• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.699-706
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• 2016

This study aimed to propose the necessity and system establishment of noise reduction facility via evaluating noise level exposed by the radiographer due to MRI scan. Noise measurements were carried out using at S general hospital in Daejeon using 1.5 Tesla MRI (7 exams) and 3.0 Tesla MRI (16 exams), while using SC-804 noise meter. The measurement distance was from the soundproof door of the MRI room to the radiographer which measured 100cm, and the measurement height, the height to the radiographer's ears when working, 100cm. The noise measured for each exam was an average of three measures per exam which observed the noise occurring in each sequence recorded every 20 seconds. As the results, the maximum of noise exposed by the radiographer is 73.3 dB(A), which is MRCP by the 3.0 Tesla device, and also the maximum of average noise is 66.9(3.1) dB(A), which is Myelogram by the 3.0 Tesla device. Average noise by each device is 61.9(4.1) dB(A) by the 3.0 Tesla device and 52.0(3.1) dB(A) by the 1.5 Tesla device, which comes to the result that the 3.0 Tesla MRI device is about 10 dB(A) degree higher(p <0.001). The noise level exposed by the radiographer does not affect auditory acuity, but the level is able to incur a non auditory effect. The reflect sound can be removed by installing curtains in the rear wall of MRI control room in order to reduce the noises, but, first of all, An institutional system is needed in order to prevent noise.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.168-172
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• 2016

The purpose of the optimal environment of the MRI room to measured luminance and illuminance of the MRI room and the monitor. University Hospital (n = 6) of the MRI (n = 10) in the luminance and illuminance Light Probe Xi Unfors (Unfors Instruments AB, Billdal, Sweden) was measured by using the. Black luminance level and white level of illuminance is repeated three times in the middle of the side of the monitor to obtain the mean and standard deviation using a t-test statistical processing was of significance test. Monitor luminance and black level in the average $1.78cd/m^2$, the standard deviation was $0.85cd/m^2$, white level average of $43.58cd/m^2$, the standard deviation of $13.19cd/m^2$. Illuminance of MRI room was the lowest value measured in accordance with the 30.5 lux, the maximum value is 601.3 lux, mean was measured by a variety of 177.86 lux. Luminance and illuminance of the MRI room and monitor is found to have statistically significant difference (p < .05). In conclusion, refer to the recommended standard of MRI and room monitor luminance and illuminance and to create an optimal environment.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to setup a concuurent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-functional MRI (fMRI) system for understanding causality of the functional brain network. Materials and Methods: We manufactured a TMS coil holder using nonmagnetic polyether ether ketone (PEEK). We simulated magnetic field distributions in the MR scanner according to TMS coil positions and angles. To minimize image distortions caused by TMS application, we controlled fMRI acquisition and TMS sequences to trigger TMS during inter-volume intervals. Results: Simulation showed that the magnetic field below the center of the coil was dramatically decreased with distance. Through the MR phantom study, we confirmed that TMS application around inter-volume acquisition time = 100 miliseconds reduced imaging distortion. Finally, the applicability of the concurrent TMS-fMRI was tested in preliminary studies with a healthy subject conducting a motor task within TMS-fMRI and passive motor movement induced by TMS in fMRI. Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed that the developed system allows use of TMS inside an fMRI system, which would contribute to the research of brain activation changes and causality in brain connectivity.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2022

Purpose: To assess conventional MRI features associated with residual soft-tissue sarcomas following unplanned excision (UPE), and to compare the diagnostic performance of conventional MRI only with that of MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for residual tumors after UPE. Materials and Methods: We included 103 consecutive patients who had received UPE of a soft-tissue sarcoma with wide excision of the tumor bed between December 2013 and December 2019 and who also underwent conventional MRI and DWI in this retrospective study. The presence of focal enhancement, soft-tissue edema, fascial enhancement, fluid collections, and hematoma on MRI including DWI was reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. We used classification and regression tree (CART) analysis to identify the most significant MRI features. We compared the diagnostic performances of conventional MRI and added DWI using the McNemar test. Results: Residual tumors were present in 69 (66.9%) of 103 patients, whereas no tumors were found in 34 (33.1%) patients. CART showed focal enhancement to be the most significant predictor of residual tumors and correctly predicted residual tumors in 81.6% (84/103) and 78.6% (81/103) of patients for Reader 1 and Reader 2, respectively. Compared with conventional MRI only, the addition of DWI for Reader 1 improved specificity (32.8% vs. 56%, 33.3% vs. 63.0%, P < 0.05), decreased sensitivity (96.8% vs. 84.1%, 98.7% vs. 76.7%, P < 0.05), without a difference in diagnostic accuracy (76.7% vs. 74.8%, 72.9% vs. 71.4%) in total and in subgroups. For Reader 2, diagnostic performance was not significantly different between the sets of MRI (P > 0.05). Conclusion: After UPE of a soft-tissue sarcoma, the presence or absence of a focal enhancement was the most significant MRI finding predicting residual tumors. MRI provided good diagnostic accuracy for detecting residual tumors, and the addition of DWI to conventional MRI may increase specificity.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2011

Objective : The authors investigated the changes of cortical sensorimotor activity in functional MRI (fMRI) and functional recovery in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients who had been treated by bone marrow cell transplantation. Methods : Nineteen patients with SCI were included in this study; ten patients with clinical improvement and nine without. The cortical sensorimotor activations were studied using the proprioceptive stimulation during the fMRI. Results : Diagnostic accuracy of fMRI with neurological improvement was 70.0% and 44.4% for sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Signal activation in the ipsilateral motor cortex in fMRI was commonly observed in the clinically neurological improved group (p-value=0.002). Signal activation in the contralateral temporal lobe and basal ganglia was more commonly found in the neurological unimproved group (p-value<0.001). Signal activation in other locations was not statistically different. Conclusion : In patients with SCI, activation patterns of fMRI between patients with neurologic recovery and those without varied. Such plasticity should be considered in evaluating SCI interventions based on behavioral and neurological measurements.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

Although ultrasonography is the most commonly used first-line imaging modality of the female pelvis because of diagnostic accuracy, low cost and safety, MRI is the best imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of the female pelvis. The indication of female pelvis MRI is diverse and includes the evaluation of M$\ddot{u}$llerian duct anomaly, differential diagnosis and characterization of uterine and ovarian tumors, and staging of malignant uterine and ovarian tumors. Understanding of MR protocols according to the specific gynecologic pathology allows accurate diagnosis and proper patient management.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.429-432
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• 2015

Radio Frequency (RF) coils in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems interact with a patient's tissues, resulting in the absorption of RF energy by the tissues. The presence of an electrically conducting medical implant may concentrate the RF energy and causes tissue heating near the implant devices. Here we present a novel design for a medical lead to reduce this undesired heating. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), an indicator of heating, was calculated. Remcom XFdtd software was used to calculate the peak SAR distribution (1g and 10 g) in a realistic model of the human body. The model contained a medical lead that was exposed to RF magnetic fields at 64 MHz (1.5 T MRI), 128 MHz (3 T MRI) and 300 MHz (7 T MRI) using a model of an MR birdcage body coil. Our results demonstrate that, our proposed design of adding nails to the medical lead can significantly reduce the SAR for different MRI systems.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.273-280
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• 1994

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been used widely to evaluate the disk position without any interruption of the TMJ structures, and the Dynamic MRI presenting computed serial imaging or the video-recorded simulation images is thought to be very effective to evaluate the disk position under function. This is to study the correlation between the clinical diagnosis and the findings of Dynamic MRI for the diagnosis of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joints. 30 joints(15 patients) were examined clinically, and the movement of TMJ meniscus was reviewed in the dynamic MRI. The comparative results are as follows : 1. All internal derangements of TMJ disk displacement without reduction were consistent with MRI findings. 2. 5 joints (50%) of disk displacements with reduction could not be confirmed by MRI findings. 3. The disk displacements in MRI were found in 55% of painful joints, 50% of clicking joints, and 70% of the joints with restricted movement. 4. The reliability of MRI for the diagnosis of TMD was evaluated as 77% ; 24 of 30 joints who presented with clinical diagnosis of TMD. 5. MRI is very reliable to diagnose the disk displacement without reduction, but it is rather not so effective to diagnose the early derangement or muscle disorders.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1715-1718
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• 2015

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging of breast, reported to be a high sensitivity of 94% to 100%, is the most sensitive method for detection of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate our clinical experience in MRI-guided breast lesion wire localization in Chinese women. Materials and Methods: A total of 44 patients with 46 lesions undergoing MRI-guided breast lesion localization were prospectively entered into this study between November 2013 and September 2014. Samples were collected using a 1.5-T magnet with a special MR biopsy positioning frame device. We evaluated clinical lesion characteristics on pre-biopsy MRI, pathologic results, and dynamic curve type baseline analysis. Results: Of the total of 46 wire localization excision biopsied lesions carried out in 44 female patients, pathology revealed fourteen malignancies (14/46, 30.4%) and thirty-two benign lesions (32/46, 69.6%). All lesions were successfully localized followed by excision biopsy and assessed for morphologic features highly suggestive of malignancy according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category of MRI (C4a=18, C4b=17, C4c=8,C5=3). Of 46 lesions, 37 were masses and 9 were non-mass enhancement lesions. Thirty-two lesions showed a continuous kinetics curve, 11 were plateau and 3 were washout. Conclusions: Our study showed success in MRI-guided breast lesion wire localization with a satisfactory cancer diagnosis rate of 30.4%. MRI-guided wire localization breast lesion open biopsy is a safe and effective tool for the workup of suspicious lesions seen on breast MRI alone without major complications. This may contribute to increasing the diagnosis rate of early breast cancer and improve the prognosis in Chinese women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4805-4811
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• 2016

Background: Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) less than 2 cm in diameter generally demonstrate a good outcome after curative therapy. However, the diagnosis of small HCC can be problematic and requires one or more dynamic imaging modalities. This study aimed to compare the sensitivity and agreement between CT and MRI for the diagnosis of small HCCs. Methods: CT and/or MRI scans of HCCs (1-2 cm) diagnosed by histopathology or typical vascular pattern according to the 2005 AASLD criteria were blindly reviewed by an abdominal radiologist. The reports were defined as conclusive/typical when arterial enhancement and washout during the portal/delayed phases were observed and as inconclusive when typical vascular patterns were not observed. The sensitivity and Cohen's kappa (k) for agreement were calculated. Results: In 27 patients, 27 HCC nodules (1-2 cm) were included. Diagnosis with a single-imaging modality (CT or MRI) was 81 % versus 48 % (p = 0.01). The CT sensitivity was significantly higher than MRI (78 % versus 52 %, p = 0.04). Among 27 nodules that underwent both CT and MRI, a discordance in typical enhancement patterns was found (k = 0.319, p = 0.05). In cases with inconclusive CT results, MRI gave only an additional 3.7 % sensitivity to reach a diagnosis. In contrast, further CT imaging following inconclusive MRI results gave an additional 29.6 % sensitivity.Conclusions: A single typical imaging modality is sufficient to diagnose small HCCs. Compared with MRI, multiphasic CT has a higher sensitivity. The limitations of MRI could be explained by the greater need for patient cooperation and the types of MRI contrast agent.