• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.430-437
• /
• 2018

Ultrasonic attenuation is an important parameter in Quantitative Ultrasound and many algorithms have been proposed to improve estimation accuracy and repeatability for multiple independent estimates. In this work, we propose an improved algorithm for estimating ultrasonic attenuation utilizing the optimal frequency compounding technique based on stochastic noise model. We formulate mathematical compounding equations in the AWGN channel model and solve optimization problems to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio for multiple frequency components. Individual estimates are calculated by the reference phantom method which provides very stable results in uniformly attenuating regions. We also propose the guideline to select frequency ranges of reflected RF signals. Simulation results using numerical phantoms show that the proposed optimal frequency compounding method provides improved accuracy while minimizing estimation bias. The estimation variance is reduced by only 16% for the un-compounding case, whereas it is reduced by 68% for the uniformly compounding case. The frequency range corresponding to the half-power for reflected signals also provides robust and efficient estimation performance.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.441-446
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this paper is to recognize the usefulness of the Phantom produced with 3D printing technology by reproducing the original phantom with 3D printing technology. Using CT, we obtained information from the original phantom. The acquired file was printed by the SLA method of ABS materials. For inspection, SPECT/CT was used to obtain images. We filled the both Phantom with a solution mixed with ^99mTcO4 1 mCi in 1 liter of water and acq uired images in accordance with the standard protocol. Using Image J, the SNR for each slice of the image was obtained. As a reference images, AC images were used. For the analysis of acquired images, ROI was set in the White mater and Gray mater sections of each image, and the average Intensity Value within the ROI were compared. According to the results of this study, 3D printed phantom's SNR is about 0.1 higher than the conventional phantom. And the ratio of Intensity Value was shown in the original 1 : 3.4, and the printed phantom was shown to be 1 : 3.2. Therefore, if Calibration Value is applied, It is assumed that it can be used as an alternative to the original.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.273-282
• /
• 1993

This study is concerned with the temperature dependence characteristics of ultrasound parameters in biological tissues, which are basic on the noninvasive deep body temperature estimation. Used parameters are ultrasonic attenuation coefficient and sound velocity In order to accomplishment our purpose, several signal processing methods were used. Attenua4iorl coefficient was estimated by spectral difference method and sound velocity was estimated by P-P method. And we also examined these methods through a series of IN VITRO experi mentis that used tissue-mimicking phantom samples and biological tissue samples. In order to imitate the biological soft tissue two kinds of phantom samples are used, one is agar phantom sample which is composed of agar, graphite, N-propyl alcohol and distilled water, and the other is fat phantom sample which is composed of pure animal fat. And the ultrasound transmission mode and reflection mode experiments are performed on the pig's spleen, kidney and fat. As a result, it is found that the temperature characteristics are uniform in case of phan- tom samples but not in biological tissues because of complicate wave propagation within them. Consequently, the possibility of temperature measurement using ultrasound on biological tissue is confirmed and its results may contribute to the establishment of reference values of internal temperature measurement of biological tissues.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.172-180
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study is to observe the heat transfer process in in-vivo human muscle based on Proton Resonance Frequency(PRF) method in Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI). MRI was obtained to measure the temperature variation according to the heat transfer in phantom and in-vivo human calf muscle. A phantom(2% agarose gel) was used in this experiment. MR temperature measurement was compared with the direct temperature measurement using a T-type thermocouple. After heating agarose gel to more than 5$0^{\circ}C$ in boiling hot water, raw data were acquired every 3 minutes during one hour cooling period for a phantom case. For human study heat was forced to deliver into volunteer's calf muscle using hot pack. Reference data were once acquired before a hot pack emits heat and raw data were acquired every 2 minutes during 30minutes. Acquired raw data were reconstructed to phase-difference images with reference image to observe the temperature change. Phase-difference of the phantom was linearly proportional to the temperature change in the range of 34.2$^{\circ}C$ and 50.2$^{\circ}C$. Temperature resolution was 0.0457 radian /$^{\circ}C$(0.0038 ppm/$^{\circ}C$) in phantom case. In vivo-case, mean phase-difference in near region from the hot pack is smaller than that in far region. Different temperature distribution was observed in proportion to a distance from heat source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2002.09a
• /
• pp.255-259
• /
• 2002

To reduce the uncertainty in the calibration of radiation beams, absorbed dose to water for high energy electrons is recommended as the standards and reference absorbed dose by AAPM Report no.51 and IAEA Technical Reports no.398. In these recommendations, water is, defined as the reference medium, however, the water substitute solid phantoms are discouraged. Nevertheless, when accurate chamber positioning in water is not possible, or when no waterproof chamber is available, their use is permitted at beam qualities R$\_$50/ < 4 g/cm$^2$ (E$\_$0/ < 10 MeV). For the electron dosimetry using solid phantom, a depth-scaling factor is used for the conversion of depth in solid phantoms to depth in water, and a fluence-scaling factor is used for the conversion of ionization chamber reading in plastic phantom to reading in water. In this work, the properties, especially depth-scaling factors c$\_$p1/ and fluence-scaling factors h$\_$pl/ of several commercially available water substitute solid phantoms were determined, and the electron dosimetry using these scaling method was evaluated. As a result, it is obviously that dose-distribution in solid phantom can be converted to appropriate dose-distribution in water by means of IAEA depth-scaling.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.141-149
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a simple method to measure magnetic susceptibility of arbitrarily shaped materials through MR imaging and numerical modeling. Materials and Methods: Our 3D printed phantom consists of a lower compartment filled with a gel (gel part) and an upper compartment for placing a susceptibility object (object part). The $B_0$ maps of the gel with and without the object were reconstructed from phase images obtained in a 3T MRI scanner. Then, their difference was compared with a numerically modeled $B_0$ map based on the geometry of the object, obtained by a separate MRI scan of the object possibly immersed in an MR-visible liquid. The susceptibility of the object was determined by a least-squares fit. Results: A total of 18 solid and liquid samples were tested, with measured susceptibility values in the range of -12.6 to 28.28 ppm. To confirm accuracy of the method, independently obtained reference values were compared with measured susceptibility when possible. The comparison revealed that our method can determine susceptibility within approximately 5%, likely limited by the object shape modeling error. Conclusion: The proposed gel-phantom-based susceptibility measurement may be used to effectively measure magnetic susceptibility of MR-compatible samples with an arbitrary shape, and can enable development of various MR engineering parts as well as test biological tissue specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.525-532
• /
• 2018

This study is filmed by applying the axial angle variation of the X-ray tube instead of the patient's position change during the perimetric examination of the ribs. A Reference image with the rib oblique examination using a chest phantom and experimental images applied with a six-phase variation in the axial angle by increasing $5^{\circ}$ tube angle each from $5^{\circ}{\sim}30^{\circ}$ from the vertical incident direction of the chest phantom to the right horizontal axis were obtained. For the quantitative comparative evaluation of the images, SNR and CNR were calculated for regions of interest in the experimental images based on the reference image. Also, the left-right rib ratio in the reference image and the left-right rib ratio in the experimental images are measured and compared. As a result of the study, the experimental images with a tube angle of $25^{\circ}$ were best shown in the measurements of the SNR, CNR and left-right rib ratio compared to the reference image with a standard examination method. The modified rib examinations will consider useful, if it is difficult to maintain the patient's examination position.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.121-123
• /
• 1992

New measurement method for $S_{p}$ factors (Phantom Scatter Factors) is presented. The theoretical development of the approach is disscused showing that $S_{p}$ factors can be obtained from three measurements of ionnization in a blocked, reference field and open field. This method has been tested using $^{60}Co$ gamma rays. The results were within 1% deviation between the theory and the experiment for the $S_{p}$ factor. The new method does not need air measurement, and we could could determine the $S_P$ factors with a small piece of block

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.127-133
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Low dose of PET/CT is important because of Patient's X-ray exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose PET/ CT image through the CTAC and QAC of patient study and phantom study. Materials and Methods: We used the discovery 710 PET/CT (GE). We used the NEMA IEC body phantom for evaluating the PET data corrected by ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction method and NU2-94 phantom for uniformity. After injection of 70.78 MBq and 22.2 MBq of 18 F-FDG were done to each of phantom, PET/CT scans were obtained. PET data were reconstructed by using of CTAC of which dose was for the diagnosis CT and Q. AC of which was only for attenuation correction. Quantitative analysis was performed by use of horizontal profile and vertical profile. Reference data which were corrected by CTAC were compared to PET data which was corrected by the ultra-low dose. The relative error was assessed. Patients with over weighted and normal weight also underwent a PET/CT scans according to low dose protocol and standard dose protocol. Relative error and signal to noise ratio of SUV were analyzed. Results: In the results of phantom test, phantom PET data were corrected by CTAC and Q.AC and they were compared each other. The relative error of Q.AC profile was been calculated, and it was shown in graph. In patient studies, PET data for overweight patient and normal weight patient were reconstructed by CTAC and Q.AC under routine dose and ultra-low dose. When routine dose was used, the relative error was small. When high dose was used, the result of overweight patient was effectively corrected by Q.AC. Conclusion: In phantom study, CTAC method with 80 kVp and 10 mA was resulted in bead hardening artifact. PET data corrected by ultra- low dose CTAC was not quantified, but those by the same dose were quantified properly. In patients' cases, PET data of over weighted patient could be quantified by Q.AC method. Its relative difference was not significant. Q.AC method was proper attenuation correction method when ultra-low dose was used. As a result, it is expected that Q.AC is a good method in order to reduce patient's exposure dose.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.1949-1958
• /
• 2023

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 116 was released to provide a comprehensive dataset of the dose coefficients (DCs) for external exposures produced with the adult reference voxel phantoms of ICRP Publication 110. Although an advanced skeletal dosimetry method for photons and neutrons using fluence-to-dose response functions (DRFs) was introduced in ICRP Publication 116, the ICRP-116 skeletal DCs were calculated by using the simple method conventionally used (i.e., doses to red bone marrow and endosteum approximated by doses to spongiosa and/or medullary cavities). In the present study, the photon and neutron DRFs were used to produce skeletal DCs of the ICRP-110 reference phantoms, which were then compared with the ICRP-116 DCs. For photons, there were significant differences by up to ~2.8 times especially at energies <0.3 MeV. For neutrons, the differences were generally small over the entire energy region (mostly <20%). The general impact of the DRF-based skeletal DCs on the effective dose calculations was negligibly small, supporting the validity of the ICRP-116 effective DCs despite their skeletal DCs derived from the simple method. Meanwhile, we believe that the DRF-based skeletal DCs could be beneficial in better estimates of skeletal doses of individuals for risk assessments.