Chosun University Hospital Visualizes Changes After Radiation Therapy... Possibility of Assessing Treatment Effectiveness Raised

Joint Research Team of Professors Kim Jin-ung and Song Sang-guk

Jinwoong Kim (left in photo) and Sangguk Song (right in photo), professors in the Department of Radiology at Chosun University Hospital.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A joint research team led by Professors Kim Jinwoong and Song Sangguk of the Department of Radiology at Chosun University Hospital proposed the possibility of early assessment of radiation therapy effects by visualizing tissue changes after radiation therapy using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)-based electrical conductivity (the degree to which an object conducts electric current).

In radiation therapy, it is crucial to maximize the radiation dose to cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. However, existing imaging techniques have limitations due to low sensitivity and contrast, resulting in reduced accuracy in measuring tissue changes caused by radiation exposure.

The joint research team led by Professor Kim Jinwoong visualized the degree of tissue state changes over time after radiation exposure of various intensities using electrical conductivity.

They suggested that conductivity imaging can be applied as an imaging biomarker to accurately evaluate the effects of radiation therapy at an early stage.

Professor Kim stated, “Radiation therapy induces ionization of tissue components, and we confirmed that tissues exposed to radiation generate more ions compared to unexposed tissues, resulting in a significant increase in electrical conductivity. This research outcome will greatly aid in establishing technology to assess radiation therapy effects early and monitor them effectively.”

This study was published online on October 31, 2021, in the international oncology journal Cancers under the title “Image-Based Evaluation of Irradiation Effects in Brain Tissues by Measuring Absolute Electrical Conductivity Using MRI.”

Meanwhile, Professor Kim has been recognized for his expertise by major academic societies, receiving awards such as the Excellent Paper Award and Best Exhibition Award at the Korean Society of Radiology ITA Conference, the Grand Prize at the Korean Society of Radiology Academic Conference, and the Best Award at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference. In addition, in February of this year, he actively continued his work as a co-first author along with Seoul National University Hospital and Samsung Seoul Hospital on the research paper titled “Laparoscopic Liver Resection versus Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for Small Single Nodular Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Comparison of Treatment Outcomes,” which was published in the international hepatocellular carcinoma journal Liver Cancer and received favorable reviews.

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