• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.328-340
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• 2019

Purpose: To generate phase images with free of motion-induced artifact and susceptibility-induced distortion using 3D radial ultrashort TE (UTE) MRI. Materials and Methods: The field map was theoretically derived by solving Laplace's equation with appropriate boundary conditions, and used to simulate the image distortion in conventional spin-warp MRI. Manufacturer's 3D radial imaging sequence was modified to acquire maximum number of radial spokes in a given time, by removing the spoiler gradient and sampling during both rampup and rampdown gradient. Spoke direction randomly jumps so that a readout gradient acts as a spoiling gradient for the previous spoke. The custom raw data was reconstructed using a homemade image reconstruction software, which is programmed using Python language. The method was applied to a phantom and in-vivo human brain and abdomen. The performance of UTE was compared with 3D GRE for phase mapping. Local phase mapping was compared with T₂* mapping using UTE. Results: The phase map using UTE mimics true field-map, which was theoretically calculated, while that using 3D GRE revealed both motion-induced artifact and geometric distortion. Motion-free imaging is particularly crucial for application of phase mapping for abdomen MRI, which typically requires multiple breathold acquisitions. The air pockets, which are caught within the digestive pathway, induce spatially varying and large background field. T₂* map, that was calculated using UTE data, suffers from non-uniform T₂* value due to this background field, while does not appear in the local phase map of UTE data. Conclusion: Phase map generated using UTE mimicked the true field map even when non-zero susceptibility objects were present. Phase map generated by 3D GRE did not accurately mimic the true field map when non-zero susceptibility objects were present due to the significant field distortion as theoretically calculated. Nonetheless, UTE allows for phase maps to be free of susceptibility-induced distortion without the use of any post-processing protocols.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 2016

Red blood cells (RBCs) are customarily adhered to a bio-functionalised substrate to make them stationary in interferometric phase-imaging modalities. This can make them susceptible to receive alterations in innate morphology due to their own weight. Optical tweezers (OTs) often driven by Gaussian profile of a laser beam is an alternative modality to overcome contact-induced perturbation but at the same time a steeply focused laser beam might cause photo-damage. In order to address both the photo-damage and substrate adherence induced perturbations, we were motivated to stabilize the RBC in OTs by utilizing a laser beam of ‘arbitrary intensity profile’ generated by a source having cavity imperfections per se. Thus the immobilized RBC was investigated for phase-imaging with sinusoidal interferograms generated by a compact and robust Michelson interferometer which was designed from a cubic beam splitter having one surface coated with reflective material and another adjacent coplanar surface aligned against a mirror. Reflected interferograms from bilayers membrane of a trapped RBC were recorded and analyzed. Our phase-imaging set-up is limited to work in reflection configuration only because of the availability of an upright microscope. Due to RBC’s membrane being poorly reflective for visible wavelengths, quantitative information in the signal is weak and therefore, the quality of experimental results is limited in comparison to results obtained in transmission mode by various holographic techniques reported elsewhere.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.460-467
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• 2018

Three-dimensional (3D) refractive-index (RI) imaging and quantitative analyses of angiosperm pollen grains are presented. Using optical diffraction tomography, the 3D RI structures of individual angiosperm pollen grains were measured without using labeling or other preparation techniques. Various physical quantities including volume, surface area, exine volume, and sphericity were determined from the measured RI tomograms of pollen grains. Exine skeletons, the distinct internal structures of angiosperm pollen grains, were identified and systematically analyzed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.542-543
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• 2012

Coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) method using hard x-ray at 5.46 keV was applied to study assembly of Ni and Ni oxide nano structures formed on a Si3N4 membrane. Density distribution of Ni nano-particles was obtained quantitatively with about 15 nm lateral resolution by reconstructing images from the speckle diffraction pattern. In addition, reconstructed images of nickel oxide particles indicated that Ni atoms diffuse out during the oxidation process leaving pores inside the nickel oxide crust. Furthermore, we recognize that really weak phase object, less than 5 nm thickness of Ni residues, can be reconstructed due to the reference particles. We achieved quantitative information of nanometer sized materials and demonstrate the effect of reference particles by using hard x-ray coherent diffractive imaging method.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2000

The characteristics of spray nozzle have been quantified with the measurement of fluorescence and Mie scattering images. To correct the attenuation of the incident light sheet, a sequential double-pass light sheet system and the geometrical averaging of two images was implemented. Quantitative mass flux distribution of spray was obtained from fluorescence image. 3-D image is reconstructed using 2-D radial images. Sauter mean diameter (SMD) distribution was determined using the ratio of fluorescence signal intensity and Mie scattering signal intensity and the values were quantified with PDP A data. The measurement of mass flux and SMD using planar imaging technique agee with PDP A data fairly well in the low density region. However, in dense region， there are significant errors caused by secondary scattering. It was found that the planar imaging technique provides many advantages over the point measurement technique, such as PDP A, and can be implemented for quantitative measurement, especially in low density region.

• 순환기질환의공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.28-36
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• 2006

The x-ray PIV method was improved for measuring quantitative velocity fields of real blood flows using a coherent synchrotron x-ray source. Without using any contrast media or seeding particles, this method can visualize flow pattern of blood by enhancing the phase-contrast and interference characteristics of blood cells based on a synchrotron x-ray imaging mechanism. The enhanced x-ray images were achieved by optimizing the sample-to-scintillator distance, the sample thickness, and hematocrit. The quantitative velocity fields of blood flows inside opaque tubes were obtained by applying a 2-frame PIV algorithm to the x-ray images of the blood flows. The measured velocity field data show typical features of blood flows such as the yield stress effect. The non-Newtonian flow characteristics of blood flows were analyzed using the x-ray PIV method and the experimental results were compared with hemodynamic models.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

The x-ray PIV method was improved for measuring quantitative velocity fields of real blood flows using a coherent synchrotron x-ray source. Without using any contrast media or seeding particles, this method can visualize flow pattern of blood by enhancing the phase-contrast and interference characteristics of blood cells based on a synchrotron x-ray imaging mechanism. The enhanced x-ray images were achieved by optimizing the sample-to-scintillator distance, the sample thickness, and hematocrit. The quantitative velocity fields of blood flows inside opaque tubes were obtained by applying a 2-frame PIV algorithm to the x-ray images of the blood flows. The measured velocity field data show typical features of blood flows such as the yield stress effect. The non-Newtonian flow characteristics of blood flows were analyzed using the x-ray PIV method and the experimental results were compared with hemodynamic models.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was designed to know the ability of thallium-201 scintigraphy to discriminate malignant bone tumor from benign by analysing the quantitative thallium uptake ratio. Materials and Methods: We took thallium-201 scintigraphy prospectively with other imaging studies in 82 bone tumor suspecting patients. The results of scintigraphy were read qualitatively and calculated quantitatively, and retention indexes were estimated. For the statistical analysis the patients were divided as four group; high grade malignant bone tumor, benign bone tumor, giant cell tumor and low grade malignant bone tumor. Results: The mean thallium uptake ratio was 4.14 in early phase and 2.26 in delayed phase in high grade malignant bone tumor group, 1.16 and 1.09 in benign bone tumor, 3.15 and 1.94 in giant cell tumor, and 1.41 and 1.31 in low grade malignant bone tumor. Retention indexes were 0.62, 0.97, 0.66, 0.93 in same order. The thallium uptake ratio and retention indexes were statistically correlated in high grade malignant bone tumor and benign bone tumor group(p<0.001). Conclusion: Thallium-201 scintigraphy proved as useful imaging study to discriminate malignant bone tumor from benign, but had exception in giant cell tumor and low grade malignant bone tumors.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.384-394
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• 2024

Objective: To evaluate the image quality of novel dark-blood computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging combined with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) compared to delayed-phase CTA images with hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), to visualize the cervical artery wall in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Materials and Methods: This prospective study continuously recruited 53 patients with TAK (mean age: 33.8 ± 10.2 years; 49 females) between January and July 2022 who underwent head-neck CTA scans. The arterial- and delayed-phase images were reconstructed using HIR and DLR. Subtracted images of the arterial-phase from the delayed-phase were then added to the original delayed-phase using a denoising filter to generate the final-dark-blood images. Qualitative image quality scores and quantitative parameters were obtained and compared among the three groups of images: Delayed-HIR, Dark-blood-HIR, and Dark-blood-DLR. Results: Compared to Delayed-HIR, Dark-blood-HIR images demonstrated higher qualitative scores in terms of vascular wall visualization and diagnostic confidence index (all P < 0.001). These qualitative scores further improved after applying DLR (Dark-blood-DLR compared to Dark-blood-HIR, all P < 0.001). Dark-blood DLR also showed higher scores for overall image noise than Dark-blood-HIR (P < 0.001). In the quantitative analysis, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values between the vessel wall and lumen for the bilateral common carotid arteries and brachiocephalic trunk were significantly higher on Dark-blood-HIR images than on Delayed-HIR images (all P < 0.05). The CNR values were significantly higher for Dark-blood-DLR than for Dark-blood-HIR in all cervical arteries (all P < 0.001). Conclusion: Compared with Delayed-HIR CTA, the dark-blood method combined with DLR improved CTA image quality and enhanced visualization of the cervical artery wall in patients with TAK.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2017

Purpose: To compare three, motion-resistant, T1-weighted MR sequences on the hepatobiliary phase for gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging of the liver. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 79 patients underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced, 3T liver MR imaging. Fifty-nine were examined using a standard protocol, and 20 were examined using a motion-resistant protocol. During the hepatocyte-specific phase, three MR sequences were acquired: 1) gradient recalled echo (GRE) with controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPIRINHA); 2) radial GRE with the interleaved angle-bisection scheme (ILAB); and 3) radial GRE with golden-angle scheme (GA). Two readers independently assessed images with motion artifacts, streaking artifacts, liver-edge sharpness, hepatic vessel clarity, lesion conspicuity, and overall image quality, using a 5-point scale. The images were assessed by measurement of liver signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and tumor-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The results were compared, using repeated post-hoc, paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction and the Wilcoxon signed rank test with Bonferroni correction. Results: In the qualitative analysis of cooperative patients, the results for CAIPIRINHA had significantly higher ratings for streak artifacts, liver-edge sharpness, hepatic vessel clarity, and overall image quality as compared to, radial GRE, (P < 0.016). In the imaging of uncooperative patients, higher scores were recorded for ILAB and GA with respect to all of the qualitative assessments, except for streak artifact, compared with CAIPIRINHA (P < 0.016). However, no significant differences were found between ILAB and GA. For quantitative analysis in uncooperative patients, the mean liver SNR and lesion-to-liver CNR with radial GRE were significantly higher than those of CAIPIRINHA (P < 0.016). Conclusion: In uncooperative patients, the use of the radial GRE sequence can improve the image quality compared to GRE imaging with CAIPIRINHA, despite the data acquisition methods used. The GRE imaging with CAIPIRINHA is applicable for patients without breath-holding difficulties.