• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.819-825
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the developed air mattress for reducing the deterioration of image quality due to the scattered radiation generated on the computed tomography equipment table. 5 cm and 10 cm thick air mattresses were developed and the image quality was measured by scanning the AAPM phantom according to thickness and thickness. Statistical significance was confirmed by One Way Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) Compared with the AAPM phantom scanned in the standard method, the image with the air mattress did not show any difference, but when the air mattress was not applied, the CT number and uniformity were low and the noise was high, and the spatial resolution Respectively. The developed air mattress has no harmful effect on the diagnostic image, it is very effective in improving the image quality and can increase the CT image quality by simply applying Air Mattress to existing equipment without using the technology applied to the latest and high-cost equipment.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.119-129
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• 2012

In the medical field, the hardening of tissues is one of important informations used in diagnosis or understanding progress of disease, a quantitative measuring method of hardening is important for objective diagnosis. It has been proposed MRE(Magnetic Resonance Elastography) method that measures an index of hardening, viscoelastic properties in a noninvasive. Because the S/N ratio of MRE images go down when measuring viscoelastic properties from local wavelength and local damping factor of a propagating wave in MRE method, methods using multiple phase MRE images have been examined to decrease the effect of noise. We propose a method measuring viscoelastic properties after Fitting a function for multiple phase MRE images in this research. This proposed method has a advantage to set up arbitrarily the variation rate of a space direction of viscoelastic properties or the spatial resolution of measuring values according to changing of the noise included in images, though it applies viscoelastic wave for multiple phase MRE images. We confirmed the effectiveness of a proposed method by experiment using simulation images and experiment using silicone-gel phantom.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2013

Purpose: Modern radiation therapy technique such as IGRT has become a routine clinical practice on LINAC for decrease patient's set-up error. CBCT can be used to adjust patient set-up error and treat patient more accurately. The Purpose of this study is to evaluate field size of CBCT for improving Image quality and suggest reference date of CBCT field size. Materials and Methods: Image date were acquired using KV CBCT and Catphan phantom (Half fan and full fan mode were scanned from 2 ~16 cm, at intervals of 2 cm). Field size were categorized by Small field size (2 cm, 4 cm), Medium field size (8 cm, 10 cm), Large field size (more than 14 cm) and evaluate. To estimated the CTDi using CTDi phantom and Ion chamber. Results: CT number linearity of Small and Large field size are greater than Medium field size. Spatial resolution are not significantly different without Small field size. But half fan mode is more different than full fan mode. In full fan, except Medium field size, all field size exceed recommendation for HU uniformity. But half pan has stability for all field except Small field size. CTDi makes radical sign function graph in Medium field size. Conclusion: The worst result was given by Small field size for Image quality and practically. Medium field size can be useful to prevent patient from radiation exposure and give better Image quality. So this study recommends that Medium field size (8~10 cm) is more suitable for CBCT.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated the effects of an iterative reconstruction algorithm and an automatic exposure control (AEC) technique on image quality and radiation dose through phantom experiments with coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography protocols. We scanned the AAPM CT performance phantom using 320 multi-detector-row CT. At the tube voltages of 80, 100, and 120 kVp, the scanning was repeated with two settings of the AEC technique, i.e., with the target standard deviations (SD) values of 33 (the higher tube current) and 44 (the lower tube current). The scanned projection data were reconstructed also in two ways, with the filtered back projection (FBP) and with the iterative reconstruction technique (AIDR-3D). The image quality was evaluated quantitatively with the noise standard deviation, modulation transfer function, and the contrast to noise ratio (CNR). More specifically, we analyzed the influences of selection of a tube voltage and a reconstruction algorithm on tube current modulation and consequently on radiation dose. Reduction of image noise by the iterative reconstruction algorithm compared with the FBP was revealed eminently, especially with the lower tube current protocols, i.e., it was decreased by 46% and 38%, when the AEC was established with the lower dose (the target SD=44) and the higher dose (the target SD=33), respectively. As a side effect of iterative reconstruction, the spatial resolution was decreased by a degree that could not mar the remarkable gains in terms of noise reduction. Consequently, if coronary CT angiogprahy is scanned and reconstructed using both the automatic exposure control and iterative reconstruction techniques, it is anticipated that, in comparison with a conventional acquisition method, image noise can be reduced significantly with slight decrease in spatial resolution, implying clinical advantages of radiation dose reduction, still being faithful to the ALARA principle.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.4652-4659
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• 2022

Among the detector materials available at room temperature, thallium bromide (TlBr), which has a relatively high atomic number and density, is widely used for gamma camera imaging. This study aimed to verify the usefulness of TlBr through quantitative evaluation by modeling detectors of various compound types using Monte Carlo simulations. The Geant4 application for tomographic emission was used for simulation, and detectors based on cadmium zinc telluride and cadmium telluride materials were selected as a comparison group. A pixel-matched parallel-hole collimator with proven excellent performance was modeled, and phantoms used for quality control in nuclear medicine were used. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast to noise ratio (CNR), sensitivity, and full width at half maximum (FWHM) were used for quantitative analysis to evaluate the image quality. The SNR, CNR, sensitivity, and FWHM for the TlBr detector material were approximately 1.05, 1.04, 1.41, and 1.02 times, respectively, higher than those of the other detector materials. The SNR, CNR and sensitivity increased with increasing detector thickness, but the spatial resolution in terms of FWHM decreased. Thus, we demonstrated the feasibility and possibility of using the TlBr detector material in comparison with commercial detector materials.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.3844-3853
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• 2023

Although radiation and chemotherapy methods for cancer therapy have advanced significantly, surgical resection is still recommended for most cancers. Therefore, intraoperative imaging studies have emerged as a surgical tool for identifying tumor margins. Intraoperative imaging has been examined using conventional imaging devices, such as optical near-infrared probes, gamma probes, and ultrasound devices. However, each modality has its limitations, such as depth penetration and spatial resolution. To overcome these limitations, hybrid imaging modalities and tracer studies are being developed. In a previous study, a multi-modal laparoscope with silicon photo-multiplier (SiPM)-based gamma detection acquired a 1 s interval gamma image. However, improvements in the near-infrared fluorophore (NIRF) signal intensity and gamma image central defects are needed to further evaluate the usefulness of multi-modal systems. In this study, an attempt was made to change the NIRF image acquisition method and the SiPM-based gamma detector to improve the source detection ability and reduce the image acquisition time. The performance of the multi-modal system using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor and modified SiPM gamma detector was evaluated in a phantom test. In future studies, a multi-modal system will be further optimized for pilot preclinical studies.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2016

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Retro recon in SRS planning using BranLAB when stereotactic location error occurs by metal artifact. Materials and Methods : By CT simulator, image were acquired from head phantom(CIRS, PTW, USA). To observe stereotactic location recognizing and beam hardening, CT image were approved by SRS planning system(BrainLAB, Feldkirchen, Germany). In addition, we compared acquisition image(1.25mm slice thickness) and Retro recon image(using for 2.5 mm, 5mm slice thickness). To evaluate these three images quality, the test were performed by AAPM phantom study. In patient, it was verified stereotactic location error. Results : All the location recognizing error did not occur in scanned image of phantom. AAPM phantom scan images all showed the same trend. Contrast resolution and Spatial resolution are under 6.4 mm, 1.0 mm. In case of noise and uniformity, under 11, 5 of HU were measured. In patient, the stereotactic location error was not occurred at reconstructive image. Conclusion : For BrainLAB planning, using Retro recon were corrected stereotactic error at beam hardening. Retro recon may be the preferred modality for radiation treatment planning and approving image quality.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.289-299
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the quality of digital X-ray imaging system. The image quality evaluation was conducted By using Modulation transfer function indicating the quantitative resolution of the image and the noise power spectrum showing the noise characteristics. Using a IEC61267 radiation quality was applied to the geometry to be used in clinical and geometry presented in IEC62220-1 and Additional filter, grid, the clinical dose and the MTF value of edge phantom was measured. Result of the MTF corresponding to each item(Grid, Filter, SID, kVp, mAs), the clinical condition 100cm, 180cm, measurements of the spatial frequency of the MTF IEC62220-1Geometry 150cm became similarly apparent, rather spatial frequency was also the case high in clinical conditions 100cm. NPS results, as the dose(mAs) is increased, NPS showed that reduced. The image quality evaluation using IEC61267 the Radiation quality, Image quality of the video using the clinical conditions Geometry than image quality evaluation using IEC62220-1Geometry was better. It shows that MTF and NPC in IEC and clinical condition were not significantly different. In order to apply the evaluation method of image quality applied with clinical conditions rather than the future method, to be presented evaluation of IEC standard, based on the results of the image characterization studies in this paper, the methods that shows good quality of spatial resolution and decrease NPS value as the least dose, used suitable parameters for whether or not using added filter, grid, change SID and clinical quality(kVp), dose(mAs) etc should be found. then It is believed to be able to properly maintain the actual quality of the image of the digital radiographic imaging system in clinical.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.395-403
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• 2022

Flat-panel detector (FPD) used in digital radiographic imaging systems was used to perform a quantitative power spectrum evaluation as a result of the thickness change of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a tissue equivalent. As the PMMA thickness increases with the resolution-chart phantom image, the effect of the scattering line increases, indicating that the modulation characteristics decrease, and the image is bright. The results show that the noise of the image increases, and noise-power spectral images are obtained by Fourier transform to confirm by spatial frequency. Thus, it can be verified that the PMMA thickness and noise are proportional through the result of evaluating the change of resolution characteristics and representing the 2D noise-power spectrum as one-dimensional values by evaluating the change of scattering line with MTF as the PMMA thickness increases in the image.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.422-428
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• 2023

Ultrafast ultrasound imaging has been applied to various imaging approaches, including shear wave elastography, ultrafast Doppler, and super-resolution imaging. However, these methods are still challenging in real-time implementation for three Dimension (3D) or portable applications because of their massive data rate required. In this paper, we proposed an adaptive quantization method that effectively reduces the data rate of large Radio Frequency (RF) data. In soft tissue, ultrasound backscatter signals require a high dynamic range, and thus typical quantization used in the current systems uses the quantization level of 10 bits to 14 bits. To alleviate the quantization level to expand the application of ultrafast ultrasound imaging, this study proposed a depth-sectional quantization approach that reduces the quantization errors. For quantitative evaluation, Field II simulations, phantom experiments, and in vivo imaging were conducted and CNR, spatial resolution, and SSIM values were compared with the proposed method and fixed quantization method. We demonstrated that our proposed method is capable of effectively reducing the quantization level down to 3-bit while minimizing the image quality degradation.