• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.139-149
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• 2019

Purpose: With neurodegeneration, the signal intensity of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain increases. The objective of this study was to evaluate chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) signals with and without the contribution of CSF signals in elderly human brains using two different 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences Methods: Full CEST signals were acquired in ten subjects (Group I) with a three-dimensional (3D)-segmented gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence and in ten other subjects (Group II) with a 3D gradient and spin-echo (GRASE) sequence using two different 3T MRI systems. The segmented tissue compartments of gray and white matter were used to mask the CSF signals in the full CEST images. Two sets of magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTR_asym) maps were obtained for each offset frequency in each subject with and without masking the CSF signals (masked and unmasked conditions, respectively) and later compared using paired t-tests. Results: The region-of-interest (ROI)-based analyses showed that the MTR_asym values for both the 3D-segmented gradient-echo EPI and 3D GRASE sequences were altered under the masked condition compared with the unmasked condition at several ROIs and offset frequencies. Conclusions: Depending on the imaging sequence, the MTR_asym values can be overestimated for some areas of the elderly human brain when CSF signals are unmasked. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to minimize this overestimation in the case of elderly patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.352-355
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MRI scanner, functional MR imaging of the whole brain was performed in 12 normal healthy subjects during two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB 34 and sham points. This study investigates the activation of the mortor cortex elicited by a soft and an intensified stimulation of GB 34. Three different paradigms were carried out to detect any possible modulation of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) response in the somatomortor area to motor stimulation through acupuncture. Group analysis from seven individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. The present study shows that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T MRI environment, and acupuncture stimulation in GB34 modulates the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human. The present findings may shed light on the CNS mechanism of motor function by acupuncture and form a basis for future investigations of motor modulation circuits in the stroke patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.385-388
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• 2002

We measured and evaluated digital, pre-sampling and overall imaging properties (characteristic curves, Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Wiener spectra (WS), Noise Equivalent Quanta (NEQ) and Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE)) for the direct type and indirect type of Flat-Panel Detector (FPD). First, the digital and overall characteristic curves of the both types of FPD had more wide dynamic range than that of the S/F system. Second, the pre-sampling and overall MTF of the direct-type FPD were superior to those of the indirect-type FPD. Third, for identical exposures, the digital and overall WS of the direct-type FPD were similar or worse than those of the indirect-type FPD, and for larger exposure, the digital WS of the both types of FPD were smaller, but overall WS of the both types of FPD were larger. Fourth, the digital and overall NEQ and DQE of the direct-type FPD were worse than both NEQ and DQE of the indirect-type FPD at lower spatial frequencies, but were better at higher spatial frequencies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.192-194
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• 2002

We present the results on the calibration of iso-center positions using the quality assurance system established at PMRC for determination of center position in X-ray and proton irradiation fields. Details on the system are presented in another presentation in this session. The equipment in the system is mounted on a patient treatment bed in each proton exposure room, G1 or G2. A center of a stainless ball on the equipment is set at a cross of laser markers located around the iso-center and fixed on the room and on the snout in the gantry. A proton beam or an X-ray beam is exposed onto the ball through a brass collimator of 100 mm ${\times}$ 100 mm and projected onto the imaging plate set at I cm behind the ball. On the axis perpendicular to the thrust axis of the gantry on the imaging plate, a distance between a center of the collimator image and a center of the ball image varies as a cosine function of gantry angles unless the ball is set on the iso-center. An amplitude of the cosine curve shows the distance between the ball and the iso-center, an offset the offset of the collimator, and a phase shift at a zero crossing point the ball direction viewed from the iso-center. We present the relation among the iso-center position, the laser maker position, and the center of proton and X-ray irradiation fields. Its stability and its reproducibility are discussed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.25-25
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• 2010

With the aim of resolving important physical problems in the chromosphere of the Sun, we developed the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph for several years, and at last successfully installed it in the Coude room of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear in 2010 May. The instrument is an Echelle spectrograph with imaging capability based on slit scan, and can record two spectral bands (e.g., H alpha band and Ca II 8542 band) simultaneously. The early runs of the instrument produced data of high quality that are suited for the study of quiet Sun, filaments on the disk, prominences outside the limb, active regions and sunspots. We are ready to do good solar sciences using our own instrument, and will be able to do best sciences with the coming improvement of spatial resolution.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1997 no.11
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• pp.365-368
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• 1997

We are developing a small gamma camera or imaging malignant breast tumors. The small scintillation camera system consists of NaI(Tl) crystal ($60\;{\times}\;60\;{\times}\;6\;mm^3$) coupled to position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT), nuclear instrument module (NIM), analog to digital converter (ADC), and personal computer. High quality flood source image and hole mask image were obtained using the gamma camera developed in this study. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7\;mm$ diameter spheres was successfully imaged with parallel hole collimator. The obtained image displayed accurate activity distribution over the imaging field of view. Linearity and uniformity correction algorithms are being developed. It is believed that the developed small gamma camera could be useful or detection of malignant breast cancer.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 1998

Accurate radiation dosimetric characters is very important to determine of dose to a radiotherapeutic patient. Medical linear accelerators have been developed not only its new quality of convenient operation but also electric moderation. It is reliable to measure more detail physical parameter that linac's internal ability. Typically, radiation dosimetric tool is classified ionization chamber, film, thermoluminescence dosimeter, etc. Nowaday, Electronic Portal Imaging Device is smeared in radiation field to verification of treatment region. EPID's image was focused that using both on-line image verification and absolutely minimum absorbed dose during radiotherapy. So, Electronic Portal Imaging was tested for quality evaluation of medical linear accelerator had its pure conditional flash. This study has performed symmetry, Light/Radiation field congruence, and energy check, geometry difference on wedge filter using a liquid filled ion chamber (EPID). Prior to irradiated on EPID, high energy photon beam is checked with ion chamber. Using these results more convenient dosimetric method is accomplished by EPID that taken digital image. Medical image is acquired with EPID too. Therefore, EPID can be analyzed by numerical information for what want to see or get more knowledge for natural human condition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.450-453
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• 2002

In radiotherapy treatment planning, it is critical to deliver the radiation dose to tumor and protect surrounding normal tissue. Recent developments in functional imaging and radiotherapy treatment technology have been raising chances to control tumor saving normal tissues. A brain phantom which could be used for image registration technique of CT-MR and CT-SPECT images using surface matching was developed. The brain phantom was specially designed to obtain imaging dataset of CT, MR, and SPECT. The phantom had an external frame with 4 N-shaped pipes filled with acryl rods, Pb rods for CT, MR, and SPECT imaging, respectively. 8 acrylic pipes were inserted into the empty space of the brain phantom to be imaged for geometric evaluation of the matching. For an optimization algorithm of image registration, we used Downhill simplex algorithm suggested as a fast surface matching algorithm. Accuracy of image fusion was assessed by the comparison between the center points of the section of N-shaped bars in the external frame and the inserted pipes of the phantom and minimized cost functions of the optimization algorithm. Technique with partially transparent, mixed images using color on gray was used for visual assessment of the image registration process. The errors of image registration of CT-MR and CT-SPECT were within 2mm and 4mm, respectively. Since these errors were considered within a reasonable margin from the phantom study, the phantom is expected to be used for conventional image registration between multimodal image datasets..

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2015

Image deblurring by a deconvolution method requires accurate knowledge of the blur kernel. Existing point spread function (PSF) models in the literature corresponding to lens aberrations and defocus are either parameterized and spatially invariant or spatially varying but discretely defined. In this paper, a parameterized model is developed and presented for a PSF which is spatially varying due to lens aberrations and defocus in an imaging system. The model is established from the Seidel third-order aberration coefficient and the Hu moment. A skew normal Gauss model is selected for parameterized PSF geometry structure. The accuracy of the model is demonstrated with simulations and measurements for a defocused infrared camera and a single spherical lens digital camera. Compared with optical software Code V, the visual results of two optical systems validate our analysis and proposed method in size, shape and direction. Quantitative evaluation results reveal the excellent accuracy of the blur kernel model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.282-293
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• 2021

This paper examines gamma-ray shielding properties of SBC-Bx glass system with the chemical composition of 40SiO₂-10B₂O₃-xBaO-(45-x)CaO- yZnO- zMgO (where x = 0, 10, 20, 30, and 35 mol% and y = z = 6 mol%). Mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ) which is an essential parameter to study gamma-ray shielding properties was obtained in the photon energy range of 0.015-15 MeV using PHITS Monte Carlo code for the proposed glasses. The obtained results were compared with those calculated by WinXCOM program. Both the values of PHITS code and WinXCOM program were observed in very good agreement. The (µ/ρ values were then used to derive mean free path (MFP), electron density (N_eff), effective atomic number (Z_eff), and half value layer (HVL) for all the glasses involved. Additionally, G-P method was employed to estimate exposure buildup factor (EBF) for each glass in the energy range of 0.015-15 MeV up to penetration depths of 40 mfp. The results reveal that gamma-ray shielding effectiveness of the SBC-Bx glasses evolves with increasing BaO content in the glass sample. Such that SBC-B35 glass has superior shielding capacity against gamma-rays among the studied glasses. Gamma-ray shielding properties of SBC-B35 glass were compared with different conventional shielding materials, commercial glasses, and newly developed HMO glasse. Therefore, the investigated glasses have potential uses in gamma shielding applications.