A novel few-views arrangement of the fixed X-ray tubes for tomosynthesis.

PURPOSE: Tomosynthesis is a technique that reconstructs a volume image from limited-angle projection data. In conventional tomosynthesis, the examination time is long, so it can be difficult for patients to hold their breath during certain examinations, such as chest imaging. Few-views tomosynthesis, which uses a linear arrangement of fixed X-ray tubes and enables an image to be obtained within 1 s, was found to be useful in the clinical setting in our previous study. In the present study, we attempted to develop a novel few-views tomosynthesis system that can obtain images with an improved image quality. METHODS: A novel few-views arrangement of X-ray tubes was proposed and the image reconstruction method with regularization term was applied. The linear arrangement was used for the X-ray tube arrangement in our previous few-views tomosynthesis, in contrast, a circular arrangement was proposed in this study. The validation of this system was conducted with a numerical simulation and a real data experiment. RESULTS: The wider the scan angle, the more the object shadow spreads from "in-plane", allowing for artifact suppression. In the circular arrangement, the constant scan angle of θ is used, but in the linear arrangement the scan angle is set from 0 to θ. The artifacts in "out-of-plane" were more strongly suppressed in the circular arrangement than in the linear arrangement. CONCLUSIONS: Artifacts spreading in the z-direction were more strongly suppressed using the circular arrangement than the linear arrangement. Therefore, the circular arrangement was deemed appropriate for few-views tomosynthesis.

Changes in skeletal muscle diffusion parameters owing to intramyocellular lipid.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies investigated the changes in diffusion of water molecules in skeletal muscle cells of lifestyle-related-disease patients who performed a hybrid training (HYBT) for six months. They reported that the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and all diffusion eigenvalues (λ1, λ2, and λ3) increased after the HYBT, owing to the enlargement of the intramyocellular diffusion space (intracellular space) caused by the muscular hypertrophy. We assumed that the HYBT promoted metabolism of the whole skeletal muscle including lipids, which reduced the amount of intramyocellular lipid (IMCL), and led to a secondary enlargement of the diffusion space in the skeletal muscle cells. However, the IMCL has to be a diffusion limiting factor in order to verify this hypothesis. Until now, there is no report on whether IMCL is a diffusion limiting factor for water molecules. The objective of this study was to examine whether the IMCL is a diffusion limiting factor in skeletal muscle cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a three-dimensional quantification of the IMCL in triceps surae muscles of lifestyle-related-disease patients and healthy volunteers. In addition, we measured the ADC in the volume of interest (VOI), diffusion anisotropy (FA), and diffusion eigenvalues (λ1, λ2, and λ3), and evaluated the correlations between these diffusion parameters and IMCL. RESULTS: The results showed that the amount of IMCL was positively and negatively correlated with the FA and λ3, respectively, in lifestyle-related-disease patients. In addition, there was a weak negative correlation between IMCL and ADC, λ1, and λ2. There was no correlation between the amount of IMCL and diffusion parameters of healthy volunteers. DISCUSSION: Above a certain amount, the IMCL correlates with the diffusion parameters. A higher amount of IMCL leads to smaller diffusion eigenvalues. This result suggested that IMCL possibility of influencing diffusion of water molecules in skeletal muscle cells. However, in order for the influence of IMCL to be reflected in the diffusion eigenvalues, it was needed large amount of IMCL existed, and we thought that the influence was smaller than the influence by the already reported cell membrane.

Effect of biological factors on successful measurements with skeletal-muscle (1)H-MRS.

BACKGROUND: Our purpose in this study was to clarify whether differences in subject group attributes could affect data acquisition in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). METHODS: Subjects without diabetes mellitus (DM) were divided into two groups (group A, in their 20s; group B, 30-60 years old). Subjects with DM formed group C (30-60 years old). The numbers of subjects were 19, 27, and 22 for group A, B, and C respectively. For all subjects, (1)H-MRS measurements were taken of the soleus muscle (SOL) and the anterior tibial muscle (AT). We defined the success of the measurements by the detection of intramyocellular lipids. Moreover, we also measured the full width at half maximum of the water peaks for all subjects. RESULTS: The success rate was significantly higher for the AT (100%) than for the SOL (81.6%) (P<0.01). For the SOL, the success rate was 100% in group A, 85.2% in group B, and 77.3% in group C. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between groups A and B, as well as between groups A and C. In all subjects, there was a significant difference (P<0.01) in the full width at half maximum (Hz) of the water peak between the AT and SOL measurements. CONCLUSION: We conclude that differences in the age and DM history of subjects could affect the probability of successful (1)H-MRS data acquisition.

Development of simple high-precision two-dimensional dose-distribution measurement method for proton beam therapy using imaging plate and EBT3.

Although there are several two-dimensional (2D) dose-distribution measurement methods using proton beam therapy, they all have drawbacks; hence, there is no standard method established worldwide. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple, high-precision 2D distribution measurement method for proton beam therapy that uses an imaging plate and EBT3. First, we expanded the maximum readable dose (saturation dose) in the imaging plate. The method involves (i) the control of the fading phenomenon by an annealing process and (ii) the control of the photostimulated luminescence (PSL) phenomenon using a longpass filter (LPF). In method (i), upon heating at 80 °C, the PSL became 0.485 times the room temperature, and in method (ii), we attenuated the PSL by a factor of 0.245 using an LPF. Thus, by combining methods (i) and (ii), we expanded the saturation dose to 2 Gy. Thus, it was possible to measure the imaging plate and EBT3 in the same dose range. We simultaneously measured the percent depth dose using imaging plate and EBT3. We defined a correction factor to match the measured values-which had a reduced sensitivity because of the linear energy transfer (LET) dependence of the imaging plate and EBT3-with reference data and developed a correction factor function. Subsequently, by defining the relative LET dependence of imaging plate and EBT3 as the relative sensitivity and converting the relationship imaging plate between the relative sensitivity and correction factor into a function, we obtained a sensitivity-correction function. By employing this function, measurements with the same accuracy as the reference data were performed using the imaging plate and EBT3.

Essentials of Brain MRS: Fundamentals and Clinical Applications.

1H-MRS (proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy) is a method for analyzing material components using the difference of the frequency (chemical shift) in magnetic resonance. 1H-MRS for human body is able to diagnose the clinical conditions by non-invasive analysis of materials in organs. However, the mechanical limitations and complexity in analyses prevented it from becoming popular as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Recently, an ideal environment for 1H-MRS is commonly available such as stronger magnetic field and improved software, yet we still lack common knowledges about 1H-MRS which makes whom plans to start it difficult. In this article, the principle, tips, clinical applications and spectrum evaluations were explained focusing on novice users.

Basics of Monte-Carlo Simulation: Focusing on Dose-to-medium and Dose-to-water.

Treatment planning systems with highly accurate dose calculation algorithms such as Monte-Carlo method and linear Boltzmann transport equation are becoming popular thanks to a development of the computer technology. These algorithms use new concepts, dose-to-medium and dose-to-water. However, introducing these concepts can cause confusion in clinical sites. Basic knowledges about Monte-Carlo simulation and other corresponding algorithms were explained in this article such as the principles, the parameters and words of caution.

Handling Density Conversion in TPS.

Conversion from CT value to density is essential to a radiation treatment planning system. Generally CT value is converted to the electron density in photon therapy. In the energy range of therapeutic photon, interactions between photons and materials are dominated with Compton scattering which the cross-section depends on the electron density. The dose distribution is obtained by calculating TERMA and kernel using electron density where TERMA is the energy transferred from primary photons and kernel is a volume considering spread electrons. Recently, a new method was introduced which uses the physical density. This method is expected to be faster and more accurate than that using the electron density. As for particle therapy, dose can be calculated with CT-to-stopping power conversion since the stopping power depends on the electron density. CT-to-stopping power conversion table is also called as CT-to-water-equivalent range and is an essential concept for the particle therapy.

[Evaluating photonuclear activation for clearance of decommissioned medical linear accelerators].

In a linear accelerator (linac) that operates at greater than an accelerating energy of 10 MV, neutrons are generated by a photonuclear reaction and the head section of the linac becomes radioactive. The purpose of this research is to obtain data for ensuring the safety of linac decommissioning and upgrading. The decommissioned linac investigated in this study was a Clinac 2100 C/D (Varian) installed in April 1999. Its total time of use was 2757.7 h (equivalent to 496,386 Gy). The dosage for its last three months of use was 7213.67 Gy. After being allowed to sit for a 7-day cooling period, the apparatus was disassembled and the parts of the gantry head portion were removed. The ambient dose equivalent rates, H*(10), (microSv/h) from the removed parts were measured in air, at a location with low background, by using a gamma ray scintillation survey meter. The target was also analyzed with an HP-Ge semiconductor detector, in order to identify the nuclides responsible for the observed radiation. On day 7 after the last use of the linac, the ambient dose equivalent rates, H*(10), (microSv/h) in air at the surface of all parts, except the target and the beryllium window, were within the limit of normal background radiation. The measured value (microSv/h) for the beryllium window decreased to within the background limit on day 10. The measured value (microSv/h) of the target decreased to about 1.5 times the background on day 19. At a distance of 10 cm, all the parts were within the background limit after the initial 7-day cooling period. In the analysis of the target with the HP-Ge semiconductor detector, peaks at 125, 333, 352, 356, 426, 511, 583, 609, 689, 811, 835, 911, 969, 1091, 1099, 1120, 1173, 1238, 1292, 1333, 1461 and 1764keV were detected on day 23. Seven months after the linac was last used, peaks were detected at 352, 511, 583, 609, 835, 911, 969, 1120, 1173, 1238, 1333, 1461 and 1764 keV. From these results, the natural radioactive nuclides can be assigned as 40K, 208Tl, 214Pb, 214Bi and 228Ac; the short half-life nuclides can be assigned as 59Fe, 58Co, 185W and 196Au; and the long half-life nuclides can be assigned as 54Mn and 60Co. These results show that photonuclear activation of parts is important in regard to clearance. Currently, there are no regulations that specify criteria for evaluating radioactivation. Such criteria are needed to establish suitable protocols for the clearance of radioactivated materials.