¹³C] pyruvate as a substrate. We investigated the changes in metabolic signal sensitivity in the brain, kidney, and liver of rats to establish the optimal acquisition start time for each organ. We expect the results from this study to be of help in future studies.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2021

meta-iodobenzylguanidine is one of the norepinephrine analogs and reuptakes together with norepinephrine with norepinephrine transporter. The radioiodinated ligand, ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine, is the most widely used for single photon emission computed tomography imaging to diagnose functional abnormalities and tumors of the sympathetic nervous system. In this study, we performed cellular uptake studies of ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine in positive- and negative-norepinephrine transporter cells in vitro to verify the uptake activity for norepinephrine transporter. After ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine was injected via a tail vein into normal mice, Single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images were acquired at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h post-injection, and quantified the distribution in each organ including the adrenal medulla as a norepinephrine transporter expressing organ. In vitro cell study showed that ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine specifically uptaked via norepinephrine transporter, and significant uptake of ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine in the adrenal medulla in vivo single photon emission computed tomography images. These results demonstrated that single photon emission computed tomography imaging with ¹²³I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine were able to quantify the biodistribution in vivo in the adrenal medulla in normal mice.