• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.54-58
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• 2004

목적: 인체에 비해 크기가 작은 동물의 자기공명영상을 획득하기 위하여 현재 사용되고 있는 Head 코일보다 원통 반지름이 작은 Low-pass Filter 형태의 Birdcage Resonator를 제작하여 보다 큰 신호대잡음비(Signal-to-Noise Ratio: SNR)를 획득함으로써 고해상도의 영상을 얻고자 하였다. 방법: 원통형의 아크릴과 구리테이프를 사용하여 각각 내경 지름이 13 cm, 15 cm이고, 길이 30 cm, 12개의 element를 가진 동물용 Low-pass Filter 형태의 Birdcage Resonator를 각각 제작하였고, 자기공명영상을 얻기 위하여 Spin Echo Pulse Sequence와 Fast Spin Echo Pulse Sequence를 사용하였다. 제작된 Birdcage Resonator는 실험적 수치와 팬톰과 동물에 대한 MR영상으로 그 가치를 평가하였다. 결과: 대상물의 크기에 따른 SNR을 비교하기 위하여 다양한 크기의 코일을 이용하여 각각의 팬톰 영상을 획득하였다. 팬톰 영상으로부터 측정된 SNR의 값을 통해 코일의 크기에 대한 대상물의 크기를 알 수 있었다. 토의 및 결론: 본 연구를 통하여 같은 형태의 Birdcage Resonator일 경우 대상물의 크기에 따라 SNR이 다르며, 특히 대상물의 크기가 코일 크기의 40∼80% 정도일 때 SNR이 더 크다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 코일의 크기에 비해 촬영하고자 하는 대상물의 부피가 작은 경우 대상물의 부피에 맞추어 코일을 제작하면 SNR이 보다 뛰어난 영상을 얻을 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.17-21
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• 2004

최근 의학 영상 기술의 발전과 함께 동적 골반 MRI(Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging)가 소개되었고 이러한 기술을 이용하여 동적 MR 배변조영술이 소개되어 환자의 진단에 도움을 주기 위해 사용되고 있다. 처음에 도입 당시에는 탈장(Enterocele)과 방광탈출증(Cystocele) 등을 진단하기 위하여 사용되었지만, 이후 장기의 탈출증(Prolapse), 또는 다른 골반 장기의 이상에 점점 그 유용성이 증명되어 현재는 기능성변비 등 다른 질환에서도 많은 보고가 있다. 본 논고에서는 골반 MRI 및 동적 MR 배변조영술에 대해서 소개하고 앞으로의 임상적 응용에 대한 전망을 살펴보도록 한다. 최근까지도 Pelvic MRI의 결과들은 앙와위(Supine position)에서 골반의 움직임을 관찰하는데 Yang 등은 26명의 골반 기관의 탈출증(Pelvic organ prolapse)을 가진 환자들을 관찰하고 Pubococcygeal line을 해부학적인 지표로 이용하여 좋은 결과를 얻었다고 보고했다. 이들은 Fast gradient recalled acquisition(fast GRASS)을 이용하여, Cystocoele, Prolapse, Enterocoele 그리고 Rectocoele 등을 증상이 없는 대조군과 비교하여 보고하였다. Kruyt 등은 Posterior compartment를 주로 관찰하여 MRI가 Fluoroscopy에 비하여 더 도움이 된다고 보고하였다. Healy 등은 Fast GRASS sequence를 이용하여 변비를 가진 환자와 변실금을 가진 환자, 그리고 증상이 없는 대조군을 대상으로 하여 동적 MRI 검사를 실시하였다. 이들은 변비나 변실금 증상과 관련되어 환자들의 Posterior compartment에 여러 곳에서 Prolapse을 관찰할 수 있었다. 이후 MRI 기술은 Lienemann 등에 의해서 더욱 발전했는데 그는 Fast T2 weighted turbo spin echo 기술을 이용하여 영상을 좀더 세밀하게 얻을 수 있게 되었다. 지금까지의 앙와위에서의 검사로 진단에 한계가 있었던 Intussusception 등의 질환을 Open MR 등의 방법으로 극복할 수 있다면 장래에는 방사선학적 배변조영술을 대체할 수 있는 검사법으로 발전할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제15권7호
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• pp.975-982
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• 2021

본 연구는 체내의 식도용 스텐트와 일플란트에 많이 사용되는 티타늄 성분의 금속성 물질을 사용하여 구리와 black metal, polyester로 구성된 머리카락 보다 가늘게 제작된 mesh로 시험관을 부분적으로 RF를 차폐하여 주변에 위치한 자기공명영상용 팬텀에 미치는 영향을 평가하고자 하였다. 3T Achieva X-series의 Cardiac Coil을 사용하여 TR 500 ms, TE 20 ms, NEX 1, slice thickness 5 mm의 Spin Echo T1강조영상에서 field of view(FOV)에 따른 자기공명영상을 분석하였다. FOV 304 mm × 304 mm에서는 발생하지 않았던 aliasing artifact가 발생하지 않았지만 250 mm × 250 mm 과 170 mm × 170 mm에서는 발생되었다. FOV 170 mm × 170 mm에서 mesh를 사용하지 않은 경우는 SNR이 78.23으로 가장 낮았으며, mesh를 가운데 세워 분리한 경우에는 215.05, mesh로 완전히 차폐한 경우에는 366.44로 높게 측정되었다. 또한 mesh로 완전히 감싸고 차폐한 경우에는 aliasing artifact도 제거되었고, 영상의 왼쪽과 가운데, 오른쪽의 신호 대 잡음비가 높으면서 다른 조건과 비교하여 균질한 영상을 획득할 수 있었다. 결론적으로 mesh로 RF를 부분적으로 감싸고 차단하면 aliasing artifact를 제거할 수 있고, 작은 FOV를 사용하여 영상의 해상도와 균질성이 우수한 자기공명영상을 획득할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.1334-1344
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• 2020

Objective: Compressed sensing (CS) has gained wide interest since it accelerates MRI acquisition. We aimed to compare the 3D post-contrast T1-weighted volumetric isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (VISTA) with CS (VISTA-CS) and without CS (VISTA-nonCS) in intracranial vessel wall MRIs (VW-MRI). Materials and Methods: From April 2017 to July 2018, 72 patients who underwent VW-MRI, including both VISTA-CS and VISTA-nonCS, were retrospectively enrolled. Wall and lumen volumes, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were measured from normal and lesion sites. Two neuroradiologists independently evaluated overall image quality and degree of normal and lesion wall delineation with a four-point scale (scores ≥ 3 defined as acceptable). Results: Scan coverage was increased in VISTA-CS to cover both anterior and posterior circulations with a slightly shorter scan time compared to VISTA-nonCS (approximately 7 minutes vs. 8 minutes). Wall and lumen volumes were not significantly different with VISTA-CS or VISTA-nonCS (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.964-0.997). SNR was or trended towards significantly higher values in VISTA-CS than in VISTA-nonCS. At normal sites, CNR was not significantly different between two sequences (p = 0.907), whereas VISTA-CS provided lower CNR in lesion sites compared with VISTA-nonCS (p = 0.003). Subjective wall delineation was superior with VISTA-nonCS than with VISTA-CS (p = 0.019), although overall image quality did not differ (p = 0.297). The proportions of images with acceptable quality were not significantly different between VISTA-CS (83.3-97.8%) and VISTA-nonCS (75-100%). Conclusion: CS may be useful for intracranial VW-MRI as it allows for larger scan coverage with slightly shorter scan time without compromising image quality.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.38-44
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• 2009

Objective : The authors studied the risk factors of silent cerebral microbleeds (MBs) and old hematomas (OHs) and their association with concurrent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in the patients of intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs). Methods : From April 2002 to June 2007, we retrospectively studied 234 patients of primary hemorrhagic stroke. All patients were evaluated with computed tomography (CT) and 3.0-tesla MR imaging studies within the first week of admission. MBs and OHs were assessed by using $T2^{\ast}$-weighted gradient-echo (GRE) MR imaging. The patients were divided into 2 groups, depending on whether or not they had two GRE lesions of chronic hemorrhages. A correlation between MBs and OHs lesions were also statistically tested. Lacunes and white matter and periventricular hyperintensities (WMHs, PVHs) were checked by T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo and fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences. Variables on the clinical and laboratory data and MR imaging abnormalities were compared between both groups with or without MBs and OHs. Results : MBs were observed in 186 (79.5%) patients and a total of 46 OHs were detected in 45 (19.2%) patients. MBs (39.6%), OHs (80.4%), and ICHs (69.7%) were most commonly located in the ganglionic/thalamic region. Both MBs and OHs groups were more frequently related to chronic hypertension and advanced WMHs and PVHs. The prevalence and number of MBs were more closely associated with OHs groups than non-OH patients. Conclusion : This study clearly demonstrated the presence of MBs and OHs and their correlation with hypertension and cerebral white matter microangiopathy in the ICHs patients. Topographic correlation between the three lesions (MBs, OHs, and ICHs) was also noted in the deep thalamo-basal location.

• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.21-29
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mutual relations by measuring SNR from T2 weighted image and ADC values on the basis of the stiffness values from liver tissues. This study was conducted that total 37 people(23 of males and 11 of females) were taken the liver MRI examination and average age was $54.5{\pm}12.7$ years old. The equipment was MAGNETOM Skyra 3.0T (SIEMENS, Erlangen, Germany) and 32 channel body-array coil. The examination were conducted with HASTE T2 weighted image by axial plane, Spin-echo EPI (echo planner image) DWI (b-value = 800) and Magnetic resonance elastography. The ROIs (region of interest: 200-300 $mm^2$) were established on the basis of the first axial stiffness image corresponded 95% confidence interval from axial stiffness image and then were measured values. After drawing the grid lines, signals were measured SNR from T2 weighted image and ADC values on the same locations that were analysed other 3 planes respectively. The results were showed correlation (0.057) that were increased to SNR from T2 weighted image by increasing stiffness value that no significant difference statistically p = 0.003. Other results were showed correlations (-0.301) that were decreased to ADC values by increasing stiffness values that no significant difference statistically p = 0.088. In the 3.0T equipment, the results may be error in much the same fashion as the 1.5T from ADC values by evaluation of fibrosis stage. However, Magnetic resonance elastography would be useful method that is used to diagnose exactly liver fibrosis stages in the 3.0T.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.193-199
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the convenience and image quality of patients with acute lumbar pain patients at a general hospital in Daejeon using ancillary devices for postural changes and correction. The results of the study are summarized as follows. First, the Turbo S pin Echo technique(TS E) using ancillary equipment has the highest image evaluation rating with an average score of 4.440, which is highly valuable on a diagnosis. Second, the average score for patient the questionnaire 'When using ancillary equipment, I feel that my body is calibrated to side without bias.' was shown as 4.440, which is very useful for the correction of the patient's body when using ancillary equipment. Finally, Breath Hold technique(BH) is very effective in shortening test time of acute lumbar pain patients, because it can reduce test time 86.4% faster than Turbo Spin Echo technique(TSE). The results of the study showed that the use of ancillary equipment to perform the test through the side lying postures helped to reduce the pain and control the patient's breathing, and the diagnostic value of the image was high.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.207-214
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the number of measurement points on the calculation of transverse relaxation time (T2) with a focus on muscle T2. Materials and Methods: This study assumed that muscle T2 was comprised of a single component. Two phantom types were measured, 1 each for long ("phantom") and short T2 ("polyvinyl alcohol gel"). Right calf muscle T2 measurements were conducted in 9 healthy male volunteers using multiple-spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging. For phantoms and muscle (medial gastrocnemius), 5 regions of interests were selected. All region of interest values were expressed as the mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation. The T2 effective signal-ratio characteristics were used as an index to evaluate the magnetic resonance image quality for the calculation of T2 from T2-weighted images. The T2 accuracy was evaluated to determine the T2 reproducibility and the goodness-of-fit from the probability Q. Results: For the phantom and polyvinyl alcohol gel, the standard deviation of the magnetic resonance image signal at each echo time was narrow and mono-exponential, which caused large variations in the muscle T2 decay curves. The T2 effective signal-ratio change varied with T2, with the greatest decreases apparent for a short T2. There were no significant differences in T2 reproducibility when > 3 measurement points were used. There were no significant differences in goodness-of-fit when > 6 measurement points were used. Although the measurement point evaluations were stable when > 3 measurement points were used, calculation of T2 using 4 measurement points had the highest accuracy according to the goodness-of-fit. Even if the number of measurement points was increased, there was little improvement in the probability Q. Conclusion: Four measurement points gave excellent reproducibility and goodness-of-fit when muscle T2 was considered mono-exponential.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.53-58
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• 1999

자기공명영상시스템에서 경사자계코일에 전류 펄스를 인가할 때 코일 주변의 도전성 구조물에 유도되는 와전류는 경사자계의 선형성을 열화 시킬 뿐만 아니라 경사자계의 파형을 왜곡시킨다. 특히 경사자계 파형의 왜곡 정도가 공간 위치에 따라 다를 경우 고속촬영법과 같은 고성능의 자기공명영상법을 실현하는 것이 어려워 진다. 본 연구에서는 촬영 공간 내 임의의 지점에서 와전류에 의해 경사자계 파형이 변형되는 정도를 알 수 있는 방법을 유한요소법을 이용해 구하였다. 경사자계코일에 정현파를 인가했을 때 임의의 지점에서 자계의 진폭 및 위상 특성이 주파수에 따라 어떻게 변하는지를 나타내는 와전류 영향 전달함수를 구하였고, 이 전달함수를 이용해 임의의 입력 전류 파형에 대한 출력 경사자계 파형을 예측하였다. 제안한 방법의 타당성을 검증하기 위해 실제로 측정한 경사자계 파형을 예측한 파형과 비교하여 제시하였다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.210-214
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• 2006

Objective : We investigate risk factors of cerebral microbleeds[MBs] and their relation to concomitant magnetic resonance[MR] findings in intracerebral hemorrhages[ICHs] patients. Methods : We studied 100 consecutive patients with primary ICH over a 1-year period. These patients underwent brain MR images using 3.0-T scanners within the first week of the hemorrhage. MBs and old hematomas were located and counted by using $T2^*-weighted$ gradient-echo MR imaging. We also counted lacunes and graded white matter and periventricular hyperintensity on T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences. The association between MBs and vascular risk factors and MR abnormalities were analyzed. Results : MBs were seen in 77 of ICH patients, and their number ranged from 1 to 65 lesions [mean 11, median 6]. The locations of MBs were subcortex-cortex [40.6%], basal ganglia [26.7%], thalamus [14.1 %], brain stem [12.5%], and cerebellum [9.1 %]. Analysis of clinical data revealed that age, hypertension, history of stroke, and duration of hypertension were frequently associated with MBs. The incidence of lacunes, old hematomas, and advanced leukoaraiosis was significantly higher in the MBs group, compared with the patients without MBs. Conclusion : MBs are frequently observed in ICH patients with advancing age, chronic hypertension, and previous hemorrhagic stroke, and are also closely related with morphological signs of occlusive type microangiopathy, such as lacunar infarct and severe leukoaraiosis.