• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2005

X-ray examinations represent the largest man-made source of radiation exposure for the population. The need for standardization of radiation exposures has been suggested and the guidance levels for various radiographic and radioisotope examinations has been proposed by the International Atomic Energy Aency(IAEA) as a safety standard. In many countries, the situation of medical radiographic exposures in each country should be researched before the appropriate guidance level is established. In this study, measurements of entrance surface dose, dose-area product(DAP), computed tomograghic dose index(CTDI) and mean glandular dose(MGD) were carried out in patients who underwent routine x-ray examinations, fluoroscopy, computed tomograghy and mamography in Korea. These measured quantities were compared with the results from the calculation method in previous study. And we suggested diagnostic reference levels in medical imaging in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.757-763
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• 2019

Recently, Following the recent development of flat panel detector with wide dynamic ranges, increasing numbers of healthcare providers have begun to use digital radiography. As a result, filter thickness standards should be reestablished, as current clinical practice requires the use of thicknesses recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, which are based on information, acquired using conventional analog systems. Here we investigated the possibility of minimizing dose creep and optimizing patient dose using Al filters in digital radiography. The use of thicker Al filters resulted in a maximum 19.3% reduction in the entrance skin exposure dose when medical images with similar sharpness values were compared. However, resolution, which is a critical factor in imaging, had a significant change of 1.01 lp/mm. This change in resolution is thought to be due to the increased amount of scattered rays generated from the object due to the X-ray beam hardening effect. The increase in the number of scattered rays was verified using the scattering degradation factor. However, the FPD, which has recently been developed and is widely used in various areas, has greater response to radiation than analog devices and has a wide dynamic range. Therefore, the FPD is expected to maintain an appropriate level of resolution corresponding to the increase in the scattered-ray content ratio, which depends on filter thickness. Use of the FPD is also expected to minimize dose creep by reducing the exposure dose.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2024

In this study, we applied AEC(Auto Exposure Control), which is used in many chest examinations, to evaluate whether medical devices inserted into the body affect the dose and image quality of chest images. After attaching three HIMD(Human implantable medical devices) to the ion chamber, the Monte Carlo methodology-based program PCXMC(PC Program for X-ray Monte Carlo) 2.0 was applied to measure the effective dose by inputting the DAP(Dose Ares Product) value derived from the Pacemaker and CRT and Chemoport Additionally, to evaluate image quality, we set three regions of interest and one noise region on the chest and measured SNR and CNR. The final study results showed significant differences in DAP and Effective dose. There was a significant difference between Pacemaker and CRT when AEC was applied and not applied. (p<0.05) When applied, the dose increased by 37% for Pacemaekr and 52% for CRT. Chemoport showed a 10% increase in effective dose depending on whether AEC was applied, but there was no significant difference. (p>0.05) In the image quality evaluation, there was no significant difference in image quality between all HIMD insertions and AEC applied or not. (p>0.05) Therefore, when the HIMD was inserted into the chest during a chest x ray and overlapped with the ion chamber sensor, the effective dose increased, and there was no difference in image quality even at a low dose without AEC. Therefore, when performing a chest X-ray examination of a patient with a HIMD inserted, it is considered that performing the examination without applying AEC is a method that can be considered to reduce the patient's radiation exposure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.111-116
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• 2010

Ionizing radiation is most widely used for X-Ray examination among all artificial radiation exposure, it takes up the largest proportion. Even in Korea, the medical exposure by diagnostic X-Ray examination takes up 17.4% of all radiation exposure. It takes up 92% even in artificial radiation exposure. There were 111,567 cases X-Ray radiography for skull diagnosis in 2007, which is 3% annual increase since 2004. Thus, It is need to establish the diagnostic reference level and the medical facilities as a diagnostic reference level to optimize radiation protection of the patients and to reduce the doses of X-ray. In this paper, we survey patient dose on skull radiography - collected from 114 medical facilities nationwide by using human phantom and glass dosimeter. When the patient dose for the skull radiography was measured and evaluated to establish the diagnostic reference level, 2.23 mGy was established for posterior-anterior imaging and 1.87 mGy for lateral imaging was established. The posterior-anterior skull radiography entrance surface dose of 2.23 is less than the guidance level of 5 mGy from the global organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and 1.87 mGy for the lateral skull imaging is less than the guidance level of 3 mGy, which is guided by the global organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.497-506
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• 2023

In the case of radiation workers in medical institutions, radiation exposure is made for patient protection and accurate procedures, so they have a problem of low dose exposure. Low-dose radiation exposure occurs mainly in parts of the body other than the Apron area, and the most frequent place is the skin of the back of the hand. In particular, since the medical personnel's hands require senses and fine movements during the procedure, they are defenseless in the radiation exposure area and are at risk of exposure. It can solve the problem of shielding such as lead gloves, and it is difficult to use by suggesting the activity of the hand during the procedure. To solve this problem, a shielding cream capable of obtaining a functional radiation protection effect was developed and its shielding performance was compared with lead equivalent of 0.1 mmPb. In the process of manufacturing shielding cream, the shielding performance was improved by adding a defoaming process to reduce air holes to increase the density of the cream. Therefore, the shielding cream using barium sulfate as the main material has a lower shielding rate than the lead plate, and in the realm of effective energy, it is 59%, At high effective energy, a difference of about 37% was shown, indicating that there is a functional radiation protection effect. The advantage is that it can be used directly on the skin, and it is considered that it can be used before wearing surgical gloves and has a permanent protective effect.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to consider usefulness of using AEC mode and importance of patient center location in L-spine lateral radiography by comparing dose and image quality according to the change of patient center location with using AEC mode or not. In this study, guide wire is attached to the human body phantom's lumbar spine and the lead ruler is attached to the bottom of the wall detector to find out center location in detector. ESD, mAs, and EI were selected as dose factors, and image quality was compared through SNR. With the lumbar spine located center of the detector, dose factors and image quality were compared according to using AEC mode or not. Afterwards, phantom moved 4 cm and 8 cm back and forth and compared dose factors and image quality. The exposure parameters were 85 kVp, 320 mA, x-ray field size 10×17 inch, and the distance between the center X-ray and the detector was fixed at 100 cm. The center X-ray was perpendicular to the fourth lumbar spine and the only bottom AEC chamber was used. All data were analyzed by independent t-test and ANOVA. As a result of this study, with AEC when the center is matched, ESD was 1.31±0.01 mGy, without AEC was 2.12±0.01 mGy. SNR was shown to be 22.81±1.83, and 23.44±1.87 respectively. When the phantom's center moves 4 cm, 8 cm forward, and 4 cm, 8 cm backward, ESD were 1.09±0.004 mGy, 0.32±0.003 mGy, 1.19±0.017 mGy, 1.11±0.006 mGy respectively, SNR were 18.29±0.60 dB, 11.11±0.22 dB, 18.98±0.80 dB, 17.71±0.82 dB. Using AEC in L-spine lateral radiography reduced ESD by 38%, EI by 35%, and mAs by 38%, without any difference in SNR(p<0.05). When the phantom's center moves 4 cm, 8 cm forward, and 4 cm, 8 cm backward, ESD was decreasing each 16%, 75%, 9%, 15%, EI was decreasing each 14%, 77%, 15%, 20%, mAs was decreasing each 15% 75% 9%, 15%. SNR was decreasing each 19%, 51%, 17%, 22%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.573-579
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• 2023

This study compares dose difference between the presence or absence of grid in Chest PA radiography using auto exposure control and compares image quality among presence, absence or virtual grid, and proposes a new clinically useful grid combination for chest radiography. The human body phantom was placed Chest PA position and the dosimeter was placed at T6. The same irradiation conditions and field size were applied. 30 images were obtained in the state in which grid was applied and in the state in which grid was not applied, and an additional 30 images in which the virtual grid was applied to the image without the grid were obtained. Radiation dose was presented to entrance surface dose. The image quality was analyzed by comparing the signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratio. ESD decreased by 48% when the grid was not used, compared to when the grid was used. SNR and CNR increased by 32% and 30% compared to grid use when grid was not used, respectively. In the case of using the virtual grid, it increased by 18% and 16% respectively, compared to the case of using the grid. As a result of this study, it is believed that when using a virtual grid instead of a grid, the quality of the image can be maintained while reducing the patient dose.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.987-994
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• 2019

Low energy x-rays that occur in the low tube voltage radiography of general radiography are absorbed strongly in the body and do not aid image quality enhancement. This study maintains titer in general radiography while using tube current that are proportional to density and the tube voltage 15% principle according to density to reduce patient exposure doses, and area doses and entrance surface doses were measured to compare patient exposure doses. In hand, knee, abdomen, and skull radiography, kVp was increased to 115% and mAs was decreased to 50% and kVp was decreased to 85% while mAs was increased to 200% and area doses and entrance surface doses were measured to compare relative doses. Also, 5 places in each image were set, density was measured, and Kruskal wallis H test was conducted to observe significance probabilities between groups. To fix density, kVp was increased to 115% and mAs was decreased to 50% and after measurements of mean area doses and entrance surface doses were made by each part, each decreased to 58.68% and 59.85% when standard doses were set to 100%, and each increased to 147.28% and 159.9% when kVp was decreased to 85% and mAs was increased to 200%. Comparisons of density changes showed that hand, knee, abdomen, and skull radiography all displayed significance probabilities>0.05, showing no changes in concentration. Radiography that increases kVp and lowers mAs through reasonable calculations within ranges that don't affect resolution and contrast seems to be a simple way to decrease patient exposure doses.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2015

Total body irradiation(TBI) and chemotherapy are the pre-treatment method of a stem cell transplantations of the childhood leukemia. in this study, we evaluate the Quantitative human body dose prior to the treatment. The MCNPX simulation program evaluated by changing the material of the tissue compensators with imitation material of pediatric exposure in a virtual space. As a result, first, the average skin dose with the material of the tissue compensators of Plexiglass tissue compensators is 74.60 mGy/min, Al is 73.96 mGy/min, Cu is 72.26 mGy/min and Pb 67.90 mGy/min respectively. Second, regardless of the tissue compensators material that organ dose were thyroid, gentile, digestive system, brain, lungs, kidneys higher in order. Finally, the ideal distance between body compensator and the patient were 50 cm aparting each other. In conclusion, tissue compensators Al, Cu, Pb are able to replace of the currently used in Plexiglass materials.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 1994

The use of high dose rate remote afterloading system for the treatment of intraluminal lesions necessitates the need for a more accurate of dose distributions around the high intensity brachytherapy sources, doses are often prescribed to a distance of few centimeters from the linear source, and in this range the dose distribution is very difficult to assess. Accurated and optimized dose calculation with stable numerical algorithms by PC level computer was required to treatment intraluminal lesions by high dose rate brachytherapy system. The exposure rate from sources was calculated with Sievert integral and dose rate in tissue was calculated with Meisberger equation, An algorithm for generating a treatment plan with optimized dose distribution was developed for high dose rate intraluminal radiotherapy. The treatment volume becomes the locus of the constrained target surface points that is the specified radial distance from the source dwelling positions. The treatment target volume may be alternately outlined on an x-ray film of the implant dummy sources. The routine used a linear programming formulism to compute which dwell time at each position to irradiate the constrained dose rate at the target surface points while minimizing the total volume integrated dose to the patient. The exposure rate and the dose distribution to be confirmed the result of calculation with algorithm were measured with film dosimetry, TLD and small size ion chambers.