• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2015

The Monte Carlo based dose calculation program for stereotactic body radiotherapy was developed in this study. The Geant4 toolkit widely used in the radiotherapy was used for this study. The photon energy spectrum of the medical linac studied in the previous research was applied for the patient dose calculations. The geometry of the radiation fields defined by multi-leaf collimators were taken into account in the PrimaryGeneratorAction class of the Geant4 code. The total of 8 fields were demonstrated in the patient dose calculations, where rotation matrix as a function of gantry angle was used for the determination of the source positions. The DicomHandler class converted the binary file format of the DICOM data containing the matrix number, pixel size, endian type, HU number, bit size, padding value and high bits order to the ASCII file format. The patient phantom was constructed using the converted ASCII file. The EGSnrc code was used to compare the calculation efficiency of the material data.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2015

Purpose: This report compared the diagnostic effectiveness between ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) and gadolinium (Gd) based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differentiation of axillary status in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The present authors performed a meta-analysis of previous studies that compared USPIO or Gd based MRI with histological diagnosis after surgery or biopsy. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Ovid databases and references of articles to identify studies reporting data until December 2013. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated for every study; summary receiver operating characteristic and subgroup analysis was done. Analyses of study quality and heterogeneity were also assessed. Results: There were 14 publications that met the criteria for inclusion in our meta-analysis. USPIO based MRI showed 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75-0.89) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94-0.98) for pooled sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Gd based MRI represented pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.55-0.67) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87-0.92) for each. Overall weighted area under the curve for USPIO and Gd based MRI were 0.9563 and 0.9051, respectively. Conclusion: USPIO based MRI had a tendency toward high pooled sensitivity and specificity in detection of axillary metastases for breast cancer. This result may mean that USPIO based MRI could be used as complementary modality to differentiate axillary status more precisely, and assist in the decision-making process regarding possible invasive procedures, such as sentinel node biopsy.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1584-1589
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• 2014

This study analyzed CT values of radiolucent and radiopaque materials by energy region after selecting radiolucent and radiopaque materials at random using GE's DECT((Dual Energy Com-puted Tomography) at S University Hospital located in Gyeonggi-province from July through August in 2013. Besides, it drew out the most analogous energy region to the value of 120kVp CT, which is applied to existing SECT(Single Energy Computed Tomography), by utilizing the analysis method of CT values and tried to find out the most useful and appropriate materials when contrast was applied within visible area in clinical application. As a result, there was little decrease of CT value after 90KeV in the case of materials with low density and high moisture content such as normal saline, methyl-cellulose and gels used in ultra-sonic waves test; energy does not influence much on materials with extremely low or high density such as air and contrast medium; methyl-cellulose and gels used in ultra-sonic waves test are considered to be the most useful materials for clinical applications.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.124-129
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the penetration dose and shielding rates of tungsten shields used in apron material by changing the type of source used in the nuclear medicine department, thickness of shielding material and distance between the source and detector. For the experiment, the source, shield, and detector were arranged in a straight line and measured with an inspector at a height of 100 cm. The highest shielding effect of tungsten was measured for $^{201}Tl$, while $^{123}I$ showed a higher shielding effect than $^{99m}Tc$. For the sources used in the experiment, the penetration dose decreased with distance and the shielding rate was measured with thicker thickness. However, the shielding rate of $^{13}1I$ and $^{18}F$ sources was found to be lower than when there was no shielding at 0.25 mmPb shield. Therefore, even if the radiation shielding effect of tungsten is high, considering the characteristics according to the type of source and the thickness of the shielding material, it may be helpful to reduce the exposure.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2015

Purpose: This study evaluated the prevalence of distolingual roots in mandibular molars among Koreans, the root canal system associated with distolingual roots, and the concurrent appearance of a distolingual root in the mandibular first molar and a C-shaped canal in the mandibular second molar. Materials and Methods: Cone-beam computed tomographic images of 264 patients were screened and examined. Axial sections of 1056 mandibular molars were evaluated to determine the number of roots. The interorifice distances from the distolingual canal to the distobuccal canal were also estimated. Using an image analysis program, the root canal curvature was calculated. Pearson's chi-square test, the paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and post-hoc analysis were performed. Results: Distolingual roots were observed in 26.1% of the subjects. In cases where a distolingual root was observed in the mandibular molar, a significant difference was observed in the root canal curvature between the buccolingual and mesiodistal orientations. The maximum root canal curvature was most commonly observed in the mesiodistal orientation in the coronal portion, but in the apical portion, maximum root canal curvature was most often observed in the buccolingual orientation. Conclusion: The canal curvature of distolingual roots was found to be very complex, with a different direction in each portion. No correlation was found between the presence of a distolingual root in the mandibular first molar and the presence of a C-shaped canal in the mandibular second molar.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.289-293
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to determine the relationship between the stage of tooth eruption (both vertical and mesio-angular) and chronological age. Materials and Methods: Indirect digital panoramic radiographs were used to measure the distances from the dentinoenamel junction (DEJ) of the second molars to the occlusal plane of the second molar teeth and of the adjacent third molars in 264 Thai males and 437 Thai females using ImageJ software. The ratio of those distances was calculated by patient age, and the correlation coefficient of the ratio of the third molar length to the second molar length was calculated. Results: The correlation between the height of the vertically erupted upper third molar teeth and age was at the intermediate level. The age range of ${\geq}15$ to <16 years was noted to be the range in which the correlation between the chronological age determined from the eruptional height and actual chronological age was statistically significant. The mean age of the female subjects, in which the position of the right upper third molar teeth was at or above the DEJ of the adjacent second molar but below one half of its coronal height was $19.9{\pm}2.6$ years. That for the left side was $20.2{\pm}2.7$ years. The mean ages of the male subjects were $20.1{\pm}3.3$ years and $19.8{\pm}2.7$ years for the right and left sides, respectively. Conclusion: It might be possible to predict chronological age from the eruption height of the wisdom teeth.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.240-247
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to employ a Q-methodological approach that can understand the characteristics of each type according to the subjective structures of humans, to help understand type-specific characteristics and to provide a basis for creating the image of dental technicians among dental technology students based on the characteristics of each type. Methods: The Q-methodology was used for this study. 120 Q-statements were obtained from a qualitative survey of 120 students of the department of dental technology. To select the Q-sample, the Q-population was categorized by taking several repeated readings. The selected statements were reviewed and revised by experts and 33 Q-samples were finally selected. The data were then analyzed using the PQ method program. Results: Among 42 P specimens, 22 were classified into type 1, 9 types 2, and 11 types 3. "Type 1" recognizes the image of dental technicians positively and optimistically (Z=1.29) (Z=1.74), but it is named "self-development oriented" in the sense that steady self-development must be underpinned (Z=1.37). "Type 2" agreed strongly that they could work for a lifetime without age or gender discrimination (Z=2.09). This type was referred to as "professional-oriented" because the recognition of dental technicians is more focused on "professional." "Type 3" was tagged "pride-oriented," showing the strongest agreement that they can be proud of their job as healthcare workers (Z=1.08). Conclusion: Many studies on such an image should be carried out to determine the importance of occupational images and establish desirable status for dental technicians to continue developing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.157-162
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• 2009

Radioactive medicines are used a lot owing to the increase of a PET-CT examination using glucose metabolism useful for the early diagnosis of diseases. Therefore, the spatial dose that is generated from patients and their surroundings causes the patients' guardians and health professional to be exposed to radiation. However, they get unnecessarily exposed to radiation because medical institutions lack in space for isolation and recognition of the examination. This research intended to examine the spatial dose rates by measuring the dose emitted from the patient for 48 hours to whom F-18 FDG was administered. The spatial dose rates that were measured 100cm away from the patient's body after F-18 FDG was injected were $65.88{\mu}$Sv/hr at 60-minute point, $45.13{\mu}$Sv/hr at 90-minute point, $9.88{\mu}$Sv/hr at 6-hour point, and $1.24{\mu}$Sv/hr at 12-hour point. When the dose that the guardian and health professional got was converted into the annual(240-day working) accumulative dose, it was examined that the guardian received 81.56 mSv/yr and health professional received 49.36mSv/yr. In addition, the result has revealed that the dose that the patient received from one time of PET-CT examination was 3.75mSv/yr, which is 1.5 times more when compared with the annual natural radiation exposure dose.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2017

Purpose: The classification of impacted maxillary third molars(IMTMs) facilitates interdisciplinary communication and helps estimate the degree of surgical difficulty. Thus, this study aimed to develop a 3-dimensional classification of the position and depth of impaction of IMTMs and to estimate their prevalence with respect to gender and age. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study analyzed images in sagittal and coronal cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) sections of 300 maxillary third molars. The proposed classification was based on 3 criteria: buccolingual position (buccal, lingual, or central), mesial-distal position (mesioangular, vertical, or distoangular), and depth of impaction (low, medium, or high). CBCT images of IMTMs were classified, and the associations of the classifications with gender and age were examined using analysis of variance with the Scheffe post-hoc test. To determine the associations among the 3 classifications, the chi-square test was used (P<.05). Results: No significant association of the classifications with gender was observed. Age showed a significant relationship with depth of impaction (P=.0001) and mesial-distal position (P=.005). The most common positions were buccal(n=222), vertical(n=184), and low (n=124). Significant associations among the 3 tested classifications were observed. Conclusion: CBCT enabled the evaluation of IMTMs in a 3-dimensional format, and we developed a proposal for a new classification of the position and depth of impaction of IMTMs.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2017

Purpose: This study determined and compared the distances from the maxillary root apices of posterior teeth to the floor of the maxillary sinus, or maxillary sinus distances(MSDs), and the distances from the mandibular root apices of the posterior teeth to the mandibular canal, or mandibular canal distances(MCDs), in Thai subjects with skeletal open bite and skeletal normal bite. Materials and Methods: Pretreatment cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained from 30 Thai orthodontic patients (15 patients with skeletal normal bite and 15 with skeletal open bite) whose ages ranged from 14 to 28 years. The CBCT images of the patients were processed and measured using the Romexis Viewer program. The MSDs and MCDs from the root apices of the maxillary and mandibular second premolar, first molar, and second molar to the maxillary sinus floor or the mandibular canal were measured perpendicularly to the occlusal plane. The Student t test was used for comparisons between the 2 groups. Results: The greatest mean MSDs were from the root apex of the second premolars in both groups, whereas the least mean MSDs were from the mesiobuccal root apex of the second molars. The greatest mean MCDs were from the mesial root apex of the first molars, whereas the least mean MCDs were from the distal root apex of the second molars. Conclusion: There were no differences in the mean MSDs or the mean MCDs between the skeletal normal bite group and the skeletal open bite group.