• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2017

In this paper, we introduce a robot-assisted medical diagnostic system that enables remote ultrasound (US) imaging to be applied to the conventional telemedicine, which has been possible only with interviewing or a visual exam. In particular, a master-slave robot system is developed that ultrasonic diagnosis specialist can control the position and orientation of US probe in the remote place. The slave robot is designed to be compact, lightweight, and hand-held so that it can easily transfer to the remote healthcare center. Moreover, 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) probe motion is possible by the robot design based on Stewart platform. The master device is also based on a similar structure of the slave robot. To connect master and slave system in the wide area network (WAN) environment, a hardware CODEC was developed. In this paper, we introduce the detail of each component and the results of the recent experiments conducted in the remote sites by the developed robotic ultrasound imaging system.

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.519-541
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• 2001

Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography(MREIT) is a new medical imaging technique for the cross-sectional conductivity distribution of a human body using both EIT(Electrical Impedance Tomography) and MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) system. MREIT system was designed to enhance EIT imaging system which has inherent low sensitivity of boundary measurements to any changes of internal tissue conductivity values. MREIT utilizes a recent CDI (Current Density Imaging) technique of measuring the internal current density by means of MRI technique. In this paper, a mathematical modeling for MREIT and image reconstruction method called the alternating J-substitution algorithm are presented. Computer simulations show that the alternating J-substitution algorithm provides accurate high-resolution conductivity images.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.468-477
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• 2009

Purpose: Hydrodynamic-based procedure is a simple and effective gene delivery method to lead a high gene expression in liver tissue. Non-invasive imaging reporter gene system has been used widely with herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) and its various substrates. In the present study, we investigated to image the expression of HSV1-tk gene with 5-(2-iodovinyD-2'-deoxyuridine (IVDU) in mouse liver by the hydrodynamicbased procedure. Materials and Methods: HSV1-tk or enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) encoded plasmid DNA was transferred into the mouse liver by hydrodynaminc injection. At 24 h post-injection, RT-PCR, biodistribution, fluorescence imaging, nuclear imaging and digital wholebody autoradiography (DWBA) were performed to confirm transferred gene expression. Results: In RT-PCR assay using mRNA from the mouse liver, specific bands of HSV1-tk and EGFP gene were observed in HSV1-tk and EGFP expressing plasmid injected mouse, respectively. Higher uptake of radiolabeled IVDU was exhibited in liver of HSV1-tk gene transferred mouse by biodistribution study. In fluorescence imaging, the liver showed specific fluorescence signal in EGFP gene transferred mouse. Gamma-camera image and DWBA results showed that radiolabeled IVDU was accumulated in the liver of HSV1-tk gene transferred mouse. Conclusion: In this study, hydrodynamic-based procedure was effective in liver-specific gene delivery and it could be quantified with molecular imaging methods. Therefore, co-expression of HSV1-tk reporter gene and target gene by hydrodynamic-based procedure is expected to be a useful method for the evaluation of the target gene expression level with radiolabeled IVDU.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 1984

A new architecture of the Digital Scan Converter (DSC) for the linear-scan ultrasound medical imaging systems is proposed and its hardware implementation is reported. While the conventional DSC merely displays the acquisited data and does nor allow access to the frame memory, it is possible, in the new system, to access to the frame memory for further imaging processing so as to obtain useful information for medical diagnosis. Image processing can be performed either by a special pupose processor, or by VAX 11/780. The system is made to operate asyncronously to increase the frame rate with tags assigned to the data. The proposed DSC was designed to be used without much modification for the sector scan system as well.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.98-99
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• 1998

In this paper, an interleaved spiral scan imaging is investigated for an ultra fast MR imaging. The interleaved spiral technique has relative advantage over single shot spiral imaging with improved resolution and less inhomogeneity-related artifact. An improved reconstruction algorithm is devised with DC-offset correction. Some preliminary experimental results are shown at 1.0 Tesla and 3.0 Tesla whole body MRI system.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

Many types of small animal imaging modalities, like micro-CT, micro-PET, and micro-SPECT, have been recently developed worldwide. Small animal imaging systems are now recognized as indispensable tools to validate efficacy and safety of new drugs or new therapeutic methods using the animal disease models. With increasing demands for small animal imaging in biomedical research, multimodal small animal imaging systems, like micro-PET/CT or micro PET/MRI, are now also being developed. Small animal imaging with spatial resolution and sensitivity comparable to human imaging is quite challenging since laboratory small animals are much smaller than human beings. Research activities in Korea on small animal imaging systems are reviewed in this paper. In the field of micro-CT and micro-PET, many world-class technologies have been developed successfully in Korea. It is expected that the developed animal imaging system technologies can be used in the development of clinical imaging systems in Korea in the near future.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1995 no.11
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• pp.247-249
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• 1995

A new localized imaging technique of reduced imaging time using a locally-linear gradient is proposed. Since most fast MR imaging methods need the whole k-space data corresponding to the whole imaging area, there are limitations in reducing the minimum imaging time. The imaging method proposed in this paper uses a specially-made gradient coil generating a local ramp-shape field and uniform field outside of the imaging area. Conventional imaging sequences can be used without any RF/gradient pulse sequence modifications. The proposed localized imaging technique has been implemented on a 2.0 Tesla whole-body system at KAIST and the imaging results show the utility of the proposed technique.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.988-989
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• 2005

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 1987

The medical image processing system is intended for a diverse set of users in the medical Imaging Parts. This system consists of a 640 Kbyte IBM-PC/AT with 30 Mbyte hard disk, special purpose image processor with video input devices and display monitor. Image may be recorded and processed in real time at sampling rate up to 10 MHz. This system provides a wide range of image enhancement processing facilities via a menu-driven software packages. These facilities include point by point processing, image averaging, convolution filter and subtraction.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2015

Functional safety is part of the overall safety relating to the equipment under control (EUC) and the EUC control system that depends on the correct functioning of the electrical/electronic/programmable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems. Since the complexity of the medical equipment is increased, manufactures have to obtain functional safety as well as basic safety. This study proposes a perspective for applying functional safety to medical equipment. The research is carried out with respect to overall safety life-cycle of functional safety and essential performance of the medical equipment. The relationship between functional safety and essential performance is identified centered on the safety function. The essential performance using E/E/PE systems is defined as a safety function of functional safety. This approach is applied to a ultrasound imaging system as a case study.