PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Seunghwan Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Seunghwan Kim.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Modeling of diffuse-diffuse photon coupling via a nonscattering region: a comparative study.

It is well established that diffusion approximation is valid for light propagation in highly scattering media, but it breaks down in nonscattering regions. The previous methods that manipulate nonscattering regions are essentially boundary-to-boundary coupling (BBC) methods through a nonscattering void region based on the radiosity theory. We present a boundary-to-interior coupling (BIC) method. BIC is based on the fact that the collimated pencil beam incident on the medium can be replaced by an isotropic point source positioned at one reduced scattering length inside the medium from an illuminated point. A similar replacement is possible for the nondiffuse lights that enter the diffuse medium through the void, and it is formulated as the BIC method. We implemented both coupling methods using the finite element method (FEM) and tested for the circle with a void gap and for a four-layer adult head model. For mean time of flight, the BIC shows better agreement with Monte Carlo (MC) simulation results than BBC. For intensity, BIC shows a comparable match with MC data compared with that of BBC. The effect of absorption of the clear layer in the adult head model was investigated. Both mean time and intensity decrease as absorption of the clear layer increases.

Computer Simulation↗

Orientation tuning and synchronization in the hypercolumn model.

The orientation selectivity in the firing rate of neurons is one of the most well-known properties of neurons in the primary visual cortex. To understand the dynamical mechanism of the orientation tuning, we introduce a biologically plausible network for a hypercolumn and investigate dynamical responses of its columnar activities. Numerical simulations show that the spike activities between excitatory cells in the same column exhibit strong synchronization and sharp orientation selectivity. The tuning curves for the synchronized activities also show orientation selectivity similar to those for the firing rate. The comparison between the two tuning curves for the firing rate and the synchronized activities suggests that the orientation selectivity is strongly correlated with the synchronized activities. We find from the analysis of columnar activities that the orientation selectivity depends strongly upon the inhibitory coupling strength and the synchronization upon the excitatory coupling strength. In particular, we find that at appropriate coupling parameters both sharp orientation selectivity and maximal synchronization can be achieved. This suggests the importance of the balance between the excitatory coupling and the inhibitory coupling in the primary visual cortex for visual information processing.

Action Potentials↗

Understanding visual map formation through vortex dynamics of spin Hamiltonian models.

The pattern formation in orientation and ocular dominance columns is one of the most investigated problems in the brain. From a known cortical structure, we build spinlike Hamiltonian models with long-range interactions of the Mexican hat type. These Hamiltonian models allow a coherent interpretation of the diverse phenomena in the visual map formation with the help of relaxation dynamics of spin systems. In particular, we explain various phenomena of self-organization in orientation and ocular dominance map formation including the pinwheel annihilation and its dependency on the columnar wave vector and boundary conditions.

Brain↗

The potential contribution of a computer-aided detection system for lung nodule detection in multidetector row computed tomography.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the potential benefits of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for detecting lung nodules in multidetector row CT (MDCT) scans. METHODS: A CAD system was developed for detecting lung nodules on MDCT scans and was applied to the data obtained from 15 patients. Two chest radiologists in consensus established the reference standard. The nodules were categorized according to their size and their relationship to the surrounding structures (nodule type). The differences in the sensitivities between an experienced chest radiologist and a CAD system without user interaction were evaluated using a chi2 analysis. The differences in the sensitivities also were compared in terms of the nodule size and the nodule type. RESULTS: A total of 309 nodules were identified as the reference standard. The sensitivity of a CAD system (81%) was not significantly different from that of a radiologist (85%; P > 0.05). The sensitivities of the CAD system for detecting nodules < or = 5 mm in diameter as well as detecting isolated nodules were higher than those of a radiologist (83% vs. 75%, P > 0.05; 93% vs. 76%, P < 0.001). The sensitivities of a radiologist for detecting nodules >5 mm and the nodules attached to other structures were higher than those of a CAD system (98% vs. 79%, P < 0.001; 91% vs. 71%, P < 0.001). There were 28.8 false-positive results of CAD per CT study. CONCLUSION: The CAD system developed in this study performed the nodule detection task in different ways to that of a radiologist in terms of the nodule size and the nodule type, which suggests that the CAD system can play a complementary role to a radiologist in detecting nodules from large CT data sets.

Adult↗

Regional cerebral hyperperfusion with ictal dystonic posturing: ictal-interictal SPECT subtraction.

PURPOSE: Ictal-interictal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) subtraction was performed to find brain structures related to ictal dystonic posturing (DP) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHODS: Thirty-two patients with mesial TLE who had ictal and interictal SPECTs were included. They were divided into two groups; DP group with ictal dystonia during ictal SPECT (n = 15) and Non-DP group without ictal DP (n = 17). Ictal-interictal SPECT subtraction was performed, and then subtracted SPECT was coregistered with brain spoiled gradient recalled (SPGR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The ictal hyperperfusion on subtracted SPECT was analyzed in basal ganglia, frontal cortex, thalamus, temporal lobe, and insular cortex. RESULTS: The incidences of ictal hyperperfusion on brain regions in DP versus Non-DP groups were 80.0% (12 of 15 patients) versus none (0 of 17), p = 0.001, chi2, in caudate nucleus; 93.3% (14 of 15) versus 47.0% (eight of 17), p = 0.005, in putamen; and 80.0% (12 of 15) versus 41.2% (seven of 17), p = 0.026, in thalamus. No significant difference of ictal hyperperfusion was found in globus pallidus, temporal lobes, insular and frontal cortices between DP and Non-DP groups. DP patients showed an earlier age at seizure onset [8.6 years (DP) vs. 15.7 years (Non-DP) (p = 0.015)] and a longer duration of seizure history [19.0 years (DP) vs. 11.9 years (Non-DP) (p = 0.015)]. CONCLUSIONS: Caudate nucleus, putamen, and thalamus were significantly related to the ictal DP during TLE seizures. Our study showed first an active involvement of the caudate nucleus in the generation of ictal DP.

Basal Ganglia↗

Diffuse-diffuse photon coupling via nonscattering void in the presence of refractive index mismatch on the void boundary.

It is well established that the diffusion approximation (DA) is valid for light propagation in highly scattering media, but it breaks down in nonscattering void regions. The methods that handle the void with refractive index matched boundary were previously developed. For the void with refractive index mismatched boundary, no theory is yet available. We derived the finite element method that can handle the void problem with refractive index mismatch on its boundary. The method uses the ray tracing to account for the multiple reflections of rays within the void due to refractive index mismatch on the void boundary. We applied the method to the four-layer adult head model and the good agreements with Monte Carlo simulation results were found in the mean time of flight data.

Algorithms↗

Simple partial status epilepticus localized by single-photon emission computed tomography subtraction in chronic cerebral paragonimiasis.

A patient with chronic cerebral paragonimiasis began to have new motor seizures of the right face manifested by clonic contractions that occurred several hundred times a day, consistent with simple partial status epilepticus. Ictal electroencephalogram discharges started from the left frontal region and then spread to the left hemisphere with left frontal maximum. But clinical seizures were limited to the right face. The frequent partial seizures were controlled by the intravenous infusion of phenytoin. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple conglomerated round nodules with encephalomalacia in the left temporal and occipital lobes. Applying the technique of ictal-interictal single-photo emission computed tomography subtraction, the authors were able to localize the focal ictal-hyperperfusion on left precentral cortex adjacent to the lesions that correspond to the anatomical distribution of left face motor area.

Adult↗

Automated lung nodule detection at low-dose CT: preliminary experience.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for the automated detection of lung nodules at low-dose CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A CAD system developed for detecting lung nodules was used to process the data provided by 50 consecutive low-dose CT scans. The results of an initial report, a second look review by two chest radiologists, and those obtained by the CAD system were compared, and by reviewing all of these, a gold standard was established. RESULTS: By applying the gold standard, a total of 52 nodules were identified (26 with a diameter < or = 5 mm; 26 with a diameter >5 mm). Compared to an initial report, four additional nodules were detected by the CAD system. Three of these, identified only at CAD, formed part of the data used to derive the gold standard. For the detection of nodules >5 mm in diameter, sensitivity was 77% for the initial report, 88% for the second look review, and 65% for the CAD system. There were 8.0+/-5.2 false-positive CAD results per CT study. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results indicate that a CAD system may improve the detection of pulmonary nodules at low-dose CT.

Adult↗