• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 2016

Short inversion time inversion recovery (STIR) is widely used for spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because the pulse sequence of STIR is insensitive to magnetic field inhomogeneity and can be used to scan a large field of view. In this case report, we present a case of spinal epidural hematoma with unexpected signal decrease on a STIR image. The MRI showed an epidural mass that appeared with high signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images. However, a signal decrease was encountered on the STIR image. This nonspecific decrease of signal in tissue with a short T1 relaxation time that is similar to that of fat (i.e., hemorrhage) could lead to a diagnostic pitfall; one could falsely diagnose this decrease of signal as fat instead of hemorrhage. Awareness of the nonselective signal suppression achieved with STIR pulse sequences may avert an erroneous diagnosis in image interpretation.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2014

Purpose : Spin-echo (SE) technique is most commonly used pulse sequence for T1-weighted MR imaging. T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T1FLAIR) is a relatively new pulse sequence and it provides higher tissue contrast between the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) of the brain than T1-weighted SE (T1SE) sequence. However, there has been controversy for the evaluation of enhancing brain tumors with T1FLAIR compared to T1SE. The purpose of this study was to compare T1FLAIR and T1SE sequences for the evaluation of enhancing intracranial tumors. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two patients with enhancing brain tumors were evaluated with contrast-enhanced (CE) T1SE and T1FLAIR imaging. Eight quantitative criteria were calculated: lesion-to-WM contrast ratio (CR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), lesion-to-GM CR and CNR, lesion-to-CSF CR and CNR, and WM-to-GM CR and CNR. For qualitative evaluation, two radiologists assessed lesion conspicuity on CE T1SE and T1FLAIR sequences with three-scale: 1, T1SE superior; 2, sequence equal; T1FLAIR superior. Results: Seventy-nine tumors (31 primaries, 48 metastases) were assessed. For quantitative measurement, the T1FLAIR lesion-to-GM, lesion-to-CSF, WM-to-GM CR and CNR values were comparable and statistically superior to those of the T1SE images (p < 0.001 in all). However, lesion-to-WM CR and CNR were similar on both two sequences without statistically significant difference (p = 0.661, 0.662, respectively). For qualitative evaluation, both radiologists assessed that T1FLAIR images were superior to T1SE images for the evaluation of lesion conspicuity. Conclusion: For the evaluation of enhancing intracranial tumors, T1FLAIR sequence was superior or comparable to T1SE sequence.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2005

Purpose : To evaluate the degree of the artifact which is caused by the mascara and the eye shadow when acquiring MR images and compare the difference of the image distortion according to the change of various pulse sequence. Material and Method : The popular domestic mascara and eye shadow products were selected from three different companies respectively and divided into two groups mascara (M1, M2, M3 ), eye shadow (E1, E2, E3). Self-designed quadrature type saddle coil which has 4 cm inside diameter, 8 cm length and which is for both Tx and Rx was used. MR image was acquired respectively after applying the mascara to the tape from study 1, the eye shadow to the tape from study 2 and adding the eye shadow to the mascara from study 3. The FSE(fast spin echo), the SE(spin echo), the GE(gradient echo) were used as pulse sequences. The degree of the image distortion which was measured from each sequence was analyzed in quality and quantity. Result : The mascara and the eye shadow caused the artifacts to the MR images partially and induced the image distortion. There was a little difference in terms of the degree of artifact according to the change of pulse sequence. From the study 3 in which the eye shadow was applied to the mascara, on the axial plane image, the width of artifact was 16.73 mm in the GE pulse sequence, 6.64 mm in the SE pulse sequence, and 6.19 mm in the FSE pulse sequence. The degree of the artifact appeared highly in order of the GE, the SE and the FSE. On the sagittal plane image, the length of artifact was 22.84 mm in the GE, 17.81 mm in the SE and it appeared highly with the SE and the FSE technique order. Conclusion : When examining the eyeball and the brain of a woman with the mascara and the eye shadow, we have to consider that the artifact caused by them can have an effect on the image diagnosis. We concluded that it is more suitable for a brain and a eyeball T2 emphasizing image to use the FSE technique than the GE technique.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.924-929
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• 2004

Pigmented villonodular synovitis is a rare proliferating process of the synovium, tendon sheaths and bursae usually affecting the bone and joints. The disease can be localized or diffuse. Patients with this condition typically present with symptoms of mild discomfort and associated swelling of the involved joint. However, the spectrum of presentations is broad. Diagnosis of Pigmented villonodular synovitis can be clinically difficult, and plain radiographs are usually nonspecific. Magnetic resonance imaging is a highly diagnostic modality in characterizing pigmented villonodular synovitis when it contains hemosiderin deposits exhibiting low signal intensity on all pulse sequences. Magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for accurate preoperative staging of the disease and for follow up after treatment. I report a case of pigmented nodular synovitis in the knee joint, with review of literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.571-584
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• 2004

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one of the most advanced imaging techniques in clinical and research medicine. However, clinical application of MRI to the lung or thorax has been limited due to various drawbacks. Low signal intensity of the lung and cardiac and respiratory movements are the most serious problems with MRI in thorax. Nevertheless, MRI is superior to CT in some selected patients with thoracic diseases. The role of clinical MRI in thoracic disease has been widened with improvement of MR equipments and development of new pulse sequences. Otherwise, functional assessment of lung by MRI has been studied for the last decade. These include perfusion MRI with or without contrast enhancement and ventilation MRI with oxygen-enhancement or hyperpolarized noble gas, $^3He$ and $^{129}Xe$.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2014

Larger proteins (above molecular weight 50 kDa) usually show slow motional tumbling in solution, which facilitates the decay of NMR signal, resulting in poor signal-to-noise. In the past twenty years, researchers have tried to overcome this problem with higher molecular weight by improvement of hardware (higher magnetic field and cryoprobe), optimization of pulse sequences for lager molecules, and development of isotope-labeling techniques. Actually, GroEL/ES complex (${\approx}$ 900 kDa) was successfully studied using combination of above techniques. Among the techniques used in large molecular studies, the impact of isotope-labeling for large molecules study is summarized and discussed here.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.362-368
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• 2014

This paper proposes a harmonic reduction approach for a pulse width modulation (PWM) AC-AC converters using Bee Colony Optimization (BCO). The optimal switching angles are provided by BCO to minimize harmonic distortions. The sequences of the PWM switching angles are considered as a technical constraint. In this paper, simulation results from various optimization techniques including BCO, Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are compared. The test results indicate that BCO can provide a better solution than the others in terms of power quality and power factor improvement. Lastly, experiments on a 200W AC-AC converter confirm the performance of the proposed switching pattern in reducing harmonic distortions of the output waveform.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1995 no.11
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• pp.247-249
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• 1995

A new localized imaging technique of reduced imaging time using a locally-linear gradient is proposed. Since most fast MR imaging methods need the whole k-space data corresponding to the whole imaging area, there are limitations in reducing the minimum imaging time. The imaging method proposed in this paper uses a specially-made gradient coil generating a local ramp-shape field and uniform field outside of the imaging area. Conventional imaging sequences can be used without any RF/gradient pulse sequence modifications. The proposed localized imaging technique has been implemented on a 2.0 Tesla whole-body system at KAIST and the imaging results show the utility of the proposed technique.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 1998

The correction of image artifacts due to misadjustment in tuning of RF coils (tip angle) and in the RF single sideband spectrometer was investigated using phase cycling of the $\pi$/2 and $\pi$ pulses in spin-echo sequences. A general procedure was developed for the systematic design of phase cycles that select desirable coherence transfer pathways. To analyze a phase cycling sequence, changes in the coherence level and phase factor for each RF pulse in the spin-echo cycle must be determined. Four different phase cycling schemes (FIXED, ALTERNATE, FORWARD, REVERSED) to suppress unwanted signal components such as mirror and ghost images were evaluated using two signal acquisitions. When the receiver phase factor is cycled counter-clockwise (REVERSED), these artifacts are completely removed.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-20
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• 1999

Magnetic resonance imaging with its superior soft tissue contrast resolution and absence of beam hardening artifacts, combined with its ability to perform multiplanar imaging, is now effective tool in diagnostic imagings. Magnetic resonance is primarily a phenomenon that involves atomic nuclei. It provides totally new clinical informations with no known hazards through the use of very weak interactions with endogenous stable magnetic atomic nuclei. This article briefly summarizes the basic mechanism of generation and detection of the signals and general sorts of tissue properties which can influence the signals and thereby give rise to tissue contrast. It also describes how the machine-operating parameters can be used to manipulate the tissue contrast observed in the image.