• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.216-223
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• 2011

Recently PTW developed a MicroLion liquid ionization chamber which is water_equivalent and has a small sensitive volume of $0.002cm^3$. The aim of this work is to investigate such dosimetric characteristics as dose linearity, dose rate dependency, spatial resolution, and output factors of the chamber for the external radiotherapy photon beam. The results were compared to those of Semiflex chamber, Pinpoint chamber and Diode chamber with the sensitive volumes of $0.125cm^3$, $0.03cm^3$ and $0.0025cm^3$, respectively and evaluated to be suitable for small fields. This study was performed in the 6MV photon energy from a Varian 2300 C/D linac accelerator and the MP3 water phantom (PTW, Freiburg) was used. Penumbras in the varios field sizes ranged from $0.5{\times}0.5cm^2$ to $10{\times}10cm^2$ were used to evaluate the spatial resolution. Output factors were measured in the field sizes of $0.5{\times}0.5$ to $40{\times}40cm^2$. Readings of the chamber was linearly proportional to dose. Dose rate dependency was measured from 100 MU/min to 600 MU/min, showed a maximum difference of 5.0%, and outputs decreased with dose rates. The spatial resolutions determined with comparing profiles for the field sizes of $0.5{\times}0.5cm^2$ to $10{\times}10cm^2$ agreed between every detector except the Semiflex chamber to within 2%. Outputs of detectors were compared to that of Semiflex chamber and showed good agreements within 2% for every chamber. This study shows that MicroLion chamber characterized by a high signal-to-noise ratio and water equivalence could be suitable for the small field dosimetry.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2008

Our objective was to evaluate the image of spatial domain filtering as an alternative to additional image reconstruction using different kernels in MDCT. Derived from thin collimated source images were generated using water phantom and abdomen B10(very smooth), B20(smooth), B30(medium smooth), B40 (medium), B50(medium sharp), B60(sharp), B70(very sharp) and B80(ultra sharp) kernels. MTF and spatial resolution measured with various convolution kernels. Quantitative CT attenuation coefficient and noise measurements provided comparable HU(Hounsfield) units in this respect. CT attenuation coefficient(mean HU) values in the water were values in the water were $1.1{\sim}1.8\;HU$, air($-998{\sim}-1000\;HU$) and noise in the water($5.4{\sim}44.8\;HU$), air($3.6{\sim}31.4\;HU$). In the abdominal fat a CT attenuation coefficient($-2.2{\sim}0.8\;HU$) and noise($10.1{\sim}82.4\;HU$) was measured. In the abdominal was CT attenuation coefficient($53.3{\sim}54.3\;HU$) and noise($10.4{\sim}70.7\;HU$) in the muscle and in the liver parenchyma of CT attenuation coefficient($60.4{\sim}62.2\;HU$) and noise ($7.6{\sim}63.8\;HU$) in the liver parenchyma. Image reconstructed with a convolution kernel led to an increase in noise, whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. Image scanned with a high convolution kernel(B80) led to an increase in noise, whereas the results for CT attenuation coefficient were comparable. Image medications of image sharpness and noise eliminate the need for reconstruction using different kernels in the future. Adjusting CT various kernels, which should be adjusted to take into account the kernels of the CT undergoing the examination, may control CT images increase the diagnostic accuracy.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2009

Absorbed dose to water based protocols recommended that plane-parallel chambers be calibrated against calibrated cylindrical chambers in a high energy electron beam with $R_{50}$>7 $g/cm^2$ (E${\gtrsim}$16 MeV). However, such high-energy electron beams are not available at all radiotherapy centers. In this study, we are compared the absorbed dose to water determined according to cross-calibration method in a high energy electron beam of 16 MeV and in electron beam energies of 12 MeV below the cross-calibration quality remark. Absorbed dose were performed for PTW 30013, Wellhofer FC65G Farmer type cylindrical chamber and for PTW 34001, Wellhofer PPC40 Roos type plane-parallel chamber. The cylindrical and the plane-parallel chamber to be calibrated are compared by alternately positioning each at reference depth, $Z_{ret}=0.6R_{50}-0.1$ in water phantom. The $D_W$ of plane-parallel chamber are derived using across-calibration method at high-energy electron beams of 16, 20 MeV. Then a good agreement is obtained the $D_W$ of plane-parallel chamber in 12 MeV. The agreement between 20 MeV and 12 MeV are within 0.2% for IAEA TRS-398.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2007

A thermal neutron beam facility utilizing a typical tangential beam port for Neutron Capture Therapy was installed at the HANARO, 30 MW multi-purpose research reactor. Mixed beams with different physical characteristics and relative biological effectiveness would be emitted from the BNCT irradiation facility, so a quantitative analysis of each component of the mixed beams should be performed to determine the accurate delivered dose. Thus, various techniques were applied including the use of activation foils, TLDs and ionization chambers. All the dose measurements were perform ed with the water phantom filled with distilled water. The results of the measurement were compared with MCNP4B calculation. The thermal neutron fluxes were $1.02E9n/cm^2{\cdot}s\;and\;6.07E8n/cm^2{\cdot}s$ at 10 and 20 mm depth respectively, and the fast neutron dose rate was insignificant as 0.11 Gy/hr at 10 mm depth in water The gamma-ray dose rate was 5.10 Gy/hr at 20 mm depth in water Good agreement within 5%, has been obtained between the measured dose and the calculated dose using MCNP for neutron and gamma component and discrepancy with 14% for fast neutron flux Considering the difficulty of neutron detection, the current study support the reliability of these results and confirmed the suitability of the thermal neutron beam as a dosimetric data for BNCT clinical trials.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2002

Purpose : To demonstrate that the relaxographic method provides additional information such as the distribution of relaxation times and water content which are poentially applicable to clinical medicine. Materials and Methods : First, the computer simulation was performed with the generated relaxation data to verify the accuracy and reliabilility of the relaxographic method (CONTINI). Secondly, in or der to see how well the CONTIN quantifies and resolves the two different ${T_1}$ environments, we calculated the oil to water peak area ratios and identified peak positions of ${T_1}-distribution$ curve of the phantom solutions, which consist of four centrifugal tubes (10 ml) filled with the compounds of 0, 10, 20, 30% of corn oil and distilled water, using CONTIN. Finally, inversion recovery MR images for a volunteer are acquired for each TI ranged from 40 to 1160 msec with TR/TE=2200/20 msec. From the 3 different ROIs (GM, WM, CSF), CONTIN analysis was performed to obtain the ${T_1}$-distribution curves, which gave peak positions and peak area of each ROI location. Results : The simulation result shows that the errors of peak positions were less in the higher peak (centered ${T_1}=600$ msec) than in the lower peak (centered ${T_1}=150$ msec) for all SNR but the errors of peak areas were larger in the higher peak than in the lower peak. The CONTIN analysis of the measured relaxation data of phantoms revealed two peaks between 20 and 60 msec and between 500 and 700 msec. The analysis gives the peak area ratio as oil 10%: oil 20%: oil 30% = 1:1.3:1.9, which is different from the exact ratio, 1:2:3. For human brain, in ROI 3 (CSF), only one component of -distributions was observed whereas in ROI 1(GM) and in ROI 2 (WM) we observed two components of ${T_1}-distribution$. For the WM and CSF there was great agreement between the observed ${T_1}-relaxation$ times and the reported values. Conclusion : we demonstrated that the relaxographic method provided additional information such as the distribution of relaxation times and water content, which were not available in the routine relaxometry and ${T_1}/{T_2}$ mapping techniques. In addition, these additional information provided by relaxographic analysis may have clinical importance.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2014

Purpose : If electron, chosen for superficial oncotherapy, was applied with bolus, it could work as an important factor to a therapy result by showing a drastic change in surface dose. Hence the calculation value and the actual measurement value of surface dose of Treatment Planning System (TPS) according to four variables influencing surface dose when using bolus on an electron therapy were compared and analyzed in this paper. Materials and Methods : Four variables which frequently occur during the actual therapies (A: bolus thickness - 3, 5, 10 mm, B: field size - $6{\time}6$, $10{\time}10$, $15{\time}15cm2$, C: energy - 6, 9, 12 MeV, D: gantry angle - $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$) were set to compare the actual measurement value with TPS(Pinnacle 9.2, philips, USA). A computed tomography (lightspeed ultra 16, General Electric, USA) was performed using 16 cm-thick solid water phantom without bolus and total 54 beams where A, B, C, and D were combined after creating 3, 5 and 10 mm bolus on TPS were planned for a therapy. At this moment SSD 100 cm, 300 MU was investigated and measured twice repeatedly by placing it on iso-center by using EBT3 film(International Specialty Products, NJ, USA) to compare and analyze the actual measurement value and TPS. Measured film was analyzed with each average value and standard deviation value using digital flat bed scanner (Expression 10000XL, EPSON, USA) and dose density analyzing system (Complete Version 6.1, RIT, USA). Results : For the values according to the thickness of bolus, the actual measured values for 3, 5 and 10 mm were 101.41%, 99.58% and 101.28% higher respectively than the calculation values of TPS and the standard deviations were 0.0219, 0.0115 and 0.0190 respectively. The actual values according to the field size were $6{\time}6$, $10{\time}10$ and $15{\time}15cm2$ which were 99.63%, 101.40% and 101.24% higher respectively than the calculation values and the standard deviations were 0.0138, 0.0176 and 0.0220. The values according to energy were 6, 9, and 12 MeV which were 99.72%, 100.60% and 101.96% higher respectively and the standard deviations were 0.0200, 0.0160 and 0.0164. The actual measurement value according to beam angle were measured 100.45% and 101.07% higher at $0^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ respectively and standard deviations were 0.0199 and 0.0190 so they were measured 0.62% higher at $15^{\circ}$ than $0^{\circ}$. Conclusion : As a result of analyzing the calculation value of TPS and measurement value according to the used variables in this paper, the values calculated with TPS on 5 mm bolus, $6{\time}6cm2$ field size and low-energy electron at $0^{\circ}$ gantry angle were closer to the measured values, however, it showed a modest difference within the error bound of maximum 2%. If it was beyond the bounds of variables selected in this paper using electron and bolus simultaneously, the actual measurement value could differ from TPS according to each variable, therefore QA for the accurate surface dose would have to be performed.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.407-413
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• 2008

Measurements of the peripheral dose were performed using a 2D array ion chamber and solid water phantom for a $10{\times}10cm$, source-surface distance (SSD) 90cm, 6 and 15MV photon beam at depths of 0.5cm, 5cm through $d_{max}$. Measurements of peripheral dose at 0.5cm and 5cm depths were performed from 1cm to 5cm outside of fields for the dynamic wedge and physical wedge $15^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$. For 6MV photon beam, the average peripheral dose of dynamic wedge were lower by 1.4% and 0.1% than that of physical wedge For 15MV photon beam, the peripheral dose of dynamic wedge were lower by maximum 1.6% that of physical wedge. The results showed that dynamic wedge can reduce scattered dose of clinical organ close to the field edge. The wedge systems produce different peripheral dose that should be considered in properly choosing a wedge system for clinical use.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2013

Purpose : The relaxation times of tissue in MRI depend on strength of magnetic field, morphology of nuclear, viscosity, size of molecules and temperature. This study intended to analyze quantitatively that materials' temperatures have effects on T1 and T2 relaxation times without changing of other conditions. Materials and Methods : The equipment was used MAGNETOM SKYRA of 3.0T(SIEMENS, Erlagen, Germany), 32 channel spine coil and Gd-DTPA water concentration phantom. To find out T1 relaxation time, Inversion Recovery Spin Echo sequences were used at 50, 400, 1100, 2500 ms of TI. To find out T2 relaxation time, Multi Echo Spin Echo sequences were used at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270 ms of TE. This experiment was scanned with 5 steps from 25 to $45^{\circ}C$. next, using MRmap(Messroghli, BMC Medical Imaging, 2012) T1 and T2 relaxation times were mapped. on the Piview STAR v5.0(Infinitt, Seoul, Korea) 5 steps were measured as the same ROI, and then mean values were calculated. Correlation between the temperatures and relaxation times were analyzed by SPSS(version 17.0, Chicago, IL, USA). Results : According to increase of temperatures, T1 relaxation times were $214.39{\pm}0.25$, $236.02{\pm}0.87$, $267.47{\pm}0.48$, $299.44{\pm}0.64$, $330.19{\pm}1.72$ ms. T2 relaxation times were $180.17{\pm}0.27$, $197.17{\pm}0.44$, $217.92{\pm}0.39$, $239.89{\pm}0.53$, $257.40{\pm}1.77$ ms. With the correlation analysis, the correlation coefficients of T1 and T2 relaxation times were statistically significant at 0.998 and 0.999 (p< 0.05). Conclusion : T1 and T2 relaxation times are increased as temperature of tissue goes up. In conclusion, we suggest to recognize errors of relaxation time caused local temperature's differences, and consider external factors as well in the quantitative analysis of relaxation time or clinical tests.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.158-166
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• 2011

In the present study, copper and nickel foams with an open-celled structure as trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms were used to investigate the dependencies of group velocity and attenuation coefficient on structural properties such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in trabecular bone. The group velocity and attenuation coefficient of the copper and nickel foams were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The separation of the Biot's fast and slow waves was consistently observed in the ultrasonic signals transmitted through the copper and nickel foams. The group velocities of the copper and nickel foams showed highly positive correlations with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. The attenuation coefficient of the copper foam showed a highly negative correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp, whereas that of the nickle foam showed a highly positive correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. These results advance our understanding of those previously reported by other researchers using trabecular bone samples or phantoms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.40-40
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• 2003

목적 : 현재 국내에서 사용중인 Co-60 원격치료용 방사선 조사장치의 경우 tissue air ratio(TAR)는 조사 표면에서 최대 선량을 가지는 back scatter factor(BSF)를 적용하여 구한 값을 사용하고 있는데, 실제로 Co-60 원격치료용 방사선 조사장치의 최대선량 깊이는 조사 표면이 아니라, 조사 표면에서 0.5cm 떨어진 거리에서 최대 선량을 나타내므로, BJR 25 에서 권장하는 값인 peak scatter factor(PSF)를 이용해 구한 값이 더 정확한 값으로 사료되기 때문에 이를 본 실험을 통해 검증하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 방사선 종양학과에서 치료용으로 사용하고 있는 Co-60 원격치료용 방사선 조사장치를 대상으로 하였다. BSF 는 Khan이 저술한 The Physics of Radiation Therapy의 부록에 제시된 값을 사용하였으며, PSF와 TAR를 구하기 위해 물 팬톰(water phantom), Farmer형 이온 챔버(ion chamber), 전기계(electrometer)를 사용하였다. PSF와 TAR를 구하기 위해서 몇 가지 측정을 하였다. 먼저, 공기 중에서 챔버를 SSD=80.5cm에 고정시킨 후, 방사선을 조사하여 선량을 측정하고, 깊이에 따른 선량을 알아보기 위해, 물 팬톰 내에 챔버를 SSD=80cm 고정시킨 후, 물을 서서히 채워가면서 5$\times$5cm, 10$\times$10cm, 15$\times$15cm, 20$\times$20cm, 30$\times$30cm의 field size에 대해서, 물의 깊이가 0.5cm-2cm 까지는 0.5cm 단위로 선량을 측정하고, 물의 깊이가 2cm-l4cm까지는 1cm단위로 선량을 측정하였다. 측정된 선량을 이용하여 PSF를 구하고 난 후, BJR 25에서 제시한 PSF와 비교를 하였고 TAR은 Khan이 제시한 변환식에 PSF를 대입하여 알아보았다. 기존의 TAR과 PSF를 이용해 구한 TAR을 측정하여 구한 TAR과 비교하였다. 결과 : BJR25에서 제시한 PSF와 본 실험에서 측정하여 얻은 PSF를 비교한 결과, field size가 5$\times$5cm, 10$\times$10cm, 15$\times$l5cm, 20$\times$20cm인 경우, 측정하여 얻은 PSF가 0.8%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.2%로 약간 높지만, 두 값은 매우 유사한 것으로 나타났다. 그리고, 기존의 BSF를 이용해 구한 TAR과 BJR 25에서 권고하는 PSF를 이용해 구한 TAR을 비교한 결과 field size 에 따라 약 1%-1.5% 정도로 BSF를 이용하여 구한 TAR보다 PSF를 이용하여 구한 TAR이 1.3% 정도 높게 나타났지만, 이것은 두 값의 절대적인 차이일 뿐, 실제로는 PSF를 이용하여 구한 TAR이 측정해서 구한 TAR과는 매우 유사한 값을 보여주고 있다. 결론 : 기존의 BSF를 이용해 구한 TAR과 PSF를 이용해 구한 TAR을 비교하였을 때, 약 1.3% 정도 높게 내고 있지만, 기존의 TAR보다는 PSF를 이용해 구한 TAR이 BJR 25와 잘 일치하고 있으므로 Co-60 원격치료용 방사선 조사장치를 사용할 경우 BSF보다는 PSF를 사용하는 것이 타당한 것으로 사료된다.