• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.459-463
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• 2008

Postural balance of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reflects the neuromuscular balance. TMJ posture treatment for meridian yinyang balance has been asserted to have an impact upon cervical spine alignment with an episodic good clinical result for refractory torticollis cases. A retrospective study with one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted to review cervical spine imaging data and clinical symptom changes in cervical dystonia cases to explore the effect of TMJ balance treatment. Review of clinical symptoms and cervical spine imaging data including computed tomography and simple x-ray of 9 cervical dystonia cases revealed significant improvement of cervical spine alignment and clinical symptoms. Improvement of cervical spine alignment may be an underlying mechanism of TMJ balance treatment, as a way of balancing the whole-body meridian system.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 1994

In the conventional thermograph systems, expensive infrared lens systems are usually used for accomodating infrared beams to high speed optical scanners. In this study, a cheap focussing mirror with a two dimensional scanner are used for the development of medical infrared thermograph system in which high speed imaging is not critically required. The infrared thermograph system can be used for two dimensional imaging of human skin temperature by measuring the amount of infrared lights radiating from it. It has been experimentally proven that the accuracy of temperature measurements using the developed system is under 0.1$^{\circ}C$ with image matrix size of 256${\times}$240, and imaging time of 4 seconds.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1786-1796
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic implications of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a focus on those with targetoid appearance based on the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS), as well as known microvascular invasion (MVI) features. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 242 patients (190 male; mean age, 57.1 years) who underwent surgical resection of a single HCC (≤ 5 cm) as well as preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI between January 2012 and March 2015. LI-RADS category was assigned, and the LR-M category was further classified into two groups according to rim arterial-phase hyperenhancement (APHE). The imaging features associated with MVI were also assessed. The overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and their associated factors were evaluated. Results: Among the 242 HCCs, 190 (78.5%), 25 (10.3%), and 27 (11.2%) were classified as LR-4/5, LR-M with rim APHE, and LR-M without rim APHE, respectively. LR-M with rim APHE (vs. LR-4/5; hazard ratio [HR] for OS, 5.48 [p = 0.002]; HR for RFS, 2.09 [p = 0.042]) and tumor size (per cm increase; HR for OS, 6.04 [p = 0.009]; HR for RFS, 1.77 [p = 0.014]) but not MVI imaging features (p > 0.05) were independent factors associated with OS and RFS. Compared to the 5-year OS and RFS rates in the LR-4/5 group (93.9% and 66.8%, respectively), the LR-M with rim APHE group had significantly lower rates (68.0% and 45.8%, respectively, both p < 0.05), while the LR-M without rim APHE group did not significantly differ in the survival rates (91.3% and 80.2%, respectively, both p > 0.05). Conclusion: Further classification of LR-M according to the presence of rim APHE may help predict the postoperative prognosis of patients with a single HCC.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.534-544
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• 2022

Medical ultrasound system has been widely used to visualize the lesion for diagnostics in most medical service site including hospitals and clinics thanks to its advantages such as real time operation, ease of use, safety. Among many signal processing blocks of the system, one of the most important part that governs the image quality is the beamformer, and technologies for this part has been continuously developed in long time. The synthetic aperture imaging method, that is one of the major technologies of beamforming, was introduced to maximize utilizing the information delivered from the patient's body through the probe, and contributed to breakthrough of the image quality since it was introduced in around 1990's, and evolved continuously in decades. This paper reviews and surveys the process of development of this technology and expects future evolution.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.529-538
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• 2022

Objective: Since its introduction in 2011, the CT/MRI diagnostic Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) has been updated in 2014, 2017, and 2018. We evaluated the impact of CT/MRI diagnostic LI-RADS on liver MRI research methodology for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for original articles reporting the diagnostic performance of liver MRI for HCC between 2011 and 2019. The MRI techniques, image analysis methods, and diagnostic criteria for HCC used in each study were investigated. The studies were classified into three groups according to the year of publication (2011-2013, 2014-2016, and 2017-2019). We compared the percentage of studies adopting MRI techniques recommended by LI-RADS, image analysis methods in accordance with the lexicon defined in LI-RADS, and diagnostic criteria endorsed by LI-RADS. We compared the pooled sensitivity and specificity between studies that used the LI-RADS and those that did not. Results: This systematic review included 179 studies. The percentages of studies using imaging techniques recommended by LI-RADS were 77.8% for 2011-2013, 85.7% for 2014-2016, and 84.2% for 2017-2019, with no significant difference (p = 0.951). After the introduction of LI-RADS, the percentages of studies following the LI-RADS lexicon were 0.0%, 18.4%, and 56.6% in the respective periods (p < 0.001), while the percentages of studies using the LI-RADS diagnostic imaging criteria were 0.0%, 22.9%, and 60.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). Studies that did not use the LI-RADS and those that used the LIRADS version 2018 showed no significant difference in sensitivity and specificity (86.3% vs. 77.7%, p = 0.102 and 91.4% vs. 89.9%, p = 0.770, respectively), with some difference in heterogeneity (I² = 94.3% vs. 86.7% in sensitivity and I² = 86.6% vs. 53.2% in specificity). Conclusion: LI-RADS imparted significant changes in the image analysis methods and diagnostic criteria used in liver MRI research for the diagnosis of HCC.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2018

Sweet's syndrome also known as acute neutrophilic dermatosis is a multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by fever, malaise, leukocytosis, and skin lesions. Sweet's syndrome affects multiple organs though only rarely does it affect the central nervous system (CNS) when it does it is called Neuro-Sweet disease (NSD). We report on a case study of a biopsy-proven NSD in a 50 year old man. Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed repeated CNS involvement of Sweet's syndrome after a respiratory tract infection preceded it. On the MRI, T2 hyperintense lesions occurred at multiple sites and disappeared after steroid therapy.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.5-9
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• 2007

As developing the medical treatment image portion with the change of these times, PACS, which is able to digitalize image portion data, has a lot of data-based image data. Applying this PACS, we would like to settle down RNSXI(real-name shooting X -ray of inspector) system. We interviewed with P ACS's operators of university hospitals which is using PACS in Seoul about the present conditions whether using of RNSXI or not. And we inquired the RNSXI equipments, applying PACS database, and Interface conditions undertook to do in our hospital. All university hospitals in Seoul are set up the P ACS system. But no hospital use the RNSXI. In our hospital, we can check inspector' name or initials who exposure x-ray with the PACS Viewer by looking over equipments(CR, DR, US, MG, MR, CT) and Interface of the DICOM Header data. However, some equipments like RF and Angio can not check inspector' name or initials. Under the Film/System environment, RNSXI system has been used frequently like that inspector's signature or initial added to a patient data. Though the digital medical treatment was developed, RNSXI system was declined. It is necessary to using RNSXI system in order to improving radiologists' rights, even if it is not under the application of the medical treatment image laws. If RNSXI system use, radiologists should specialize in their major and the Repeat rate should be reduced. In environment of PACS, RNSXI system can be used by linking both the equipments and the Interface with a production enterprise of P ACS. Therefore RNSXI system applying the P ACS datebase should settle down in our medical system for being provided lots of data.

• 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.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.499-507
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• 2018

For the spatiotemporally aligned observation of photothrombosis induction and transient variations of in vivo brain stroke, we developed a novel photothrombosis inducing system compatible to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system using nonmagnetic stereotaxic equipment. From the spatial point of view, the system provides a more reliable level of reproducibility of the photothrombosis in each brain. From the temporal point of view, from T1- and T2-weighted in vivo MR (magnetic resonance) images, the transient variations such as incidence, location, and size of the thrombosis are measured quantitatively. In addition, the final variation is observed in the ex vivo brain by TTC (Triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining based on histological assay and utilized for the verification of the MR images. From the experimental result of the rat brain, the proposed system shows more reliable characteristics for transient variations of brain strokes.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.32-44
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• 2002

The role of radiology department has been greatly increased in the past few years as the technology in the medical imaging devices improved and the introduction of PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) to the conventional film-based diagnostic structure is a truly remarkable factor to the medical history. In addition, the value of using digital information in medical imaging is highly expected to grow as the technology over the computer and the network improves. However, the current medical practice, using PACS is somewhat limited compared to the film-based conventional one due to a poor image quality. The image quality is the most important and inevitable factor in the PACS environment and it is one of the most necessary steps to more wide practice of digital imaging. The existing image quality control tools are limited in controlling images produced from the medical modalities, because they cannot display the real image changing status. Thus, the image quality is distorted and the ability to diagnosis becomes hindered compared to the one of the film-based practice. In addition, the workflow of the radiologist greatly increases; as every doctor has to perform his or her own image quality control every time they view images produced from the medical modalities. To resolve these kinds of problems and enhance current medical practice under the PACS environment, we have developed a program to display a better image quality by using the ROI optical density of the existing gray level values. When the LUT is used properly, small detailed regions, which cannot be seen by using the existing image quality controls are easily displayed and thus, greatly improves digital medical practice. The purpose of this study is to provide an easier medical practice to physicians, by applying the technology of converting the H-D curves of the analog film screen to the digital imaging technology and to preset image quality control values to each exposed body part, modality and group of physicians for a better and easier medical practice. We have asked to 5 well known professional physicians to compare image quality of the same set of exam by using the two different methods: existing image quality control and the LUT technology. As the result, the LUT technology was enormously favored over the existing image quality control method. All the physicians have pointed out the far more superiority of the LUT over the existing image quality control method and highly praised its ability to display small detailed regions, which cannot be displayed by existing image quality control tools. Two physicians expressed the necessity of presetting the LUT values for each exposed body part. Overall, the LUT technology yielded a great interest among the physicians and highly praised for its ability to overcome currently embedded problems of PACS. We strongly believe that the LUT technology can enhance the current medical practice and open a new beginning in the future medical imaging.