• 한국방송∙미디어공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국방송∙미디어공학회 2020년도 추계학술대회
• /
• pp.25-28
• /
• 2020

Automatic segmentation of brain tissues such as WM, GM, and CSF from brain MRI scans is helpful for the diagnosis of many neurological disorders. Accurate segmentation of these brain structures is a very challenging task due to low tissue contrast, bias filed, and partial volume effects. With the aim to improve brain MRI segmentation accuracy, we propose an end-to-end convolutional based U-SegNet architecture designed with multi-scale kernels, which includes cascaded dilated convolutions for the task of brain MRI segmentation. The multi-scale convolution kernels are designed to extract abundant semantic features and capture context information at different scales. Further, the cascaded dilated convolution scheme helps to alleviate the vanishing gradient problem in the proposed model. Experimental outcomes indicate that the proposed architecture is superior to the traditional deep-learning methods such as Segnet, U-net, and U-Segnet and achieves high performance with an average DSC of 93% and 86% of JI value for brain MRI segmentation.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제24권10호
• /
• pp.983-995
• /
• 2023

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement between contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for evaluating the resectability in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included treatment-naïve patients with pathologically confirmed eCCA, who underwent both CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP using extracellular contrast media between January 2015 and December 2020. Among the 214 patients (146 males; mean age ± standard deviation, 68 ± 9 years) included, 121 (56.5%) had perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. R0 resection was achieved in 108 of the 153 (70.6%) patients who underwent curative-intent surgery. Four fellowship-trained radiologists independently reviewed the findings of both CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP to assess the local tumor extent and distant metastasis for determining resectability. The pooled area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP were compared using clinical, surgical, and pathological findings as reference standards. The interobserver agreement of resectability was evaluated using Fleiss kappa (κ). Results: No significant differences were observed between CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP in the pooled AUC (0.753 vs. 0.767), sensitivity (84.7% [366/432] vs. 90.3% [390/432]), and specificity (52.6% [223/424] vs. 51.4% [218/424]) (P > 0.05 for all). The AUC for determining resectability was higher when CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP were reviewed together than when CECT was reviewed alone in patients with discrepancies between the imaging modalities or with indeterminate resectability (0.798 [0.754-0.841] vs. 0.753 [0.697-0.808], P = 0.014). The interobserver agreement for overall resectability was fair for both CECT (κ = 0.323) and CE-MRI with MRCP (κ = 0.320), without a significant difference (P = 0.884). Conclusion: CECT and CE-MRI with MRCP showed no significant differences in the diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement in determining the resectability in patients with eCCA.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.32-42
• /
• 2022

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical benefit of 2D contrast-enhanced T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (CE-T2 FLAIR) image for detecting leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) in the brain metastasis work-up for lung cancer. Materials and Methods: From June 2017 to July 2019, we collected all consecutive patients with lung cancer who underwent brain magnetic resonance image (MRI), including contrast-enhanced 3D fast spin echo T1 black-blood image (CE-T1WI) and CE-T2 FLAIR; we recruited clinico-radiologically suspected LM cases. Two independent readers analyzed the images for LM in three sessions: CE-T1WI, CE-T2 FLAIR, and their combination. Results: We recruited 526 patients with suspected lung cancer who underwent brain MRI; of these, we excluded 77 (insufficient image protocol, unclear pathology, different contrast media, poor image quality). Of the 449 patients, 34 were clinico-radiologically suspected to have LM; among them, 23 were diagnosed with true LM. The calculated detection performance of CE-T1WI, CE-T2 FLAIR, and combined analysis obtained from the 34 suspected LM were highest in the combined analysis (AUC: 0.80, 0.82, and 0.89, respectively). The inter-observer agreement was also the highest in the combined analysis (0.68, 0.72, and 0.86, respectively). In quantitative analyses, CNR of CE-T2 FLAIR was significantly higher than that of CE-T1WI (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Adding CE-T2 FLAIR might provide better detection for LM in the brain-metastasis screening for lung cancer.

• 대한자기공명의과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한자기공명의과학회 1999년도 제4차 추계학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.103-103
• /
• 1999

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2019

고농도의 산소를 흡입하는 경우에 자기공명영상의 FLAIR(fluid attenuated inversion-recovery, FLAIR) 영상에서 뇌척수액에서 신호가 억제되지 않고 고신호로 나타나는 경우가 있다는 보고가 있었다. 본 연구는 아가 젤로 고정한 팬텀을 제작하여 산소를 주입한 생리식염수와 조영제를 희석한 생리식염수의 신호를 FLAIR 기법의 반전시간(TI : inversion time)을 변화하여 영상을 획득하고, 분석하여 기초자료를 마련 하고자 하였다. 부산 P병원의 Philips Achieva MR 3.0T를 이용한 결과에서 자기공명영상의 FLAIR 기법에서 산소가 주입된 생리식염수의 신호 대 잡음비(signal to noise ratio)는 산소가 주입되지 않은 생리식염수 보다 증가되었다. 하지만 희석된 조영제보다는 높지 않았다. 반전시간 1,800ms에서는 산소에 의한 신호 증강이 없는 영상을 획득할 수 있었다. 산소가 주입된 생리식염수와 조영제의 대조도 대 잡음비(contrast to noise ratio)에서도 임상에서 주로 사용하는 반전시간 2,800ms보다 1,800ms에서 높게 증가되었다. 본 실험의 결과가 자기공명영상의 FLAIR 기법에서 산소 주입에 따른 뇌척수액의 신호 변화 연구에 기초자료가 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제25권9호
• /
• pp.824-832
• /
• 2024

Objective: To determine the preventive effect of changing gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) to reduce the recurrence of GBCA-associated acute adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Materials and Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-center study-conducted between January 2016 and December 2021-included 238743 consecutive GBCA-enhanced MRI examinations. We focused on a subgroup of patients who experienced acute GBCA-associated ADRs during any of these examinations and subsequently underwent follow-up GBCA-enhanced MRI examinations up until July 2023. The follow-up examinations involved either the same (non-change group) or different (change group) GBCAs compared to the ones that initially caused the acute ADR. Baseline participant characteristics, generic profile of the GBCAs, administration of premedication, history of prior ADR to iodinated contrast media, and symptoms of GBCA-associated acute ADRs were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimating equations and propensity score matching were used. Results: A total of 1042 instances of acute ADRs (0.44%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41%-0.46%) were reported. Three-hundred and seventy-three patients underwent GBCA-enhanced MRI examinations after experiencing GBCA-associated acute ADRs within the study period; 31.9% (119/373) reexperienced acute ADRs at any of the follow-up examinations. The ADR recurrence was significantly lower in the GBCA change group than in the non-change group according to multivariable logistic regression (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.13-0.90; P = 0.03) and analysis with propensity score matching (14.3% [6/42] vs. 36.9% [31/84], respectively; OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.11-0.94; P = 0.04). A history of an ADR to iodinated contrast media (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.68-1.90; P = 0.62) and premedication (adjusted OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 0.93-4.68; P = 0.07) were not significantly associated with GBCA-associated acute ADR recurrence. A separate analysis for recurrent allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions demonstrated similar results (adjusted OR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.06-0.65; P < 0.01). Conclusion: Changing GBCAs may reduce the risk of GBCA-associated acute ADR recurrence.

• 방사선산업학회지
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.325-332
• /
• 2018

Carotid angiography covering the aortic arch includes contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEA), which is applied to a large region and usually employs contrast media. However, the use of contrast media can be dangerous in infants, pregnant women, and patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Follow-up patients informed of a lesion may also want to avoid constant exposure to contrast media. We aimed to apply time-of-flight (TOF) angiography to a large region and compare its usefulness with that of CEA. Ten patients (mean age, 58 years; range, 45~75 years) who visited our hospital for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) participated in this study. A 3.0 Tesla Achieva magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system (Philips, Netherland) and the SENSE NeuroVascular 16-channel coil were employed for both methods. Both methods were applied simultaneously to the same patient. Three TOF stacks were connected to cover the aortic arch through the circle of Willis, and CEA was applied in the same manner. For the quantitative assessment, the acquired images were used to set the regions of interest (ROIs) in the common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcation, internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, and vertebral artery, and to obtain the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for the soft tissues. Three radiologists and one radiological resident performed the qualitative assessment on a 5-point scale - 1 point, "very bad"; 2 points, "bad"; 3 points, "average"; 4 points, "good"; and 5 points, "very good" - with regard to 4 items: (1) sharpness, (2) distortion, (3) vein contamination, and (4) expression of peripheral vessels. For the quantitative assessment, we estimated the mean SNR and CNR in each of the 5 ROIs. In general, the mean SNR was higher in TOF angiography (166.1, 205.2, 154.39, 172.23, and 161.95) than in CEA(92.05, 95.43, 84.76, 73.69, and 88.3). Both methods had a similar mean CNR: 67.62, 106.71, 55.9, 73.74, and 63.46 for TOF angiography, and 67.82, 71.19, 60.52, 49.45, and 64.07 for CEA. In all ROIs, the mean SNR was statistically significant (p<0.05), whereas the mean CNR was insignificant (p>0.05). The mean values of TOF angiography and CEA for each item in the qualitative assessment were 4.2 and 4.28, respectively for item 1; 2.93 and 4.55, respectively, for item 2; 4.6 and 3.13, respectively, for item 3; and 2.88 and 4.65, respectively, for item 4. Therefore, TOF angiography had a higher mean for item 3, and CEA had a higher mean for items 2 and 4; there was no significant difference between the two methods for item 1. The results for item 1 were statistically insignificant (p>0.05), whereas the results for items 2~4 were statistically significant (p<0.05). Both methods have advantages and disadvantages and they complement each other. However, CEA is usually applied to a large region covering the aortic arch. Time-of-flight angiography may be useful for people such as infants, pregnant women, CRF patients, and followup patients for whom the use of contrast media can be dangerous or unnecessary, depending on the circumstance.

• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
• /
• 제16권1호
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study evaluated the hemo-dynamic information within 30 seconds clinically in 3D breast MRI. From January to March 2014, A total of 40 people were examined at 1.5 Tesla(Philips, Medical System, Achieva, The Netherlands) MRI equipments using 16 channel SENSE breast coil. The imaging parameters on vibrant are fellow as: $TR/TE/FA^{\circ}$/Matrix size/Slice thickness/Slab($5ms/2ms/10^{\circ}/180{\times}139{\times}2mm/80$). This study used a Gadovist and injected it with injection speed of 4 ml /sec by auto injector with 15 ml saline flushing. Firstly, for the delay time study, it divided three different delay time from immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds. In quantitative analysis, the ROI signal intensities of tumor and surrounding tissues were measured retrospectively. In qualitative analysis, the image quality was scored from 1 to 5 point by one experienced radiological technologists as a visual test. The significance level of each delay time was evaluated with a one-way ANOVA(p<0.05). In the visual test, score levels on 30 seconds delay time was a little bit higher than others(p<0.05). The signal intensity of the tumor were $1445{\pm}360$, $1410{\pm}320$, $1510{\pm}415$ on immediately, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds and score levels were $4.18{\pm}0.85$, $3.54{\pm}0.94$, $4.45{\pm}0.74$(p<0.05). The data on immediate images showed better results than that others(p<0.05). Conclusively, Although it has been high scored in 30sec delay time for visual test in order to avoid failure in 20second, 30seconds delay time after contrast media administration, we recommend that the DCE 3D breast MRI commence immediately.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.1294-1300
• /
• 2013

본 연구는 심근생존능검사 시 가돌리늄 함유량이 높은 조영제(1mmol/mL)를 사용함으로써 대조도대잡음비(CNR)를 높이고, 이로 인한 진단적 가치를 극대화 시키는데 연구의 목적을 두었다. 조사방법은 단위부피당 0.5mmol/mL의 함유량을 가진 기존의 조영제(gadoterate meglumine)를 사용한 284명과 1mmol/mL의 함유량을 가진 새로운 조영제(gadobutrol)를 사용한 120명 등 총 404명의 환자를 연구대상으로, 가돌리늄 함유량에 따른 대조도 차이를 알아보기 위하여 좌심실과 정상심근의 신호강도를 각각 측정한 후 신호대잡음비(SNR)와 CNR을 비교 평가하였다. 연구 결과, 가돌리늄 함유량이 1mmol/mL 조영제 사용 시 SNR은 심근이 25.13%, 심실이 30.74% 높았고, CNR 또한 SNR과 같이 31.29% 높았으며, 통계적으로도 매우 유의하였다. 결론적으로 가돌리늄 함유량이 높은 1mmol/mL 조영제의 사용으로 높은 T1 단축효과를 나타내어 신호강도가 커지고, 이로 인해 대조도 차이가 큰 영상을 얻어 진단적 가치가 높았다. 본 연구는 심장질환이 의심되는 환자에 대한 1mmol/mL 조영제의 유용성을 최초로 증명하여 진단적 가치를 높일 수 있다는 데에 학문적 의의가 있다.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
• /
• 제19권11호
• /
• pp.445-450
• /
• 2019

본 연구는 자기공명영상 동적검사 시 자동주입기의 사용에 따라 조영제 역류로 인한 생리식염수의 오염 현상을 실험적으로 증명함으로써, 오염된 실린지 재사용 문제의 심각성을 인식시키고자 하였다. 연구방법은 조영제 주입 전 생리식염수와 주입 후 생리식염수를 각각 채취한 다음, T1 강조영상을 획득하여 신호강도를 측정하여 비교하였다. 생리식염수의 주입 후 신호강도가 주입 전에 비해 523.43% 통계적으로 높게 나타났다(p<0.05). 이는 조영제 주입에 따른 압력에 의해 조영제가 관을 통해 역류하여 압력이 낮은 반대쪽 생리식염수를 오염시킨 것으로 분석되었다. 결론적으로 조영제 주입 시 사용하는 실린지는 조영제 역류로 인해 교차오염이 발생하므로 정량적 분석을 위한 검사 시 동일한 환자의 검사라도 검사순서를 변경하거나 실린지를 교체하여 오류를 방지해야 한다.