• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2024

Despite improvements in operative techniques and perioperative care, post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) remains the most serious cause of morbidity and mortality after surgery, and several risk factors have been identified to predict PHLF. Although volumetric assessment using imaging contributes to surgical simulation by estimating the function of future liver remnants in predicting PHLF, liver function is assumed to be homogeneous throughout the liver. The combination of volumetric and functional analyses may be more useful for an accurate evaluation of liver function and prediction of PHLF than only volumetric analysis. Gadoxetic acid is a hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent that is taken up by hepatocytes via the OATP1 transporter after intravenous administration. Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging (MRI) offers information regarding both global and regional functions, leading to a more precise evaluation even in cases with heterogeneous liver function. Various indices, including signal intensity-based methods and MR relaxometry, have been proposed for the estimation of liver function and prediction of PHLF using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Recent developments in MR techniques, including high-resolution hepatobiliary phase images using deep learning image reconstruction and whole-liver T1 map acquisition, have enabled a more detailed and accurate estimation of liver function in gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.281-290
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• 2010

Cone-beam digital tomosynthesis (CBDT) has greatly been paid attention in the image-guided radiation therapy because of its attractive advantages such as low patient dose and less motion artifact. Image quality of tomograms is, however, dependent on the imaging conditions such as the scan angle (${\beta}_{scan}$) and the number of projection views. In this paper, we describe the principle of CBDT based on filtered-backprojection technique and investigate the optimization of imaging conditions. As a system performance, we have defined the figure-of-merit with a combination of signal difference-to-noise ratio, artifact spread function and floating-point operations which determine the computational load of image reconstruction procedures. From the measurements of disc phantom, which mimics an impulse signal and thus their analyses, it is concluded that the image quality of tomograms obtained from CBDT is improved as the scan angle is wider than 60 degrees with a larger step scan angle (${\Delta}{\beta}$). As a rule of thumb, the system performance is dependent on $\sqrt{{\Delta}{\beta}}{\times}{\beta}^{2.5}_{scan}$. If the exact weighting factors could be assigned to each image-quality metric, we would find the better quantitative imaging conditions.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2004

Different biological tissues have different values of electrical resistivity. In EIT (electrical impedance tomography), we try to provide cross-sectional images of a resistivity distribution inside an electrically conducting subject such as the human body mainly for functional imaging. However, it is well known that the image reconstruction problem in EIT is ill-posed and the quality of a reconstructed image highly depends on the measurement error. This requires us to develop a high-performance EIT system. In this paper, we describe the development of a 16-channel digital EIT system including a single constant current source, 16 voltmeters, main controller, and PC. The system was designed and implemented using the FPGA-based digital technology. The current source injects 50KHz sinusoidal current with the THD (total harmonic distortion) of 0.0029% and amplitude stability of 0.022%. The single current source and switching circuit reduce the measurement error associated with imperfect matching of multiple current sources at the expense of a reduced data acquisition time. The digital voltmeter measuring the induced boundary voltage consists of a differential amplifier, ADC, and FPGA (field programmable gate array). The digital phase-sensitive demodulation technique was implemented in the voltmeter to maximize the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio). Experimental results of 16-channel digital voltmeters showed the SNR of 90dB. We used the developed EIT system to reconstruct resistivity images of a saline phantom containing banana objects. Based on the results, we suggest future improvements for a 64-channel muff-frequency EIT system for three-dimensional dynamic imaging of bio-impedance distributions inside the human body.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.409-416
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• 2017

In this paper, we consider a framework of compressed sensing over finite fields. One measurement sample is obtained by an inner product of a row of a sensing matrix and a sparse signal vector. A recovery algorithm proposed in this study for sparse signals based probabilistic decoding is used to find a solution of compressed sensing. Until now compressed sensing theory has dealt with real-valued or complex-valued systems, but for the processing of the original real or complex signals, the loss of the information occurs from the discretization. The motivation of this work can be found in efforts to solve inverse problems for discrete signals. The framework proposed in this paper uses a parity-check matrix of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes developed in coding theory as a sensing matrix. We develop a stochastic algorithm to reconstruct sparse signals over finite field. Unlike LDPC decoding, which is published in existing coding theory, we design an iterative algorithm using probability distribution of sparse signals. Through the proposed recovery algorithm, we achieve better reconstruction performance as the size of finite fields increases. Since the sensing matrix of compressed sensing shows good performance even in the low density matrix such as the parity-check matrix, it is expected to be actively used in applications considering discrete signals.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2003

Purpose : In order to overcome limitations in the existing conventional spectrometer, a new spectrometer with advanced functionalities is designed and implemented. Materials and Methods : We designed a spectrometer using the TMS320C6701 DSP capable of 1 giga floating point operations per second (GFLOPS). The spectrometer can generate continuously varying complicate gradient waveforms by real-time calculation, and select image plane interactively. The designed spectrometer is composed of two parts: one is DSP-based digital control part, and the other is analog part generating gradient and RF waveforms, and performing demodulation of the received RF signal. Each recover board can measure 4 channel FID signals simultaneously for parallel imaging, and provides fast reconstruction using the high speed DSP. Results : The developed spectrometer was installed on a 1.5 Tesla whole body MRI system, and performance was tested by various methods. The accurate phase control required in digital modulation and demodulation was tested, and multi-channel acquisition was examined with phase-array coil imaging. Superior image quality is obtained by the developed spectrometer compared to existing commercial spectrometer especially in the fast spin echo images. Conclusion : Interactive control of the selection planes and real-time generation of gradient waveforms are important functions required for advanced imaging such as spiral scan cardiac imaging. Multi-channel acquisition is also highly demanding for parallel imaging. In this paper a spectrometer having such functionalities is designed and developed using the TMS320C6701 DSP having 1 GFLOPS computational power. Accurate phase control was achieved by the digital modulation and demodulation techniques. Superior image qualities are obtained by the developed spectrometer for various imaging techniques including FSE, GE, and angiography compared to those obtained by the existing commercial spectrometer.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2011

A signal passed through multi-path channel suffers ISI(Inter-Symbol Interference) and severe distortions caused by channel delay spread and noise components at the SC-FDE(Single Carrier with Frequency Domain Equalizer) transmission. Conventional UW(Unique-Word) based SC-FDE iterative channel estimation improves channel estimation performance by smoothing estimated CIR(Channel Impulse Response) of the noise components outside the channel length at time domain and restoring the broken cyclic property through UW reconstruction. In this paper, we propose channel estimation scheme through noise suppression within channel length. To suppress the noise, we estimate noise standard deviation as estimated CIR of the noise components outside the channel length and make criteria of the noise standard deviation gain that doesn't affect the original signal samples. When estimated CIR samples within channel length are less than the criteria value using the noise standard deviation and gain, the noise components are removed. Simulation results show that the proposed channel estimation scheme brings good channel MSE(Mean Square Error) and good BER(Bit Error Rate) performance.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2007

The parallel beam SPECT system acquires projection data by using collimators in conjunction with photon detectors. The projection data of the parallel beam SPECT system is, however, blurred by the point response function of the collimator that is used to define the range of directions where photons can be detected. By increasing the number of parallel holes per unit area in collimator, one can reduce such blurring effect. This approach also, however, has the blurring problem if the distance between the object and the collimator becomes large. In this paper we consider correction methods for artifacts caused by non-circular orbit of parallel beam SPECT with many parallel holes per detector cell. To do so, we model the relationship between the object and its projection data as a linear system, and propose an iterative reconstruction method including artifacts correction. We compute the projector and the backprojector, which are required in iterative method, as a sum of convolutions with distance-dependent point response functions instead of matrix form, where those functions are analytically computed from a single function. By doing so, we dramatically reduce the computation time and memory required for the generation of the projector and the backprojector. We conducted several simulation studies to compare the performance of the proposed method with that of conventional Fourier method. The result shows that the proposed method outperforms Fourier methods objectively and subjectively.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.717-723
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• 2007

Statement of problem. Unreasonable distal cantilevered implant-supported prosthesis can mask functional problems of reconstruction temporarily, but it can cause serious strain and stress around its supported implant and surrounding alveolar bone. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate strain of implants supporting distal cantilevered fixed prosthesis with two different cantilevered length under distal cantilevered static load. Material and methods. A partially edentulous mandibular test model was fabricated with auto-polymerizing resin (POLYUROCK; Metalor technologies, Stuttgart, Swiss) and artificial denture teeth (Endura; Shofu inc., Kyoto, Japan). Two implants-supported 5-unit screw-retained cantilevered fixed prosthesis was made using standard methods with Type III gold alloy (Harmony C&B55; Ivoclar-vivadent, Liechtenstein, Germany) for superstructure and reinforced hard resin (Tescera; Ivoclar-vivadent, Liechtenstein, Germany) for occlusal material. Two strain gauges (KFG-1-120-C1-11L1M2R; KYOWA electronic instruments, Tokyo, Japan) were then attached to the mesial and the distal surface of each standard abutment with adhesive (M-bond 200; Tokuyama, Tokyo, Japan). Total four strain gauges were attached to test model and connected to dynamic signal conditioning strain amplifier (CTA1000; Curiotech inc., Paju, Korea). The stepped $20{\sim}100$ N in 25 N increments, cantilevered static load 8mm apart (Group I) or 16mm apart (Group II), were applied using digital push-pull gauge (Push-Pull Scale & Digital Force Gauge, Axis inc., Seoul, Korea). Each step was performed ten times and every strain signal was monitored and recorded. Results. In case of Group I, the strain values were surveyed by $80.7{\sim}353.8{\mu}m$ in Ch1, $7.5{\sim}47.9{\mu}m/m$ in Ch2, $45.7{\sim}278.6{\mu}m/m$ in Ch3 and $-212.2{\sim}718.7{\mu}m/m$ in Ch4 depending on increasing cantilevered static load. On the other hand, the strain values of Group II were surveyed by $149.9{\sim}612.8{\mu}m/m$ in Ch1, $26.0{\sim}168.5{\mu}m/m$ in Ch2, $114.3{\sim}632.3{\mu}m/m$ in Ch3, and $-323.2{\sim}-894.7{\mu}m/m$ in Ch4. Conclusion. A comparative statistical analysis using paired sample t-test about Group I Vs Group II under distal cantilevered load shows that there are statistical significant differences for all 4 channels (P<0.05).

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2010

It has a falling off in speech quality, especially when consecutive packet loss occurs, even if a vocoder implemented in the packet network has its own packet loss concealment (PLC) algorithm. PLC algorithm is divided into transmitter and receiver algorithm. Algorithm in the transmitter gives superior quality by additional information. however it is impossible to provide mutual compatibility and it occurs extra delay and transmission rate. The method applied in the receiver does not require additional delay. However, it sets limits to improve the speech quality. In this paper, we propose a new method that puts extra information for PLC in a part of Extension Header Data which is not used in RTP Header. It can solve the problem and obtain enhanced speech quality. There is no extra delay occurred by the proposed algorithm because there is a jitter buffer to adjust network delay in a receiver. Extra information, 16 bits each frame for G.729 PLC, is allocated for MA filter index in LP synthesis, excitation signal, excitation signal gain and residual gain reconstruction. It is because a transmitter sends speech data each 20 ms when it transfers RTP payload. As a result, the proposed method shows superior performance about 13.5%.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.206-214
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• 2003

Purpose : To analysis each clinical results after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with using variable fixatives which are metallic and bioabsorbable interference screw, and RIGIDfix. Therefore, We reported the clinical reliability and safty of ACL reconstruction using RIGIDfix. Materials and Methods : We evaluated the results of arthroscopic ACL resconstruction with patellar tendon autograft among three groups, of which group 1 is used metal interference screw for 44 patients, group 2 used bioabsorbable interference screw for 47 patients, group 3 used RIGIDfix for 42 patients. We compared the clinical results by physical examination (anterior drawer test, Lachman test and pivot shift test), Lysholm score and KT-2000 arthrometer and compared the radiological results by measurement of tunnel and fixatives position and widening and by MRI findings. We analyzed the results by SAS 8.2 Ducan. Tukey and paired t-test Results : Physical instability was in 5 cases, which group 2 had 4 cases and group 3 had 1 case. Lysholm score improved from 59.8. 64.4, 61 to 90.1, 92.3. 92. KT-2000 arthrometer instability improved from 9.20, 10.2, 9.5 to 1.43. 1.62. 2.00 (p=0.478). Radiologically, all cases had excellent tunnel position and cyst change was observed the 8 cases in the group 2, but, all 20 cases 2nd MRI had signal change of peri-fixatives. But, no correlation of clinical results. Conclusion : No statistical difference of clinical instability was found among three groups. And femoral tunnel changes were much observed in group I, II than III. We considered the RIGIDfix has much advantages because the short operation time, better fixation position and much bone contact surface. But, further long term follow up study was needed.