• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
• /
• 제39권3호
• /
• pp.116-123
• /
• 2018

This study is a model experimental study using a phantom to propose an optimized brain CT scan protocol that can reduce the radiation dose of a patient and remain quality of image. We investigate the CT scan parameters of brain CT in clinical medical institutions and to measure the important parameters that determine the quality of CT images. We used 52 multislice spiral CT (SOMATOM Definition AS+, Siemens Healthcare, Germany). The scan parameters were tube voltage (kVp), tube current (mAs), scan time, slice thickness, pitch, and scan field of view (SFOV) directly related to the patient's exposure dose. The CT dose indicators were CTDIvol and DLP. The CT images were obtained while increasing the imaging conditions constantly from the phantom limit value (Q1) to the maximum value (Q4) for AAPM CT performance evaluation. And statistics analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficients. The result of tube voltage that the increase in tube voltage proportionally increases the variation range of the CT number. And similar results were obtained in the qualitative evaluation of the CT image compared to the tube voltage of 120 kVp, which was applied clinically at 100 kVp. Also, the scan conditions were appropriate in the tube current range of 250 mAs to 350 mAs when the tube voltage was 100 kVp. Therefore, by applying the proposed brain CT scanning parameters can be reduced the radiation dose of the patient while maintaining quality of image.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2021

CT는 인체 내 장기의 해부학적 구조를 정확하게 나타낼 수 있으며, 영상의 분해능이 우수하다. Brain CT 검사 시 수정체의 방사선 감수성이 높아서 피폭의 영향을 많이 받는다. 본 연구는 수정체에 피폭선량을 감소하기 위해 비스무스와 텅스텐 필라멘트 차폐물질을 사용하여 Non-shield와 Shield에 대한 피폭선량의 변화와 차폐율을 비교 하고자 한다. 본 연구에서는 3D printing으로 제작한 비스무스, 텅스텐 필라멘트 차폐물질을 사용하여, 차폐물질 두께와 slice에 따라 피폭되는 선량을 측정하였다. 헤드팬텀을 고정시켜 안구에 Magicmax universal 선량계를 위치시켜 차폐 물질을 놓지 않았을 경우와 그 위에 차폐 물질을 놓았을 때 차폐율을 각각 비교하기 위해 두 물질을 1mm ~ 5mm 두께로 각각 측정하였다. 1 mm 두께의 필라멘트에서 비스무스 필라멘트는 26.8 %, 텅스텐 필라멘트는 43.1 % 차폐율이 나타났다. 따라서 비스무스 필라멘트보다 텅스텐 필라멘트에서 더 큰 차폐효과가 나타났다. 차폐체의 종류, 두께, 슬라이스 간격에 따라 선량을 측정한 결과, 비스무스 필라멘트 보다 텅스텐 필라멘트가 더 큰 차폐효과가 나타났다.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
• /
• 제24권2호
• /
• pp.108-118
• /
• 2013

동맥스핀표지(Arterial Spin Labeling: ASL) 뇌 관류 자기공명영상법을 이용한 뇌 관류영상기술이 일반적으로 환자의 질병진단에 일반적으로 사용하기 어려운 이유는 영상을 얻을 때 여러 인자들을 최적화시켜야만 좋은 질의 영상을 얻을 수 있기 때문으로 생각된다. 따라서, 본 논문의 목적은 동맥스핀표지 자기공명영상의 뇌 관류영상을 최적화 하기 위하여 필요한 여러 인자들의 변화에 따른 동맥스핀표지 신호변화를 3.0 테슬라 자기공명영상에서 관찰하는 것이다. 특히, 동맥시 핀표지 자기공명영상 신호 변화가 이들 인자에서 뇌 세포(brain tissues)의 영역에 따라서 어떻게 변화하는가를 평가하였다. 정상 성인 남성 5명을(평균연령 36세; 29세~41세) 대상에서 STAR (Signal Targeting with Alternating Radiofrequency) 동맥스핀표지 방법을 이용하여 3T 자기공명영상에서 영상을 얻었다. 실험은 첫째 영상획득 영역과 라벨링 영역간의 간격 변화에 따른 신호 변화 평가 실험, 둘째 라벨링 후의 시간 변화에 따른 신호 변화 평가 실험, 셋째 라벨링 두께의 변화에 따른 신호 변화 평가 실험, 넷째 슬라이스 획득 순서에 따른 신호 변화 평가실험을 하였다. 획득한 영상의 분석은 회백질과 백질, 전두엽, 측두엽, 후두엽, 두정엽에서의 관류신호변화를 얻어 분석하였다. 본 연구결과는 아래와 같았다: 1) 영상획득 영역과 라벨링 영역간의 간격 변화에 따른 관류 신호 변화 연구결과 전체 절편의 평균 값을 보면 회백질에서 좌측과 우측 모두에서 라벨링 간격이 증가할수록 신호가 낮아지는 경향을 보이고 있다. 라벨링 간격의 변화에 두정엽이 가장 영향을 적게 받고 후두엽이 가장 많은 영향을 받았다. 2) 라벨링 후의 시간 변화에 따른 관류 신호 변화 연구결과 회백질은 라벨링 지연시간 400 ms까지 양쪽 모두 감소하다가 라벨링 지연시간이 1,000 ms까지 증가하였다. 3) 라벨링 두께의 변화에 따른 관류 신호 변화 연구 결과 라벨링 두께가 증가에 따라 회백질과 백질의 신호강도는 점차적으로 증가하다가 120 mm 두께 이후에는 감소하였다. 4) 절편 획득 순서에 따른 관류 신호 변화 연구 결과 절편 획득 순서에 따른 백질과 회백질의 관류신호강도 값은 회백질과 백질 모두 머리의 꼭대기부터 영상을 획득하는 descend에서 신호강도가 높았다. 본 연구에서는 각 실험 조건에 따라서 관류신호 강도가 크게 변화를 하는 것을 보여 주었고, 따라서 실제 환자를 대상으로 관류 영상을 얻고자 할 경우에는 실제 임상 적용 전에 최적화된 프로토콜을 만든 후에 사용을 해야 할 것으로 생각한다. 특히 백질의 뇌 관류영상을 얻는 것은 아직 문제가 있는 것으로 생각이 된다.

• 핵의학기술
• /
• 제16권2호
• /
• pp.120-125
• /
• 2012

이 연구의 목적은 Brain SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography)의 Non-attenuation correction (AC-non) 영상에 대한 attenuation correction(AC) 방법 중 Chang's method와 CT based attenuation correction(AC-CT) 사이의 count를 비교하기 위함이다. phantom study는 증류수로 채워진 hoffman 3D phantom에 $^{99m}Tc$ 37Mbq을 투여하였고, patient study는 normal volunteer에 $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO 750Mbq를 정맥주입하고 Siemens사의 Symbia T6로 Brain SPECT 영상을 획득하였고 뇌 정량 분석을 하였다. 각각의 방법들을 적용한 transverse image는 같은 위치에서 재구성 되었으며 각각 10, 20, 30번째 slice에서 6개의 region of interest(ROI)를 그려 AC-non 과 AC-CT 그리고 Chang's method의 count를 비교하였다. phantom study에서 AC-non, AC-CT, Chang's method의 각각 평균 count는 $4606.8{\pm}511.3$, $16794.6{\pm}2429.4$, $8752.6{\pm}896.5$이었으며 patient study에서 $5460.8{\pm}519.6$, $15320{\pm}1171.6$, $12795{\pm}1422.1$이었다. phantom study에서 AC-CT와 AC-non 사이의 비는 3.70이고 Chang's method와 AC-non 사이의 비는 1.92였으며 patient study에서는 각각 2.85, 2.38이었다. 우리는 이 연구를 통하여 AC-CT가 Chang's method보다 더 높은 AC을 해준다는 걸 알 수 있었다. 그리고 Chang's method는 patient study에서의 AC 값이 phantom study에서의 AC값보다 더 높다는 것을 알 수 있었다. brain SPECT/CT를 시행하는 경우 scatter correction을 같이 시행하고 bone에 의한 감쇠 정보를 반영할 수 있는 AC-CT가 chang's method보다 정확하다 할 수 있겠다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
• /
• 제28권3호
• /
• pp.338-343
• /
• 2007

BOLD T2*-weighted MR images reflects cortical blood flow and oxygenation alterations. fMRI study relies on the detection of localized changes in BOLD signal intensity. Since fMRI measures the very small modulations in BOLD signal intensity that occur during changes in brain activity, it is also very sensitive to small signal intensity variations caused by physiologic noise during the scan. Due to the complexity of movement of various organs associated with heart beat, it is important to reduce cardiac related noise rather than other physiological noise which could be required with relatively simple method. Therefore, a number of methods have been developed for the estimation and reduction of cardiac noise in fMRI study. But, each method has limitation. In this study, we proposed a new estimation method for brain activities influenced by blood pulsation effect using regression analysis with blood pulsation signal and the correspond slice of fMRI. We could find out that the right anterior cingulate cortex and right olfactory cortex and left olfactory cortex were largely influenced by blood pulsation effect for new method. These observed areas are mostly on the structure of anterior cerebral artery in the brain. That is convinced with that our method would be valid and our new method is easier to apply in practice and reduce computational burden than the retrospective method.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제42권4호
• /
• pp.337-341
• /
• 2007

Objective : Repeated administration of mannitol in the setting of large hemispheric infarction is a controversial and poorly defined therapeutic intervention. This study was performed to examine the effects of multiple-dose mannitol on a brain edema after large hemispheric infarction. Methods : A middle cerebral artery was occluded with the rat suture model for 6 hours and reperfused in 22 rats. The rats were randomly assigned to either control (n=10) or the mannitol-treated group (n=12) in which intravenous mannitol infusions (0.8 g/kg) were performed six times every four hours. After staining a brain slice with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, the weight of hemispheres, infarcted (IH) and contralateral (CH), and the IH/CH weight ratio were examined, and then hemispheric accumulation of mannitol was photometrically evaluated based on formation of NADH catalyzed by mannitol dehydrogenase. Results : Mannitol administration produced changes in body weight of $-7.6{\pm}1.1%$, increased plasma osmolality to $312{\pm}8\;mOsm/L$. It remarkably increased weight of IH ($0.77{\pm}0.06\;gm$ versus $0.68{\pm}0.03\;gm$ : p<0.01) and the IH/CH weight ratio ($1.23{\pm}0.07$ versus $1.12{\pm}0.05$ : p<0.01). The photometric absorption at 340 nm of the cerebral tissue in the mannitol-treated group was increased to $0.375{\pm}0.071$ and $0.239{\pm}0.051$ in the IH and CH, respectively from $0.167{\pm}0.082$ and $0.162{\pm}0.091$ in the IH and CH of the control group (p<0.01). Conclusion : Multiple-dose mannitol is likely to aggravate cerebral edema due to parenchymal accumulation of mannitol in the infarcted brain tissue.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제29권1호
• /
• pp.5-14
• /
• 2000

Objective : Somatosensory evoked potential(SSEP) has been known to be a good method for evaluating brain stem function, but it is not sufficient to check the fine changes of cortical functions. A fine change of cortical function can be expressed with somatosensory evoked cortical field potential(SSEFP) rather than general SSEP. To confirm the usefulness of SSEFP for evaluating the cortical function, the authors simultaneously measured SSEFP and the intracranial pressure-volume index(PVI) in kaolin-induced hydrocephalic rats. Method : Hydrocephalus was induced with injection of 0.1ml kaolin-suspended solution into the cisterna magna in 60 Sprague-Dawley rats. The authors measured PVI and SSEFP 1 week after injection of kaolin-suspended solution. To evaluate the severity of induced hydrocephalus, we measured the transverse diameter of the lateral ventricle on the coronal slice of the rat brain 0.40mm posterior to the bregma. Result : The typical wave form of SSEFP in control rats showed a negative-positive complex wave at early latency. In SSEFP of normal rats, N0 is 10.0 msec, N1 15.3 msec, P1 31.2 msec and N1-P1 amplitude $15.4{\mu}V$. As hydrocephalus progressed, the peak latency of N1 and P1 were delayed. In mild hydrocephalus, negative peak waves were split. The N1-P1 amplitude was decreased only in severe hydrocephalus. The changes of the characteristics of SSEFP according to the severity of hydrocephalus were well correlated with the changes of PVI. Shunting normalized the characteristics of SSEFP in relation to ventricular sizes and PVI in hydrocephalic rats. Conclusion : SSEFP may be useful for evaluating the impairment of cortical function in hydrocephalus.

• 한국컴퓨터정보학회논문지
• /
• 제21권12호
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2016

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) is widely used in brain research field and medical image. Especially, non-invasive brain activation acquired image technique, which is functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) is used in brain study. In this study, we investigate brain activation occurred by LED light stimulation. For investigate of brain activation in experimental small animal, we used high magnetic field 9.4T MRI. Experimental small animal is Balb/c mouse, method of fMRI is using echo planar image (EPI). EPI method spend more less time than any other MRI method. For this reason, however, EPI data has low contrast. Due to the low contrast, image pre-processing is very hard and inaccuracy. In this study, we planned the study protocol, which is called block design in fMRI research field. The block designed has 8 LED light stimulation session and 8 rest session. All block is consist of 6 EPI images and acquired 1 slice of EPI image is 16 second. During the light session, we occurred LED light stimulation for 1 minutes 36 seconds. During the rest session, we do not occurred light stimulation and remain the light off state for 1 minutes 36 seconds. This session repeat the all over the EPI scan time, so the total spend time of EPI scan has almost 26 minutes. After acquired EPI data, we performed the analysis of this image data. In this study, we analysis of EPI data using statistical parametric map (SPM) software and performed image pre-processing such as realignment, co-registration, normalization, smoothing of EPI data. The pre-processing of fMRI data have to segmented using this software. However this method has 3 different method which is Gaussian nonparametric, warped modulate, and tissue probability map. In this study we performed the this 3 different method and compared how they can change the result of fMRI analysis results. The result of this study show that LED light stimulation was activate superior colliculus region in mouse brain. And the most higher activated value of segmentation method was using tissue probability map. this study may help to improve brain activation study using EPI and SPM analysis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제29권9호
• /
• pp.1161-1170
• /
• 2000

Objective : The transverse hippocampal slice is one of the most commonly studied in vitro models of mammalian brain physiology. However, despite its broad usage, there has been no standardization of slice preparation techniques or recording condition. It is well known that variations in recording conditions can result in profound different effects to neuronal responses. Evoked field potentials, recorded extracellularly, were used to investigate the effects of variations in hippocampal slice preparation protocol on hypoxia responses of CA1 neurones. Material & Methods : Before hypoxic injury, hippocampal slices were incubated for 4 hours. During incubation period, the slices were placed in a incubation chamber($21^{\circ}C$) for recovery from preparation injury and then transferred to recording chamber($34^{\circ}C$) for more recovery and baseline electric recording with current stimulation(0.1Hz). Various time periods in incubation chamber and recording chamber were applied to each experimental group(group 1=60min : 180min, group 2=90min : 150min, group 3=180min : 60min, time in incubation chamber : time in recording chamber) before 10 min hypoxia produced by replacing 95% $O_2$+5% $CO_2$ mixed gas to 95% $N_2$+5% $CO_2$ gas. Calcium, Magnesium ions and several drugs effecting on glutamate receptor also were studied. Recoveries from hypoxic injury of hippocampal slices were estimated by percent recovery of population spike(PS). Statistic analysis of study were performed using paired t-test. Results : The percent recovery of PS after 10min hypoxia was considerably enhanced by increasing the period of current stimulation during incubation period before hypoxic injury. Temperature effect on the result of this experiment was also studied(group 4) but the result from this showed no statistic significance. Low magnesium ion concentration of artificial CSF(Mg-free aCSF) during incubation period enhanced the recovery of PS but low calcium (calcium-free) and high magnesium ion concentration(2mM) reduced it after hypoxic injury. L-glutamate($100{\mu}M$) and AP-5($50{\mu}M$) had no effect on the recovery of PS but CNQX($10{\mu}M$) in artificial CSF during incubation period markedly enhanced the recovery of PS. Co-treatment of AP-5($50{\mu}M$), CNQX($10{\mu}M$) and high magnesium concentration(2mM) enhanced recovery of PS in immediate following period of hypoxic injury but the effect of cotreatment after then decayed rapidly and lost statistic significance. Conclusions : Judging from above results, the condition of baseline recording is important in observing the recovery of population spike after hypoxia, and the time and the condition should be controled more strictly to obtain reliable results.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제22권10호
• /
• pp.1680-1689
• /
• 2021

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic yield of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in patients with transient global amnesia (TGA) and identify significant parameters affecting diagnostic yield. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was conducted to identify studies that assessed the diagnostic yield of DWI in patients with TGA. The pooled diagnostic yield of DWI in patients with TGA was calculated using the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were also performed of slice thickness, magnetic field strength, and interval between symptom onset and DWI. Results: Twenty-two original articles (1732 patients) were included. The pooled incidence of right, left, and bilateral hippocampal lesions was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 30-44%), 42% (95% CI, 39-46%), and 25% (95% CI, 20-30%) of all lesions, respectively. The pooled diagnostic yield of DWI in patients with TGA was 39% (95% CI, 27-52%). The Higgins I² statistic showed significant heterogeneity (I² = 95%). DWI with a slice thickness ≤ 3 mm showed a higher diagnostic yield than DWI with a slice thickness > 3 mm (pooled diagnostic yield: 63% [95% CI, 53-72%] vs. 26% [95% CI, 16-40%], p < 0.01). DWI performed at an interval between 24 and 96 hours after symptom onset showed a higher diagnostic yield (68% [95% CI, 57-78%], p < 0.01) than DWI performed within 24 hours (16% [95% CI, 7-34%]) or later than 96 hours (15% [95% CI, 8-26%]). There was no difference in the diagnostic yield between DWI performed using 3T vs. 1.5T (pooled diagnostic yield, 31% [95% CI, 25-38%] vs. 24% [95% CI, 14-37%], p = 0.31). Conclusion: The pooled diagnostic yield of DWI in TGA patients was 39%. DWI obtained with a slice thickness ≤ 3 mm or an interval between symptom onset and DWI of > 24 to 96 hours could increase the diagnostic yield.