• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.31-34
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• 2002

Imaging techniques using x-ray beam at high energies (>6KeV) such as contact radiography, projection microscopy, and tomography have been used to nondestructively discern internal structure of objects in material science, biology, and medicine. This paper introduces the x-ray micro-imaging method using 1B2 micro-probe line of PAL (Pohang Accelerator Laboratory). Cross-sectional information on low electron density materials can be obtained by probing a sample with coherent synchrotron x-ray beam in an in-line holography setup. Living organism such as plants, insects are practically transparent to high energy x-rays and create phase shift images of x-ray wave front. X-ray micro-images of micro-bubbles of $20\~120\;{\mu}m$ diameter in an opaque tube were recorded. Clear phase contrast images were obtained at Interfaces between bubbles and surrounding liquid due to different decrements of refractive index.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2007

Recently, small-animal imaging technology has been rapidly developed for longitudinal screening of laboratory animals such as mice and rats. One of newly developed imaging modalities for small animals is an x-ray micro-CT (computed tomography). We have developed two types of x-ray micro-CT systems for small animal imaging. Both systems use flat-panel x-ray detectors and micro-focus x-ray sources to obtain high spatial resolution of $10{\mu}m$. In spite of the relatively large field-of-view (FOV) of flat-panel detectors, the spatial resolution in the whole-body imaging of rats should be sacrificed down to the order of $100{\mu}m$ due to the limited number of x-ray detector pixels. Though the spatial resolution of cone-beam CTs can be improved by moving an object toward an x-ray source, the FOV should be reduced and the object size is also limited. To overcome the limitation of the object size and resolution, we introduce zoom-in micro-tomography for high-resolution imaging of a local region-of-interest (ROI) inside a large object. For zoom-in imaging, we use two kinds of projection data in combination, one from a full FOV scan of the whole object and the other from a limited FOV scan of the ROI. Both of our micro-CT systems have zoom-in micro-tomography capability. One of both is a micro-CT system with a fixed gantry mounted with an x-ray source and a detector. An imaged object is laid on a rotating table between a source and a detector. The other micro-CT system has a rotating gantry with a fixed object table, which makes whole scans without rotating an object. In this paper, we report the results of in vivo small animal study using the developed micro-CTs.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.1744-1748
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• 2004

It is important to measure precisely the size and velocity of micro-bubbles used in various field. The synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to measure the size and velocity of micro-bubbles moving in an opaque tube simultaneously. Phase contrast images were obtained at interfaces of micro-bubbles between water and air due to their different refractive indices. The X-ray micro-imaging technique was found to measure an optical fiber with an accuracy of 0.2%. Micro-bubbles of $10{\sim}60{\mu}m$ diameter moving upward in an opaque tube (${\phi}=2.7mm$) were tested to measure bubble size and up-rising velocity. For DI water, the measured velocity of micro-bubbles is nearly proportional to the square of bubble size, agreed well with the theoretical result. In addition, the synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique can measure accurately the size and velocity of several overlapped micro-bubbles.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.659-664
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• 2004

It is important to measure precisely the size and velocity of micro-bubbles used in various field. The synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to measure the size and velocity of micro-bubbles moving in an opaque tube simultaneously. Phase contrast images were obtained at interfaces of micro-bubbles between water and air due to their different refractive indices. The X-ray micro-imaging technique was found to measure an optical fiber with an accuracy of 0.2%. Micro-bubbles of 20∼60$\mu\textrm{m}$ diameter moving upward in an opaque tube (${\Phi}$＝2.7mm) were tested to measure bubble size and up-rising velocity. For DI water, the measured velocity of micro-bubbles is nearly proportional to the square of bubble size, agreed well with the theoretical result. In addition, the synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique can measure accurately the size and velocity of several overlapped micro-bubbles.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.83-86
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• 2003

Synchrotron X-ray micro imaging technique was employed to non-invasively monitor the water flow inside xylem vessels in a bamboo leaf. The phase contrast X-ray images clearly visualized plant anatomy and the rise of a water front inside the vessels. Consecutive X-ray images taken for 60 seconds revealed water rise kinetics against gravity in the xylem of a cut dry leaf taken from a bamboo tree. For the first time, traces of water rise, variation of contact angle between water and xylem wall as well as the internal structure of xylem were obtained. In xylem vessels, a repeating flow pattern has a typical flow velocity of $30.7{\mu}m/s$ and faster flow is established intermittently. It is concluded that the transmission type of X-ray micro imaging can be used as a powerful tool to investigate the ascent of sap in the xylem vessels at a resolution higher than that of MRI.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.1693-1696
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• 2004

Synchrotron X-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to monitor non-invasively the refilling process of water inside the xylem vessels in bamboo leaves. The consecutive phase-contrast X-ray images clearly show both plant anatomy and the transport of water inside the xylem vessels. Traces of water-rise, vapor bubbles and variations of contact angle between the water front and the xylem wall were measured in real time. During the refilling process, air bubbles are removed when the rising water front halts at a vessel end for a while. Subsequently, it starts rising again at a higher velocity than the normal refilling speed. Repeated cavitation seems to deteriorate the refilling ability in xylem vessels. In dark environment, the water refilling process in xylem vessels is facilitated more effectively than in bright illuminated conditions. Finally, X-ray micro-imaging was famed to be a powerful, high resolution, real time imaging tool to investigate the water refilling process in xylem vessels.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2008

We introduce a rotating-gantry-based x-ray micro-tomography system to be used for small animal imaging studies. It has the zoom-in imaging capability for high resolution imaging of a local region inside the animal subject without any contrast anomalies arising from truncation of the projection data. With the sliding mechanism mounted on the rotating gantry holding the x-ray source and the x-ray detector, we can control the magnification ratio of the x-ray projection data. By combining the projection data from the large field of view (FOV) scan of the whole animal subject and the projection data from the small FOV scan of the region of interest, we can obtain artifact-free zoomed-in images of the region of interest. For the acquisition of x-ray projection data, we use a $1248{\times}1248$ flat-panel x-ray detector with the pixel pitch of 100 mm. It has been experimentally found that the developed system has the spatial resolution of up to 121p/mm when the highest magnification ratio of 5:1 is applied to the zoom-in imaging. We present some in vivo rat femur images to demonstrate utility of the developed system for small animal imaging.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.45-46
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• 2003

The x-ray micro-imaging technique was employed to measure the size and velocity of micro-bubbles moving in an opaque tube simultaneously. Phase contrast images were obtained at interfaces of micro-bubbles between water and air due to different refractive index. Micro-bubbles of $20\~120{\mu}m$ diameter moving upward in an opaque tube $(\phi=2.7mm)$ were tested. For two different working fluids of tap water and DI water, the measured velocity of micro-bubbles is roughly proportional to the square of bubble size.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1612-1617
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• 2003

Synchrotron X-ray micro imaging technique was employed to non-invasively monitor the water flow inside xylem vessels in a bamboo leaf. The phase contrast X-ray images clearly visualized plant anatomy and the rise of a water front inside the vessels. Consecutive X-ray images taken for 60 seconds revealed water rise kinetics against gravity in the xylem of a cut dry leaf taken from a bamboo tree. For the first time, traces of water rise, variation of contact angle between water and xylem wall as well as the internal structure of xylem were obtained. In xylem vessels, a repeating flow pattern has a typical flow velocity of 30.7$\mu\textrm{m}$/s and faster flow is established intermittently. It is concluded that the transmission type of X-ray micro imaging can be used as a powerful tool to investigate the ascent of sap in the xylem vessels at a resolution higher than that of MRI.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2009

Micro-columnar CsI(Tl) is the most popular scintillator material which is used for many indirect digital X-ray imaging detectors. The light scattering at the surface of micro-columnar CsI(Tl) scintillator was studied to find the correlation between the surface roughness and the resultant image resolution of indirect X-ray imaging detectors. Using a commercially available optical simulation program, Light Tools, MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) curves of the CsI(Tl) film thermally evaporated on glass substrate with different thickness were calculated and compared with the experimental estimation of MTF values by the edge X-ray image method and CCD camera. It was found that the standard deviation value of Gaussian scattering model which is determined by the surface roughness of micro-columns could certainly change the MTF value of image sensors. This model and calculation methodology will be beneficial to estimate the overall performance of indirect X-ray imaging system with CsI(Tl) scintillator film for optimum design depending on its application.