Positron Emission Tomography: Principles, Technology, and Recent Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Sibylle I.

2005-04-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medical imaging technique for quantitative measurement of physiologic parameters in vivo (an overview of principles and applications can be found in [P.E. Valk, et al., eds. Positron Emission Tomography. Basic Science and Clinical Practice. 2003, Springer: Heidelberg]), based on the detection of small amounts of posi-tron-emitter-labelled biologic molecules. Various radiotracers are available for neuro-logical, cardiological, and oncological applications in the clinic and in research proto-cols. This overview describes the basic principles, technology, and recent develop-ments in PET, followed by a section on the development of a tomograph with ava-lanche photodiodes dedicated for small animal imaging as an example of efforts in the domain of high resolution tomographs.

Advanced Ultrasonic Tomograph of Children's Bones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasaygues, Philippe; Lefebvre, Jean-Pierre; Guillermin, Régine; Kaftandjian, Valérie; Berteau, Jean-Philippe; Pithioux, Martine; Petit, Philippe

This study deals with the development of an experimental device for performing ultrasonic computed tomography (UCT) on bone in pediatric degrees. The children's bone tomographs obtained in this study, were based on the use of a multiplexed 2-D ring antenna (1 MHz and 3 MHz) designed for performing electronic and mechanical scanning. Although this approach is known to be a potentially valuable means of imaging objects with similar acoustical impedances, problems arise when quantitative images of more highly contrasted media such as bones are required. Various strategies and various mathematical procedures for modeling the wave propagation based on Born approximations have been developed at our laboratory, which are suitable for use with pediatric cases. Inversions of the experimental data obtained are presented.

Tomographic particle image velocimetry of desert locust wakes: instantaneous volumes combine to reveal hidden vortex elements and rapid wake deformation

PubMed Central

Bomphrey, Richard J.; Henningsson, Per; Michaelis, Dirk; Hollis, David

2012-01-01

Aerodynamic structures generated by animals in flight are unstable and complex. Recent progress in quantitative flow visualization has advanced our understanding of animal aerodynamics, but measurements have hitherto been limited to flow velocities at a plane through the wake. We applied an emergent, high-speed, volumetric fluid imaging technique (tomographic particle image velocimetry) to examine segments of the wake of desert locusts, capturing fully three-dimensional instantaneous flow fields. We used those flow fields to characterize the aerodynamic footprint in unprecedented detail and revealed previously unseen wake elements that would have gone undetected by two-dimensional or stereo-imaging technology. Vortex iso-surface topographies show the spatio-temporal signature of aerodynamic force generation manifest in the wake of locusts, and expose the extent to which animal wakes can deform, potentially leading to unreliable calculations of lift and thrust when using conventional diagnostic methods. We discuss implications for experimental design and analysis as volumetric flow imaging becomes more widespread. PMID:22977102

In Silico Neuro-Oncology: Brownian Motion-Based Mathematical Treatment as a Potential Platform for Modeling the Infiltration of Glioma Cells into Normal Brain Tissue.

PubMed

Antonopoulos, Markos; Stamatakos, Georgios

2015-01-01

Intensive glioma tumor infiltration into the surrounding normal brain tissues is one of the most critical causes of glioma treatment failure. To quantitatively understand and mathematically simulate this phenomenon, several diffusion-based mathematical models have appeared in the literature. The majority of them ignore the anisotropic character of diffusion of glioma cells since availability of pertinent truly exploitable tomographic imaging data is limited. Aiming at enriching the anisotropy-enhanced glioma model weaponry so as to increase the potential of exploiting available tomographic imaging data, we propose a Brownian motion-based mathematical analysis that could serve as the basis for a simulation model estimating the infiltration of glioblastoma cells into the surrounding brain tissue. The analysis is based on clinical observations and exploits diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data. Numerical simulations and suggestions for further elaboration are provided.

A Review of Imaging Techniques for Plant Phenotyping

PubMed Central

Li, Lei; Zhang, Qin; Huang, Danfeng

2014-01-01

Given the rapid development of plant genomic technologies, a lack of access to plant phenotyping capabilities limits our ability to dissect the genetics of quantitative traits. Effective, high-throughput phenotyping platforms have recently been developed to solve this problem. In high-throughput phenotyping platforms, a variety of imaging methodologies are being used to collect data for quantitative studies of complex traits related to the growth, yield and adaptation to biotic or abiotic stress (disease, insects, drought and salinity). These imaging techniques include visible imaging (machine vision), imaging spectroscopy (multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing), thermal infrared imaging, fluorescence imaging, 3D imaging and tomographic imaging (MRT, PET and CT). This paper presents a brief review on these imaging techniques and their applications in plant phenotyping. The features used to apply these imaging techniques to plant phenotyping are described and discussed in this review. PMID:25347588

Quantitative multiphoton imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten; Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans Georg; Uchugonova, Aisada

2014-02-01

Certified clinical multiphoton tomographs for label-free multidimensional high-resolution in vivo imaging have been introduced to the market several years ago. Novel tomographs include a flexible 360° scan head attached to a mechanooptical arm for autofluorescence and SHG imaging as well as a CARS module. Non-fluorescent lipids and water, mitochondrial fluorescent NAD(P)H, fluorescent elastin, keratin, and melanin as well as SHG-active collagen can be imaged in vivo with submicron resolution in human skin. Sensitive and rapid detectors allow single photon counting and the construction of 3D maps where the number of detected photons per voxel is depicted. Intratissue concentration profiles from endogenous as well exogenous substances can be generated when the number of detected photons can be correlated with the number of molecules with respect to binding and scattering behavior. Furthermore, the skin ageing index SAAID based on the ratio elastin/collagen as well as the epidermis depth based on the onset of SHG generation can be determined.

System for tomographic determination of the power distribution in electron beams

DOEpatents

Elmer, John W.; Teruya, Alan T.; O'Brien, Dennis W.

1995-01-01

A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0.degree. to 360.degree. and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment.

System for tomographic determination of the power distribution in electron beams

DOEpatents

Elmer, J.W.; Teruya, A.T.; O`Brien, D.W.

1995-11-21

A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0{degree} to 360{degree} and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment. 12 figs.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy through-focal tilt-series on biological specimens.

PubMed

Trepout, Sylvain; Messaoudi, Cédric; Perrot, Sylvie; Bastin, Philippe; Marco, Sergio

2015-10-01

Since scanning transmission electron microscopy can produce high signal-to-noise ratio bright-field images of thick (≥500 nm) specimens, this tool is emerging as the method of choice to study thick biological samples via tomographic approaches. However, in a convergent-beam configuration, the depth of field is limited because only a thin portion of the specimen (from a few nanometres to tens of nanometres depending on the convergence angle) can be imaged in focus. A method known as through-focal imaging enables recovery of the full depth of information by combining images acquired at different levels of focus. In this work, we compare tomographic reconstruction with the through-focal tilt-series approach (a multifocal series of images per tilt angle) with reconstruction with the classic tilt-series acquisition scheme (one single-focus image per tilt angle). We visualised the base of the flagellum in the protist Trypanosoma brucei via an acquisition and image-processing method tailored to obtain quantitative and qualitative descriptors of reconstruction volumes. Reconstructions using through-focal imaging contained more contrast and more details for thick (≥500 nm) biological samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of indium-111 platelet deposition on Dacron vascular grafts in humans by aspirin plus dipyridamole

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stratton, J.R.; Ritchie, J.L.

Aspirin plus dipyridamole reduces platelet accumulation on short-term Dacron vascular grafts in man. To determine whether drug inhibition of platelet deposition is sustained on older grafts, we studied 18 men aged 41 to 87 years who had Dacron aortic bifurcation grafts in place a mean of 43.4 months (range 9.8 to 121.0) before and during short-term therapy with aspirin (325 mg tid) plus dipyridamole (75 mg tid). During both the baseline and drug studies, indium-111 (/sup 111/In) platelet deposition was quantitated by two techniques, standard planar imaging performed at 24, 48, and 72 hr after injection of platelets and singlemore » photon emission computed tomographic imaging performed at 24 and 72 hr after injection. All analyses were performed in a blinded fashion. On both the planar and tomographic images, platelet accumulation on the graft was quantitated by a graft/blood ratio that compared activity in the graft to simultaneously collected whole blood /sup 111/In platelet activity. Aspirin plus dipyridamole reduced the tomographic graft/blood ratio at 24 hr (20.6 +/- 3.5 vs 17.3 +/- 2.5) (+/-SEM) and at 72 hr (29.0 +/- 4.8 vs 25.0 +/- 4.1) after injection of platelets (p = .02). Dacron vascular grafts. Similarly, the planar graft/blood ratio was reduced at 24 hr (2.7 +/- 0.5 vs 2.4 +/- 0.5), 48 hr (3.7 +/- 0.9 vs 3.1 +/- 0.7), and 72 hr (4.0 +/- 0.9 vs 3.6 +/- 0.8) (p = .04). We conclude that aspirin (325 mg tid) plus dipyridamole (75 mg tid) reduces platelet accumulation on long-term Dacron vascular grafts.« less

Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) with a Circular X-ray tube: Its image reconstruction based on total-variation minimization and the image characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Y. O.; Hong, D. K.; Cho, H. S.; Je, U. K.; Oh, J. E.; Lee, M. S.; Kim, H. J.; Lee, S. H.; Jang, W. S.; Cho, H. M.; Choi, S. I.; Koo, Y. S.

2013-09-01

In this paper, we introduce an effective imaging system for digital tomosynthesis (DTS) with a circular X-ray tube, the so-called circular-DTS (CDTS) system, and its image reconstruction algorithm based on the total-variation (TV) minimization method for low-dose, high-accuracy X-ray imaging. Here, the X-ray tube is equipped with a series of cathodes distributed around a rotating anode, and the detector remains stationary throughout the image acquisition. We considered a TV-based reconstruction algorithm that exploited the sparsity of the image with substantially high image accuracy. We implemented the algorithm for the CDTS geometry and successfully reconstructed images of high accuracy. The image characteristics were investigated quantitatively by using some figures of merit, including the universal-quality index (UQI) and the depth resolution. For selected tomographic angles of 20, 40, and 60°, the corresponding UQI values in the tomographic view were estimated to be about 0.94, 0.97, and 0.98, and the depth resolutions were about 4.6, 3.1, and 1.2 voxels in full width at half maximum (FWHM), respectively. We expect the proposed method to be applicable to developing a next-generation dental or breast X-ray imaging system.

System for tomographic determination of the power distribution in electron beams

DOEpatents

Elmer, J.W.; Teruya, A.T.; O'Brien, D.W.

1995-01-17

A tomographic technique is disclosed for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0[degree] to 360[degree] and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment. 12 figures.

System and method for generating motion corrected tomographic images

DOEpatents

Gleason, Shaun S [Knoxville, TN; Goddard, Jr., James S.

2012-05-01

A method and related system for generating motion corrected tomographic images includes the steps of illuminating a region of interest (ROI) to be imaged being part of an unrestrained live subject and having at least three spaced apart optical markers thereon. Simultaneous images are acquired from a first and a second camera of the markers from different angles. Motion data comprising 3D position and orientation of the markers relative to an initial reference position is then calculated. Motion corrected tomographic data obtained from the ROI using the motion data is then obtained, where motion corrected tomographic images obtained therefrom.

Preliminary application of high-definition computed tomographic Gemstone Spectral Imaging in lung cancer.

PubMed

Wang, Guangli; Zhang, Chengqi; Li, Mingying; Deng, Kai; Li, Wei

2014-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of multiparameter quantitative measurement lung cancer by Gemstone Spectral Imaging (GSI) high-definition computed tomography. Seventy-seven patients who were found to have a lung mass or a nodule by CT plain scan for the first time received chest contrast CT scan with GSI mode on high-definition computed tomography. The GSI viewer was used to display the spectral curve, iodine-based images, water-based images, and 101 sets of monochromatic images of a selected region of interest from the relative homogeneous area of the mass or nodule. Iodine concentration, water concentration, spectral curve slope, and CT values at 40 keV of the region of interest were measured. Finally, 68 eligible patients were divided into a pneumonia group (n = 24) and a malignant tumor group (n = 44, including squamous carcinoma, n = 29, and adenocarcinoma, n = 15). Significant differences existed in iodine concentration (t = 6.459), spectral curve slope (t = 6.276), and CT values at 40 keV (t = 6.698) between the pneumonia group and the malignant tumor group (P < 0.05), as well as between squamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (t = 6.494, 5.634, 6.091, respectively, P < 0.05), whereas water concentrations were found to have no difference between the 2 groups (t = 0.082, P > 0.05) and between the 2 types of malignant tumors (t = 1.234, P > 0.05). High-definition computed tomographic GSI technique might be helpful to differentiate lung cancer from lung benign lesions by providing qualitative and quantitative information.

Theory and preliminary experimental verification of quantitative edge illumination x-ray phase contrast tomography.

PubMed

Hagen, C K; Diemoz, P C; Endrizzi, M; Rigon, L; Dreossi, D; Arfelli, F; Lopez, F C M; Longo, R; Olivo, A

2014-04-07

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCi) methods are sensitive to phase in addition to attenuation effects and, therefore, can achieve improved image contrast for weakly attenuating materials, such as often encountered in biomedical applications. Several XPCi methods exist, most of which have already been implemented in computed tomographic (CT) modality, thus allowing volumetric imaging. The Edge Illumination (EI) XPCi method had, until now, not been implemented as a CT modality. This article provides indications that quantitative 3D maps of an object's phase and attenuation can be reconstructed from EI XPCi measurements. Moreover, a theory for the reconstruction of combined phase and attenuation maps is presented. Both reconstruction strategies find applications in tissue characterisation and the identification of faint, weakly attenuating details. Experimental results for wires of known materials and for a biological object validate the theory and confirm the superiority of the phase over conventional, attenuation-based image contrast.

A Novel Quantitative Computed Tomographic Analysis Suggests How Sirolimus Stabilizes Progressive Air Trapping in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

PubMed

Argula, Rahul G; Kokosi, Maria; Lo, Pechin; Kim, Hyun J; Ravenel, James G; Meyer, Cristopher; Goldin, Jonathan; Lee, Hye-Seung; Strange, Charlie; McCormack, Francis X

2016-03-01

The Multicenter International Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Efficacy and Safety of Sirolimus (MILES) trial demonstrated that sirolimus stabilized lung function and improved measures of functional performance and quality of life in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis. The physiologic mechanisms of these beneficial actions of sirolimus are incompletely understood. To prospectively determine the longitudinal computed tomographic lung imaging correlates of lung function change in MILES patients treated with placebo or sirolimus. We determined the baseline to 12-month change in computed tomographic image-derived lung volumes and the volume of the lung occupied by cysts in the 31 MILES participants (17 in sirolimus group, 14 in placebo group) with baseline and 12-month scans. There was a trend toward an increase in median expiratory cyst volume percentage in the placebo group and a reduction in the sirolimus group (+2.68% vs. +0.97%, respectively; P = 0.10). The computed tomographic image-derived residual volume and the ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity increased more in the placebo group than in the sirolimus group (+214.4 ml vs. +2.9 ml [P = 0.054] and +0.05 ml vs. -0.01 ml [P = 0.0498], respectively). A Markov transition chain analysis of respiratory cycle cyst volume changes revealed greater dynamic variation in the sirolimus group than in the placebo group at the 12-month time point. Collectively, these data suggest that sirolimus attenuates progressive gas trapping in lymphangioleiomyomatosis, consistent with a beneficial effect of the drug on airflow obstruction. We speculate that a reduction in lymphangioleiomyomatosis cell burden around small airways and cyst walls alleviates progressive airflow limitation and facilitates cyst emptying.

Lq -Lp optimization for multigrid fluorescence tomography of small animals using simplified spherical harmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edjlali, Ehsan; Bérubé-Lauzière, Yves

2018-01-01

We present the first Lq -Lp optimization scheme for fluorescence tomographic imaging. This is then applied to small animal imaging. Fluorescence tomography is an ill-posed, and in full generality, a nonlinear problem that seeks to image the 3D concentration distribution of a fluorescent agent inside a biological tissue. Standard candidates for regularization to deal with the ill-posedness of the image reconstruction problem include L1 and L2 regularization. In this work, a general Lq -Lp regularization framework (Lq discrepancy function - Lp regularization term) is introduced for fluorescence tomographic imaging. A method to calculate the gradient for this general framework is developed which allows evaluating the performance of different cost functions/regularization schemes in solving the fluorescence tomographic problem. The simplified spherical harmonics approximation is used to accurately model light propagation inside the tissue. Furthermore, a multigrid mesh is utilized to decrease the dimension of the inverse problem and reduce the computational cost of the solution. The inverse problem is solved iteratively using an lm-BFGS quasi-Newton optimization method. The simulations are performed under different scenarios of noisy measurements. These are carried out on the Digimouse numerical mouse model with the kidney being the target organ. The evaluation of the reconstructed images is performed both qualitatively and quantitatively using several metrics including QR, RMSE, CNR, and TVE under rigorous conditions. The best reconstruction results under different scenarios are obtained with an L1.5 -L1 scheme with premature termination of the optimization process. This is in contrast to approaches commonly found in the literature relying on L2 -L2 schemes.

Lateral resolution testing of a novel developed confocal microscopic imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Yunhai; Chang, Jian; Huang, Wei; Xue, Xiaojun; Xiao, Yun

2015-10-01

Laser scanning confocal microscope has been widely used in biology, medicine and material science owing to its advantages of high resolution and tomographic imaging. Based on a set of confirmatory experiments and system design, a novel confocal microscopic imaging system is developed. The system is composed of a conventional fluorescence microscope and a confocal scanning unit. In the scanning unit a laser beam coupling module provides four different wavelengths 405nm 488nm 561nm and 638nm which can excite a variety of dyes. The system works in spot-to-spot scanning mode with a two-dimensional galvanometer. A 50 microns pinhole is used to guarantee that stray light is blocked and only the fluorescence signal from the focal point can be received . The three-channel spectral splitter is used to perform fluorescence imaging at three different working wavelengths simultaneously. The rat kidney tissue slice is imaged using the developed confocal microscopic imaging system. Nucleues labeled by DAPI and kidney spherule curved pipe labeled by Alexa Fluor 488 can be imaged clearly and respectively, realizing the distinction between the different components of mouse kidney tissue. The three-dimensional tomographic imaging of mouse kidney tissue is reconstructed by several two-dimensional images obtained in different depths. At last the resolution of the confocal microscopic imaging system is tested quantitatively. The experimental result shows that the system can achieve lateral resolution priority to 230nm.

Quantitative imaging of volcanic plumes — Results, needs, and future trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

Platt, Ulrich; Lübcke, Peter; Kuhn, Jonas; Bobrowski, Nicole; Prata, Fred; Burton, Mike; Kern, Christoph

2015-01-01

Recent technology allows two-dimensional “imaging” of trace gas distributions in plumes. In contrast to older, one-dimensional remote sensing techniques, that are only capable of measuring total column densities, the new imaging methods give insight into details of transport and mixing processes as well as chemical transformation within plumes. We give an overview of gas imaging techniques already being applied at volcanoes (SO2cameras, imaging DOAS, FT-IR imaging), present techniques where first field experiments were conducted (LED-LIDAR, tomographic mapping), and describe some techniques where only theoretical studies with application to volcanology exist (e.g. Fabry–Pérot Imaging, Gas Correlation Spectroscopy, bi-static LIDAR). Finally, we discuss current needs and future trends in imaging technology.

Preliminary studies of a simultaneous PET/MRI scanner based on the RatCAP small animal tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woody, C.; Schlyer, D.; Vaska, P.; Tomasi, D.; Solis-Najera, S.; Rooney, W.; Pratte, J.-F.; Junnarkar, S.; Stoll, S.; Master, Z.; Purschke, M.; Park, S.-J.; Southekal, S.; Kriplani, A.; Krishnamoorthy, S.; Maramraju, S.; O'Connor, P.; Radeka, V.

2007-02-01

We are developing a scanner that will allow simultaneous acquisition of high resolution anatomical data using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and quantitative physiological data using positron emission tomography (PET). The approach is based on the technology used for the RatCAP conscious small animal PET tomograph which utilizes block detectors consisting of pixelated arrays of LSO crystals read out with matching arrays of avalanche photodiodes and a custom-designed ASIC. The version of this detector used for simultaneous PET/MRI imaging will be constructed out of all nonmagnetic materials and will be situated inside the MRI field. We have demonstrated that the PET detector and its electronics can be operated inside the MRI, and have obtained MRI images with various detector components located inside the MRI field. The MRI images show minimal distortion in this configuration even where some components still contain traces of certain magnetic materials. We plan to improve on the image quality in the future using completely non-magnetic components and by tuning the MRI pulse sequences. The combined result will be a highly compact, low mass PET scanner that can operate inside an MRI magnet without distorting the MRI image, and can be retrofitted into existing MRI instruments.

Three-dimensional DNA image cytometry by optical projection tomographic microscopy for early cancer diagnosis.

PubMed

Agarwal, Nitin; Biancardi, Alberto M; Patten, Florence W; Reeves, Anthony P; Seibel, Eric J

2014-04-01

Aneuploidy is typically assessed by flow cytometry (FCM) and image cytometry (ICM). We used optical projection tomographic microscopy (OPTM) for assessing cellular DNA content using absorption and fluorescence stains. OPTM combines some of the attributes of both FCM and ICM and generates isometric high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) images of single cells. Although the depth of field of the microscope objective was in the submicron range, it was extended by scanning the objective's focal plane. The extended depth of field image is similar to a projection in a conventional x-ray computed tomography. These projections were later reconstructed using computed tomography methods to form a 3-D image. We also present an automated method for 3-D nuclear segmentation. Nuclei of chicken, trout, and triploid trout erythrocyte were used to calibrate OPTM. Ratios of integrated optical densities extracted from 50 images of each standard were compared to ratios of DNA indices from FCM. A comparison of mean square errors with thionin, hematoxylin, Feulgen, and SYTOX green was done. Feulgen technique was preferred as it showed highest stoichiometry, least variance, and preserved nuclear morphology in 3-D. The addition of this quantitative biomarker could further strengthen existing classifiers and improve early diagnosis of cancer using 3-D microscopy.

2D and 3D X-ray phase retrieval of multi-material objects using a single defocus distance.

PubMed

Beltran, M A; Paganin, D M; Uesugi, K; Kitchen, M J

2010-03-29

A method of tomographic phase retrieval is developed for multi-material objects whose components each has a distinct complex refractive index. The phase-retrieval algorithm, based on the Transport-of-Intensity equation, utilizes propagation-based X-ray phase contrast images acquired at a single defocus distance for each tomographic projection. The method requires a priori knowledge of the complex refractive index for each material present in the sample, together with the total projected thickness of the object at each orientation. The requirement of only a single defocus distance per projection simplifies the experimental setup and imposes no additional dose compared to conventional tomography. The algorithm was implemented using phase contrast data acquired at the SPring-8 Synchrotron facility in Japan. The three-dimensional (3D) complex refractive index distribution of a multi-material test object was quantitatively reconstructed using a single X-ray phase-contrast image per projection. The technique is robust in the presence of noise, compared to conventional absorption based tomography.

Digital 3D Microstructure Analysis of Concrete using X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography SkyScan 1173: A Preliminary Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latief, F. D. E.; Mohammad, I. H.; Rarasati, A. D.

2017-11-01

Digital imaging of a concrete sample using high resolution tomographic imaging by means of X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography (μ-CT) has been conducted to assess the characteristic of the sample’s structure. A standard procedure of image acquisition, reconstruction, image processing of the method using a particular scanning device i.e., the Bruker SkyScan 1173 High Energy Micro-CT are elaborated. A qualitative and a quantitative analysis were briefly performed on the sample to deliver some basic ideas of the capability of the system and the bundled software package. Calculation of total VOI volume, object volume, percent of object volume, total VOI surface, object surface, object surface/volume ratio, object surface density, structure thickness, structure separation, total porosity were conducted and analysed. This paper should serve as a brief description of how the device can produce the preferred image quality as well as the ability of the bundled software packages to help in performing qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints in Uveitis: The Impact of Quantitative Imaging.

PubMed

Denniston, Alastair K; Keane, Pearse A; Srivastava, Sunil K

2017-05-01

Uveitis is a major cause of sight loss across the world. The reliable assessment of intraocular inflammation in uveitis ('disease activity') is essential in order to score disease severity and response to treatment. In this review, we describe how 'quantitative imaging', the approach of using automated analysis and measurement algorithms across both standard and emerging imaging modalities, can develop objective instrument-based measures of disease activity. This is a narrative review based on searches of the current world literature using terms related to quantitative imaging techniques in uveitis, supplemented by clinical trial registry data, and expert knowledge of surrogate endpoints and outcome measures in ophthalmology. Current measures of disease activity are largely based on subjective clinical estimation, and are relatively insensitive, with poor discrimination and reliability. The development of quantitative imaging in uveitis is most established in the use of optical coherence tomographic (OCT) measurement of central macular thickness (CMT) to measure severity of macular edema (ME). The transformative effect of CMT in clinical assessment of patients with ME provides a paradigm for the development and impact of other forms of quantitative imaging. Quantitative imaging approaches are now being developed and validated for other key inflammatory parameters such as anterior chamber cells, vitreous haze, retinovascular leakage, and chorioretinal infiltrates. As new forms of quantitative imaging in uveitis are proposed, the uveitis community will need to evaluate these tools against the current subjective clinical estimates and reach a new consensus for how disease activity in uveitis should be measured. The development, validation, and adoption of sensitive and discriminatory measures of disease activity is an unmet need that has the potential to transform both drug development and routine clinical care for the patient with uveitis.

Quantitative X-ray dark-field and phase tomography using single directional speckle scanning technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Hongchang, E-mail: hongchang.wang@diamond.ac.uk; Kashyap, Yogesh; Sawhney, Kawal

2016-03-21

X-ray dark-field contrast tomography can provide important supplementary information inside a sample to the conventional absorption tomography. Recently, the X-ray speckle based technique has been proposed to provide qualitative two-dimensional dark-field imaging with a simple experimental arrangement. In this letter, we deduce a relationship between the second moment of scattering angle distribution and cross-correlation degradation of speckle and establish a quantitative basis of X-ray dark-field tomography using single directional speckle scanning technique. In addition, the phase contrast images can be simultaneously retrieved permitting tomographic reconstruction, which yields enhanced contrast in weakly absorbing materials. Such complementary tomography technique can allow systematicmore » investigation of complex samples containing both soft and hard materials.« less

The Mathematics of Four or More N-Localizers for Stereotactic Neurosurgery.

PubMed

Brown, Russell A

2015-10-13

The mathematics that were originally developed for the N-localizer apply to three N-localizers that produce three sets of fiducials in a tomographic image. Some applications of the N-localizer use four N-localizers that produce four sets of fiducials; however, the mathematics that apply to three sets of fiducials do not apply to four sets of fiducials. This article presents mathematics that apply to four or more sets of fiducials that all lie within one planar tomographic image. In addition, these mathematics are extended to apply to four or more fiducials that do not all lie within one planar tomographic image, as may be the case with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging where a volume is imaged instead of a series of planar tomographic images. Whether applied to a planar image or a volume image, the mathematics of four or more N-localizers provide a statistical measure of the quality of the image data that may be influenced by factors, such as the nonlinear distortion of MR images.

Quantitative evaluation of the memory bias effect in ROC studies with PET/CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallergi, Maria; Pianou, Nicoletta; Georgakopoulos, Alexandros; Kafiri, Georgia; Pavlou, Spiros; Chatziioannou, Sofia

2012-02-01

PURPOSE. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the memory bias effect in ROC experiments with tomographic data and, specifically, in the evaluation of two different PET/CT protocols for the detection and diagnosis of recurrent thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two readers participated in an ROC experiment that evaluated tomographic images from 43 patients followed up for thyroid cancer recurrence. Readers evaluated first whole body PET/CT scans of the patients and then a combination of whole body and high-resolution head and neck scans of the same patients. The second set was read twice. Once within 48 hours of the first set and the second time at least a month later. The detection and diagnostic performances of the readers in the three reading sessions were assessed with the DBMMRMC and LABMRMC software using the area under the ROC curve as a performance index. Performances were also evaluated by comparing the number and the size of the detected abnormal foci among the three readings. RESULTS. There was no performance difference between first and second treatments. There were statistically significant differences between first and third, and second and third treatments showing that memory can seriously affect the outcome of ROC studies. CONCLUSION. Despite the fact that tomographic data involve numerous image slices per patient, the memory bias effect is present and substantial and should be carefully eliminated from analogous ROC experiments.

A custom-built PET phantom design for quantitative imaging of printed distributions.

PubMed

Markiewicz, P J; Angelis, G I; Kotasidis, F; Green, M; Lionheart, W R; Reader, A J; Matthews, J C

2011-11-07

This note presents a practical approach to a custom-made design of PET phantoms enabling the use of digital radioactive distributions with high quantitative accuracy and spatial resolution. The phantom design allows planar sources of any radioactivity distribution to be imaged in transaxial and axial (sagittal or coronal) planes. Although the design presented here is specially adapted to the high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT), the presented methods can be adapted to almost any PET scanner. Although the presented phantom design has many advantages, a number of practical issues had to be overcome such as positioning of the printed source, calibration, uniformity and reproducibility of printing. A well counter (WC) was used in the calibration procedure to find the nonlinear relationship between digital voxel intensities and the actual measured radioactive concentrations. Repeated printing together with WC measurements and computed radiography (CR) using phosphor imaging plates (IP) were used to evaluate the reproducibility and uniformity of such printing. Results show satisfactory printing uniformity and reproducibility; however, calibration is dependent on the printing mode and the physical state of the cartridge. As a demonstration of the utility of using printed phantoms, the image resolution and quantitative accuracy of reconstructed HRRT images are assessed. There is very good quantitative agreement in the calibration procedure between HRRT, CR and WC measurements. However, the high resolution of CR and its quantitative accuracy supported by WC measurements made it possible to show the degraded resolution of HRRT brain images caused by the partial-volume effect and the limits of iterative image reconstruction.

Putting tools in the toolbox: Development of a free, open-source toolbox for quantitative image analysis of porous media.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iltis, G.; Caswell, T. A.; Dill, E.; Wilkins, S.; Lee, W. K.

2014-12-01

X-ray tomographic imaging of porous media has proven to be a valuable tool for investigating and characterizing the physical structure and state of both natural and synthetic porous materials, including glass bead packs, ceramics, soil and rock. Given that most synchrotron facilities have user programs which grant academic researchers access to facilities and x-ray imaging equipment free of charge, a key limitation or hindrance for small research groups interested in conducting x-ray imaging experiments is the financial cost associated with post-experiment data analysis. While the cost of high performance computing hardware continues to decrease, expenses associated with licensing commercial software packages for quantitative image analysis continue to increase, with current prices being as high as $24,000 USD, for a single user license. As construction of the Nation's newest synchrotron accelerator nears completion, a significant effort is being made here at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), to provide an open-source, experiment-to-publication toolbox that reduces the financial and technical 'activation energy' required for performing sophisticated quantitative analysis of multidimensional porous media data sets, collected using cutting-edge x-ray imaging techniques. Implementation focuses on leveraging existing open-source projects and developing additional tools for quantitative analysis. We will present an overview of the software suite that is in development here at BNL including major design decisions, a demonstration of several test cases illustrating currently available quantitative tools for analysis and characterization of multidimensional porous media image data sets and plans for their future development.

Structure-preserving interpolation of temporal and spatial image sequences using an optical flow-based method.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, J; Säring, D; Handels, H

2007-01-01

Modern tomographic imaging devices enable the acquisition of spatial and temporal image sequences. But, the spatial and temporal resolution of such devices is limited and therefore image interpolation techniques are needed to represent images at a desired level of discretization. This paper presents a method for structure-preserving interpolation between neighboring slices in temporal or spatial image sequences. In a first step, the spatiotemporal velocity field between image slices is determined using an optical flow-based registration method in order to establish spatial correspondence between adjacent slices. An iterative algorithm is applied using the spatial and temporal image derivatives and a spatiotemporal smoothing step. Afterwards, the calculated velocity field is used to generate an interpolated image at the desired time by averaging intensities between corresponding points. Three quantitative measures are defined to evaluate the performance of the interpolation method. The behavior and capability of the algorithm is demonstrated by synthetic images. A population of 17 temporal and spatial image sequences are utilized to compare the optical flow-based interpolation method to linear and shape-based interpolation. The quantitative results show that the optical flow-based method outperforms the linear and shape-based interpolation statistically significantly. The interpolation method presented is able to generate image sequences with appropriate spatial or temporal resolution needed for image comparison, analysis or visualization tasks. Quantitative and qualitative measures extracted from synthetic phantoms and medical image data show that the new method definitely has advantages over linear and shape-based interpolation.

In vivo confocal microscopy of the cornea: New developments in image acquisition, reconstruction and analysis using the HRT-Rostock Corneal Module

PubMed Central

Petroll, W. Matthew; Robertson, Danielle M.

2015-01-01

The optical sectioning ability of confocal microscopy allows high magnification images to be obtained from different depths within a thick tissue specimen, and is thus ideally suited to the study of intact tissue in living subjects. In vivo confocal microscopy has been used in a variety of corneal research and clinical applications since its development over 25 years ago. In this article we review the latest developments in quantitative corneal imaging with the Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph with Rostock Corneal Module (HRT-RCM). We provide an overview of the unique strengths and weaknesses of the HRT-RCM. We discuss techniques for performing 3-D imaging with the HRT-RCM, including hardware and software modifications that allow full thickness confocal microscopy through focusing (CMTF) of the cornea, which can provide quantitative measurements of corneal sublayer thicknesses, stromal cell and extracellular matrix backscatter, and depth dependent changes in corneal keratocyte density. We also review current approaches for quantitative imaging of the subbasal nerve plexus, which require a combination of advanced image acquisition and analysis procedures, including wide field mapping and 3-D reconstruction of nerve structures. The development of new hardware, software, and acquisition techniques continues to expand the number of applications of the HRT-RCM for quantitative in vivo corneal imaging at the cellular level. Knowledge of these rapidly evolving strategies should benefit corneal clinicians and basic scientists alike. PMID:25998608

Single-Shot, Volumetrically Illuminated, Three-Dimensional, Tomographic Laser-Induced-Fluorescence Imaging in a Gaseous Free Jet

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-28

Single- shot , volumetrically illuminated, three- dimensional, tomographic laser-induced- fluorescence imaging in a gaseous free jet Benjamin R. Halls...us.af.mil Abstract: Single- shot , tomographic imaging of the three-dimensional concentration field is demonstrated in a turbulent gaseous free jet in co-flow...2001). 6. K. M. Tacina and W. J. A. Dahm, “Effects of heat release on turbulent shear flows, Part 1. A general equivalence principle for non-buoyant

Tomographic Imaging of a Forested Area By Airborne Multi-Baseline P-Band SAR.

PubMed

Frey, Othmar; Morsdorf, Felix; Meier, Erich

2008-09-24

In recent years, various attempts have been undertaken to obtain information about the structure of forested areas from multi-baseline synthetic aperture radar data. Tomographic processing of such data has been demonstrated for airborne L-band data but the quality of the focused tomographic images is limited by several factors. In particular, the common Fourierbased focusing methods are susceptible to irregular and sparse sampling, two problems, that are unavoidable in case of multi-pass, multi-baseline SAR data acquired by an airborne system. In this paper, a tomographic focusing method based on the time-domain back-projection algorithm is proposed, which maintains the geometric relationship between the original sensor positions and the imaged target and is therefore able to cope with irregular sampling without introducing any approximations with respect to the geometry. The tomographic focusing quality is assessed by analysing the impulse response of simulated point targets and an in-scene corner reflector. And, in particular, several tomographic slices of a volume representing a forested area are given. The respective P-band tomographic data set consisting of eleven flight tracks has been acquired by the airborne E-SAR sensor of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

TH-AB-209-09: Quantitative Imaging of Electrical Conductivity by VHF-Induced Thermoacoustics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patch, S; Hull, D; See, W

Purpose: To demonstrate that very high frequency (VHF) induced thermoacoustics has the potential to provide quantitative images of electrical conductivity in Siemens/meter, much as shear wave elastography provides tissue stiffness in kPa. Quantitatively imaging a large organ requires exciting thermoacoustic pulses throughout the volume and broadband detection of those pulses because tomographic image reconstruction preserves frequency content. Applying the half-wavelength limit to a 200-micron inclusion inside a 7.5 cm diameter organ requires measurement sensitivity to frequencies ranging from 4 MHz down to 10 kHz, respectively. VHF irradiation provides superior depth penetration over near infrared used in photoacoustics. Additionally, VHF signalmore » production is proportional to electrical conductivity, and prostate cancer is known to suppress electrical conductivity of prostatic fluid. Methods: A dual-transducer system utilizing a P4-1 array connected to a Verasonics V1 system augmented by a lower frequency focused single element transducer was developed. Simultaneous acquisition of VHF-induced thermoacoustic pulses by both transducers enabled comparison of transducer performance. Data from the clinical array generated a stack of 96-images with separation of 0.3 mm, whereas the single element transducer imaged only in a single plane. In-plane resolution and quantitative accuracy were measured at isocenter. Results: The array provided volumetric imaging capability with superior resolution whereas the single element transducer provided superior quantitative accuracy. Combining axial images from both transducers preserved resolution of the P4-1 array and improved image contrast. Neither transducer was sensitive to frequencies below 50 kHz, resulting in a DC offset and low-frequency shading over fields of view exceeding 15 mm. Fresh human prostates were imaged ex vivo and volumetric reconstructions reveal structures rarely seen in diagnostic images. Conclusion: Quantitative whole-organ thermoacoustic tomography will be feasible by sparsely interspersing transducer elements sensitive to the low end of the ultrasonic range.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceglio, N.M.; George, E.V.; Brooks, K.M.

The first successful demonstration of high resolution, tomographic imaging of a laboratory plasma using coded imaging techniques is reported. ZPCI has been used to image the x-ray emission from laser compressed DT filled microballoons. The zone plate camera viewed an x-ray spectral window extending from below 2 keV to above 6 keV. It exhibited a resolution approximately 8 ..mu..m, a magnification factor approximately 13, and subtended a radiation collection solid angle at the target approximately 10/sup -2/ sr. X-ray images using ZPCI were compared with those taken using a grazing incidence reflection x-ray microscope. The agreement was excellent. In addition,more » the zone plate camera produced tomographic images. The nominal tomographic resolution was approximately 75 ..mu..m. This allowed three dimensional viewing of target emission from a single shot in planar ''slices''. In addition to its tomographic capability, the great advantage of the coded imaging technique lies in its applicability to hard (greater than 10 keV) x-ray and charged particle imaging. Experiments involving coded imaging of the suprathermal x-ray and high energy alpha particle emission from laser compressed microballoon targets are discussed.« less

Positron emission reconstruction tomography for the assessment of regional myocardial metabolism by the administration of substrates labeled with cyclotron produced radionuclides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ter-Pogossian, M. M.; Hoffman, E. J.; Weiss, E. S.; Coleman, R. E.; Phelps, M. E.; Welch, M. J.; Sobel, B. E.

1975-01-01

A positron emission transverse tomograph device was developed which provides transaxial sectional images of the distribution of positron-emitting radionuclides in the heart. The images provide a quantitative three-dimensional map of the distribution of activity unencumbered by the superimposition of activity originating from regions overlying and underlying the plane of interest. PETT is used primarily with the cyclotron-produced radionuclides oxygen-15, nitrogen-13 and carbon-11. Because of the participation of these atoms in metabolism, they can be used to label metabolic substrates and intermediary molecules incorporated in myocardial metabolism.

First results from the ionospheric tomography experiment using beacon TEC data obtained by means of a network along a longitude of 136°E over Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thampi, Smitha V.; Yamamoto, Mamoru

2010-03-01

A chain of newly designed GNU (GNU is not UNIX) Radio Beacon Receivers (GRBR) has recently been established over Japan, primarily for tomographic imaging of the ionosphere over this region. Receivers installed at Shionomisaki (33.45°N, 135.8°E), Shigaraki (34.8°N, 136.1°E), and Fukui (36°N, 136°E) continuously track low earth orbiting satellites (LEOS), mainly OSCAR, Cosmos, and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC, to obtain simultaneous total electron content (TEC) data from these three locations, which are then used for the tomographic reconstruction of ionospheric electron densities. This is the first GRBR network established for TEC observations, and the first beacon-based tomographic imaging in Japanese longitudes. The first tomographic images revealed the temporal evolution with all of the major features in the ionospheric electron density distribution over Japan. A comparison of the tomographically reconstructed electron densities with the ƒ o F 2 data from Kokubunji (35°N, 139°E) revealed that there was good agreement between the datasets. These first results show the potential of GRBR and its network for making continuous, unattended ionospheric TEC measurements and for tomographic imaging of the ionosphere.

Image Reconstruction is a New Frontier of Machine Learning.

PubMed

Wang, Ge; Ye, Jong Chu; Mueller, Klaus; Fessler, Jeffrey A

2018-06-01

Over past several years, machine learning, or more generally artificial intelligence, has generated overwhelming research interest and attracted unprecedented public attention. As tomographic imaging researchers, we share the excitement from our imaging perspective [item 1) in the Appendix], and organized this special issue dedicated to the theme of "Machine learning for image reconstruction." This special issue is a sister issue of the special issue published in May 2016 of this journal with the theme "Deep learning in medical imaging" [item 2) in the Appendix]. While the previous special issue targeted medical image processing/analysis, this special issue focuses on data-driven tomographic reconstruction. These two special issues are highly complementary, since image reconstruction and image analysis are two of the main pillars for medical imaging. Together we cover the whole workflow of medical imaging: from tomographic raw data/features to reconstructed images and then extracted diagnostic features/readings.

Fast Acquisition and Reconstruction of Optical Coherence Tomography Images via Sparse Representation

PubMed Central

Li, Shutao; McNabb, Ryan P.; Nie, Qing; Kuo, Anthony N.; Toth, Cynthia A.; Izatt, Joseph A.; Farsiu, Sina

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present a novel technique, based on compressive sensing principles, for reconstruction and enhancement of multi-dimensional image data. Our method is a major improvement and generalization of the multi-scale sparsity based tomographic denoising (MSBTD) algorithm we recently introduced for reducing speckle noise. Our new technique exhibits several advantages over MSBTD, including its capability to simultaneously reduce noise and interpolate missing data. Unlike MSBTD, our new method does not require an a priori high-quality image from the target imaging subject and thus offers the potential to shorten clinical imaging sessions. This novel image restoration method, which we termed sparsity based simultaneous denoising and interpolation (SBSDI), utilizes sparse representation dictionaries constructed from previously collected datasets. We tested the SBSDI algorithm on retinal spectral domain optical coherence tomography images captured in the clinic. Experiments showed that the SBSDI algorithm qualitatively and quantitatively outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. PMID:23846467

New developments in multimodal clinical multiphoton tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten

2011-03-01

80 years ago, the PhD student Maria Goeppert predicted in her thesis in Goettingen, Germany, two-photon effects. It took 30 years to prove her theory, and another three decades to realize the first two-photon microscope. With the beginning of this millennium, first clinical multiphoton tomographs started operation in research institutions, hospitals, and in the cosmetic industry. The multiphoton tomograph MPTflexTM with its miniaturized flexible scan head became the Prism-Award 2010 winner in the category Life Sciences. Multiphoton tomographs with its superior submicron spatial resolution can be upgraded to 5D imaging tools by adding spectral time-correlated single photon counting units. Furthermore, multimodal hybrid tomographs provide chemical fingerprinting and fast wide-field imaging. The world's first clinical CARS studies have been performed with a hybrid multimodal multiphoton tomograph in spring 2010. In particular, nonfluorescent lipids and water as well as mitochondrial fluorescent NAD(P)H, fluorescent elastin, keratin, and melanin as well as SHG-active collagen have been imaged in patients with dermatological disorders. Further multimodal approaches include the combination of multiphoton tomographs with low-resolution imaging tools such as ultrasound, optoacoustic, OCT, and dermoscopy systems. Multiphoton tomographs are currently employed in Australia, Japan, the US, and in several European countries for early diagnosis of skin cancer (malignant melanoma), optimization of treatment strategies (wound healing, dermatitis), and cosmetic research including long-term biosafety tests of ZnO sunscreen nanoparticles and the measurement of the stimulated biosynthesis of collagen by anti-ageing products.

Subsurface PpIX imaging in vivo with ultrasound-guided tomographic spectroscopy: reconstruction vs. born-normalized data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, Brendan P.; D'Souza, Alisha V.; Kanick, Stephen C.; Maytin, Edward; Hasan, Tayyaba; Pogue, Brian W.

2013-03-01

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Topically applied ALA promotes PpIX production preferentially in tumors, and many strategies have been developed to increase PpIX distribution and PDT treatment efficacy at depths > 1mm is not fully understood. While surface imaging techniques provide useful diagnosis, dosimetry, and efficacy information for superficial tumors, these methods cannot interrogate deeper tumors to provide in situ insight into spatial PpIX distributions. We have developed an ultrasound-guided, white-light-informed, tomographics spectroscopy system for the spatial measurement of subsurface PpIX. Detailed imaging system specifications, methodology, and optical-phantom-based characterization will be presented separately. Here we evaluate preliminary in vivo results using both full tomographic reconstruction and by plotting individual tomographic source-detector pair data against US images.

HFSB-seeding for large-scale tomographic PIV in wind tunnels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caridi, Giuseppe Carlo Alp; Ragni, Daniele; Sciacchitano, Andrea; Scarano, Fulvio

2016-12-01

A new system for large-scale tomographic particle image velocimetry in low-speed wind tunnels is presented. The system relies upon the use of sub-millimetre helium-filled soap bubbles as flow tracers, which scatter light with intensity several orders of magnitude higher than micron-sized droplets. With respect to a single bubble generator, the system increases the rate of bubbles emission by means of transient accumulation and rapid release. The governing parameters of the system are identified and discussed, namely the bubbles production rate, the accumulation and release times, the size of the bubble injector and its location with respect to the wind tunnel contraction. The relations between the above parameters, the resulting spatial concentration of tracers and measurement of dynamic spatial range are obtained and discussed. Large-scale experiments are carried out in a large low-speed wind tunnel with 2.85 × 2.85 m2 test section, where a vertical axis wind turbine of 1 m diameter is operated. Time-resolved tomographic PIV measurements are taken over a measurement volume of 40 × 20 × 15 cm3, allowing the quantitative analysis of the tip-vortex structure and dynamical evolution.

Influence of cardiac and respiratory motion on tomographic reconstructions of the heart: implications for quantitative nuclear cardiology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ter-Pogossian, M.M.; Bergmann, S.R.; Sobel, B.E.

1982-12-01

The potential influence of physiological, periodic motions of the heart due to the cardiac cycle, the respiratory cycle, or both on quantitative image reconstruction by positron emission tomography (PET) has been largely neglected. To define their quantitative impact, cardiac PET was performed in 6 dogs after injection of /sup 11/C-palmitate under disparate conditions including: normal cardiac and respiration cycles and cardiac arrest with and without respiration. Although in vitro assay of myocardial samples demonstrated that palmitate uptake was homogeneous (coefficient of variation . 10.1%), analysis of the reconstructed images demonstrated significant heterogeneity of apparent cardiac distribution of radioactivity due tomore » both intrinsic cardiac and respiratory motion. Image degradation due to respiratory motion was demonstrated in a healthy human volunteer as well, in whom cardiac tomography was performed with Super PETT I during breath-holding and during normal breathing. The results indicate that quantitatively significant degradation of reconstructions of true tracer distribution occurs in cardiac PET due to both intrinsic cardiac and respiratory induced motion of the heart. They suggest that avoidance of or minimization of these influences can be accomplished by gating with respect to both the cardiac cycle and respiration or by employing brief scan times during breath-holding.« less

Optimal joule heating of the subsurface

DOEpatents

Berryman, James G.; Daily, William D.

1994-01-01

A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.

SIRT-FILTER v1.0.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PELT, DANIEL

2017-04-21

Small Python package to compute tomographic reconstructions using a reconstruction method published in: Pelt, D.M., & De Andrade, V. (2017). Improved tomographic reconstruction of large-scale real-world data by filter optimization. Advanced Structural and Chemical Imaging 2: 17; and Pelt, D. M., & Batenburg, K. J. (2015). Accurately approximating algebraic tomographic reconstruction by filtered backprojection. In Proceedings of The 13th International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (pp. 158-161).

Tomographic imaging using poissonian detector data

DOEpatents

Aspelmeier, Timo; Ebel, Gernot; Hoeschen, Christoph

2013-10-15

An image reconstruction method for reconstructing a tomographic image (f.sub.j) of a region of investigation within an object (1), comprises the steps of providing detector data (y.sub.i) comprising Poisson random values measured at an i-th of a plurality of different positions, e.g. i=(k,l) with pixel index k on a detector device and angular index l referring to both the angular position (.alpha..sub.l) and the rotation radius (r.sub.l) of the detector device (10) relative to the object (1), providing a predetermined system matrix A.sub.ij assigning a j-th voxel of the object (1) to the i-th detector data (y.sub.i), and reconstructing the tomographic image (f.sub.j) based on the detector data (y.sub.i), said reconstructing step including a procedure of minimizing a functional F(f) depending on the detector data (y.sub.i) and the system matrix A.sub.ij and additionally including a sparse or compressive representation of the object (1) in an orthobasis T, wherein the tomographic image (f.sub.j) represents the global minimum of the functional F(f). Furthermore, an imaging method and an imaging device using the image reconstruction method are described.

Combining coherent hard X-ray tomographies with phase retrieval to generate three-dimensional models of forming bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortel, Emely L.; Langer, Max; Rack, Alexander; Forien, Jean-Baptiste; Duda, Georg N.; Fratzl, Peter; Zaslansky, Paul

2017-11-01

Holotomography, a phase sensitive synchrotron-based μCT modality, is a quantitative 3D imaging method. By exploiting partial spatial X-ray coherence, bones can be imaged volumetrically with high resolution coupled with impressive density sensitivity. This tomographic method reveals the main characteristics of the important tissue compartments in forming bones, including the rapidly-changing soft tissue and the partially or fully mineralized bone regions, while revealing subtle density differences in 3D. Here we show typical results observed within the growing femur bone midshafts of healthy mice that are 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14 days old (postpartum). Our results make use of partially-coherent synchrotron radiation employing inline Fresnel-propagation in multiple tomographic datasets obtained in the imaging beamline ID19 of the ESRF. The exquisite detail creates maps of the juxtaposed soft, partially mineralized and highly mineralized bone revealing the environment in which bone cells create and shape the matrix. This high resolution 3D data is a step towards creating realistic computational models that may be used to study the dynamic processes involved in bone tissue formation and adaptation. Such data will enhance our understanding of the important biomechanical interactions directing maturation and shaping of the bone micro- and macro-geometries.

Noninvasive coronary artery angiography using electron beam computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumberger, John A.; Rensing, Benno J.; Reed, Judd E.; Ritman, Erik L.; Sheedy, Patrick F., II

1996-04-01

Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT), also known as ultrafast-CT or cine-CT, uses a unique scanning architecture which allows for multiple high spatial resolution electrocardiographic triggered images of the beating heart. A recent study has demonstrated the feasibility of qualitative comparisons between EBCT derived 3D coronary angiograms and invasive angiography. Stenoses of the proximal portions of the left anterior descending and right coronary arteries were readily identified, but description of atherosclerotic narrowing in the left circumflex artery (and distal epicardial disease) was not possible with any degree of confidence. Although these preliminary studies support the notion that this approach has potential, the images overall were suboptimal for clinical application as an adjunct to invasive angiography. Furthermore, these studies did not examine different methods of EBCT scan acquisition, tomographic slice thicknesses, extent of scan overlap, or other segmentation, thresholding, and interpolation algorithms. Our laboratory has initiated investigation of these aspects and limitations of EBCT coronary angiography. Specific areas of research include defining effects of cardiac orientation; defining the effects of tomographic slice thickness and intensity (gradient) versus positional (shaped based) interpolation; and defining applicability of imaging each of the major epicardial coronary arteries for quantitative definition of vessel size, cross-sectional area, taper, and discrete vessel narrowing.

Ocean wavenumber estimation from wave-resolving time series imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plant, N.G.; Holland, K.T.; Haller, M.C.

2008-01-01

We review several approaches that have been used to estimate ocean surface gravity wavenumbers from wave-resolving remotely sensed image sequences. Two fundamentally different approaches that utilize these data exist. A power spectral density approach identifies wavenumbers where image intensity variance is maximized. Alternatively, a cross-spectral correlation approach identifies wavenumbers where intensity coherence is maximized. We develop a solution to the latter approach based on a tomographic analysis that utilizes a nonlinear inverse method. The solution is tolerant to noise and other forms of sampling deficiency and can be applied to arbitrary sampling patterns, as well as to full-frame imagery. The solution includes error predictions that can be used for data retrieval quality control and for evaluating sample designs. A quantitative analysis of the intrinsic resolution of the method indicates that the cross-spectral correlation fitting improves resolution by a factor of about ten times as compared to the power spectral density fitting approach. The resolution analysis also provides a rule of thumb for nearshore bathymetry retrievals-short-scale cross-shore patterns may be resolved if they are about ten times longer than the average water depth over the pattern. This guidance can be applied to sample design to constrain both the sensor array (image resolution) and the analysis array (tomographic resolution). ?? 2008 IEEE.

Model-based tomographic reconstruction of objects containing known components.

PubMed

Stayman, J Webster; Otake, Yoshito; Prince, Jerry L; Khanna, A Jay; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H

2012-10-01

The likelihood of finding manufactured components (surgical tools, implants, etc.) within a tomographic field-of-view has been steadily increasing. One reason is the aging population and proliferation of prosthetic devices, such that more people undergoing diagnostic imaging have existing implants, particularly hip and knee implants. Another reason is that use of intraoperative imaging (e.g., cone-beam CT) for surgical guidance is increasing, wherein surgical tools and devices such as screws and plates are placed within or near to the target anatomy. When these components contain metal, the reconstructed volumes are likely to contain severe artifacts that adversely affect the image quality in tissues both near and far from the component. Because physical models of such components exist, there is a unique opportunity to integrate this knowledge into the reconstruction algorithm to reduce these artifacts. We present a model-based penalized-likelihood estimation approach that explicitly incorporates known information about component geometry and composition. The approach uses an alternating maximization method that jointly estimates the anatomy and the position and pose of each of the known components. We demonstrate that the proposed method can produce nearly artifact-free images even near the boundary of a metal implant in simulated vertebral pedicle screw reconstructions and even under conditions of substantial photon starvation. The simultaneous estimation of device pose also provides quantitative information on device placement that could be valuable to quality assurance and verification of treatment delivery.

Lamb wave tomographic imaging system for aircraft structural health assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Willi G.; Read, Michael E.; Kremer, Matthew J.; Hinders, Mark K.; Smith, Barry T.

1999-01-01

A tomographic imaging system using ultrasonic Lamb waves for the nondestructive inspection of aircraft components such as wings and fuselage is being developed. The computer-based system provides large-area inspection capability by electronically scanning an array of transducers that can be easily attached to flat and curved surface without moving parts. Images of the inspected area are produced in near real time employing a tomographic reconstruction method adapted from seismological applications. Changes in material properties caused by structural flaws such as disbonds, corrosion, and fatigue cracks can be effectively detected and characterized utilizing this fast NDE technique.

Volume Segmentation and Ghost Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziskin, Isaac; Adrian, Ronald

2011-11-01

Volume Segmentation Tomographic PIV (VS-TPIV) is a type of tomographic PIV in which images of particles in a relatively thick volume are segmented into images on a set of much thinner volumes that may be approximated as planes, as in 2D planar PIV. The planes of images can be analysed by standard mono-PIV, and the volume of flow vectors can be recreated by assembling the planes of vectors. The interrogation process is similar to a Holographic PIV analysis, except that the planes of image data are extracted from two-dimensional camera images of the volume of particles instead of three-dimensional holographic images. Like the tomographic PIV method using the MART algorithm, Volume Segmentation requires at least two cameras and works best with three or four. Unlike the MART method, Volume Segmentation does not require reconstruction of individual particle images one pixel at a time and it does not require an iterative process, so it operates much faster. As in all tomographic reconstruction strategies, ambiguities known as ghost particles are produced in the segmentation process. The effect of these ghost particles on the PIV measurement is discussed. This research was supported by Contract 79419-001-09, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

On the feasibility of tomographic-PIV with low pulse energy illumination in a lifted turbulent jet flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boxx, I.; Carter, C. D.; Meier, W.

2014-08-01

Tomographic particle image velocimetry (tomographic-PIV) is a recently developed measurement technique used to acquire volumetric velocity field data in liquid and gaseous flows. The technique relies on line-of-sight reconstruction of the rays between a 3D particle distribution and a multi-camera imaging system. In a turbulent flame, however, index-of-refraction variations resulting from local heat-release may inhibit reconstruction and thereby render the technique infeasible. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of tomographic-PIV in a turbulent flame. An additional goal was to determine the feasibility of acquiring usable tomographic-PIV measurements in a turbulent flame at multi-kHz acquisition rates with current-generation laser and camera technology. To this end, a setup consisting of four complementary metal oxide semiconductor cameras and a dual-cavity Nd:YAG laser was implemented to test the technique in a lifted turbulent jet flame. While the cameras were capable of kHz-rate image acquisition, the laser operated at a pulse repetition rate of only 10 Hz. However, use of this laser allowed exploration of the required pulse energy and thus power for a kHz-rate system. The imaged region was 29 × 28 × 2.7 mm in size. The tomographic reconstruction of the 3D particle distributions was accomplished using the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique. The results indicate that volumetric velocimetry via tomographic-PIV is feasible with pulse energies of 25 mJ, which is within the capability of current-generation kHz-rate diode-pumped solid-state lasers.

Tomographic Image Compression Using Multidimensional Transforms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villasenor, John D.

1994-01-01

Describes a method for compressing tomographic images obtained using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) by applying transform compression using all available dimensions. This takes maximum advantage of redundancy of the data, allowing significant increases in compression efficiency and performance. (13 references) (KRN)

Optimal joule heating of the subsurface

DOEpatents

Berryman, J.G.; Daily, W.D.

1994-07-05

A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating is disclosed. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.

Multi-color phase imaging and sickle cell anemia (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Poorya; Zhou, Renjie; Yaqoob, Zahid; So, Peter T. C.

2016-03-01

Quantitative phase measurements at multiple wavelengths has created an opportunity for exploring new avenues in phase microscopy such as enhancing imaging-depth (1), measuring hemoglobin concentrations in erythrocytes (2), and more recently in tomographic mapping of the refractive index of live cells (3). To this end, quantitative phase imaging has been demonstrated both at few selected spectral points as well as with high spectral resolution (4,5). However, most of these developed techniques compromise imaging speed, field of view, or the spectral resolution to perform interferometric measurements at multiple colors. In the specific application of quantitative phase in studying blood diseases and red blood cells, current techniques lack the required sensitivity to quantify biological properties of interest at individual cell level. Recently, we have set out to develop a stable quantitative interferometric microscope allowing for measurements of such properties for red cells without compromising field of view or speed of the measurements. The feasibility of the approach will be initially demonstrated in measuring dispersion curves of known solutions, followed by measuring biological properties of red cells in sickle cell anemia. References: 1. Mann CJ, Bingham PR, Paquit VC, Tobin KW. Quantitative phase imaging by three-wavelength digital holography. Opt Express. 2008;16(13):9753-64. 2. Park Y, Yamauchi T, Choi W, Dasari R, Feld MS. Spectroscopic phase microscopy for quantifying hemoglobin concentrations in intact red blood cells. Opt Lett. 2009;34(23):3668-70. 3. Hosseini P, Sung Y, Choi Y, Lue N, Yaqoob Z, So P. Scanning color optical tomography (SCOT). Opt Express. 2015;23(15):19752-62. 4. Jung J-H, Jang J, Park Y. Spectro-refractometry of individual microscopic objects using swept-source quantitative phase imaging. Anal Chem. 2013;85(21):10519-25. 5. Rinehart M, Zhu Y, Wax A. Quantitative phase spectroscopy. Biomed Opt Express. 2012;3(5):958-65.

Breast ultrasound tomography with two parallel transducer arrays: preliminary clinical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lianjie; Shin, Junseob; Chen, Ting; Lin, Youzuo; Intrator, Miranda; Hanson, Kenneth; Epstein, Katherine; Sandoval, Daniel; Williamson, Michael

2015-03-01

Ultrasound tomography has great potential to provide quantitative estimations of physical properties of breast tumors for accurate characterization of breast cancer. We design and manufacture a new synthetic-aperture breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays. The distance of these two transducer arrays is adjustable for scanning breasts with different sizes. The ultrasound transducer arrays are translated vertically to scan the entire breast slice by slice and acquires ultrasound transmission and reflection data for whole-breast ultrasound imaging and tomographic reconstructions. We use the system to acquire patient data at the University of New Mexico Hospital for clinical studies. We present some preliminary imaging results of in vivo patient ultrasound data. Our preliminary clinical imaging results show promising of our breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays for breast cancer imaging and characterization.

A Multi-Camera System for Bioluminescence Tomography in Preclinical Oncology Research

PubMed Central

Lewis, Matthew A.; Richer, Edmond; Slavine, Nikolai V.; Kodibagkar, Vikram D.; Soesbe, Todd C.; Antich, Peter P.; Mason, Ralph P.

2013-01-01

Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) of cells expressing luciferase is a valuable noninvasive technique for investigating molecular events and tumor dynamics in the living animal. Current usage is often limited to planar imaging, but tomographic imaging can enhance the usefulness of this technique in quantitative biomedical studies by allowing accurate determination of tumor size and attribution of the emitted light to a specific organ or tissue. Bioluminescence tomography based on a single camera with source rotation or mirrors to provide additional views has previously been reported. We report here in vivo studies using a novel approach with multiple rotating cameras that, when combined with image reconstruction software, provides the desired representation of point source metastases and other small lesions. Comparison with MRI validated the ability to detect lung tumor colonization in mouse lung. PMID:26824926

Imaging and characterizing cells using tomography

PubMed Central

Do, Myan; Isaacson, Samuel A.; McDermott, Gerry; Le Gros, Mark A.; Larabell, Carolyn A.

2015-01-01

We can learn much about cell function by imaging and quantifying sub-cellular structures, especially if this is done non-destructively without altering said structures. Soft x-ray tomography (SXT) is a high-resolution imaging technique for visualizing cells and their interior structure in 3D. A tomogram of the cell, reconstructed from a series of 2D projection images, can be easily segmented and analyzed. SXT has a very high specimen throughput compared to other high-resolution structure imaging modalities; for example, tomographic data for reconstructing an entire eukaryotic cell is acquired in a matter of minutes. SXT visualizes cells without the need for chemical fixation, dehydration, or staining of the specimen. As a result, the SXT reconstructions are close representations of cells in their native state. SXT is applicable to most cell types. The deep penetration of soft x-rays allows cells, even mammalian cells, to be imaged without being sectioned. Image contrast in SXT is generated by the differential attenuation soft x-ray illumination as it passes through the specimen. Accordingly, each voxel in the tomographic reconstruction has a measured linear absorption coefficient (LAC) value. LAC values are quantitative and give rise to each sub-cellular component having a characteristic LAC profile, allowing organelles to be identified and segmented from the milieu of other cell contents. In this chapter, we describe the fundamentals of SXT imaging and how this technique can answer real world questions in the study of the nucleus. We also describe the development of correlative methods for the localization of specific molecules in a SXT reconstruction. The combination of fluorescence and SXT data acquired from the same specimen produces composite 3D images, rich with detailed information on the inner workings of cells. PMID:25602704

Tomographic imaging of subducted lithosphere below northwest Pacific island arcs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Der Hilst, R.; Engdahl, R.; Spakman, W.; Nolet, G.

1991-01-01

The seismic tomography problem does not have a unique solution, and published tomographic images have been equivocal with regard to the deep structure of subducting slabs. An improved tomographic method, using a more realistic background Earth model and surf ace-reflected as well as direct seismic phases, shows that slabs beneath the Japan and Izu Bonin island arcs are deflected at the boundary between upper and lower mantle, whereas those beneath the northern Kuril and Mariana arcs sink into the lower mantle.

Business aspects of cardiovascular computed tomography: tackling the challenges.

PubMed

Bateman, Timothy M

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business issues surrounding provision of dedicated cardiovascular computed tomographic imaging. Some of the challenges include high up-front costs, current low utilization relative to scanner capability, and inadequate payments. Cardiovascular computed tomographic imaging is a valuable clinical modality that should be offered by cardiovascular centers-of-excellence. With careful consideration of the business aspects, moderate-to-large size cardiology programs should be able to implement an economically viable cardiovascular computed tomographic service.

3D "spectracoustic" system: a modular, tomographic, spectroscopic mapping imaging, non-invasive, diagnostic system for detection of small starting developing tumors like melanoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karagiannis, Georgios

2017-03-01

This work led to a new method named 3D spectracoustic tomographic mapping imaging. The current and the future work is related to the fabrication of a combined acoustic microscopy transducer and infrared illumination probe permitting the simultaneous acquisition of the spectroscopic and the tomographic information. This probe provides with the capability of high fidelity and precision registered information from the combined modalities named spectracoustic information.

Multislice spiral CT simulator for dynamic cardiopulmonary studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Francesco, Silvia; Ferreira da Silva, Augusto M.

2002-04-01

We've developed a Multi-slice Spiral CT Simulator modeling the acquisition process of a real tomograph over a 4-dimensional phantom (4D MCAT) of the human thorax. The simulator allows us to visually characterize artifacts due to insufficient temporal sampling and a priori evaluate the quality of the images obtained in cardio-pulmonary studies (both with single-/multi-slice and ECG gated acquisition processes). The simulating environment allows both for conventional and spiral scanning modes and includes a model of noise in the acquisition process. In case of spiral scanning, reconstruction facilities include longitudinal interpolation methods (360LI and 180LI both for single and multi-slice). Then, the reconstruction of the section is performed through FBP. The reconstructed images/volumes are affected by distortion due to insufficient temporal sampling of the moving object. The developed simulating environment allows us to investigate the nature of the distortion characterizing it qualitatively and quantitatively (using, for example, Herman's measures). Much of our work is focused on the determination of adequate temporal sampling and sinogram regularization techniques. At the moment, the simulator model is limited to the case of multi-slice tomograph, being planned as a next step of development the extension to cone beam or area detectors.

Data analysis in emission tomography using emission-count posteriors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, Arkadiusz

2012-11-01

A novel approach to the analysis of emission tomography data using the posterior probability of the number of emissions per voxel (emission count) conditioned on acquired tomographic data is explored. The posterior is derived from the prior and the Poisson likelihood of the emission-count data by marginalizing voxel activities. Based on emission-count posteriors, examples of Bayesian analysis including estimation and classification tasks in emission tomography are provided. The application of the method to computer simulations of 2D tomography is demonstrated. In particular, the minimum-mean-square-error point estimator of the emission count is demonstrated. The process of finding this estimator can be considered as a tomographic image reconstruction technique since the estimates of the number of emissions per voxel divided by voxel sensitivities and acquisition time are the estimates of the voxel activities. As an example of a classification task, a hypothesis stating that some region of interest (ROI) emitted at least or at most r-times the number of events in some other ROI is tested. The ROIs are specified by the user. The analysis described in this work provides new quantitative statistical measures that can be used in decision making in diagnostic imaging using emission tomography.

Imaging Performance of Quantitative Transmission Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Lenox, Mark W.; Wiskin, James; Lewis, Matthew A.; Darrouzet, Stephen; Borup, David; Hsieh, Scott

2015-01-01

Quantitative Transmission Ultrasound (QTUS) is a tomographic transmission ultrasound modality that is capable of generating 3D speed-of-sound maps of objects in the field of view. It performs this measurement by propagating a plane wave through the medium from a transmitter on one side of a water tank to a high resolution receiver on the opposite side. This information is then used via inverse scattering to compute a speed map. In addition, the presence of reflection transducers allows the creation of a high resolution, spatially compounded reflection map that is natively coregistered to the speed map. A prototype QTUS system was evaluated for measurement and geometric accuracy as well as for the ability to correctly determine speed of sound. PMID:26604918

Living specimen tomography by digital holographic microscopy: morphometry of testate amoeba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charrière, Florian; Pavillon, Nicolas; Colomb, Tristan; Depeursinge, Christian; Heger, Thierry J.; Mitchell, Edward A. D.; Marquet, Pierre; Rappaz, Benjamin

2006-08-01

This paper presents an optical diffraction tomography technique based on digital holographic microscopy. Quantitative 2-dimensional phase images are acquired for regularly-spaced angular positions of the specimen covering a total angle of π, allowing to built 3-dimensional quantitative refractive index distributions by an inverse Radon transform. A 20x magnification allows a resolution better than 3 μm in all three dimensions, with accuracy better than 0.01 for the refractive index measurements. This technique is for the first time to our knowledge applied to living specimen (testate amoeba, Protista). Morphometric measurements are extracted from the tomographic reconstructions, showing that the commonly used method for testate amoeba biovolume evaluation leads to systematic under evaluations by about 50%.

Analogous on-axis interference topographic phase microscopy (AOITPM).

PubMed

Xiu, P; Liu, Q; Zhou, X; Xu, Y; Kuang, C; Liu, X

2018-05-01

The refractive index (RI) of a sample as an endogenous contrast agent plays an important role in transparent live cell imaging. In tomographic phase microscopy (TPM), 3D quantitative RI maps can be reconstructed based on the measured projections of the RI in multiple directions. The resolution of the RI maps not only depends on the numerical aperture of the employed objective lens, but also is determined by the accuracy of the quantitative phase of the sample measured at multiple scanning illumination angles. This paper reports an analogous on-axis interference TPM, where the interference angle between the sample and reference beams is kept constant for projections in multiple directions to improve the accuracy of the phase maps and the resolution of RI tomograms. The system has been validated with both silica beads and red blood cells. Compared with conventional TPM, the proposed system acquires quantitative RI maps with higher resolution (420 nm @λ = 633 nm) and signal-to-noise ratio that can be beneficial for live cell imaging in biomedical applications. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2018 Royal Microscopical Society.

Intra-LLSVP Heterogeneity from Spherical Slepian Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olugboji, T. M.; Moulik, P.; Plattner, A.; Lekic, V.

2017-12-01

The lower mantle structure is dominated by a pair of large, antipodal, low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs) located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. Though LLSVPs are a dominantly long-wavelength (degree 2) feature detected since the earliest tomographic models, their nature and origin remain enigmatic. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to address their origin, summarized by two end member scenarios: (1) they represent thermochemical piles that are either primordial or have grown over time, such as by the accumulation of subducted oceanic lithosphere, (2) they are purely thermal features, seen through the lens of tomographic imaging. In order to distinguish between these two interpretations of the seismically detected LLSVPs we compare the amplitude and length-scales of velocity heterogeneities within and outside the LLSVPs, and analyze their variation with height above the core-mantle boundary. This requires estimating the wavenumber spectrum of heterogeneity by localizing it from a global tomographic model. Previous researchers have done this by filtering using spatially abrupt windowing functions; however, this procedure leads to unreliable spectral estimates due to their non-compact spatiospectral concentration. Here, we overcome this shortcoming by adopting spherical Slepian analysis that allows us to optimize the trade-off between spatial localization and spectral leakage. We conduct a quantitative analysis of the similarities and differences in the spectrum of heterogeneity across a collection of global tomographic models allowing us to identify robust features that need to be explained by purely thermal or thermochemical geodynamic models, potentially discriminating between these two scenarios.

Sparsity Aware Adaptive Radar Sensor Imaging in Complex Scattering Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-15

while meeting the requirement on the peak to average power ratio. Third, we study impact of waveform encoding on nonlinear electromagnetic tomographic...Enyue Lu. Time Domain Electromagnetic Tomography Using Propagation and Backpropagation Method, IEEE International Conference on Image Processing...Received Paper 3.00 4.00 Yuanwei Jin, Chengdon Dong, Enyue Lu. Waveform Encoding for Nonlinear Electromagnetic Tomographic Imaging, IEEE Global

Field-portable lensfree tomographic microscope†

PubMed Central

Isikman, Serhan O.; Bishara, Waheb; Sikora, Uzair; Yaglidere, Oguzhan; Yeah, John; Ozcan, Aydogan

2011-01-01

We present a field-portable lensfree tomographic microscope, which can achieve sectional imaging of a large volume (~20 mm3) on a chip with an axial resolution of <7 μm. In this compact tomographic imaging platform (weighing only ~110 grams), 24 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are each butt-coupled to a fibre-optic waveguide are controlled through a cost-effective micro-processor to sequentially illuminate the sample from different angles to record lensfree holograms of the sample that is placed on the top of a digital sensor array. In order to generate pixel super-resolved (SR) lensfree holograms and hence digitally improve the achievable lateral resolution, multiple sub-pixel shifted holograms are recorded at each illumination angle by electromagnetically actuating the fibre-optic waveguides using compact coils and magnets. These SR projection holograms obtained over an angular range of ~50° are rapidly reconstructed to yield projection images of the sample, which can then be back-projected to compute tomograms of the objects on the sensor-chip. The performance of this compact and light-weight lensfree tomographic microscope is validated by imaging micro-beads of different dimensions as well as a Hymenolepis nana egg, which is an infectious parasitic flatworm. Achieving a decent three-dimensional spatial resolution, this field-portable on-chip optical tomographic microscope might provide a useful toolset for telemedicine and high-throughput imaging applications in resource-poor settings. PMID:21573311

Label-free imaging of intracellular motility by low-coherent quantitative phase microscope in reflection geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Toyohiko; Iwai, Hidenao; Yamashita, Yutaka

2011-11-01

We demonstrate tomographic imaging of intracellular activity of living cells by a low-coherent quantitative phase microscope. The intracellular organelles, such as the nucleus, nucleolus, and mitochondria, are moving around inside living cells, driven by the cellular physiological activity. In order to visualize the intracellular motility in a label-free manner we have developed a reflection-type quantitative phase microscope which employs the phase shifting interferometric technique with a low-coherent light source. The phase shifting interferometry enables us to quantitatively measure the intensity and phase of the optical field, and the low-coherence interferometry makes it possible to selectively probe a specific sectioning plane in the cell volume. The results quantitatively revealed the depth-resolved fluctuations of intracellular surfaces so that the plasma membrane and the membranes of intracellular organelles were independently measured. The transversal and the vertical spatial resolutions were 0.56 μm and 0.93 μm, respectively, and the mechanical sensitivity of the phase measurement was 1.2 nanometers. The mean-squared displacement was applied as a statistical tool to analyze the temporal fluctuation of the intracellular organelles. To the best of our knowledge, our system visualized depth-resolved intracellular organelles motion for the first time in sub-micrometer resolution without contrast agents.

Fast projection/backprojection and incremental methods applied to synchrotron light tomographic reconstruction.

PubMed

de Lima, Camila; Salomão Helou, Elias

2018-01-01

Iterative methods for tomographic image reconstruction have the computational cost of each iteration dominated by the computation of the (back)projection operator, which take roughly O(N 3 ) floating point operations (flops) for N × N pixels images. Furthermore, classical iterative algorithms may take too many iterations in order to achieve acceptable images, thereby making the use of these techniques unpractical for high-resolution images. Techniques have been developed in the literature in order to reduce the computational cost of the (back)projection operator to O(N 2 logN) flops. Also, incremental algorithms have been devised that reduce by an order of magnitude the number of iterations required to achieve acceptable images. The present paper introduces an incremental algorithm with a cost of O(N 2 logN) flops per iteration and applies it to the reconstruction of very large tomographic images obtained from synchrotron light illuminated data.

A radiographic and tomographic imaging system integrated into a medical linear accelerator for localization of bone and soft-tissue targets.

PubMed

Jaffray, D A; Drake, D G; Moreau, M; Martinez, A A; Wong, J W

1999-10-01

Dose escalation in conformal radiation therapy requires accurate field placement. Electronic portal imaging devices are used to verify field placement but are limited by the low subject contrast of bony anatomy at megavoltage (MV) energies, the large imaging dose, and the small size of the radiation fields. In this article, we describe the in-house modification of a medical linear accelerator to provide radiographic and tomographic localization of bone and soft-tissue targets in the reference frame of the accelerator. This system separates the verification of beam delivery (machine settings, field shaping) from patient and target localization. A kilovoltage (kV) x-ray source is mounted on the drum assembly of an Elekta SL-20 medical linear accelerator, maintaining the same isocenter as the treatment beam with the central axis at 90 degrees to the treatment beam axis. The x-ray tube is powered by a high-frequency generator and can be retracted to the drum-face. Two CCD-based fluoroscopic imaging systems are mounted on the accelerator to collect MV and kV radiographic images. The system is also capable of cone-beam tomographic imaging at both MV and kV energies. The gain stages of the two imaging systems have been modeled to assess imaging performance. The contrast-resolution of the kV and MV systems was measured using a contrast-detail (C-D) phantom. The dosimetric advantage of using the kV imaging system over the MV system for the detection of bone-like objects is quantified for a specific imaging geometry using a C-D phantom. Accurate guidance of the treatment beam requires registration of the imaging and treatment coordinate systems. The mechanical characteristics of the treatment and imaging gantries are examined to determine a localizing precision assuming an unambiguous object. MV and kV radiographs of patients receiving radiation therapy are acquired to demonstrate the radiographic performance of the system. The tomographic performance is demonstrated on phantoms using both the MV and the kV imaging system, and the visibility of soft-tissue targets is assessed. Characterization of the gains in the two systems demonstrates that the MV system is x-ray quantum noise-limited at very low spatial frequencies; this is not the case for the kV system. The estimates of gain used in the model are validated by measurements of the total gain in each system. Contrast-detail measurements demonstrate that the MV system is capable of detecting subject contrasts of less than 0.1% (at 6 and 18 MV). A comparison of the kV and MV contrast-detail performance indicates that equivalent bony object detection can be achieved with the kV system at significantly lower doses (factors of 40 and 90 lower than for 6 and 18 MV, respectively). The tomographic performance of the system is promising; soft-tissue visibility is demonstrated at relatively low imaging doses (3 cGy) using four laboratory rats. We have integrated a kV radiographic and tomographic imaging system with a medical linear accelerator to allow localization of bone and soft-tissue structures in the reference frame of the accelerator. Modeling and experiments have demonstrated the feasibility of acquiring high-quality radiographic and tomographic images at acceptable imaging doses. Full integration of the kV and MV imaging systems with the treatment machine will allow on-line radiographic and tomographic guidance of field placement.

Application of Neutron Tomography in Culture Heritage research.

PubMed

Mongy, T

2014-02-01

Neutron Tomography (NT) investigation of Culture Heritages (CH) is an efficient tool for understanding the culture of ancient civilizations. Neutron imaging (NI) is a-state-of-the-art non-destructive tool in the area of CH and plays an important role in the modern archeology. The NI technology can be widely utilized in the field of elemental analysis. At Egypt Second Research Reactor (ETRR-2), a collimated Neutron Radiography (NR) beam is employed for neutron imaging purposes. A digital CCD camera is utilized for recording the beam attenuation in the sample. This helps for the detection of hidden objects and characterization of material properties. Research activity can be extended to use computer software for quantitative neutron measurement. Development of image processing algorithms can be used to obtain high quality images. In this work, full description of ETRR-2 was introduced with up to date neutron imaging system as well. Tomographic investigation of a clay forged artifact represents CH object was studied by neutron imaging methods in order to obtain some hidden information and highlight some attractive quantitative measurements. Computer software was used for imaging processing and enhancement. Also the Astra Image 3.0 Pro software was employed for high precise measurements and imaging enhancement using advanced algorithms. This work increased the effective utilization of the ETRR-2 Neutron Radiography/Tomography (NR/T) technique in Culture Heritages activities. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of interpolation methods for surface-based motion compensated tomographic reconstruction for cardiac angiographic C-arm data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mueller, Kerstin; Schwemmer, Chris; Hornegger, Joachim

2013-03-15

Purpose: For interventional cardiac procedures, anatomical and functional information about the cardiac chambers is of major interest. With the technology of angiographic C-arm systems it is possible to reconstruct intraprocedural three-dimensional (3D) images from 2D rotational angiographic projection data (C-arm CT). However, 3D reconstruction of a dynamic object is a fundamental problem in C-arm CT reconstruction. The 2D projections are acquired over a scan time of several seconds, thus the projection data show different states of the heart. A standard FDK reconstruction algorithm would use all acquired data for a filtered backprojection and result in a motion-blurred image. In thismore » approach, a motion compensated reconstruction algorithm requiring knowledge of the 3D heart motion is used. The motion is estimated from a previously presented 3D dynamic surface model. This dynamic surface model results in a sparse motion vector field (MVF) defined at control points. In order to perform a motion compensated reconstruction, a dense motion vector field is required. The dense MVF is generated by interpolation of the sparse MVF. Therefore, the influence of different motion interpolation methods on the reconstructed image quality is evaluated. Methods: Four different interpolation methods, thin-plate splines (TPS), Shepard's method, a smoothed weighting function, and a simple averaging, were evaluated. The reconstruction quality was measured on phantom data, a porcine model as well as on in vivo clinical data sets. As a quality index, the 2D overlap of the forward projected motion compensated reconstructed ventricle and the segmented 2D ventricle blood pool was quantitatively measured with the Dice similarity coefficient and the mean deviation between extracted ventricle contours. For the phantom data set, the normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) and the universal quality index (UQI) were also evaluated in 3D image space. Results: The quantitative evaluation of all experiments showed that TPS interpolation provided the best results. The quantitative results in the phantom experiments showed comparable nRMSE of Almost-Equal-To 0.047 {+-} 0.004 for the TPS and Shepard's method. Only slightly inferior results for the smoothed weighting function and the linear approach were achieved. The UQI resulted in a value of Almost-Equal-To 99% for all four interpolation methods. On clinical human data sets, the best results were clearly obtained with the TPS interpolation. The mean contour deviation between the TPS reconstruction and the standard FDK reconstruction improved in the three human cases by 1.52, 1.34, and 1.55 mm. The Dice coefficient showed less sensitivity with respect to variations in the ventricle boundary. Conclusions: In this work, the influence of different motion interpolation methods on left ventricle motion compensated tomographic reconstructions was investigated. The best quantitative reconstruction results of a phantom, a porcine, and human clinical data sets were achieved with the TPS approach. In general, the framework of motion estimation using a surface model and motion interpolation to a dense MVF provides the ability for tomographic reconstruction using a motion compensation technique.« less

Tomographic Neutron Imaging using SIRT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregor, Jens; FINNEY, Charles E A; Toops, Todd J

2013-01-01

Neutron imaging is complementary to x-ray imaging in that materials such as water and plastic are highly attenuating while material such as metal is nearly transparent. We showcase tomographic imaging of a diesel particulate filter. Reconstruction is done using a modified version of SIRT called PSIRT. We expand on previous work and introduce Tikhonov regularization. We show that near-optimal relaxation can still be achieved. The algorithmic ideas apply to cone beam x-ray CT and other inverse problems.

Scalp marking for a craniotomy using a laser pointer during preoperative computed tomographic imaging: technical note.

PubMed

Kubo, S; Nakata, H; Sugauchi, Y; Yokota, N; Yoshimine, T

2000-05-01

The preoperative localization of superficial intracranial lesions is often necessary for accurate burr hole placement or craniotomy siting. It is not always easy, however, to localize the lesions over the scalp working only from computed tomographic images. We developed a simple method for such localization using a laser pointer during the preoperative computed tomographic examination. The angle of incidence, extending from a point on the scalp to the center of the computed tomographic image, is measured by the software included with the scanner. In the gantry, at the same angle as on the image, a laser is beamed from a handmade projector onto the patient's scalp toward the center of the gantry. The point illuminated on the patient's head corresponds to that on the image. The device and the method are described in detail herein. We applied this technique to mark the area for the craniotomy before surgery in five patients with superficial brain tumors. At the time of surgery, it was confirmed that the tumors were circumscribed precisely. The technique is easy to perform and useful in the preoperative planning for a craniotomy. In addition, the device is easily constructed and inexpensive.

Optical coherence tomography using images of hair structure and dyes penetrating into the hair.

PubMed

Tsugita, Tetsuya; Iwai, Toshiaki

2014-11-01

Hair dyes are commonly evaluated by the appearance of the hair after dyeing. However, this approach cannot simultaneously assess how deep the dye has penetrated into hair. For simultaneous assessment of the appearance and the interior of hair, we developed a visible-range red, green, and blue (RGB) (three primary colors)-optical coherence tomography (OCT) using an RGB LED light source. We then evaluated a phantom model based on the assumption that the sample's absorbability in the vertical direction affects the tomographic imaging. Consistent with theory, our device showed higher resolution than conventional OCT with far-red light. In the experiment on the phantom model, we confirmed that the tomographic imaging is affected by absorbability unique to the sample. Furthermore, we verified that permeability can be estimated from this tomographic image. We also identified for the first time the relationship between penetration of the dye into hair and characteristics of wavelength by tomographic imaging of dyed hair. We successfully simultaneously assessed the appearance of dyed hair and inward penetration of the dye without preparing hair sections. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

T-ray tomography.

PubMed

Mittleman, D M; Hunsche, S; Boivin, L; Nuss, M C

1997-06-15

We demonstrate tomographic T-ray imaging, using the timing information present in terahertz (THz) pulses in a reflection geometry. THz pulses are reflected from refractive-index discontinuities inside an object, and the time delays of these pulses are used to determine the positions of the discontinuities along the propagation direction. In this fashion a tomographic image can be constructed.

Preliminary experiments on pharmacokinetic diffuse fluorescence tomography of CT-scanning mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yanqi; Wang, Xin; Yin, Guoyan; Li, Jiao; Zhou, Zhongxing; Zhao, Huijuan; Gao, Feng; Zhang, Limin

2016-10-01

In vivo tomographic imaging of the fluorescence pharmacokinetic parameters in tissues can provide additional specific and quantitative physiological and pathological information to that of fluorescence concentration. This modality normally requires a highly-sensitive diffuse fluorescence tomography (DFT) working in dynamic way to finally extract the pharmacokinetic parameters from the measured pharmacokinetics-associated temporally-varying boundary intensity. This paper is devoted to preliminary experimental validation of our proposed direct reconstruction scheme of instantaneous sampling based pharmacokinetic-DFT: A highly-sensitive DFT system of CT-scanning mode working with parallel four photomultiplier-tube photon-counting channels is developed to generate an instantaneous sampling dataset; A direct reconstruction scheme then extracts images of the pharmacokinetic parameters using the adaptive-EKF strategy. We design a dynamic phantom that can simulate the agent metabolism in living tissue. The results of the dynamic phantom experiments verify the validity of the experiment system and reconstruction algorithms, and demonstrate that system provides good resolution, high sensitivity and quantitativeness at different pump speed.

Field-portable lensfree tomographic microscope.

PubMed

Isikman, Serhan O; Bishara, Waheb; Sikora, Uzair; Yaglidere, Oguzhan; Yeah, John; Ozcan, Aydogan

2011-07-07

We present a field-portable lensfree tomographic microscope, which can achieve sectional imaging of a large volume (∼20 mm(3)) on a chip with an axial resolution of <7 μm. In this compact tomographic imaging platform (weighing only ∼110 grams), 24 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are each butt-coupled to a fibre-optic waveguide are controlled through a cost-effective micro-processor to sequentially illuminate the sample from different angles to record lensfree holograms of the sample that is placed on the top of a digital sensor array. In order to generate pixel super-resolved (SR) lensfree holograms and hence digitally improve the achievable lateral resolution, multiple sub-pixel shifted holograms are recorded at each illumination angle by electromagnetically actuating the fibre-optic waveguides using compact coils and magnets. These SR projection holograms obtained over an angular range of ±50° are rapidly reconstructed to yield projection images of the sample, which can then be back-projected to compute tomograms of the objects on the sensor-chip. The performance of this compact and light-weight lensfree tomographic microscope is validated by imaging micro-beads of different dimensions as well as a Hymenolepis nana egg, which is an infectious parasitic flatworm. Achieving a decent three-dimensional spatial resolution, this field-portable on-chip optical tomographic microscope might provide a useful toolset for telemedicine and high-throughput imaging applications in resource-poor settings. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Single-shot ultrafast tomographic imaging by spectral multiplexing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matlis, N. H.; Axley, A.; Leemans, W. P.

2012-10-01

Computed tomography has profoundly impacted science, medicine and technology by using projection measurements scanned over multiple angles to permit cross-sectional imaging of an object. The application of computed tomography to moving or dynamically varying objects, however, has been limited by the temporal resolution of the technique, which is set by the time required to complete the scan. For objects that vary on ultrafast timescales, traditional scanning methods are not an option. Here we present a non-scanning method capable of resolving structure on femtosecond timescales by using spectral multiplexing of a single laser beam to perform tomographic imaging over a continuous range of angles simultaneously. We use this technique to demonstrate the first single-shot ultrafast computed tomography reconstructions and obtain previously inaccessible structure and position information for laser-induced plasma filaments. This development enables real-time tomographic imaging for ultrafast science, and offers a potential solution to the challenging problem of imaging through scattering surfaces.

High-resolution multimodal clinical multiphoton tomography of skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten

2011-03-01

This review focuses on multimodal multiphoton tomography based on near infrared femtosecond lasers. Clinical multiphoton tomographs for 3D high-resolution in vivo imaging have been placed into the market several years ago. The second generation of this Prism-Award winning High-Tech skin imaging tool (MPTflex) was introduced in 2010. The same year, the world's first clinical CARS studies have been performed with a hybrid multimodal multiphoton tomograph. In particular, non-fluorescent lipids and water as well as mitochondrial fluorescent NAD(P)H, fluorescent elastin, keratin, and melanin as well as SHG-active collagen has been imaged with submicron resolution in patients suffering from psoriasis. Further multimodal approaches include the combination of multiphoton tomographs with low-resolution wide-field systems such as ultrasound, optoacoustical, OCT, and dermoscopy systems. Multiphoton tomographs are currently employed in Australia, Japan, the US, and in several European countries for early diagnosis of skin cancer, optimization of treatment strategies, and cosmetic research including long-term testing of sunscreen nanoparticles as well as anti-aging products.

Nuclear medicine in clinical neurology: an update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldendorf, W.H.

1981-01-01

Isotope scanning using technetium 99m pertechnetate has fallen into disuse since the advent of x-ray computerized tomography. Regional brain blood flow studies have been pursued on a research basis. Increased regional blood flow during focal seizure activity has been demonstrated and is of use in localizing such foci. Cisternography as a predictive tool in normal pressure hydrocephalus is falling into disuse. Positron tomographic scanning is a potent research tool that can demonstrate both regional glycolysis and blood flow. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive and complex to apply in a clinical setting. With support from the National Institutes of Health, sevenmore » extramural centers have been funded to develop positron tomographic capabilities, and they will greatly advance our knowledge of stroke pathophysiology, seizure disorders, brain tumors, and various degenerative diseases. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a potentially valuable tool since it creates tomographic images representing the distribution of brain water. No tissue ionization is produced, and images comparable to second-generation computerized tomographic scans are already being produced in humans.« less

In vivo fluorescence lifetime optical projection tomography

PubMed Central

McGinty, James; Taylor, Harriet B.; Chen, Lingling; Bugeon, Laurence; Lamb, Jonathan R.; Dallman, Margaret J.; French, Paul M. W.

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the application of fluorescence lifetime optical projection tomography (FLIM-OPT) to in vivo imaging of lysC:GFP transgenic zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio). This method has been applied to unambiguously distinguish between the fluorescent protein (GFP) signal in myeloid cells from background autofluorescence based on the fluorescence lifetime. The combination of FLIM, an inherently ratiometric method, in conjunction with OPT results in a quantitative 3-D tomographic technique that could be used as a robust method for in vivo biological and pharmaceutical research, for example as a readout of Förster resonance energy transfer based interactions. PMID:21559145

Optical tomograph optimized for tumor detection inside highly absorbent organs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutet, Jérôme; Koenig, Anne; Hervé, Lionel; Berger, Michel; Dinten, Jean-Marc; Josserand, Véronique; Coll, Jean-Luc

2011-05-01

This paper presents a tomograph for small animal fluorescence imaging. The compact and cost-effective system described in this article was designed to address the problem of tumor detection inside highly absorbent heterogeneous organs, such as lungs. To validate the tomograph's ability to detect cancerous nodules inside lungs, in vivo tumor growth was studied on seven cancerous mice bearing murine mammary tumors marked with Alexa Fluor 700. They were successively imaged 10, 12, and 14 days after the primary tumor implantation. The fluorescence maps were compared over this time period. As expected, the reconstructed fluorescence increases with the tumor growth stage.

Quantitative proton imaging from multiple physics processes: a proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bopp, C.; Rescigno, R.; Rousseau, M.; Brasse, D.

2015-07-01

Proton imaging is developed in order to improve the accuracy of charged particle therapy treatment planning. It makes it possible to directly map the relative stopping powers of the materials using the information on the energy loss of the protons. In order to reach a satisfactory spatial resolution in the reconstructed images, the position and direction of each particle is recorded upstream and downstream from the patient. As a consequence of individual proton detection, information on the transmission rate and scattering of the protons is available. Image reconstruction processes are proposed to make use of this information. A proton tomographic acquisition of an anthropomorphic head phantom was simulated. The transmission rate of the particles was used to reconstruct a map of the macroscopic cross section for nuclear interactions of the materials. A two-step iterative reconstruction process was implemented to reconstruct a map of the inverse scattering length of the materials using the scattering of the protons. Results indicate that, while the reconstruction processes should be optimized, it is possible to extract quantitative information from the transmission rate and scattering of the protons. This suggests that proton imaging could provide additional knowledge on the materials that may be of use to further improve treatment planning.

Quantitative proton imaging from multiple physics processes: a proof of concept.

PubMed

Bopp, C; Rescigno, R; Rousseau, M; Brasse, D

2015-07-07

Proton imaging is developed in order to improve the accuracy of charged particle therapy treatment planning. It makes it possible to directly map the relative stopping powers of the materials using the information on the energy loss of the protons. In order to reach a satisfactory spatial resolution in the reconstructed images, the position and direction of each particle is recorded upstream and downstream from the patient. As a consequence of individual proton detection, information on the transmission rate and scattering of the protons is available. Image reconstruction processes are proposed to make use of this information. A proton tomographic acquisition of an anthropomorphic head phantom was simulated. The transmission rate of the particles was used to reconstruct a map of the macroscopic cross section for nuclear interactions of the materials. A two-step iterative reconstruction process was implemented to reconstruct a map of the inverse scattering length of the materials using the scattering of the protons. Results indicate that, while the reconstruction processes should be optimized, it is possible to extract quantitative information from the transmission rate and scattering of the protons. This suggests that proton imaging could provide additional knowledge on the materials that may be of use to further improve treatment planning.

High-speed and high-resolution quantitative phase imaging with digital-micromirror device-based illumination (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Renjie; Jin, Di; Yaqoob, Zahid; So, Peter T. C.

2017-02-01

Due to the large number of available mirrors, the patterning speed, low-cost, and compactness, digital-micromirror devices (DMDs) have been extensively used in biomedical imaging system. Recently, DMDs have been brought to the quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) field to achieve synthetic-aperture imaging and tomographic imaging. Last year, our group demonstrated using DMD for QPM, where the phase-retrieval is based on a recently developed Fourier ptychography algorithm. In our previous system, the illumination angle was varied through coding the aperture plane of the illumination system, which has a low efficiency on utilizing the laser power. In our new DMD-based QPM system, we use the Lee-holograms, which is conjugated to the sample plane, to change the illumination angles for much higher power efficiency. Multiple-angle illumination can also be achieved with this method. With this versatile system, we can achieve FPM-based high-resolution phase imaging with 250 nm lateral resolution using the Rayleigh criteria. Due to the use of a powerful laser, the imaging speed would only be limited by the camera acquisition speed. With a fast camera, we expect to achieve close to 100 fps phase imaging speed that has not been achieved in current FPM imaging systems. By adding reference beam, we also expect to achieve synthetic-aperture imaging while directly measuring the phase of the sample fields. This would reduce the phase-retrieval processing time to allow for real-time imaging applications in the future.

Digital Longitudinal Tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimkus, Daniel Steven

1985-12-01

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the clinical utility of digital longitudinal tomosynthesis in radiology. By acquiring a finite group of digital images during a longitudinal tomographic exposure, and processing these images, tomographic planes, other than the fulcrum plane, can be reconstructed. This process is now termed "tomosynthesis". A prototype system utilizing this technique was developed. Both phantom and patient studies were done with this system. The phantom studies were evaluated by subjective, visual criterion and by quantitative analysis of edge sharpness and noise in the reconstructions. Two groups of patients and one volunteer were studied. The first patient group consisted of 8 patients undergoing intravenous urography (IVU). These patients had digital tomography and film tomography of the abdomen. The second patient group consisted of 4 patients with lung cancer admitted to the hospital for laser resection of endobronchial tumor. These patients had mediastinal digital tomograms to evaluate the trachea and mainstem bronchi. The knee of one volunteer was imaged by film tomography and digital tomography. The results of the phantom studies showed that the digital reconstructions accurately produced images of the desired planes. The edge sharpness of the reconstructions approached that of the acquired images. Adequate reconstructions were achieved with as few as 5 images acquired during the exposure, with the quality of the reconstructions improving as the number of images acquired increased. The IVU patients' digital studies had less contrast and spatial resolution than the film tomograms. The single renal lesion visible on the film tomograms was also visible in the digital images. The digital mediastinal studies were felt by several radiologists to be superior to a standard chest xray in evaluating the airways. The digital images of the volunteer's knee showed many of the same anatomic features as the film tomogram, but the digital images had less spatial and contrast resolution. With the equipment improvements discussed in the thesis, digital tomography may have an important role in radiology.

Analysis of tomographic mineralogical data using YaDiV—Overview and practical case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friese, Karl-Ingo; Cichy, Sarah B.; Wolter, Franz-Erich; Botcharnikov, Roman E.

2013-07-01

We introduce the 3D-segmentation and -visualization software YaDiV to the mineralogical application of rock texture analysis. YaDiV has been originally designed to process medical DICOM datasets. But due to software advancements and additional plugins, this open-source software can now be easily used for the fast quantitative morphological characterization of geological objects from tomographic datasets. In this paper, we give a summary of YaDiV's features and demonstrate the advantages of 3D-stereographic visualization and the accuracy of 3D-segmentation for the analysis of geological samples. For this purpose, we present a virtual and a real use case (here: experimentally crystallized and vesiculated magmatic rocks, corresponding to the composition of the 1991-1995 Unzen eruption, Japan). Especially the spacial representation of structures in YaDiV allows an immediate, intuitive understanding of the 3D-structures, which may not become clear by only looking on 2D-images. We compare our results of object number density calculations with the established classical stereological 3D-correction methods for 2D-images and show that it was possible to achieve a seriously higher quality and accuracy. The methods described in this paper are not dependent on the nature of the object. The fact, that YaDiV is open-source and users with programming skills can create new plugins themselves, may allow this platform to become applicable to a variety of geological scenarios from the analysis of textures in tiny rock samples to the interpretation of global geophysical data, as long as the data are provided in tomographic form.

4D x-ray phase contrast tomography for repeatable motion of biological samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshino, Masato; Uesugi, Kentaro; Yagi, Naoto

2016-09-01

X-ray phase contrast tomography based on a grating interferometer was applied to fast and dynamic measurements of biological samples. To achieve this, the scanning procedure in the tomographic scan was improved. A triangle-shaped voltage signal from a waveform generator to a Piezo stage was used for the fast phase stepping in the grating interferometer. In addition, an optical fiber coupled x-ray scientific CMOS camera was used to achieve fast and highly efficient image acquisitions. These optimizations made it possible to perform an x-ray phase contrast tomographic measurement within an 8 min scan with density resolution of 2.4 mg/cm3. A maximum volume size of 13 × 13 × 6 mm3 was obtained with a single tomographic measurement with a voxel size of 6.5 μm. The scanning procedure using the triangle wave was applied to four-dimensional measurements in which highly sensitive three-dimensional x-ray imaging and a time-resolved dynamic measurement of biological samples were combined. A fresh tendon in the tail of a rat was measured under a uniaxial stretching and releasing condition. To maintain the freshness of the sample during four-dimensional phase contrast tomography, the temperature of the bathing liquid of the sample was kept below 10° using a simple cooling system. The time-resolved deformation of the tendon and each fascicle was measured with a temporal resolution of 5.7 Hz. Evaluations of cross-sectional area size, length of the axis, and mass density in the fascicle during a stretching process provided a basis for quantitative analysis of the deformation of tendon fascicle.

4D x-ray phase contrast tomography for repeatable motion of biological samples.

PubMed

Hoshino, Masato; Uesugi, Kentaro; Yagi, Naoto

2016-09-01

X-ray phase contrast tomography based on a grating interferometer was applied to fast and dynamic measurements of biological samples. To achieve this, the scanning procedure in the tomographic scan was improved. A triangle-shaped voltage signal from a waveform generator to a Piezo stage was used for the fast phase stepping in the grating interferometer. In addition, an optical fiber coupled x-ray scientific CMOS camera was used to achieve fast and highly efficient image acquisitions. These optimizations made it possible to perform an x-ray phase contrast tomographic measurement within an 8 min scan with density resolution of 2.4 mg/cm 3 . A maximum volume size of 13 × 13 × 6 mm 3 was obtained with a single tomographic measurement with a voxel size of 6.5 μm. The scanning procedure using the triangle wave was applied to four-dimensional measurements in which highly sensitive three-dimensional x-ray imaging and a time-resolved dynamic measurement of biological samples were combined. A fresh tendon in the tail of a rat was measured under a uniaxial stretching and releasing condition. To maintain the freshness of the sample during four-dimensional phase contrast tomography, the temperature of the bathing liquid of the sample was kept below 10° using a simple cooling system. The time-resolved deformation of the tendon and each fascicle was measured with a temporal resolution of 5.7 Hz. Evaluations of cross-sectional area size, length of the axis, and mass density in the fascicle during a stretching process provided a basis for quantitative analysis of the deformation of tendon fascicle.

Research in Image Understanding as Applied to 3-D Microwave Tomographic Imaging with Near Optical Resolution.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-03-10

and P. Frangos , "Inverse Scattering for Dielectric Media", Annual OSA Meeting, Wash. D.C., Oct. 1985. Invited Presentations 1. N. Farhat, "Tomographic...Optical Computing", DARPA Briefing, ~~April 1985. ... -7--.. , 1% If .% P . .% .% *-. 7777~14e 7-7. K-7 77 Theses 0 P.V. Frangos , "The Electromagnetic

Lamb-Wave-Based Tomographic Imaging Techniques for Hole-Edge Corrosion Monitoring in Plate Structures

PubMed Central

Wang, Dengjiang; Zhang, Weifang; Wang, Xiangyu; Sun, Bo

2016-01-01

This study presents a novel monitoring method for hole-edge corrosion damage in plate structures based on Lamb wave tomographic imaging techniques. An experimental procedure with a cross-hole layout using 16 piezoelectric transducers (PZTs) was designed. The A0 mode of the Lamb wave was selected, which is sensitive to thickness-loss damage. The iterative algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) method was used to locate and quantify the corrosion damage at the edge of the hole. Hydrofluoric acid with a concentration of 20% was used to corrode the specimen artificially. To estimate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the real corrosion damage was compared with the predicted corrosion damage based on the tomographic method. The results show that the Lamb-wave-based tomographic method can be used to monitor the hole-edge corrosion damage accurately. PMID:28774041

Creating three-dimensional tooth models from tomographic images.

PubMed

Lima da Silva, Isaac Newton; Barbosa, Gustavo Frainer; Soares, Rodrigo Borowski Grecco; Beltrao, Maria Cecilia Gomes; Spohr, Ana Maria; Mota, Eduardo Golcalves; Oshima, Hugo Mitsuo Silva; Burnett, Luiz Henrique

2008-01-01

The use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is becoming very frequent in Dentistry. However, most of the three-dimensional models presented by the literature for teeth are limited in terms of geometry. Discrepancy in shape and dimensions can cause wrong results to occur. Sharp cusps and faceted contour can produce stress concentrations, which are incoherent with the reality. The aim of this study was the processing of tomographic images in order to develop an advanced three-dimensional reconstruction of the anatomy of a molar tooth and the integration of the resulting solid with commercially available CAD/CAE software. Computed tomographic images were obtained from 0.5 mm thick slices of mandibular molar and transferred to commercial cad software. Once the point cloud data have been generated, the work on these points started to get to the solid model of the tooth with Pro/Engineer software. The obtained tooth model showed very accurate shape and dimensions, as it was obtained from real tooth data with error of 0.0 to -0.8 mm. The methodology presented was efficient for creating a biomodel of a tooth from tomographic images that realistically represented its anatomy.

Finite magnetic relaxation in x-space magnetic particle imaging: Comparison of measurements and ferrohydrodynamic models.

PubMed

Dhavalikar, R; Hensley, D; Maldonado-Camargo, L; Croft, L R; Ceron, S; Goodwill, P W; Conolly, S M; Rinaldi, C

2016-08-03

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an emerging tomographic imaging technology that detects magnetic nanoparticle tracers by exploiting their non-linear magnetization properties. In order to predict the behavior of nanoparticles in an imager, it is possible to use a non-imaging MPI relaxometer or spectrometer to characterize the behavior of nanoparticles in a controlled setting. In this paper we explore the use of ferrohydrodynamic magnetization equations for predicting the response of particles in an MPI relaxometer. These include a magnetization equation developed by Shliomis (Sh) which has a constant relaxation time and a magnetization equation which uses a field-dependent relaxation time developed by Martsenyuk, Raikher and Shliomis (MRSh). We compare the predictions from these models with measurements and with the predictions based on the Langevin function that assumes instantaneous magnetization response of the nanoparticles. The results show good qualitative and quantitative agreement between the ferrohydrodynamic models and the measurements without the use of fitting parameters and provide further evidence of the potential of ferrohydrodynamic modeling in MPI.

String-averaging incremental subgradients for constrained convex optimization with applications to reconstruction of tomographic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massambone de Oliveira, Rafael; Salomão Helou, Elias; Fontoura Costa, Eduardo

2016-11-01

We present a method for non-smooth convex minimization which is based on subgradient directions and string-averaging techniques. In this approach, the set of available data is split into sequences (strings) and a given iterate is processed independently along each string, possibly in parallel, by an incremental subgradient method (ISM). The end-points of all strings are averaged to form the next iterate. The method is useful to solve sparse and large-scale non-smooth convex optimization problems, such as those arising in tomographic imaging. A convergence analysis is provided under realistic, standard conditions. Numerical tests are performed in a tomographic image reconstruction application, showing good performance for the convergence speed when measured as the decrease ratio of the objective function, in comparison to classical ISM.

Analytical-Based Partial Volume Recovery in Mouse Heart Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumouchel, Tyler; deKemp, Robert A.

2011-02-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful imaging modality that has the ability to yield quantitative images of tracer activity. Physical phenomena such as photon scatter, photon attenuation, random coincidences and spatial resolution limit quantification potential and must be corrected to preserve the accuracy of reconstructed images. This study focuses on correcting the partial volume effects that arise in mouse heart imaging when resolution is insufficient to resolve the true tracer distribution in the myocardium. The correction algorithm is based on fitting 1D profiles through the myocardium in gated PET images to derive myocardial contours along with blood, background and myocardial activity. This information is interpolated onto a 2D grid and convolved with the tomograph's point spread function to derive regional recovery coefficients enabling partial volume correction. The point spread function was measured by placing a line source inside a small animal PET scanner. PET simulations were created based on noise properties measured from a reconstructed PET image and on the digital MOBY phantom. The algorithm can estimate the myocardial activity to within 5% of the truth when different wall thicknesses, backgrounds and noise properties are encountered that are typical of healthy FDG mouse scans. The method also significantly improves partial volume recovery in simulated infarcted tissue. The algorithm offers a practical solution to the partial volume problem without the need for co-registered anatomic images and offers a basis for improved quantitative 3D heart imaging.

Acceleration of image-based resolution modelling reconstruction using an expectation maximization nested algorithm.

PubMed

Angelis, G I; Reader, A J; Markiewicz, P J; Kotasidis, F A; Lionheart, W R; Matthews, J C

2013-08-07

Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of a resolution model within iterative reconstruction algorithms in an attempt to account for effects that degrade the spatial resolution of the reconstructed images. However, these algorithms suffer from slower convergence rates, compared to algorithms where no resolution model is used, due to the additional need to solve an image deconvolution problem. In this paper, a recently proposed algorithm, which decouples the tomographic and image deconvolution problems within an image-based expectation maximization (EM) framework, was evaluated. This separation is convenient, because more computational effort can be placed on the image deconvolution problem and therefore accelerate convergence. Since the computational cost of solving the image deconvolution problem is relatively small, multiple image-based EM iterations do not significantly increase the overall reconstruction time. The proposed algorithm was evaluated using 2D simulations, as well as measured 3D data acquired on the high-resolution research tomograph. Results showed that bias reduction can be accelerated by interleaving multiple iterations of the image-based EM algorithm solving the resolution model problem, with a single EM iteration solving the tomographic problem. Significant improvements were observed particularly for voxels that were located on the boundaries between regions of high contrast within the object being imaged and for small regions of interest, where resolution recovery is usually more challenging. Minor differences were observed using the proposed nested algorithm, compared to the single iteration normally performed, when an optimal number of iterations are performed for each algorithm. However, using the proposed nested approach convergence is significantly accelerated enabling reconstruction using far fewer tomographic iterations (up to 70% fewer iterations for small regions). Nevertheless, the optimal number of nested image-based EM iterations is hard to be defined and it should be selected according to the given application.

Clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic and computed tomographic features of nonseptic osteitis of the axial border of the proximal sesamoid bones.

PubMed

Vanderperren, K; Bergman, H J; Spoormakers, T J P; Pille, F; Duchateau, L; Puchalski, S M; Saunders, J H

2014-07-01

Lysis of the axial aspect of equine proximal sesamoid bones (PSBs) is a rare condition reported to have septic or traumatic origins. Limited information exists regarding imaging of nonseptic axial osteitis of a PSB. To report the clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and intra-arterial contrast-enhanced computed tomographic abnormalities in horses with axial nonseptic osteitis of a PSB. Retrospective clinical study. Eighteen horses diagnosed with nonseptic osteitis of the axial border of a PSB between 2007 and 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. Case details, clinical examination, radiographic, ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and intra-arterial/intra-articular contrast-enhanced computed tomographic features were recorded, when available. Radiographic, ultrasonographic and computed tomographic evaluations of the fetlock region had been performed on 18, 15 and 9 horses, respectively. The effect of the degree of lysis on the grade and duration of lameness was determined. All horses had chronic unilateral lameness, 4 with forelimb and 14 with hindlimb signs. On radiographs, lysis was identified in both PSBs in 14 horses, one PSB in 3 horses and in one horse no lysis was identified. The degree of osteolysis was variable. Ultrasonography identified variably sized irregularities of the bone surface and alteration in echogenicity of the palmar/plantar ligament (PL). All horses undergoing computed tomographic examination (n = 9) had biaxial lysis. The lesions were significantly longer and deeper on computed tomographic images compared with radiographic images. Intra-arterial contrast-enhanced computed tomography may reveal moderate to marked contrast enhancement of the PL. There was no significant effect of the degree of lysis on the grade and duration of lameness. Lesions of nonseptic axial osteitis of a PSB can be identified using a combination of radiography and ultrasonography. Computed tomography provides additional information regarding the extent of the pathology. © 2013 EVJ Ltd.

Effect of Shot Noise on Simultaneous Sensing in Frequency Division Multiplexed Diffuse Optical Tomographic Imaging Process.

PubMed

Jang, Hansol; Lim, Gukbin; Hong, Keum-Shik; Cho, Jaedu; Gulsen, Gultekin; Kim, Chang-Seok

2017-11-28

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) has been studied for use in the detection of breast cancer, cerebral oxygenation, and cognitive brain signals. As optical imaging studies have increased significantly, acquiring imaging data in real time has become increasingly important. We have developed frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) DOT systems to analyze their performance with respect to acquisition time and imaging quality, in comparison with the conventional time-division multiplexing (TDM) DOT. A large tomographic area of a cylindrical phantom 60 mm in diameter could be successfully reconstructed using both TDM DOT and FDM DOT systems. In our experiment with 6 source-detector (S-D) pairs, the TDM DOT and FDM DOT systems required 6.18 and 1 s, respectively, to obtain a single tomographic data set. While the absorption coefficient of the reconstruction image was underestimated in the case of the FDM DOT, we experimentally confirmed that the abnormal region can be clearly distinguished from the background phantom using both methods.

Modified Faraday cup

DOEpatents

Elmer, John W.; Teruya, Alan T.; O'Brien, Dennis W.

1996-01-01

A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees form 0.degree. to 360.degree. and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-din-tensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment.

Ventilation inhomogeneity in obstructive lung diseases measured by electrical impedance tomography: a simulation study.

PubMed

Schullcke, B; Krueger-Ziolek, S; Gong, B; Jörres, R A; Mueller-Lisse, U; Moeller, K

2017-10-10

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has mostly been used in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to monitor ventilation distribution but is also promising for the diagnosis in spontaneously breathing patients with obstructive lung diseases. Beside tomographic images, several numerical measures have been proposed to quantitatively assess the lung state. In this study two common measures, the 'Global Inhomogeneity Index' and the 'Coefficient of Variation' were compared regarding their capability to reflect the severity of lung obstruction. A three-dimensional simulation model was used to simulate obstructed lungs, whereby images were reconstructed on a two-dimensional domain. Simulations revealed that minor obstructions are not adequately recognized in the reconstructed images and that obstruction above and below the electrode plane may result in misleading values of inhomogeneity measures. EIT measurements on several electrode planes are necessary to apply these measures in patients with obstructive lung diseases in a promising manner.

Biological soft X-ray tomography on beamline 2.1 at the Advanced Light Source.

PubMed

Le Gros, Mark A; McDermott, Gerry; Cinquin, Bertrand P; Smith, Elizabeth A; Do, Myan; Chao, Weilun L; Naulleau, Patrick P; Larabell, Carolyn A

2014-11-01

Beamline 2.1 (XM-2) is a transmission soft X-ray microscope in sector 2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. XM-2 was designed, built and is now operated by the National Center for X-ray Tomography as a National Institutes of Health Biomedical Technology Research Resource. XM-2 is equipped with a cryogenic rotation stage to enable tomographic data collection from cryo-preserved cells, including large mammalian cells. During data collection the specimen is illuminated with `water window' X-rays (284-543 eV). Illuminating photons are attenuated an order of magnitude more strongly by biomolecules than by water. Consequently, differences in molecular composition generate quantitative contrast in images of the specimen. Soft X-ray tomography is an information-rich three-dimensional imaging method that can be applied either as a standalone technique or as a component modality in correlative imaging studies.

Evaluation of a 3D point cloud tetrahedral tomographic reconstruction method

PubMed Central

Pereira, N F; Sitek, A

2011-01-01

Tomographic reconstruction on an irregular grid may be superior to reconstruction on a regular grid. This is achieved through an appropriate choice of the image space model, the selection of an optimal set of points and the use of any available prior information during the reconstruction process. Accordingly, a number of reconstruction-related parameters must be optimized for best performance. In this work, a 3D point cloud tetrahedral mesh reconstruction method is evaluated for quantitative tasks. A linear image model is employed to obtain the reconstruction system matrix and five point generation strategies are studied. The evaluation is performed using the recovery coefficient, as well as voxel- and template-based estimates of bias and variance measures, computed over specific regions in the reconstructed image. A similar analysis is performed for regular grid reconstructions that use voxel basis functions. The maximum likelihood expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm is used. For the tetrahedral reconstructions, of the five point generation methods that are evaluated, three use image priors. For evaluation purposes, an object consisting of overlapping spheres with varying activity is simulated. The exact parallel projection data of this object are obtained analytically using a parallel projector, and multiple Poisson noise realizations of these exact data are generated and reconstructed using the different point generation strategies. The unconstrained nature of point placement in some of the irregular mesh-based reconstruction strategies has superior activity recovery for small, low-contrast image regions. The results show that, with an appropriately generated set of mesh points, the irregular grid reconstruction methods can out-perform reconstructions on a regular grid for mathematical phantoms, in terms of the performance measures evaluated. PMID:20736496

Evaluation of a 3D point cloud tetrahedral tomographic reconstruction method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, N. F.; Sitek, A.

2010-09-01

Tomographic reconstruction on an irregular grid may be superior to reconstruction on a regular grid. This is achieved through an appropriate choice of the image space model, the selection of an optimal set of points and the use of any available prior information during the reconstruction process. Accordingly, a number of reconstruction-related parameters must be optimized for best performance. In this work, a 3D point cloud tetrahedral mesh reconstruction method is evaluated for quantitative tasks. A linear image model is employed to obtain the reconstruction system matrix and five point generation strategies are studied. The evaluation is performed using the recovery coefficient, as well as voxel- and template-based estimates of bias and variance measures, computed over specific regions in the reconstructed image. A similar analysis is performed for regular grid reconstructions that use voxel basis functions. The maximum likelihood expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm is used. For the tetrahedral reconstructions, of the five point generation methods that are evaluated, three use image priors. For evaluation purposes, an object consisting of overlapping spheres with varying activity is simulated. The exact parallel projection data of this object are obtained analytically using a parallel projector, and multiple Poisson noise realizations of these exact data are generated and reconstructed using the different point generation strategies. The unconstrained nature of point placement in some of the irregular mesh-based reconstruction strategies has superior activity recovery for small, low-contrast image regions. The results show that, with an appropriately generated set of mesh points, the irregular grid reconstruction methods can out-perform reconstructions on a regular grid for mathematical phantoms, in terms of the performance measures evaluated.

Defining the Fresnel zone for broadband radiation.

PubMed

Pearce, Jeremy; Mittleman, Daniel

2002-11-01

The concept of the Fresnel zone is central to many areas of imaging. In tomographic imaging, the transverse spatial resolution can be limited by the size of the first Fresnel zone, usually defined only for monochromatic radiation. With the increasing prevalence of broadband tomographic imaging systems, a generalization of this concept is required. Here, a proposed generalization is described in the context of femtosecond optics, and experimentally verified using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Based on this definition, a simple zone plate design is demonstrated.

A novel clinical multimodal multiphoton tomograph for AF, SHG, CARS imaging, and FLIM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans Georg; König, Karsten

2014-02-01

We report on a flexible nonlinear medical tomograph with multiple miniaturized detectors for simultaneous acquisition of two-photon autofluorescence (AF), second harmonic generation (SHG) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) images. The simultaneous visualization of the distribution of endogenous fluorophores NAD(P)H, melanin and elastin, SHG-active collagen and as well as non-fluorescent lipids within human skin in vivo is possible. Furthermore, fluorescence lifetime images (FLIM) can be generated using time-correlated single photon counting.

Techniques in helical scanning, dynamic imaging and image segmentation for improved quantitative analysis with X-ray micro-CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheppard, Adrian; Latham, Shane; Middleton, Jill; Kingston, Andrew; Myers, Glenn; Varslot, Trond; Fogden, Andrew; Sawkins, Tim; Cruikshank, Ron; Saadatfar, Mohammad; Francois, Nicolas; Arns, Christoph; Senden, Tim

2014-04-01

This paper reports on recent advances at the micro-computed tomography facility at the Australian National University. Since 2000 this facility has been a significant centre for developments in imaging hardware and associated software for image reconstruction, image analysis and image-based modelling. In 2010 a new instrument was constructed that utilises theoretically-exact image reconstruction based on helical scanning trajectories, allowing higher cone angles and thus better utilisation of the available X-ray flux. We discuss the technical hurdles that needed to be overcome to allow imaging with cone angles in excess of 60°. We also present dynamic tomography algorithms that enable the changes between one moment and the next to be reconstructed from a sparse set of projections, allowing higher speed imaging of time-varying samples. Researchers at the facility have also created a sizeable distributed-memory image analysis toolkit with capabilities ranging from tomographic image reconstruction to 3D shape characterisation. We show results from image registration and present some of the new imaging and experimental techniques that it enables. Finally, we discuss the crucial question of image segmentation and evaluate some recently proposed techniques for automated segmentation.

Tomographic Image Reconstruction Using an Interpolation Method for Tree Decay Detection

Treesearch

Hailin Feng; Guanghui Li; Sheng Fu; Xiping Wang

2014-01-01

Stress wave velocity has been traditionally regarded as an indicator of the extent of damage inside wood. This paper aimed to detect internal decay of urban trees through reconstructing tomographic image of the cross section of a tree trunk. A grid model covering the cross section area of a tree trunk was defined with some assumptions. Stress wave data were processed...

A detailed comparison of single-camera light-field PIV and tomographic PIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Shengxian; Ding, Junfei; Atkinson, Callum; Soria, Julio; New, T. H.

2018-03-01

This paper conducts a comprehensive study between the single-camera light-field particle image velocimetry (LF-PIV) and the multi-camera tomographic particle image velocimetry (Tomo-PIV). Simulation studies were first performed using synthetic light-field and tomographic particle images, which extensively examine the difference between these two techniques by varying key parameters such as pixel to microlens ratio (PMR), light-field camera Tomo-camera pixel ratio (LTPR), particle seeding density and tomographic camera number. Simulation results indicate that the single LF-PIV can achieve accuracy consistent with that of multi-camera Tomo-PIV, but requires the use of overall greater number of pixels. Experimental studies were then conducted by simultaneously measuring low-speed jet flow with single-camera LF-PIV and four-camera Tomo-PIV systems. Experiments confirm that given a sufficiently high pixel resolution, a single-camera LF-PIV system can indeed deliver volumetric velocity field measurements for an equivalent field of view with a spatial resolution commensurate with those of multi-camera Tomo-PIV system, enabling accurate 3D measurements in applications where optical access is limited.

Image processing pipeline for synchrotron-radiation-based tomographic microscopy.

PubMed

Hintermüller, C; Marone, F; Isenegger, A; Stampanoni, M

2010-07-01

With synchrotron-radiation-based tomographic microscopy, three-dimensional structures down to the micrometer level can be visualized. Tomographic data sets typically consist of 1000 to 1500 projections of 1024 x 1024 to 2048 x 2048 pixels and are acquired in 5-15 min. A processing pipeline has been developed to handle this large amount of data efficiently and to reconstruct the tomographic volume within a few minutes after the end of a scan. Just a few seconds after the raw data have been acquired, a selection of reconstructed slices is accessible through a web interface for preview and to fine tune the reconstruction parameters. The same interface allows initiation and control of the reconstruction process on the computer cluster. By integrating all programs and tools, required for tomographic reconstruction into the pipeline, the necessary user interaction is reduced to a minimum. The modularity of the pipeline allows functionality for new scan protocols to be added, such as an extended field of view, or new physical signals such as phase-contrast or dark-field imaging etc.

Detection and characterization of lesions on low-radiation-dose abdominal CT images postprocessed with noise reduction filters.

PubMed

Kalra, Mannudeep K; Maher, Michael M; Blake, Michael A; Lucey, Brian C; Karau, Kelly; Toth, Thomas L; Avinash, Gopal; Halpern, Elkan F; Saini, Sanjay

2004-09-01

To assess the effect of noise reduction filters on detection and characterization of lesions on low-radiation-dose abdominal computed tomographic (CT) images. Low-dose CT images of abdominal lesions in 19 consecutive patients (11 women, eight men; age range, 32-78 years) were obtained at reduced tube currents (120-144 mAs). These baseline low-dose CT images were postprocessed with six noise reduction filters; the resulting postprocessed images were then randomly assorted with baseline images. Three radiologists performed independent evaluation of randomized images for presence, number, margins, attenuation, conspicuity, calcification, and enhancement of lesions, as well as image noise. Side-by-side comparison of baseline images with postprocessed images was performed by using a five-point scale for assessing lesion conspicuity and margins, image noise, beam hardening, and diagnostic acceptability. Quantitative noise and contrast-to-noise ratio were obtained for all liver lesions. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, Student t test, and kappa test of agreement. Significant reduction of noise was observed in images postprocessed with filter F compared with the noise in baseline nonfiltered images (P =.004). Although the number of lesions seen on baseline images and that seen on postprocessed images were identical, lesions were less conspicuous on postprocessed images than on baseline images. A decrease in quantitative image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio for liver lesions was noted with all noise reduction filters. There was good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.7). Although the use of currently available noise reduction filters improves image noise and ameliorates beam-hardening artifacts at low-dose CT, such filters are limited by a compromise in lesion conspicuity and appearance in comparison with lesion conspicuity and appearance on baseline low-dose CT images. Copyright RSNA, 2004

A Novel Quantitative Computed Tomographic Analysis Suggests How Sirolimus Stabilizes Progressive Air Trapping in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

PubMed Central

Kokosi, Maria; Lo, Pechin; Kim, Hyun J.; Ravenel, James G.; Meyer, Cristopher; Goldin, Jonathan; Lee, Hye-Seung; Strange, Charlie; McCormack, Francis X.

2016-01-01

Rationale: The Multicenter International Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Efficacy and Safety of Sirolimus (MILES) trial demonstrated that sirolimus stabilized lung function and improved measures of functional performance and quality of life in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis. The physiologic mechanisms of these beneficial actions of sirolimus are incompletely understood. Objectives: To prospectively determine the longitudinal computed tomographic lung imaging correlates of lung function change in MILES patients treated with placebo or sirolimus. Methods: We determined the baseline to 12-month change in computed tomographic image–derived lung volumes and the volume of the lung occupied by cysts in the 31 MILES participants (17 in sirolimus group, 14 in placebo group) with baseline and 12-month scans. Measurements and Main Results: There was a trend toward an increase in median expiratory cyst volume percentage in the placebo group and a reduction in the sirolimus group (+2.68% vs. +0.97%, respectively; P = 0.10). The computed tomographic image–derived residual volume and the ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity increased more in the placebo group than in the sirolimus group (+214.4 ml vs. +2.9 ml [P = 0.054] and +0.05 ml vs. −0.01 ml [P = 0.0498], respectively). A Markov transition chain analysis of respiratory cycle cyst volume changes revealed greater dynamic variation in the sirolimus group than in the placebo group at the 12-month time point. Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that sirolimus attenuates progressive gas trapping in lymphangioleiomyomatosis, consistent with a beneficial effect of the drug on airflow obstruction. We speculate that a reduction in lymphangioleiomyomatosis cell burden around small airways and cyst walls alleviates progressive airflow limitation and facilitates cyst emptying. PMID:26799509

CT-Definable Subtypes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Statement of the Fleischner Society

PubMed Central

Austin, John H. M.; Hogg, James C.; Grenier, Philippe A.; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Bankier, Alexander A.; Barr, R. Graham; Colby, Thomas V.; Galvin, Jeffrey R.; Gevenois, Pierre Alain; Coxson, Harvey O.; Hoffman, Eric A.; Newell, John D.; Pistolesi, Massimo; Silverman, Edwin K.; Crapo, James D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this statement is to describe and define the phenotypic abnormalities that can be identified on visual and quantitative evaluation of computed tomographic (CT) images in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with the goal of contributing to a personalized approach to the treatment of patients with COPD. Quantitative CT is useful for identifying and sequentially evaluating the extent of emphysematous lung destruction, changes in airway walls, and expiratory air trapping. However, visual assessment of CT scans remains important to describe patterns of altered lung structure in COPD. The classification system proposed and illustrated in this article provides a structured approach to visual and quantitative assessment of COPD. Emphysema is classified as centrilobular (subclassified as trace, mild, moderate, confluent, and advanced destructive emphysema), panlobular, and paraseptal (subclassified as mild or substantial). Additional important visual features include airway wall thickening, inflammatory small airways disease, tracheal abnormalities, interstitial lung abnormalities, pulmonary arterial enlargement, and bronchiectasis. © RSNA, 2015 PMID:25961632

CCD-camera-based diffuse optical tomography to study ischemic stroke in preclinical rat models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zi-Jing; Niu, Haijing; Liu, Yueming; Su, Jianzhong; Liu, Hanli

2011-02-01

Stroke, due to ischemia or hemorrhage, is the neurological deficit of cerebrovasculature and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 80 percent of stroke patients are ischemic stroke due to blockage of artery in the brain by thrombosis or arterial embolism. Hence, development of an imaging technique to image or monitor the cerebral ischemia and effect of anti-stoke therapy is more than necessary. Near infrared (NIR) optical tomographic technique has a great potential to be utilized as a non-invasive image tool (due to its low cost and portability) to image the embedded abnormal tissue, such as a dysfunctional area caused by ischemia. Moreover, NIR tomographic techniques have been successively demonstrated in the studies of cerebro-vascular hemodynamics and brain injury. As compared to a fiberbased diffuse optical tomographic system, a CCD-camera-based system is more suitable for pre-clinical animal studies due to its simpler setup and lower cost. In this study, we have utilized the CCD-camera-based technique to image the embedded inclusions based on tissue-phantom experimental data. Then, we are able to obtain good reconstructed images by two recently developed algorithms: (1) depth compensation algorithm (DCA) and (2) globally convergent method (GCM). In this study, we will demonstrate the volumetric tomographic reconstructed results taken from tissuephantom; the latter has a great potential to determine and monitor the effect of anti-stroke therapies.

A 3D gantry single photon emission tomograph with hemispherical coverage for dedicated breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tornai, Martin P.; Bowsher, James E.; Archer, Caryl N.; Peter, Jörg; Jaszczak, Ronald J.; MacDonald, Lawrence R.; Patt, Bradley E.; Iwanczyk, Jan S.

2003-01-01

A novel tomographic gantry was designed, built and initially evaluated for single photon emission imaging of metabolically active lesions in the pendant breast and near chest wall. Initial emission imaging measurements with breast lesions of various uptake ratios are presented. Methods: A prototype tomograph was constructed utilizing a compact gamma camera having a field-of-view of <13×13 cm 2 with arrays of 2×2×6 mm 3 quantized NaI(Tl) scintillators coupled to position sensitive PMTs. The camera was mounted on a radially oriented support with 6 cm variable radius-of-rotation. This unit is further mounted on a goniometric cradle providing polar motion, and in turn mounted on an azimuthal rotation stage capable of indefinite vertical axis-of-rotation about the central rotation axis (RA). Initial measurements with isotopic Tc-99 m (140 keV) to evaluate the system include acquisitions with various polar tilt angles about the RA. Tomographic measurements were made of a frequency and resolution cold-rod phantom filled with aqueous Tc-99 m. Tomographic and planar measurements of 0.6 and 1.0 cm diameter fillable spheres in an available ˜950 ml hemi-ellipsoidal (uncompressed) breast phantom attached to a life-size anthropomorphic torso phantom with lesion:breast-and-body:cardiac-and-liver activity concentration ratios of 11:1:19 were compared. Various photopeak energy windows from 10-30% widths were obtained, along with a 35% scatter window below a 15% photopeak window from the list mode data. Projections with all photopeak window and camera tilt conditions were reconstructed with an ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm capable of reconstructing arbitrary tomographic orbits. Results: As iteration number increased for the tomographically measured data at all polar angles, contrasts increased while signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) decreased in the expected way with OSEM reconstruction. The rollover between contrast improvement and SNR degradation of the lesion occurred at two to three iterations. The reconstructed tomographic data yielded SNRs with or without scatter correction that were >9 times better than the planar scans. There was up to a factor of ˜2.5 increase in total primary and scatter contamination in the photopeak window with increasing tilt angle from 15° to 45°, consistent with more direct line-of-sight of myocardial and liver activity with increased camera polar angle. Conclusion: This new, ultra-compact, dedicated tomographic imaging system has the potential of providing valuable, fully 3D functional information about small, otherwise indeterminate breast lesions as an adjunct to diagnostic mammography.

Image intensifier-based volume tomographic angiography imaging system: system evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Ruola; Wang, Xiaohui; Shen, Jianjun; Conover, David L.

1995-05-01

An image intensifier-based rotational volume tomographic angiography imaging system has been constructed. The system consists of an x-ray tube and an image intensifier that are separately mounted on a gantry. This system uses an image intensifier coupled to a TV camera as a two-dimensional detector so that a set of two-dimensional projections can be acquired for a direct three-dimensional reconstruction (3D). This system has been evaluated with two phantoms: a vascular phantom and a monkey head cadaver. One hundred eighty projections of each phantom were acquired with the system. A set of three-dimensional images were directly reconstructed from the projection data. The experimental results indicate that good imaging quality can be obtained with this system.

Porosity characterization of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, C.; Marrow, T. J.; Reinhard, C.; Li, B.; Zhang, C.; Wang, S.

2016-03-01

The pore structure and porosity of a continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite has been characterized using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Segmentation of the reconstructed tomograph images reveals different types of pores within the composite, the inter-fiber bundle open pores displaying a "node-bond" geometry, and the intra-fiber bundle isolated micropores showing a piping shape. The 3D morphology of the pores is resolved and each pore is labeled. The quantitative filtering of the pores measures a total porosity 8.9% for the composite, amid which there is about 7.1~ 9.3% closed micropores.

Three-dimensional ophthalmic optical coherence tomography with a refraction correction algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawadzki, Robert J.; Leisser, Christoph; Leitgeb, Rainer; Pircher, Michael; Fercher, Adolf F.

2003-10-01

We built an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with a rapid scanning optical delay (RSOD) line, which allows probing full axial eye length. The system produces Three-dimensional (3D) data sets that are used to generate 3D tomograms of the model eye. The raw tomographic data were processed by an algorithm, which is based on Snell"s law to correct the interface positions. The Zernike polynomials representation of the interfaces allows quantitative wave aberration measurements. 3D images of our results are presented to illustrate the capabilities of the system and the algorithm performance. The system allows us to measure intra-ocular distances.

Use of radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of navicular syndrome in the horse.

PubMed

Widmer, W R; Buckwalter, K A; Fessler, J F; Hill, M A; VanSickle, D C; Ivancevich, S

2000-01-01

Radiographic evaluation of navicular syndrome is problematic because of its inconsistent correlation with clinical signs. Scintigraphy often yields false positive and false negative results and diagnostic ultrasound is of limited value. Therefore, we assessed the use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in a horse with clinical and radiographic signs of navicular syndrome. Cadaver specimens were examined with spiral computed tomographic and high-field magnetic resonance scanners and images were correlated with pathologic findings. Radiographic changes consisted of bony remodeling, which included altered synovial fossae, increased medullary opacity, cyst formation and shape change. These osseous changes were more striking and more numerous on computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images. They were most clearly defined with computed tomography. Many osseous changes seen with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were not radiographically evident. Histologically confirmed soft tissue alterations of the deep digital flexor tendon, impar ligament and marrow were identified with magnetic resonance imaging, but not with conventional radiography. Because of their multiplanar capability and tomographic nature, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging surpass conventional radiography for navicular imaging, facilitating earlier, more accurate diagnosis. Current advances in imaging technology should make these imaging modalities available to equine practitioners in the future.

The Tomographic Ionized-Carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME) CII Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staniszewski, Z.; Bock, J. J.; Bradford, C. M.; Brevik, J.; Cooray, A.; Gong, Y.; Hailey-Dunsheath, S.; O'Brient, R.; Santos, M.; Shirokoff, E.; Silva, M.; Zemcov, M.

2014-09-01

The Tomographic Ionized-Carbon Mapping Experiment (TIME) and TIME-Pilot are proposed imaging spectrometers to measure reionization and large scale structure at redshifts 5-9. We seek to exploit the 158 restframe emission of [CII], which becomes measurable at 200-300 GHz at reionization redshifts. Here we describe the scientific motivation, give an overview of the proposed instrument, and highlight key technological developments underway to enable these measurements.

5D-intravital tomography as a novel tool for non-invasive in-vivo analysis of human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten; Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans G.; Gregory, Axel; Fischer, Peter; Kellner-Höfer, Marcel; Bückle, Rainer; Schwarz, Martin; Riemann, Iris; Stracke, Frank; Huck, Volker; Gorzelanny, Christian; Schneider, Stefan W.

2010-02-01

Some years ago, CE-marked clinical multiphoton systems for 3D imaging of human skin with subcellular resolution have been launched. These tomographs provide optical biopsies with submicron resolution based on two-photon excited autofluorescence (NAD(P)H, flavoproteins, keratin, elastin, melanin, porphyrins) and second harmonic generation by collagen. The 3D tomograph was now transferred into a 5D imaging system by the additional detection of the emission spectrum and the fluorescence lifetime based on spatially and spectrally resolved time-resolved single photon counting. The novel 5D intravital tomograph (5D-IVT) was employed for the early detection of atopic dermatitis and the analysis of treatment effects.

Tomographic and analog 3-D simulations using NORA. [Non-Overlapping Redundant Image Array formed by multiple pinholes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I.; Trombka, J. I.; Bielefeld, M. J.; Seltzer, S. M.

1984-01-01

The results of two computer simulations demonstrate the feasibility of using the nonoverlapping redundant array (NORA) to form three-dimensional images of objects with X-rays. Pinholes admit the X-rays to nonoverlapping points on a detector. The object is reconstructed in the analog mode by optical correlation and in the digital mode by tomographic computations. Trials were run with a stick-figure pyramid and extended objects with out-of-focus backgrounds. Substitution of spherical optical lenses for the pinholes increased the light transmission sufficiently that objects could be easily viewed in a dark room. Out-of-focus aberrations in tomographic reconstruction could be eliminated using Chang's (1976) algorithm.

Segmentation of nanotomographic cortical bone images for quantitative characterization of the osteoctyte lacuno-canalicular network

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ciani, A.; Kewish, C. M.; Guizar-Sicairos, M.

A newly developed data processing method able to characterize the osteocytes lacuno-canalicular network (LCN) is presented. Osteocytes are the most abundant cells in the bone, living in spaces called lacunae embedded inside the bone matrix and connected to each other with an extensive network of canals that allows for the exchange of nutrients and for mechanotransduction functions. The geometrical three-dimensional (3D) architecture is increasingly thought to be related to the macroscopic strength or failure of the bone and it is becoming the focus for investigating widely spread diseases such as osteoporosis. To obtain 3D LCN images non-destructively has been outmore » of reach until recently, since tens-of-nanometers scale resolution is required. Ptychographic tomography was validated for bone imaging in [1], showing clearly the LCN. The method presented here was applied to 3D ptychographic tomographic images in order to extract morphological and geometrical parameters of the lacuno-canalicular structures.« less

Segmentation of nanotomographic cortical bone images for quantitative characterization of the osteoctyte lacuno-canalicular network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciani, A.; Guizar-Sicairos, M.; Diaz, A.; Holler, M.; Pallu, S.; Achiou, Z.; Jennane, R.; Toumi, H.; Lespessailles, E.; Kewish, C. M.

2016-01-01

A newly developed data processing method able to characterize the osteocytes lacuno-canalicular network (LCN) is presented. Osteocytes are the most abundant cells in the bone, living in spaces called lacunae embedded inside the bone matrix and connected to each other with an extensive network of canals that allows for the exchange of nutrients and for mechanotransduction functions. The geometrical three-dimensional (3D) architecture is increasingly thought to be related to the macroscopic strength or failure of the bone and it is becoming the focus for investigating widely spread diseases such as osteoporosis. To obtain 3D LCN images non-destructively has been out of reach until recently, since tens-of-nanometers scale resolution is required. Ptychographic tomography was validated for bone imaging in [1], showing clearly the LCN. The method presented here was applied to 3D ptychographic tomographic images in order to extract morphological and geometrical parameters of the lacuno-canalicular structures.

DART, a platform for the creation and registration of cone beam digital tomosynthesis datasets.

PubMed

Sarkar, Vikren; Shi, Chengyu; Papanikolaou, Niko

2011-04-01

Digital tomosynthesis is an imaging modality that allows for tomographic reconstructions using only a fraction of the images needed for CT reconstruction. Since it offers the advantages of tomographic images with a smaller imaging dose delivered to the patient, the technique offers much promise for use in patient positioning prior to radiation delivery. This paper describes a software environment developed to help in the creation of digital tomosynthesis image sets from digital portal images using three different reconstruction algorithms. The software then allows for use of the tomograms for patient positioning or for dose recalculation if shifts are not applied, possibly as part of an adaptive radiotherapy regimen.

Ultrafast X-ray Imaging of Fuel Sprays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin

2007-01-01

Detailed analysis of fuel sprays has been well recognized as an important step for optimizing the operation of internal combustion engines to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Ultrafast radiographic and tomographic techniques have been developed for probing the fuel distribution close to the nozzles of direct-injection diesel and gasoline injectors. The measurement was made using x-ray absorption of monochromatic synchrotron-generated radiation, allowing quantitative determination of the fuel distribution in this optically impenetrable region with a time resolution on the order of 1 μs. Furthermore, an accurate 3-dimensional fuel-density distribution, in the form of fuel volume fraction, was obtained by the time-resolved computed tomography. These quantitative measurements constitute the most detailed near-nozzle study of a fuel spray to date. With high-energy and high-brilliance x-ray beams available at the Advanced Photon Source, propagation-based phase-enhanced imaging was developed as a unique metrology technique to visualize the interior of an injection nozzle through a 3-mm-thick steel with a 10-μs temporal resolution, which is virtually impossible by any other means.

Hard x-ray phase contrastmicroscopy - techniques and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzner, Christian

In 1918, Einstein provided the first description of the nature of the refractive index for X-rays, showing that phase contrast effects are significant. A century later, most x-ray microscopy and nearly all medical imaging remains based on absorption contrast, even though phase contrast offers orders of magnitude improvements in contrast and reduced radiation exposure at multi-keV x-ray energies. The work presented is concerned with developing practical and quantitative methods of phase contrast for x-ray microscopy. A theoretical framework for imaging in phase contrast is put forward; this is used to obtain quantitative images in a scanning microscope using a segmented detector, and to correct for artifacts in a commercial phase contrast x-ray nano-tomography system. The principle of reciprocity between scanning and full-field microscopes is then used to arrive at a novel solution: Zernike contrast in a scanning microscope. These approaches are compared on a theoretical and experimental basis in direct connection with applications using multi-keV x-ray microscopes at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Phase contrast provides the best means to image mass and ultrastructure of light elements that mainly constitute biological matter, while stimulated x-ray fluorescence provides high sensitivity for studies of the distribution of heavier trace elements, such as metals. These approaches are combined in a complementary way to yield quantitative maps of elemental concentration from 2D images, with elements placed in their ultrastructural context. The combination of x-ray fluorescence and phase contrast poses an ideal match for routine, high resolution tomographic imaging of biological samples in the future. The presented techniques and demonstration experiments will help pave the way for this development.

Comparison of breast density measurements made using ultrasound tomography and mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sak, Mark; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter; Bey-Knight, Lisa; Krycia, Mark; Sherman, Mark E.; Boyd, Norman; Gierach, Gretchen L.

2015-03-01

Women with elevated mammographic percent density, defined as the ratio of fibroglandular tissue area to total breast area on a mammogram are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is an imaging modality that can create tomographic sound speed images of a patient's breast, which can then be used to measure breast density. These sound speed images are useful because physical tissue density is directly proportional to sound speed. The work presented here updates previous results that compared mammographic breast density measurements with UST breast density measurements within an ongoing study. The current analysis has been expanded to include 158 women with negative digital mammographic screens who then underwent a breast UST scan. Breast density was measured for both imaging modalities and preliminary analysis demonstrated strong and positive correlations (Spearman correlation coefficient rs = 0.703). Additional mammographic and UST related imaging characteristics were also analyzed and used to compare the behavior of both imaging modalities. Results suggest that UST can be used among women with negative mammographic screens as a quantitative marker of breast density that may avert shortcomings of mammography.

Computer-aided interpretation approach for optical tomographic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, Christian D.; Klose, Alexander D.; Netz, Uwe J.; Scheel, Alexander K.; Beuthan, Jürgen; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2010-11-01

A computer-aided interpretation approach is proposed to detect rheumatic arthritis (RA) in human finger joints using optical tomographic images. The image interpretation method employs a classification algorithm that makes use of a so-called self-organizing mapping scheme to classify fingers as either affected or unaffected by RA. Unlike in previous studies, this allows for combining multiple image features, such as minimum and maximum values of the absorption coefficient for identifying affected and not affected joints. Classification performances obtained by the proposed method were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, and mutual information. Different methods (i.e., clinical diagnostics, ultrasound imaging, magnet resonance imaging, and inspection of optical tomographic images), were used to produce ground truth benchmarks to determine the performance of image interpretations. Using data from 100 finger joints, findings suggest that some parameter combinations lead to higher sensitivities, while others to higher specificities when compared to single parameter classifications employed in previous studies. Maximum performances are reached when combining the minimum/maximum ratio of the absorption coefficient and image variance. In this case, sensitivities and specificities over 0.9 can be achieved. These values are much higher than values obtained when only single parameter classifications were used, where sensitivities and specificities remained well below 0.8.

New developments in clinical CARS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans Georg; Kellner-Höfer, Marcel; Bückle, Rainer; Darvin, Maxim; Lademann, Juergen; König, Karsten

2013-02-01

We combined two-photon fluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging in a clinical hybrid multiphoton tomograph for in vivo imaging of human skin. The clinically approved TPEF/CARS system provides simultaneous imaging of endogenous fluorophores and non-fluorescent lipids. The Stokes laser for the two-beam configuration of CARS is based on spectral broadening of femtosecond laser pulses in a photonic crystal fiber (PCF). We report on the highly flexible medical TPEF/CARS tomograph MPTflex®-CARS with an articulated arm and first in vivo measurements on human skin.

Comment on 'Imaging of prompt gamma rays emitted during delivery of clinical proton beams with a Compton camera: feasibility studies for range verification'.

PubMed

Sitek, Arkadiusz

2016-12-21

The origin ensemble (OE) algorithm is a new method used for image reconstruction from nuclear tomographic data. The main advantage of this algorithm is the ease of implementation for complex tomographic models and the sound statistical theory. In this comment, the author provides the basics of the statistical interpretation of OE and gives suggestions for the improvement of the algorithm in the application to prompt gamma imaging as described in Polf et al (2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 7085).

Comment on ‘Imaging of prompt gamma rays emitted during delivery of clinical proton beams with a Compton camera: feasibility studies for range verification’

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, Arkadiusz

2016-12-01

The origin ensemble (OE) algorithm is a new method used for image reconstruction from nuclear tomographic data. The main advantage of this algorithm is the ease of implementation for complex tomographic models and the sound statistical theory. In this comment, the author provides the basics of the statistical interpretation of OE and gives suggestions for the improvement of the algorithm in the application to prompt gamma imaging as described in Polf et al (2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 7085).

A distribution-based parametrization for improved tomographic imaging of solute plumes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pidlisecky, Adam; Singha, K.; Day-Lewis, F. D.

2011-01-01

Difference geophysical tomography (e.g. radar, resistivity and seismic) is used increasingly for imaging fluid flow and mass transport associated with natural and engineered hydrologic phenomena, including tracer experiments, in situ remediation and aquifer storage and recovery. Tomographic data are collected over time, inverted and differenced against a background image to produce 'snapshots' revealing changes to the system; these snapshots readily provide qualitative information on the location and morphology of plumes of injected tracer, remedial amendment or stored water. In principle, geometric moments (i.e. total mass, centres of mass, spread, etc.) calculated from difference tomograms can provide further quantitative insight into the rates of advection, dispersion and mass transfer; however, recent work has shown that moments calculated from tomograms are commonly biased, as they are strongly affected by the subjective choice of regularization criteria. Conventional approaches to regularization (Tikhonov) and parametrization (image pixels) result in tomograms which are subject to artefacts such as smearing or pixel estimates taking on the sign opposite to that expected for the plume under study. Here, we demonstrate a novel parametrization for imaging plumes associated with hydrologic phenomena. Capitalizing on the mathematical analogy between moment-based descriptors of plumes and the moment-based parameters of probability distributions, we design an inverse problem that (1) is overdetermined and computationally efficient because the image is described by only a few parameters, (2) produces tomograms consistent with expected plume behaviour (e.g. changes of one sign relative to the background image), (3) yields parameter estimates that are readily interpreted for plume morphology and offer direct insight into hydrologic processes and (4) requires comparatively few data to achieve reasonable model estimates. We demonstrate the approach in a series of numerical examples based on straight-ray difference-attenuation radar monitoring of the transport of an ionic tracer, and show that the methodology outlined here is particularly effective when limited data are available. ?? 2011 The Authors Geophysical Journal International ?? 2011 RAS.

SU-C-209-07: Phantoms for Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Imaging System Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobson, D; Liu, Y

2016-06-15

Purpose: Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) is gaining importance in breast imaging. There is a need for phantoms that can be used for image evaluation and comparison. Existing commercially available phantoms for DBT are expensive and may lack clinically relevant test objects. The purpose of this study is to develop phantoms for DBT evaluation. Methods Four phantoms have been designed and constructed to assess the image quality (IQ) of two DBT systems. The first contains a spiral of 0.3 mm SiC beads in gelatin to measure the tomographic slice thickness profile and uniformity of coverage in a series of tomographic planes.more » The second contains simulated tumors inclined with respect to the phantom base to assess tomographic image quality. The third has a tilted array of discs with varying contrast and diameter. This phantom was imaged alone and in a stack of TE slabs giving 2 to 10 cm thickness. The fourth has a dual wedge of glandular and adipose simulating materials. One wedge contains discs with varying diameter and thickness; the other supports a mass with six simulated spicules of varying size and a cluster of simulated calcifications. The simulated glandular tissue material varies between 35 and 100% of the total thickness (5.5 cm). Results: All phantoms were scanned successfully. The best IQ comparison was achieved with the dual wedge phantom as demonstrated by the spiculated mass and calcifications. Images were evaluated by two radiologists and one physicist. The projection images and corresponding set of tomographic planes were comparable and the synthesized projection images were inferior to the projection images for both systems. Conclusion: Four phantoms were designed, constructed and imaged on two DBT systems. They successfully demonstrated performance differences between two systems, and between true and synthesized projection images. Future work will incorporate these designs into a single phantom.« less

Towards Omni-Tomography—Grand Fusion of Multiple Modalities for Simultaneous Interior Tomography

PubMed Central

Wang, Ge; Zhang, Jie; Gao, Hao; Weir, Victor; Yu, Hengyong; Cong, Wenxiang; Xu, Xiaochen; Shen, Haiou; Bennett, James; Furth, Mark; Wang, Yue; Vannier, Michael

2012-01-01

We recently elevated interior tomography from its origin in computed tomography (CT) to a general tomographic principle, and proved its validity for other tomographic modalities including SPECT, MRI, and others. Here we propose “omni-tomography”, a novel concept for the grand fusion of multiple tomographic modalities for simultaneous data acquisition in a region of interest (ROI). Omni-tomography can be instrumental when physiological processes under investigation are multi-dimensional, multi-scale, multi-temporal and multi-parametric. Both preclinical and clinical studies now depend on in vivo tomography, often requiring separate evaluations by different imaging modalities. Over the past decade, two approaches have been used for multimodality fusion: Software based image registration and hybrid scanners such as PET-CT, PET-MRI, and SPECT-CT among others. While there are intrinsic limitations with both approaches, the main obstacle to the seamless fusion of multiple imaging modalities has been the bulkiness of each individual imager and the conflict of their physical (especially spatial) requirements. To address this challenge, omni-tomography is now unveiled as an emerging direction for biomedical imaging and systems biomedicine. PMID:22768108

High-resolution three-dimensional imaging of red blood cells parasitized by Plasmodium falciparum and in situ hemozoin crystals using optical diffraction tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyoohyun; Yoon, HyeOk; Diez-Silva, Monica; Dao, Ming; Dasari, Ramachandra R.; Park, YongKeun

2014-01-01

We present high-resolution optical tomographic images of human red blood cells (RBC) parasitized by malaria-inducing Plasmodium falciparum (Pf)-RBCs. Three-dimensional (3-D) refractive index (RI) tomograms are reconstructed by recourse to a diffraction algorithm from multiple two-dimensional holograms with various angles of illumination. These 3-D RI tomograms of Pf-RBCs show cellular and subcellular structures of host RBCs and invaded parasites in fine detail. Full asexual intraerythrocytic stages of parasite maturation (ring to trophozoite to schizont stages) are then systematically investigated using optical diffraction tomography algorithms. These analyses provide quantitative information on the structural and chemical characteristics of individual host Pf-RBCs, parasitophorous vacuole, and cytoplasm. The in situ structural evolution and chemical characteristics of subcellular hemozoin crystals are also elucidated.

High-resolution three-dimensional imaging of red blood cells parasitized by Plasmodium falciparum and in situ hemozoin crystals using optical diffraction tomography

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoohyun; Yoon, HyeOk; Diez-Silva, Monica; Dao, Ming; Dasari, Ramachandra R.

2013-01-01

Abstract. We present high-resolution optical tomographic images of human red blood cells (RBC) parasitized by malaria-inducing Plasmodium falciparum (Pf)-RBCs. Three-dimensional (3-D) refractive index (RI) tomograms are reconstructed by recourse to a diffraction algorithm from multiple two-dimensional holograms with various angles of illumination. These 3-D RI tomograms of Pf-RBCs show cellular and subcellular structures of host RBCs and invaded parasites in fine detail. Full asexual intraerythrocytic stages of parasite maturation (ring to trophozoite to schizont stages) are then systematically investigated using optical diffraction tomography algorithms. These analyses provide quantitative information on the structural and chemical characteristics of individual host Pf-RBCs, parasitophorous vacuole, and cytoplasm. The in situ structural evolution and chemical characteristics of subcellular hemozoin crystals are also elucidated. PMID:23797986

Modified Faraday cup

DOEpatents

Elmer, J.W.; Teruya, A.T.; O`Brien, D.W.

1996-09-10

A tomographic technique for measuring the current density distribution in electron beams using electron beam profile data acquired from a modified Faraday cup to create an image of the current density in high and low power beams is disclosed. The modified Faraday cup includes a narrow slit and is rotated by a stepper motor and can be moved in the x, y and z directions. The beam is swept across the slit perpendicular thereto and controlled by deflection coils, and the slit rotated such that waveforms are taken every few degrees from 0{degree} to 360{degree} and the waveforms are recorded by a digitizing storage oscilloscope. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the current density distribution in the beam can be reconstructed by computer tomography from this information, providing quantitative information about the beam focus and alignment. 12 figs.

High resolution x-ray CMT: Reconstruction methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, J.K.

This paper qualitatively discusses the primary characteristics of methods for reconstructing tomographic images from a set of projections. These reconstruction methods can be categorized as either {open_quotes}analytic{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}iterative{close_quotes} techniques. Analytic algorithms are derived from the formal inversion of equations describing the imaging process, while iterative algorithms incorporate a model of the imaging process and provide a mechanism to iteratively improve image estimates. Analytic reconstruction algorithms are typically computationally more efficient than iterative methods; however, analytic algorithms are available for a relatively limited set of imaging geometries and situations. Thus, the framework of iterative reconstruction methods is better suited formore » high accuracy, tomographic reconstruction codes.« less

High-pitch Helical Dual-source Computed Tomographic Pulmonary Angiography: Comparing Image Quality in Inspiratory Breath-hold and During Free Breathing.

PubMed

Ajlan, Amr M; Binzaqr, Salma; Jadkarim, Dalia A; Jamjoom, Lamia G; Leipsic, Jonathon

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare qualitative and quantitative image parameters of dual-source high-pitch helical computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in breath-holding (BH) versus free-breathing (FB) patients. Ninety-nine consented patients (61 female individuals; mean age±SD, 49±18.7 y) were randomized into BH (n=45) versus FB (n=54) high-pitch helical CTPA. Patient characteristics and CTPA radiation doses were analyzed. Two readers assessed for pulmonary embolism (PE), transient interruption of contrast, and respiratory and cardiac motion. The readers used a subjective 3-point scale to rate the pulmonary artery opacification and lung parenchymal appearance. A single reader assessed mean pulmonary artery signal intensity, noise, contrast, signal to noise ratio, and contrast to noise ratio. PE was diagnosed in 16% BH and 19% FB patients. CTPAs of both groups were of excellent or acceptable quality for PE evaluation and of similar mean radiation doses (1.3 mSv). Transient interruption of contrast was seen in 5/45 (11%) BH and 5/54 (9%) FB patients (not statistically significant, P=0.54). No statistically significant difference was noted in cardiac, diaphragmatic, and lung parenchymal motion. Lung parenchymal assessment was excellent in all cases, except for 5/54 (9%) motion-affected FB cases with acceptable quality (statistically significant, P=0.03). No CTPA was considered nondiagnostic by any of the readers. No objective image quality differences were noted between both groups (P>0.05). High-pitch helical CTPA acquired during BH or in FB yields comparable image quality for the diagnosis of PE and lung pathology, with low radiation exposure. Only a modest increase in lung parenchymal artifacts is encountered in FB high-pitch helical CTPA.

Regional Characterization of Tokyo Metoropolitan area using a highly-dense seismic netwok(MeSO-net)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirata, N.; Nakagawa, S.; Sakai, S.; Panayotopoulos, Y.; Ishikawa, M.; Ishibe, T.; Kimura, H.; Honda, R.

2014-12-01

We have developed　a dense seismic network, MeSO-net (Metropolitan Seismic Observation network), since 2007 in the greater Tokyo urban region　under the Special Project for Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Tokyo Metropolitan Area (FY2007-FY2011) and Special Project for Reducing Vulnerability for Urban Mega Earthquake Disasters (FY2012-FY2016)( Hirata et al., 2009). So far we have acquired more than 120TB continuous seismic data form MeSO-net which consists of about 300 seismic stations. Using MeSO-net data, we obtain clear P- and S- wave velocity tomograms (Nakagawa et al., 2010) and Qp, Qs tomograms (Panayotopoulos et al., 2014) which show a clear image of Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) and PAcific Plate (PAP). A depth to the top of PSP, 20 to 30 km beneath northern part of Tokyo bay, is about 10 km shallower than previous estimates based on the distribution of seismicity (Ishida, 1992). This shallower plate geometry changes estimations of strong ground motion for seismic hazards analysis within the Tokyo region. Based on elastic wave velocities of rocks and minerals, we interpreted the tomographic images as petrologic images. Tomographic images revealed the presence of two stepwise velocity increase of the top layer of the subducting PSP slab. Because strength of the serpentinized peridotite is not large enough for brittle fracture, if the area is smaller than previously estimated, a possible area of the large thrust fault on the upper surface of PSP can be larger than previously thought. Change of seismicity rate after the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake suggests change of stressing rate in greater Tokyo. Quantitative analysis of MeSO-net data shows significant increase of rate of earthquakes that have a fault orientation favorable to increasing Coulomb stress after the Tohoku-oki event.

A high-throughput system for high-quality tomographic reconstruction of large datasets at Diamond Light Source

PubMed Central

Atwood, Robert C.; Bodey, Andrew J.; Price, Stephen W. T.; Basham, Mark; Drakopoulos, Michael

2015-01-01

Tomographic datasets collected at synchrotrons are becoming very large and complex, and, therefore, need to be managed efficiently. Raw images may have high pixel counts, and each pixel can be multidimensional and associated with additional data such as those derived from spectroscopy. In time-resolved studies, hundreds of tomographic datasets can be collected in sequence, yielding terabytes of data. Users of tomographic beamlines are drawn from various scientific disciplines, and many are keen to use tomographic reconstruction software that does not require a deep understanding of reconstruction principles. We have developed Savu, a reconstruction pipeline that enables users to rapidly reconstruct data to consistently create high-quality results. Savu is designed to work in an ‘orthogonal’ fashion, meaning that data can be converted between projection and sinogram space throughout the processing workflow as required. The Savu pipeline is modular and allows processing strategies to be optimized for users' purposes. In addition to the reconstruction algorithms themselves, it can include modules for identification of experimental problems, artefact correction, general image processing and data quality assessment. Savu is open source, open licensed and ‘facility-independent’: it can run on standard cluster infrastructure at any institution. PMID:25939626

Clinical applications with the HIDAC positron camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, P.; Schaller, G.; Christin, A.; Townsend, D.; Tochon-Danguy, H.; Wensveen, M.; Donath, A.

1988-06-01

A high density avalanche chamber (HIDAC) positron camera has been used for positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging in three different human studies, including patients presenting with: (I) thyroid diseases (124 cases); (II) clinically suspected malignant tumours of the pharynx or larynx (ENT) region (23 cases); and (III) clinically suspected primary malignant and metastatic tumours of the liver (9 cases, 19 PET scans). The positron emitting radiopharmaceuticals used for the three studies were Na 124I (4.2 d half-life) for the thyroid, 55Co-bleomycin (17.5 h half-life) for the ENT-region and 68Ga-colloid (68 min half-life) for the liver. Tomographic imaging was performed: (I) 24 h after oral Na 124I administration to the thyroid patients, (II) 18 h after intraveneous administration of 55Co-bleomycin to the ENT patients and (III) 20 min following the intraveneous injection of 68Ga-colloid to the liver tumour patients. Three different imaging protocols were used with the HIDAC positron camera to perform appropriate tomographic imaging in each patient study. Promising results were obtained in all three studies, particularly in tomographic thyroid imaging, where a significant clinical contribution is made possible for diagnosis and therapy planning by the PET technique. In the other two PET studies encouraging results were obtained for the detection and precise localisation of malignant tumour disease including an estimate of the functional liver volume based on the reticulo-endothelial-system (RES) of the liver, obtained in vivo, and the three-dimensional display of liver PET data using shaded graphics techniques. The clinical significance of the overall results obtained in both the ENT and the liver PET study, however, is still uncertain and the respective role of PET as a new imaging modality in these applications is not yet clearly established. To appreciate the clinical impact made by PET in liver and ENT malignant tumour staging needs further investigation, and more detailed data on a larger number of clinical and experimental PET scans will be necessary for definitive evaluation. Nevertheless, the HIDAC positron camera may be used for clinical PET imaging in well-defined patient cases, particularly in situations where both high spatial resolution is desired in the reconstructed image of the examined pathological condition and at the same time "static" PET imaging may be adequate, as is the case in thyroid-, ENT- and liver tomographic imaging using the HIDAC positron camera.

Phase contrast imaging of cochlear soft tissue.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, S.; Hwang, M.; Rau, C.

A noninvasive technique to image soft tissue could expedite diagnosis and disease management in the auditory system. We propose inline phase contrast imaging with hard X-rays as a novel method that overcomes the limitations of conventional absorption radiography for imaging soft tissue. In this study, phase contrast imaging of mouse cochleae was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Photon Source. The phase contrast tomographic reconstructions show soft tissue structures of the cochlea, including the inner pillar cells, the inner spiral sulcus, the tectorial membrane, the basilar membrane, and the Reissner's membrane. The results suggest that phase contrast X-ray imagingmore » and tomographic techniques hold promise to noninvasively image cochlear structures at an unprecedented cellular level.« less

Whole-body direct 4D parametric PET imaging employing nested generalized Patlak expectation-maximization reconstruction

PubMed Central

Karakatsanis, Nicolas A.; Casey, Michael E.; Lodge, Martin A.; Rahmim, Arman; Zaidi, Habib

2016-01-01

Whole-body (WB) dynamic PET has recently demonstrated its potential in translating the quantitative benefits of parametric imaging to the clinic. Post-reconstruction standard Patlak (sPatlak) WB graphical analysis utilizes multi-bed multi-pass PET acquisition to produce quantitative WB images of the tracer influx rate Ki as a complimentary metric to the semi-quantitative standardized uptake value (SUV). The resulting Ki images may suffer from high noise due to the need for short acquisition frames. Meanwhile, a generalized Patlak (gPatlak) WB post-reconstruction method had been suggested to limit Ki bias of sPatlak analysis at regions with non-negligible 18F-FDG uptake reversibility; however, gPatlak analysis is non-linear and thus can further amplify noise. In the present study, we implemented, within the open-source Software for Tomographic Image Reconstruction (STIR) platform, a clinically adoptable 4D WB reconstruction framework enabling efficient estimation of sPatlak and gPatlak images directly from dynamic multi-bed PET raw data with substantial noise reduction. Furthermore, we employed the optimization transfer methodology to accelerate 4D expectation-maximization (EM) convergence by nesting the fast image-based estimation of Patlak parameters within each iteration cycle of the slower projection-based estimation of dynamic PET images. The novel gPatlak 4D method was initialized from an optimized set of sPatlak ML-EM iterations to facilitate EM convergence. Initially, realistic simulations were conducted utilizing published 18F-FDG kinetic parameters coupled with the XCAT phantom. Quantitative analyses illustrated enhanced Ki target-to-background ratio (TBR) and especially contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) performance for the 4D vs. the indirect methods and static SUV. Furthermore, considerable convergence acceleration was observed for the nested algorithms involving 10–20 sub-iterations. Moreover, systematic reduction in Ki % bias and improved TBR were observed for gPatlak vs. sPatlak. Finally, validation on clinical WB dynamic data demonstrated the clinical feasibility and superior Ki CNR performance for the proposed 4D framework compared to indirect Patlak and SUV imaging. PMID:27383991

Whole-body direct 4D parametric PET imaging employing nested generalized Patlak expectation-maximization reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakatsanis, Nicolas A.; Casey, Michael E.; Lodge, Martin A.; Rahmim, Arman; Zaidi, Habib

2016-08-01

Whole-body (WB) dynamic PET has recently demonstrated its potential in translating the quantitative benefits of parametric imaging to the clinic. Post-reconstruction standard Patlak (sPatlak) WB graphical analysis utilizes multi-bed multi-pass PET acquisition to produce quantitative WB images of the tracer influx rate K i as a complimentary metric to the semi-quantitative standardized uptake value (SUV). The resulting K i images may suffer from high noise due to the need for short acquisition frames. Meanwhile, a generalized Patlak (gPatlak) WB post-reconstruction method had been suggested to limit K i bias of sPatlak analysis at regions with non-negligible 18F-FDG uptake reversibility; however, gPatlak analysis is non-linear and thus can further amplify noise. In the present study, we implemented, within the open-source software for tomographic image reconstruction platform, a clinically adoptable 4D WB reconstruction framework enabling efficient estimation of sPatlak and gPatlak images directly from dynamic multi-bed PET raw data with substantial noise reduction. Furthermore, we employed the optimization transfer methodology to accelerate 4D expectation-maximization (EM) convergence by nesting the fast image-based estimation of Patlak parameters within each iteration cycle of the slower projection-based estimation of dynamic PET images. The novel gPatlak 4D method was initialized from an optimized set of sPatlak ML-EM iterations to facilitate EM convergence. Initially, realistic simulations were conducted utilizing published 18F-FDG kinetic parameters coupled with the XCAT phantom. Quantitative analyses illustrated enhanced K i target-to-background ratio (TBR) and especially contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) performance for the 4D versus the indirect methods and static SUV. Furthermore, considerable convergence acceleration was observed for the nested algorithms involving 10-20 sub-iterations. Moreover, systematic reduction in K i % bias and improved TBR were observed for gPatlak versus sPatlak. Finally, validation on clinical WB dynamic data demonstrated the clinical feasibility and superior K i CNR performance for the proposed 4D framework compared to indirect Patlak and SUV imaging.

Optimal Anesthetic Regime for Motionless Three-Dimensional Image Acquisition During Longitudinal Studies of Adult Nonpigmented Zebrafish.

PubMed

Lockwood, Nicola; Parker, Jennifer; Wilson, Carole; Frankel, Paul

2017-04-01

With many live imaging techniques, it is crucial that a deep level of anesthesia is reached and maintained throughout image acquisition without reducing zebrafish viability. This is particularly true for three-dimensional tomographic imaging modalities. Currently, the most commonly used anesthetic in the zebrafish community, MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate), does not allow this. We show, using a combination of both MS-222 and isoflurane, that we can significantly improve the anesthetic regime required for motionless image acquisition of live adult zebrafish. We have benchmarked this against the requirements of our novel quantitative imaging platform, compressive sensing optical projection tomography. Using nonpigmented transgenic zebrafish, we show that a combination of 175 ppm of both anesthetics improves the maintenance of deep anesthesia for prolonged periods of time and it can be used repeatedly to enable longitudinal imaging. Importantly, it does not affect the health or viability of the adult zebrafish. We also show that nonpigmented fish, with a mutated form of the gene transparent, took significantly longer to reach deep anesthesia. The anesthetic regime presented in this study should lead to significant improvements in accuracy and information achievable from imaging live adult zebrafish and in its application to longitudinal studies.

Finite magnetic relaxation in x-space magnetic particle imaging: Comparison of measurements and ferrohydrodynamic models

PubMed Central

Dhavalikar, R; Hensley, D; Maldonado-Camargo, L; Croft, L R; Ceron, S; Goodwill, P W; Conolly, S M

2016-01-01

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an emerging tomographic imaging technology that detects magnetic nanoparticle tracers by exploiting their non-linear magnetization properties. In order to predict the behavior of nanoparticles in an imager, it is possible to use a non-imaging MPI relaxometer or spectrometer to characterize the behavior of nanoparticles in a controlled setting. In this paper we explore the use of ferrohydrodynamic magnetization equations for predicting the response of particles in an MPI relaxometer. These include a magnetization equation developed by Shliomis (Sh) which has a constant relaxation time and a magnetization equation which uses a field-dependent relaxation time developed by Martsenyuk, Raikher and Shliomis (MRSh). We compare the predictions from these models with measurements and with the predictions based on the Langevin function that assumes instantaneous magnetization response of the nanoparticles. The results show good qualitative and quantitative agreement between the ferrohydrodynamic models and the measurements without the use of fitting parameters and provide further evidence of the potential of ferrohydrodynamic modeling in MPI. PMID:27867219

DIRECT OBSERVATION OF SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELDS BY VECTOR TOMOGRAPHY OF THE CORONAL EMISSION LINE POLARIZATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kramar, M.; Lin, H.; Tomczyk, S., E-mail: kramar@cua.edu, E-mail: lin@ifa.hawaii.edu, E-mail: tomczyk@ucar.edu

We present the first direct “observation” of the global-scale, 3D coronal magnetic fields of Carrington Rotation (CR) Cycle 2112 using vector tomographic inversion techniques. The vector tomographic inversion uses measurements of the Fe xiii 10747 Å Hanle effect polarization signals by the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) and 3D coronal density and temperature derived from scalar tomographic inversion of Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)/Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUVI) coronal emission lines (CELs) intensity images as inputs to derive a coronal magnetic field model that best reproduces the observed polarization signals. While independent verifications of the vector tomography results cannot be performed, wemore » compared the tomography inverted coronal magnetic fields with those constructed by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations based on observed photospheric magnetic fields of CR 2112 and 2113. We found that the MHD model for CR 2112 is qualitatively consistent with the tomography inverted result for most of the reconstruction domain except for several regions. Particularly, for one of the most noticeable regions, we found that the MHD simulation for CR 2113 predicted a model that more closely resembles the vector tomography inverted magnetic fields. In another case, our tomographic reconstruction predicted an open magnetic field at a region where a coronal hole can be seen directly from a STEREO-B/EUVI image. We discuss the utilities and limitations of the tomographic inversion technique, and present ideas for future developments.« less

Relative arrival-time upper-mantle tomography and the elusive background mean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastow, Ian D.

2012-08-01

The interpretation of seismic tomographic images of upper-mantle seismic wave speed structure is often a matter of considerable debate because the observations can usually be explained by a range of hypotheses, including variable temperature, composition, anisotropy, and the presence of partial melt. An additional problem, often overlooked in tomographic studies using relative as opposed to absolute arrival-times, is the issue of the resulting velocity model's zero mean. In shield areas, for example, relative arrival-time analysis strips off a background mean velocity structure that is markedly fast compared to the global average. Conversely, in active areas, the background mean is often markedly slow compared to the global average. Appreciation of this issue is vital when interpreting seismic tomographic images: 'high' and 'low' velocity anomalies should not necessarily be interpreted, respectively, as 'fast' and 'slow' compared to 'normal mantle'. This issue has been discussed in the seismological literature in detail over the years, yet subsequent tomography studies have still fallen into the trap of mis-interpreting their velocity models. I highlight here some recent examples of this and provide a simple strategy to address the problem using constraints from a recent global tomographic model, and insights from catalogues of absolute traveltime anomalies. Consultation of such absolute measures of seismic wave speed should be routine during regional tomographic studies, if only for the benefit of the broader Earth Science community, who readily follow the red = hot and slow, blue = cold and fast rule of thumb when interpreting the images for themselves.

A method for visualizing high-density porous polyethylene (medpor, porex) with computed tomographic scanning.

PubMed

Vendemia, Nicholas; Chao, Jerry; Ivanidze, Jana; Sanelli, Pina; Spinelli, Henry M

2011-01-01

Medpor (Porex Surgical, Inc, Newnan, GA) is composed of porous polyethylene and is commonly used in craniofacial reconstruction. When complications such as seroma or abscess formation arise, diagnostic modalities are limited because Medpor is radiolucent on conventional radiologic studies. This poses a problem in situations where imaging is necessary to distinguish the implant from surrounding tissues. To present a clinically useful method for imaging Medpor with conventional computed tomographic (CT) scanning. Eleven patients (12 total implants) who have undergone reconstructive surgery with Medpor were included in the study. A retrospective review of CT scans done between 1 and 16 months postoperatively was performed using 3 distinct CT window settings. Measurements of implant dimensions and Hounsfield units were recorded and qualitatively assessed. Of the 3 distinct window settings studied, namely, "bone" (W1100/L450), "soft tissue"; (W500/L50), and "implant" (W800/L200), the implant window proved the most ideal, allowing the investigators to visualize and evaluate Medpor in all cases. Qualitative analysis revealed that Medpor implants were able to be distinguished from surrounding tissue in both the implant and soft tissue windows, with a density falling between that of fat and fluid. In 1 case, Medpor could not be visualized in the soft tissue window, although it could be visualized in the implant window. Quantitative analysis demonstrated a mean (SD) density of -38.7 (7.4) Hounsfield units. Medpor may be optimally visualized on conventional CT scans using the implant window settings W800/L200, which can aid in imaging Medpor and diagnosing implant-related complications.

Large-scale tomographic particle image velocimetry using helium-filled soap bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, Matthias; Ehrenfried, Klaus; Bosbach, Johannes; Wagner, Claus

2011-04-01

To measure large-scale flow structures in air, a tomographic particle image velocimetry (tomographic PIV) system for measurement volumes of the order of one cubic metre is developed, which employs helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSBs) as tracer particles. The technique has several specific characteristics compared to most conventional tomographic PIV systems, which are usually applied to small measurement volumes. One of them is spot lights on the HFSB tracers, which slightly change their position, when the direction of observation is altered. Further issues are the large particle to voxel ratio and the short focal length of the used camera lenses, which result in a noticeable variation of the magnification factor in volume depth direction. Taking the specific characteristics of the HFSBs into account, the feasibility of our large-scale tomographic PIV system is demonstrated by showing that the calibration errors can be reduced down to 0.1 pixels as required. Further, an accurate and fast implementation of the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique, which calculates the weighting coefficients when needed instead of storing them, is discussed. The tomographic PIV system is applied to measure forced convection in a convection cell at a Reynolds number of 530 based on the inlet channel height and the mean inlet velocity. The size of the measurement volume and the interrogation volumes amount to 750 mm × 450 mm × 165 mm and 48 mm × 48 mm × 24 mm, respectively. Validation of the tomographic PIV technique employing HFSBs is further provided by comparing profiles of the mean velocity and of the root mean square velocity fluctuations to respective planar PIV data.

Validation study of an interpolation method for calculating whole lung volumes and masses from reduced numbers of CT-images in ponies.

PubMed

Reich, H; Moens, Y; Braun, C; Kneissl, S; Noreikat, K; Reske, A

2014-12-01

Quantitative computer tomographic analysis (qCTA) is an accurate but time intensive method used to quantify volume, mass and aeration of the lungs. The aim of this study was to validate a time efficient interpolation technique for application of qCTA in ponies. Forty-one thoracic computer tomographic (CT) scans obtained from eight anaesthetised ponies positioned in dorsal recumbency were included. Total lung volume and mass and their distribution into four compartments (non-aerated, poorly aerated, normally aerated and hyperaerated; defined based on the attenuation in Hounsfield Units) were determined for the entire lung from all 5 mm thick CT-images, 59 (55-66) per animal. An interpolation technique validated for use in humans was then applied to calculate qCTA results for lung volumes and masses from only 10, 12, and 14 selected CT-images per scan. The time required for both procedures was recorded. Results were compared statistically using the Bland-Altman approach. The bias ± 2 SD for total lung volume calculated from interpolation of 10, 12, and 14 CT-images was -1.2 ± 5.8%, 0.1 ± 3.5%, and 0.0 ± 2.5%, respectively. The corresponding results for total lung mass were -1.1 ± 5.9%, 0.0 ± 3.5%, and 0.0 ± 3.0%. The average time for analysis of one thoracic CT-scan using the interpolation method was 1.5-2 h compared to 8 h for analysis of all images of one complete thoracic CT-scan. The calculation of pulmonary qCTA data by interpolation from 12 CT-images was applicable for equine lung CT-scans and reduced the time required for analysis by 75%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast tomosynthesis for lung cancer detection using the SBDX geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahrig, Rebecca; Pineda, Angel R.; Solomon, Edward G.; Leung, Ann N.; Pelc, Norbert J.

2003-06-01

Radiology-based lung-cancer detection is a high-contrast imaging task, consisting of the detection of a small mass of tissue within much lower density lung parenchyma. This imaging task requires removal of confounding image details, fast image acquisition (< 0.1 s for pericardial region), low dose (comparable to a chest x-ray), high resolution (< 0.25 mm in-plane) and patient positioning flexibility. We present an investigation of tomosynthesis, implemented using the Scanning-Beam Digital X-ray System (SBDX), to achieve these goals. We designed an image-based computer model of tomosynthesis using a high-resolution (0.15-mm isotropic voxels), low-noise CT volume image of a lung phantom, numerically added spherical lesions and convolution-based tomographic blurring. Lesion visibility was examined as a function of half-tomographic angle for 2.5 and 4.0 mm diameter lesions. Gaussian distributed noise was added to the projected images. For lesions 2.5 mm and 4.0 mm in diameter, half-tomographic angles of at least 6° and 9° respectively were necessary before visualization of the lesions improved. The addition of noise for a dose equivalent to 1/10 that used for a standard chest radiograph did not significantly impair lesion detection. The results are promising, indicating that lung-cancer detection using a modified SBDX system is possible.

Digital holography applications in ophthalmology, biometry, and optical trapping characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potcoava, Mariana Camelia

This dissertation combines various holographic techniques with application on the two- and three-dimensional imaging of ophthalmic tissue, fingerprints, and microsphere samples with micrometer resolution. Digital interference holography (DIH) uses scanned wavelengths to synthesize short-coherence interference tomographic images. We used DIH for in vitro imaging of human optic nerve head and retina. Tomographic images were produced by superposition of holograms. Holograms were obtained with a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 50 dB. Optic nerve head characteristics (shape, diameter, cup depth, and cup width) were quantified with a few micron resolution (4.06--4.8mum). Multiple layers were distinguishable in cross-sectional images of the macula. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DIH use to image human macular and optic nerve tissue. Holographic phase microscopy is used to produce images of thin film patterns left by latent fingerprints. Two or more holographic phase images with different wavelengths are combined for optical phase unwrapping of images of patent prints. We demonstrated digital interference holography images of a plastic print, and latent prints. These demonstrations point to significant contributions to biometry by using digital interference holography to identify and quantify Level 1 (pattern), Level 2 (minutia points), and Level 3 (pores and ridge contours). Quantitative studies of physical and biological processes and precise non-contact manipulation of nanometer/micrometer trapped objects can be effectuated with nanometer accuracy due to the development of optical tweezers. A three-dimensional gradient trap is produced at the focus position of a high NA microscope objective. Particles are trapped axially and laterally due to the gradient force. The particle is confined in a potential well and the trap acts as a harmonic spring. The elastic constant or the stiffness along any axis is determined from the particle displacements in time along each specific axis. Thus, we report the sensing of small particles using optical trapping in combination with the digital Gabor holography to calibrate the optical force and the position and of the copolymer microsphere in the x, y, z direction with nm precision.

Photoacoustic imaging of fluorophores using pump-probe excitation

PubMed Central

Märk, Julia; Schmitt, Franz-Josef; Theiss, Christoph; Dortay, Hakan; Friedrich, Thomas; Laufer, Jan

2015-01-01

A pump-probe technique for the detection of fluorophores in tomographic PA images is introduced. It is based on inducing stimulated emission in fluorescent molecules, which in turn modulates the amount of thermalized energy, and hence the PA signal amplitude. A theoretical model of the PA signal generation in fluorophores is presented and experimentally validated on cuvette measurements made in solutions of Rhodamine 6G, a fluorophore of known optical and molecular properties. The application of this technique to deep tissue tomographic PA imaging is demonstrated by determining the spatial distribution of a near-infrared fluorophore in a tissue phantom. PMID:26203378

Diagnostic Accuracy of Periapical Radiography and Cone-beam Computed Tomography in Identifying Root Canal Configuration of Human Premolars.

PubMed

Sousa, Thiago Oliveira; Haiter-Neto, Francisco; Nascimento, Eduarda Helena Leandro; Peroni, Leonardo Vieira; Freitas, Deborah Queiroz; Hassan, Bassam

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of periapical radiography (PR) and cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging in the detection of the root canal configuration (RCC) of human premolars. PR and CBCT imaging of 114 extracted human premolars were evaluated by 2 oral radiologists. RCC was recorded according to Vertucci's classification. Micro-computed tomographic imaging served as the gold standard to determine RCC. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated. The Friedman test compared both PR and CBCT imaging with the gold standard. CBCT imaging showed higher values for all diagnostic tests compared with PR. Accuracy was 0.55 and 0.89 for PR and CBCT imaging, respectively. There was no difference between CBCT imaging and the gold standard, whereas PR differed from both CBCT and micro-computed tomographic imaging (P < .0001). CBCT imaging was more accurate than PR for evaluating different types of RCC individually. Canal configuration types III, VII, and "other" were poorly identified on CBCT imaging with a detection accuracy of 50%, 0%, and 43%, respectively. With PR, all canal configurations except type I were poorly visible. PR presented low performance in the detection of RCC in premolars, whereas CBCT imaging showed no difference compared with the gold standard. Canals with complex configurations were less identifiable using both imaging methods, especially PR. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infrared laser transillumination CT imaging system using parallel fiber arrays and optical switches for finger joint imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Yoshiaki; Emori, Ryota; Inage, Hiroki; Goto, Masaki; Takahashi, Ryo; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Taniguchi, Hiroshi; Devaraj, Balasigamani; Akatsuka, Takao

2004-05-01

The heterodyne detection technique, on which the coherent detection imaging (CDI) method founds, can discriminate and select very weak, highly directional forward scattered, and coherence retaining photons that emerge from scattering media in spite of their complex and highly scattering nature. That property enables us to reconstruct tomographic images using the same reconstruction technique as that of X-Ray CT, i.e., the filtered backprojection method. Our group had so far developed a transillumination laser CT imaging method based on the CDI method in the visible and near-infrared regions and reconstruction from projections, and reported a variety of tomographic images both in vitro and in vivo of biological objects to demonstrate the effectiveness to biomedical use. Since the previous system was not optimized, it took several hours to obtain a single image. For a practical use, we developed a prototype CDI-based imaging system using parallel fiber array and optical switches to reduce the measurement time significantly. Here, we describe a prototype transillumination laser CT imaging system using fiber-optic based on optical heterodyne detection for early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), by demonstrating the tomographic imaging of acrylic phantom as well as the fundamental imaging properties. We expect that further refinements of the fiber-optic-based laser CT imaging system could lead to a novel and practical diagnostic tool for rheumatoid arthritis and other joint- and bone-related diseases in human finger.

BPF-type region-of-interest reconstruction for parallel translational computed tomography.

PubMed

Wu, Weiwen; Yu, Hengyong; Wang, Shaoyu; Liu, Fenglin

2017-01-01

The objective of this study is to present and test a new ultra-low-cost linear scan based tomography architecture. Similar to linear tomosynthesis, the source and detector are translated in opposite directions and the data acquisition system targets on a region-of-interest (ROI) to acquire data for image reconstruction. This kind of tomographic architecture was named parallel translational computed tomography (PTCT). In previous studies, filtered backprojection (FBP)-type algorithms were developed to reconstruct images from PTCT. However, the reconstructed ROI images from truncated projections have severe truncation artefact. In order to overcome this limitation, we in this study proposed two backprojection filtering (BPF)-type algorithms named MP-BPF and MZ-BPF to reconstruct ROI images from truncated PTCT data. A weight function is constructed to deal with data redundancy for multi-linear translations modes. Extensive numerical simulations are performed to evaluate the proposed MP-BPF and MZ-BPF algorithms for PTCT in fan-beam geometry. Qualitative and quantitative results demonstrate that the proposed BPF-type algorithms cannot only more accurately reconstruct ROI images from truncated projections but also generate high-quality images for the entire image support in some circumstances.

Application Of Iterative Reconstruction Techniques To Conventional Circular Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh Roy, D. N.; Kruger, R. A.; Yih, B. C.; Del Rio, S. P.; Power, R. L.

1985-06-01

Two "point-by-point" iteration procedures, namely, Iterative Least Square Technique (ILST) and Simultaneous Iterative Reconstructive Technique (SIRT) were applied to classical circular tomographic reconstruction. The technique of tomosynthetic DSA was used in forming the tomographic images. Reconstructions of a dog's renal and neck anatomy are presented.

Intravenous volume tomographic pulmonary angiography imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Ruola; Strang, John G.; Chen, Biao; Conover, David L.; Yu, Rongfeng

1999-05-01

This study presents a new intravenous (IV) tomographic angiography imaging technique, called intravenous volume tomographic digital angiography (VTDA) for cross sectional pulmonary angiography. While the advantages of IV-VTDA over spiral CT in terms of volume scanning time and resolution have been validated and reported in our previous papers for head and neck vascular imaging, the superiority of IV-VTDA over spiral CT for cross sectional pulmonary angiography has not been explored yet. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the advantage of isotropic resolution of IV-VTDA in the x, y and z directions through phantom and animal studies, and to explore its clinical application for detecting clots in pulmonary angiography. A prototype image intensifier-based VTDA imaging system has been designed and constructed by modifying a GE 8800 CT scanner. This system was used for a series of phantom and dog studies. A pulmonary vascular phantom was designed and constructed. The phantom was scanned using the prototype VTDA system for direct 3D reconstruction. Then the same phantom was scanned using a GE CT/i spiral CT scanner using the routine pulmonary CT angiography protocols. IV contrast injection and volume scanning protocols were developed during the dog studies. Both VTDA reconstructed images and spiral CT images of the specially designed phantom were analyzed and compared. The detectability of simulated vessels and clots was assessed as the function of iodine concentration levels, oriented angles, and diameters of the vessels and clots. A set of 3D VTDA reconstruction images of dog pulmonary arteries was obtained with different IV injection rates and isotropic resolution in the x, y and z directions. The results of clot detection studies in dog pulmonary arteries have also been shown. This study presents a new tomographic IV angiography imaging technique for cross sectional pulmonary angiography. The results of phantom and animal studies indicate that IV-VTDA is superior to spiral CT for cross sectional pulmonary angiography.

Limited-angle tomography for analyzer-based phase-contrast X-ray imaging

PubMed Central

Majidi, Keivan; Wernick, Miles N; Li, Jun; Muehleman, Carol; Brankov, Jovan G

2014-01-01

Multiple-Image Radiography (MIR) is an analyzer-based phase-contrast X-ray imaging method (ABI), which is emerging as a potential alternative to conventional radiography. MIR simultaneously generates three planar parametric images containing information about scattering, refraction and attenuation properties of the object. The MIR planar images are linear tomographic projections of the corresponding object properties, which allows reconstruction of volumetric images using computed tomography (CT) methods. However, when acquiring a full range of linear projections around the tissue of interest is not feasible or the scanning time is limited, limited-angle tomography techniques can be used to reconstruct these volumetric images near the central plane, which is the plane that contains the pivot point of the tomographic movement. In this work, we use computer simulations to explore the applicability of limited-angle tomography to MIR. We also investigate the accuracy of reconstructions as a function of number of tomographic angles for a fixed total radiation exposure. We use this function to find an optimal range of angles over which data should be acquired for limited-angle tomography MIR (LAT-MIR). Next, we apply the LAT-MIR technique to experimentally acquired MIR projections obtained in a cadaveric human thumb study. We compare the reconstructed slices near the central plane to the same slices reconstructed by CT-MIR using the full angular view around the object. Finally, we perform a task-based evaluation of LAT-MIR performance for different numbers of angular views, and use template matching to detect cartilage in the refraction image near the central plane. We use the signal-to-noise ratio of this test as the detectability metric to investigate an optimum range of tomographic angles for detecting soft tissues in LAT-MIR. Both results show that there is an optimum range of angular view for data acquisition where LAT-MIR yields the best performance, comparable to CT-MIR only if one considers volumetric images near the central plane and not the whole volume. PMID:24898008

Limited-angle tomography for analyzer-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majidi, Keivan; Wernick, Miles N.; Li, Jun; Muehleman, Carol; Brankov, Jovan G.

2014-07-01

Multiple-image radiography (MIR) is an analyzer-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging method, which is emerging as a potential alternative to conventional radiography. MIR simultaneously generates three planar parametric images containing information about scattering, refraction and attenuation properties of the object. The MIR planar images are linear tomographic projections of the corresponding object properties, which allows reconstruction of volumetric images using computed tomography (CT) methods. However, when acquiring a full range of linear projections around the tissue of interest is not feasible or the scanning time is limited, limited-angle tomography techniques can be used to reconstruct these volumetric images near the central plane, which is the plane that contains the pivot point of the tomographic movement. In this work, we use computer simulations to explore the applicability of limited-angle tomography to MIR. We also investigate the accuracy of reconstructions as a function of number of tomographic angles for a fixed total radiation exposure. We use this function to find an optimal range of angles over which data should be acquired for limited-angle tomography MIR (LAT-MIR). Next, we apply the LAT-MIR technique to experimentally acquired MIR projections obtained in a cadaveric human thumb study. We compare the reconstructed slices near the central plane to the same slices reconstructed by CT-MIR using the full angular view around the object. Finally, we perform a task-based evaluation of LAT-MIR performance for different numbers of angular views, and use template matching to detect cartilage in the refraction image near the central plane. We use the signal-to-noise ratio of this test as the detectability metric to investigate an optimum range of tomographic angles for detecting soft tissues in LAT-MIR. Both results show that there is an optimum range of angular view for data acquisition where LAT-MIR yields the best performance, comparable to CT-MIR only if one considers volumetric images near the central plane and not the whole volume.

Biological soft X-ray tomography on beamline 2.1 at the Advanced Light Source

PubMed Central

Le Gros, Mark A.; McDermott, Gerry; Cinquin, Bertrand P.; Smith, Elizabeth A.; Do, Myan; Chao, Weilun L.; Naulleau, Patrick P.; Larabell, Carolyn A.

2014-01-01

Beamline 2.1 (XM-2) is a transmission soft X-ray microscope in sector 2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. XM-2 was designed, built and is now operated by the National Center for X-ray Tomography as a National Institutes of Health Biomedical Technology Research Resource. XM-2 is equipped with a cryogenic rotation stage to enable tomographic data collection from cryo-preserved cells, including large mammalian cells. During data collection the specimen is illuminated with ‘water window’ X-rays (284–543 eV). Illuminating photons are attenuated an order of magnitude more strongly by biomolecules than by water. Consequently, differences in molecular composition generate quantitative contrast in images of the specimen. Soft X-ray tomography is an information-rich three-dimensional imaging method that can be applied either as a standalone technique or as a component modality in correlative imaging studies. PMID:25343808

X-ray tomographic image magnification process, system and apparatus therefor

DOEpatents

Kinney, J.H.; Bonse, U.K.; Johnson, Q.C.; Nichols, M.C.; Saroyan, R.A.; Massey, W.N.; Nusshardt, R.

1993-09-14

A computerized three-dimensional x-ray tomographic microscopy system is disclosed, comprising: (a) source means for providing a source of parallel x-ray beams, (b) staging means for staging and sequentially rotating a sample to be positioned in the path of the (c) x-ray image magnifier means positioned in the path of the beams downstream from the sample, (d) detecting means for detecting the beams after being passed through and magnified by the image magnifier means, and (e) computing means for analyzing values received from the detecting means, and converting the values into three-dimensional representations. Also disclosed is a process for magnifying an x-ray image, and apparatus therefor. 25 figures.

X-ray tomographic image magnification process, system and apparatus therefor

DOEpatents

Kinney, John H.; Bonse, Ulrich K.; Johnson, Quintin C.; Nichols, Monte C.; Saroyan, Ralph A.; Massey, Warren N.; Nusshardt, Rudolph

1993-01-01

A computerized three-dimensional x-ray tomographic microscopy system is disclosed, comprising: a) source means for providing a source of parallel x-ray beams, b) staging means for staging and sequentially rotating a sample to be positioned in the path of the c) x-ray image magnifier means positioned in the path of the beams downstream from the sample, d) detecting means for detecting the beams after being passed through and magnified by the image magnifier means, and e) computing means for analyzing values received from the detecting means, and converting the values into three-dimensional representations. Also disclosed is a process for magnifying an x-ray image, and apparatus therefor.

In vivo multiphoton tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging of human brain tumor tissue.

PubMed

Kantelhardt, Sven R; Kalasauskas, Darius; König, Karsten; Kim, Ella; Weinigel, Martin; Uchugonova, Aisada; Giese, Alf

2016-05-01

High resolution multiphoton tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging differentiates glioma from adjacent brain in native tissue samples ex vivo. Presently, multiphoton tomography is applied in clinical dermatology and experimentally. We here present the first application of multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging for in vivo imaging on humans during a neurosurgical procedure. We used a MPTflex™ Multiphoton Laser Tomograph (JenLab, Germany). We examined cultured glioma cells in an orthotopic mouse tumor model and native human tissue samples. Finally the multiphoton tomograph was applied to provide optical biopsies during resection of a clinical case of glioblastoma. All tissues imaged by multiphoton tomography were sampled and processed for conventional histopathology. The multiphoton tomograph allowed fluorescence intensity- and fluorescence lifetime imaging with submicron spatial resolution and 200 picosecond temporal resolution. Morphological fluorescence intensity imaging and fluorescence lifetime imaging of tumor-bearing mouse brains and native human tissue samples clearly differentiated tumor and adjacent brain tissue. Intraoperative imaging was found to be technically feasible. Intraoperative image quality was comparable to ex vivo examinations. To our knowledge we here present the first intraoperative application of high resolution multiphoton tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging of human brain tumors in situ. It allowed in vivo identification and determination of cell density of tumor tissue on a cellular and subcellular level within seconds. The technology shows the potential of rapid intraoperative identification of native glioma tissue without need for tissue processing or staining.

Scaled Anatomical Model Creation of Biomedical Tomographic Imaging Data and Associated Labels for Subsequent Sub-surface Laser Engraving (SSLE) of Glass Crystals.

PubMed

Betts, Aislinn M; McGoldrick, Matthew T; Dethlefs, Christopher R; Piotrowicz, Justin; Van Avermaete, Tony; Maki, Jeff; Gerstler, Steve; Leevy, W M

2017-04-25

Biomedical imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) provide excellent platforms for collecting three-dimensional data sets of patient or specimen anatomy in clinical or preclinical settings. However, the use of a virtual, on-screen display limits the ability of these tomographic images to fully convey the anatomical information embedded within. One solution is to interface a biomedical imaging data set with 3D printing technology to generate a physical replica. Here we detail a complementary method to visualize tomographic imaging data with a hand-held model: Sub Surface Laser Engraving (SSLE) of crystal glass. SSLE offers several unique benefits including: the facile ability to include anatomical labels, as well as a scale bar; streamlined multipart assembly of complex structures in one medium; high resolution in the X, Y, and Z planes; and semi-transparent shells for visualization of internal anatomical substructures. Here we demonstrate the process of SSLE with CT data sets derived from pre-clinical and clinical sources. This protocol will serve as a powerful and inexpensive new tool with which to visualize complex anatomical structures for scientists and students in a number of educational and research settings.

Breathing motion compensated reconstruction for C-arm cone beam CT imaging: initial experience based on animal data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, D.; Lin, M.; Rao, P. P.; Loffroy, R.; Liapi, E.; Noordhoek, N.; Eshuis, P.; Radaelli, A.; Grass, M.; Geschwind, J.-F. H.

2012-03-01

C-arm based tomographic 3D imaging is applied in an increasing number of minimal invasive procedures. Due to the limited acquisition speed for a complete projection data set required for tomographic reconstruction, breathing motion is a potential source of artifacts. This is the case for patients who cannot comply breathing commands (e.g. due to anesthesia). Intra-scan motion estimation and compensation is required. Here, a scheme for projection based local breathing motion estimation is combined with an anatomy adapted interpolation strategy and subsequent motion compensated filtered back projection. The breathing motion vector is measured as a displacement vector on the projections of a tomographic short scan acquisition using the diaphragm as a landmark. Scaling of the displacement to the acquisition iso-center and anatomy adapted volumetric motion vector field interpolation delivers a 3D motion vector per voxel. Motion compensated filtered back projection incorporates this motion vector field in the image reconstruction process. This approach is applied in animal experiments on a flat panel C-arm system delivering improved image quality (lower artifact levels, improved tumor delineation) in 3D liver tumor imaging.

Magnetic particle imaging: advancements and perspectives for real-time in vivo monitoring and image-guided therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pablico-Lansigan, Michele H.; Situ, Shu F.; Samia, Anna Cristina S.

2013-05-01

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging biomedical imaging technology that allows the direct quantitative mapping of the spatial distribution of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. MPI's increased sensitivity and short image acquisition times foster the creation of tomographic images with high temporal and spatial resolution. The contrast and sensitivity of MPI is envisioned to transcend those of other medical imaging modalities presently used, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray scans, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). In this review, we present an overview of the recent advances in the rapidly developing field of MPI. We begin with a basic introduction of the fundamentals of MPI, followed by some highlights over the past decade of the evolution of strategies and approaches used to improve this new imaging technique. We also examine the optimization of iron oxide nanoparticle tracers used for imaging, underscoring the importance of size homogeneity and surface engineering. Finally, we present some future research directions for MPI, emphasizing the novel and exciting opportunities that it offers as an important tool for real-time in vivo monitoring. All these opportunities and capabilities that MPI presents are now seen as potential breakthrough innovations in timely disease diagnosis, implant monitoring, and image-guided therapeutics.

SSULI/SSUSI UV Tomographic Images of Large-Scale Plasma Structuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hei, M. A.; Budzien, S. A.; Dymond, K.; Paxton, L. J.; Schaefer, R. K.; Groves, K. M.

2015-12-01

We present a new technique that creates tomographic reconstructions of atmospheric ultraviolet emission based on data from the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) and the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI), both flown on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Block 5D3 series satellites. Until now, the data from these two instruments have been used independently of each other. The new algorithm combines SSULI/SSUSI measurements of 135.6 nm emission using the tomographic technique; the resultant data product - whole-orbit reconstructions of atmospheric volume emission within the satellite orbital plane - is substantially improved over the original data sets. Tests using simulated atmospheric emission verify that the algorithm performs well in a variety of situations, including daytime, nighttime, and even in the challenging terminator regions. A comparison with ALTAIR radar data validates that the volume emission reconstructions can be inverted to yield maps of electron density. The algorithm incorporates several innovative new features, including the use of both SSULI and SSUSI data to create tomographic reconstructions, the use of an inversion algorithm (Richardson-Lucy; RL) that explicitly accounts for the Poisson statistics inherent in optical measurements, and a pseudo-diffusion based regularization scheme implemented between iterations of the RL code. The algorithm also explicitly accounts for extinction due to absorption by molecular oxygen.

Markov random field based automatic image alignment for electron tomography.

PubMed

Amat, Fernando; Moussavi, Farshid; Comolli, Luis R; Elidan, Gal; Downing, Kenneth H; Horowitz, Mark

2008-03-01

We present a method for automatic full-precision alignment of the images in a tomographic tilt series. Full-precision automatic alignment of cryo electron microscopy images has remained a difficult challenge to date, due to the limited electron dose and low image contrast. These facts lead to poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the images, which causes automatic feature trackers to generate errors, even with high contrast gold particles as fiducial features. To enable fully automatic alignment for full-precision reconstructions, we frame the problem probabilistically as finding the most likely particle tracks given a set of noisy images, using contextual information to make the solution more robust to the noise in each image. To solve this maximum likelihood problem, we use Markov Random Fields (MRF) to establish the correspondence of features in alignment and robust optimization for projection model estimation. The resulting algorithm, called Robust Alignment and Projection Estimation for Tomographic Reconstruction, or RAPTOR, has not needed any manual intervention for the difficult datasets we have tried, and has provided sub-pixel alignment that is as good as the manual approach by an expert user. We are able to automatically map complete and partial marker trajectories and thus obtain highly accurate image alignment. Our method has been applied to challenging cryo electron tomographic datasets with low SNR from intact bacterial cells, as well as several plastic section and X-ray datasets.

An improved protocol for optical projection tomography imaging reveals lobular heterogeneities in pancreatic islet and β-cell mass distribution

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Optical projection tomography (OPT) imaging is a powerful tool for three-dimensional imaging of gene and protein distribution patterns in biomedical specimens. We have previously demonstrated the possibility, by this technique, to extract information of the spatial and quantitative distribution of the islets of Langerhans in the intact mouse pancreas. In order to further increase the sensitivity of OPT imaging for this type of assessment, we have developed a protocol implementing a computational statistical approach: contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE). We demonstrate that this protocol significantly increases the sensitivity of OPT imaging for islet detection, helps preserve islet morphology and diminish subjectivity in thresholding for tomographic reconstruction. When applied to studies of the pancreas from healthy C57BL/6 mice, our data reveal that, at least in this strain, the pancreas harbors substantially more islets than has previously been reported. Further, we provide evidence that the gastric, duodenal and splenic lobes of the pancreas display dramatic differences in total and relative islet and β-cell mass distribution. This includes a 75% higher islet density in the gastric lobe as compared to the splenic lobe and a higher relative volume of insulin producing cells in the duodenal lobe as compared to the other lobes. Altogether, our data show that CLAHE substantially improves OPT based assessments of the islets of Langerhans and that lobular origin must be taken into careful consideration in quantitative and spatial assessments of the pancreas. PMID:21633198

Impact of time-of-flight on indirect 3D and direct 4D parametric image reconstruction in the presence of inconsistent dynamic PET data.

PubMed

Kotasidis, F A; Mehranian, A; Zaidi, H

2016-05-07

Kinetic parameter estimation in dynamic PET suffers from reduced accuracy and precision when parametric maps are estimated using kinetic modelling following image reconstruction of the dynamic data. Direct approaches to parameter estimation attempt to directly estimate the kinetic parameters from the measured dynamic data within a unified framework. Such image reconstruction methods have been shown to generate parametric maps of improved precision and accuracy in dynamic PET. However, due to the interleaving between the tomographic and kinetic modelling steps, any tomographic or kinetic modelling errors in certain regions or frames, tend to spatially or temporally propagate. This results in biased kinetic parameters and thus limits the benefits of such direct methods. Kinetic modelling errors originate from the inability to construct a common single kinetic model for the entire field-of-view, and such errors in erroneously modelled regions could spatially propagate. Adaptive models have been used within 4D image reconstruction to mitigate the problem, though they are complex and difficult to optimize. Tomographic errors in dynamic imaging on the other hand, can originate from involuntary patient motion between dynamic frames, as well as from emission/transmission mismatch. Motion correction schemes can be used, however, if residual errors exist or motion correction is not included in the study protocol, errors in the affected dynamic frames could potentially propagate either temporally, to other frames during the kinetic modelling step or spatially, during the tomographic step. In this work, we demonstrate a new strategy to minimize such error propagation in direct 4D image reconstruction, focusing on the tomographic step rather than the kinetic modelling step, by incorporating time-of-flight (TOF) within a direct 4D reconstruction framework. Using ever improving TOF resolutions (580 ps, 440 ps, 300 ps and 160 ps), we demonstrate that direct 4D TOF image reconstruction can substantially prevent kinetic parameter error propagation either from erroneous kinetic modelling, inter-frame motion or emission/transmission mismatch. Furthermore, we demonstrate the benefits of TOF in parameter estimation when conventional post-reconstruction (3D) methods are used and compare the potential improvements to direct 4D methods. Further improvements could possibly be achieved in the future by combining TOF direct 4D image reconstruction with adaptive kinetic models and inter-frame motion correction schemes.

Impact of time-of-flight on indirect 3D and direct 4D parametric image reconstruction in the presence of inconsistent dynamic PET data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotasidis, F. A.; Mehranian, A.; Zaidi, H.

2016-05-01

Kinetic parameter estimation in dynamic PET suffers from reduced accuracy and precision when parametric maps are estimated using kinetic modelling following image reconstruction of the dynamic data. Direct approaches to parameter estimation attempt to directly estimate the kinetic parameters from the measured dynamic data within a unified framework. Such image reconstruction methods have been shown to generate parametric maps of improved precision and accuracy in dynamic PET. However, due to the interleaving between the tomographic and kinetic modelling steps, any tomographic or kinetic modelling errors in certain regions or frames, tend to spatially or temporally propagate. This results in biased kinetic parameters and thus limits the benefits of such direct methods. Kinetic modelling errors originate from the inability to construct a common single kinetic model for the entire field-of-view, and such errors in erroneously modelled regions could spatially propagate. Adaptive models have been used within 4D image reconstruction to mitigate the problem, though they are complex and difficult to optimize. Tomographic errors in dynamic imaging on the other hand, can originate from involuntary patient motion between dynamic frames, as well as from emission/transmission mismatch. Motion correction schemes can be used, however, if residual errors exist or motion correction is not included in the study protocol, errors in the affected dynamic frames could potentially propagate either temporally, to other frames during the kinetic modelling step or spatially, during the tomographic step. In this work, we demonstrate a new strategy to minimize such error propagation in direct 4D image reconstruction, focusing on the tomographic step rather than the kinetic modelling step, by incorporating time-of-flight (TOF) within a direct 4D reconstruction framework. Using ever improving TOF resolutions (580 ps, 440 ps, 300 ps and 160 ps), we demonstrate that direct 4D TOF image reconstruction can substantially prevent kinetic parameter error propagation either from erroneous kinetic modelling, inter-frame motion or emission/transmission mismatch. Furthermore, we demonstrate the benefits of TOF in parameter estimation when conventional post-reconstruction (3D) methods are used and compare the potential improvements to direct 4D methods. Further improvements could possibly be achieved in the future by combining TOF direct 4D image reconstruction with adaptive kinetic models and inter-frame motion correction schemes.

SU-E-J-189: Determination of Markerless Lung Tumor Position in Real Time: A Feasibility Study Using a Novel Tomo-Cinegraphy Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yi, B; Hu, E; Yu, C

2015-06-15

Purpose: A Tomo-Cinegraphy (TC) is a method to generate a series of temporal tomographic images from projection images of the on-board imager (OBI) while gantry is moving. It is to test if this technique is useful to determine a lung tumor position during treatments. Methods: Tomographic image via background subtraction, TIBS uses a priori anatomical information from a previous CT scan to isolate a SOI from a planar kV image by factoring out the attenuations by tissues outside the SOI (background). This idea was extended to a TC, which enables to generate tomographic images of same geometry from the projectionmore » of different gantry angles and different breathing phases. Projection images of a lung patient for CBCT acquisition are used to generate TC images. A region of interest (ROI) is selected around a tumor adding 2cm margins. Center of mass (COM) of the ROI is traced to determine tumor position for every projection images. Results: Tumor is visible in the TC images while the OBI projections are not. The coordinates of the COMs represent the temporal tumor positions. While, it is not possible to trace the tumor motion using the projection images. A source of time delay is the time to acquire projection images, which is always less than a second. Conclusion: TC allows tracking the tumor positions without fiducial markers in real time for some lung patients, if the projection images are acquired during treatments. Partially supported by NIH R01CA133539.« less

Development of a high-performance noise-reduction filter for tomographic reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, Chien-Min; Pan, Xiaochuan

2001-07-01

We propose a new noise-reduction method for tomographic reconstruction. The method incorporates a priori information on the source image for allowing the derivation of the energy spectrum of its ideal sinogram. In combination with the energy spectrum of the Poisson noise in the measured sinogram, we are able to derive a Wiener-like filter for effective suppression of the sinogram noise. The filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm, with a ramp filter, is then applied to the filtered sinogram to produce tomographic images. The resulting filter has a closed-form expression in the frequency space and contains a single user-adjustable regularization parameter. The proposed method is hence simple to implement and easy to use. In contrast to the ad hoc apodizing windows, such as Hanning and Butterworth filters, that are commonly used in the conventional FBP reconstruction, the proposed filter is theoretically more rigorous as it is derived by basing upon an optimization criterion, subject to a known class of source image intensity distributions.

MIMO nonlinear ultrasonic tomography by propagation and backpropagation method.

PubMed

Dong, Chengdong; Jin, Yuanwei

2013-03-01

This paper develops a fast ultrasonic tomographic imaging method in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) configuration using the propagation and backpropagation (PBP) method. By this method, ultrasonic excitation signals from multiple sources are transmitted simultaneously to probe the objects immersed in the medium. The scattering signals are recorded by multiple receivers. Utilizing the nonlinear ultrasonic wave propagation equation and the received time domain scattered signals, the objects are to be reconstructed iteratively in three steps. First, the propagation step calculates the predicted acoustic potential data at the receivers using an initial guess. Second, the difference signal between the predicted value and the measured data is calculated. Third, the backpropagation step computes updated acoustical potential data by backpropagating the difference signal to the same medium computationally. Unlike the conventional PBP method for tomographic imaging where each source takes turns to excite the acoustical field until all the sources are used, the developed MIMO-PBP method achieves faster image reconstruction by utilizing multiple source simultaneous excitation. Furthermore, we develop an orthogonal waveform signaling method using a waveform delay scheme to reduce the impact of speckle patterns in the reconstructed images. By numerical experiments we demonstrate that the proposed MIMO-PBP tomographic imaging method results in faster convergence and achieves superior imaging quality.

Box Tomography: An efficient tomographic method for imaging localized structures in the deep Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Yder; Romanowicz, Barbara

2017-04-01

The accurate imaging of localized geological structures inside the deep Earth is key to understand our planet and its history. Since the introduction of the Preliminary Reference Earth Model, many generations of global tomographic models have been developed and give us access to the 3D structure of the Earth's interior. The latest generation of global tomographic models has emerged with the development of accurate numerical wavefield computations in a 3D earth combined with access to enhanced HPC capabilities. These models have sharpened up mantle images and unveiled relatively small scale structures that were blurred out in previous generation models. Fingerlike structures have been found at the base of the oceanic asthenosphere, and vertically oriented broad low velocity plume conduits [1] extend throughout the lower mantle beneath those major hotspots that are located within the perimeter of the deep mantle large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs). While providing new insights into our understanding of mantle dynamics, the detailed morphology of these features requires further efforts to obtain higher resolution images. In recent years, we developed a theoretical framework [2][3] for the tomographic imaging of localised geological structures buried inside the Earth, where no seismic sources nor receivers are necessarily present. We call this "box tomography" [4]. The essential difference between box-tomography and standard tomographic methods is that the numerical modeling (i.e. the raytracing in travel time tomography and the wave propagation in waveform tomography or full waveform inversion) is completely confined within the small box-region imaged. Thus, box tomography is a lot more efficient than global tomography (i.e. where we invert for the velocity in the larger volume that encompasses all the sources and receivers), for imaging localised objects. We present 2D and 3D examples showing that box tomography can be employed for imaging structures present within the D'' region at the base of the mantle. Further, we show that box-tomography performs well even in the difficult situation where the velocity distribution in the mantle above the target structure is not known a-priori. REFERENCES [1] French, S. W. and B. Romanowicz (2015) Broad Plumes at the base of the mantle beneath major hotspots, Nature, 525, 95-99 [2] Masson, Y., Cupillard, P., Capdeville, Y., & Romanowicz, B. (2013). On the numerical implementation of time-reversal mirrors for tomographic imaging. Geophysical Journal International, ggt459. [3] Masson, Y., & Romanowicz, B. (2017). Fast computation of synthetic seismograms within a medium containing remote localized perturbations: a numerical solution to the scattering problem. Geophysical Journal International, 208(2), 674-692. [4] Masson, Y., & Romanowicz, B. (2017). Box Tomography: Localised imaging of remote targets buried in an unknown medium, a step forward for understanding key structures in the deep Earth. Geophysical Journal International, (under review).

A multiresolution inversion for imaging the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ping; Zheng, Ya-Nan; Mitchell, Cathryn N.; Li, Bo

2017-06-01

Ionospheric tomography has been widely employed in imaging the large-scale ionospheric structures at both quiet and storm times. However, the tomographic algorithms to date have not been very effective in imaging of medium- and small-scale ionospheric structures due to limitations of uneven ground-based data distributions and the algorithm itself. Further, the effect of the density and quantity of Global Navigation Satellite Systems data that could help improve the tomographic results for the certain algorithm remains unclear in much of the literature. In this paper, a new multipass tomographic algorithm is proposed to conduct the inversion using intensive ground GPS observation data and is demonstrated over the U.S. West Coast during the period of 16-18 March 2015 which includes an ionospheric storm period. The characteristics of the multipass inversion algorithm are analyzed by comparing tomographic results with independent ionosonde data and Center for Orbit Determination in Europe total electron content estimates. Then, several ground data sets with different data distributions are grouped from the same data source in order to investigate the impact of the density of ground stations on ionospheric tomography results. Finally, it is concluded that the multipass inversion approach offers an improvement. The ground data density can affect tomographic results but only offers improvements up to a density of around one receiver every 150 to 200 km. When only GPS satellites are tracked there is no clear advantage in increasing the density of receivers beyond this level, although this may change if multiple constellations are monitored from each receiving station in the future.

Computed tomographic contrast tenography of the digital flexor tendon sheath of the equine hindlimb.

PubMed

Agass, Rachel; Dixon, Jonathon; Fraser, Barny

2018-05-01

Pre-surgical investigation of digital flexor tendon sheath pathology remains challenging with current standard imaging techniques. The aim of this prospective, anatomical, pilot study was to describe the anatomy of the equine hind limb digital flexor tendon sheath using a combination of computed tomography (CT) and computed tomographic contrast tenography in clinically normal cadaver limbs. Ten pairs of hind limbs with no external abnormalities were examined from the level of the tarsometatarsal joint distally. Limbs initially underwent non-contrast CT examination using 120 kVp, 300 mAs, and 1.5 mm slice thickness. Sixty millilitres of ioversol iodinated contrast media and saline (final concentration 100 mg/ml) were injected using a basilar sesamoidean approach. The computed tomographic contrast tenography examination was then repeated, before dissection of the specimens to compare gross and imaging findings. The combined CT and computed tomographic contrast tenography examinations provided excellent anatomical detail of intra-thecal structures. The borders of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, and the manica flexoria were consistently identifiable in all limbs. Detailed anatomy including that of the mesotenons, two of which are previously undescribed, and the plantar annular ligament were also consistently identifiable. Dissection of all 10 pairs of limbs revealed there to be no pathology, in accordance with the imaging findings. In conclusion, the combination of CT and computed tomographic contrast tenography may be useful adjunctive diagnostic techniques to define digital flexor tendon sheath pathology prior to surgical exploration in horses. © 2017 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Tomographic phase analysis to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakajima, K.; Bunko, H.; Tada, A.

1984-01-01

Phase analysis has been applied to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) to detect the site of accessory conduction pathway (ACP); however, there was a limitation to estimate the precise location of ACP by planar phase analysis. In this study, the authors applied phase analysis to gated blood pool tomography. Twelve patients with WPW who underwent epicardial mapping and surgical division of ACP were studied by both of gated emission computed tomography (GECT) and routine gated blood pool study (GBPS). The GBPS was performed with Tc-99m red blood cells in multiple projections; modified left anterior oblique, right anterior oblique and/or left lateral views.more » In GECT, short axial, horizontal and vertical long axial blood pool images were reconstructed. Phase analysis was performed using fundamental frequency of the Fourier transform in both GECT and GBPS images, and abnormal initial contractions on both the planar and tomographic phase analysis were compared with the location of surgically confirmed ACPs. In planar phase analysis, abnormal initial phase was identified in 7 out of 12 (58%) patients, while in tomographic phase analysis, the localization of ACP was predicted in 11 out of 12 (92%) patients. Tomographic phase analysis is superior to planar phase images in 8 out of 12 patients to estimate the location of ACP. Phase analysis by GECT can avoid overlap of blood pool in cardiac chambers and has advantage to identify the propagation of phase three-dimensionally. Tomographic phase analysis is a good adjunctive method for patients with WPW to estimate the site of ACP.« less

Quantitative 3D electromagnetic field determination of 1D nanostructures from single projection

DOE PAGES

Phatak, C.; Knoop, L. de; Houdellier, F.; ...

2016-05-01

One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures have been regarded as the most promising building blocks for nanoelectronics and nanocomposite material systems as well as for alternative energy applications. Although they result in confinement of a material, their properties and interactions with other nanostructures are still very much three-dimensional (3D) in nature. In this work, we present a novel method for quantitative determination of the 3D electromagnetic fields in and around 1D nanostructures using a single electron wave phase image, thereby eliminating the cumbersome acquisition of tomographic data. Using symmetry arguments, we have reconstructed the 3D magnetic field of a nickel nanowire as wellmore » as the 3D electric field around a carbon nanotube field emitter, from one single projection. The accuracy of quantitative values determined here is shown to be a better fit to the physics at play than the value obtained by conventional analysis. Moreover the 3D reconstructions can then directly be visualized and used in the design of functional 3D architectures built using 1D nanostructures.« less

Quantitative 3D electromagnetic field determination of 1D nanostructures from single projection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phatak, C.; Knoop, L. de; Houdellier, F.

One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures have been regarded as the most promising building blocks for nanoelectronics and nanocomposite material systems as well as for alternative energy applications. Although they result in confinement of a material, their properties and interactions with other nanostructures are still very much three-dimensional (3D) in nature. In this work, we present a novel method for quantitative determination of the 3D electromagnetic fields in and around 1D nanostructures using a single electron wave phase image, thereby eliminating the cumbersome acquisition of tomographic data. Using symmetry arguments, we have reconstructed the 3D magnetic field of a nickel nanowire as wellmore » as the 3D electric field around a carbon nanotube field emitter, from one single projection. The accuracy of quantitative values determined here is shown to be a better fit to the physics at play than the value obtained by conventional analysis. Moreover the 3D reconstructions can then directly be visualized and used in the design of functional 3D architectures built using 1D nanostructures.« less

A resolution-enhancing image reconstruction method for few-view differential phase-contrast tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Huifeng; Anastasio, Mark A.

2017-03-01

It is well-known that properly designed image reconstruction methods can facilitate reductions in imaging doses and data-acquisition times in tomographic imaging. The ability to do so is particularly important for emerging modalities such as differential X-ray phase-contrast tomography (D-XPCT), which are currently limited by these factors. An important application of D-XPCT is high-resolution imaging of biomedical samples. However, reconstructing high-resolution images from few-view tomographic measurements remains a challenging task. In this work, a two-step sub-space reconstruction strategy is proposed and investigated for use in few-view D-XPCT image reconstruction. It is demonstrated that the resulting iterative algorithm can mitigate the high-frequency information loss caused by data incompleteness and produce images that have better preserved high spatial frequency content than those produced by use of a conventional penalized least squares (PLS) estimator.

On a novel low cost high accuracy experimental setup for tomographic particle image velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Discetti, Stefano; Ianiro, Andrea; Astarita, Tommaso; Cardone, Gennaro

2013-07-01

This work deals with the critical aspects related to cost reduction of a Tomo PIV setup and to the bias errors introduced in the velocity measurements by the coherent motion of the ghost particles. The proposed solution consists of using two independent imaging systems composed of three (or more) low speed single frame cameras, which can be up to ten times cheaper than double shutter cameras with the same image quality. Each imaging system is used to reconstruct a particle distribution in the same measurement region, relative to the first and the second exposure, respectively. The reconstructed volumes are then interrogated by cross-correlation in order to obtain the measured velocity field, as in the standard tomographic PIV implementation. Moreover, differently from tomographic PIV, the ghost particle distributions of the two exposures are uncorrelated, since their spatial distribution is camera orientation dependent. For this reason, the proposed solution promises more accurate results, without the bias effect of the coherent ghost particles motion. Guidelines for the implementation and the application of the present method are proposed. The performances are assessed with a parametric study on synthetic experiments. The proposed low cost system produces a much lower modulation with respect to an equivalent three-camera system. Furthermore, the potential accuracy improvement using the Motion Tracking Enhanced MART (Novara et al 2010 Meas. Sci. Technol. 21 035401) is much higher than in the case of the standard implementation of tomographic PIV.

3D multimodal cardiac data reconstruction using angiography and computerized tomographic angiography registration.

PubMed

Moosavi Tayebi, Rohollah; Wirza, Rahmita; Sulaiman, Puteri S B; Dimon, Mohd Zamrin; Khalid, Fatimah; Al-Surmi, Aqeel; Mazaheri, Samaneh

2015-04-22

Computerized tomographic angiography (3D data representing the coronary arteries) and X-ray angiography (2D X-ray image sequences providing information about coronary arteries and their stenosis) are standard and popular assessment tools utilized for medical diagnosis of coronary artery diseases. At present, the results of both modalities are individually analyzed by specialists and it is difficult for them to mentally connect the details of these two techniques. The aim of this work is to assist medical diagnosis by providing specialists with the relationship between computerized tomographic angiography and X-ray angiography. In this study, coronary arteries from two modalities are registered in order to create a 3D reconstruction of the stenosis position. The proposed method starts with coronary artery segmentation and labeling for both modalities. Then, stenosis and relevant labeled artery in X-ray angiography image are marked by a specialist. Proper control points for the marked artery in both modalities are automatically detected and normalized. Then, a geometrical transformation function is computed using these control points. Finally, this function is utilized to register the marked artery from the X-ray angiography image on the computerized tomographic angiography and get the 3D position of the stenosis lesion. The result is a 3D informative model consisting of stenosis and coronary arteries' information from the X-ray angiography and computerized tomographic angiography modalities. The results of the proposed method for coronary artery segmentation, labeling and 3D reconstruction are evaluated and validated on the dataset containing both modalities. The advantage of this method is to aid specialists to determine a visual relationship between the correspondent coronary arteries from two modalities and also set up a connection between stenosis points from an X-ray angiography along with their 3D positions on the coronary arteries from computerized tomographic angiography. Moreover, another benefit of this work is that the medical acquisition standards remain unchanged, which means that no calibration in the acquisition devices is required. It can be applied on most computerized tomographic angiography and angiography devices.

Current developments in clinical multiphoton tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten; Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans Georg; Gregory, Axel; Fischer, Peter; Kellner-Höfer, Marcel; Bückle, Rainer

2010-02-01

Two-photon microscopy has been introduced in 1990 [1]. 13 years later, CE-marked clinical multiphoton systems for 3D imaging of human skin with subcellular resolution have been launched by the JenLab company with the tomograph DermaInspectTM. In 2010, the second generation of clinical multiphoton tomographs was introduced. The novel mobile multiphoton tomograph MPTflexTM, equipped with a flexible articulated optical arm, provides an increased flexibility and accessibility especially for clinical and cosmetical examinations. The multiphoton excitation of fluorescent biomolecules like NAD(P)H, flavins, porphyrins, elastin, and melanin as well as the second harmonic generation of collagen is induced by picojoule femtosecond laser pulses from an tunable turn-key near infrared laser system. The ability for rapid highquality image acquisition, the user-friendly operation of the system, and the compact and flexible design qualifies this system to be used for melanoma detection, diagnostics of dermatological disorders, cosmetic research, and skin aging measurements as well as in situ drug monitoring and animal research. So far, more than 1,000 patients and volunteers have been investigated with the multiphoton tomographs in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Revising the lower statistical limit of x-ray grating-based phase-contrast computed tomography.

PubMed

Marschner, Mathias; Birnbacher, Lorenz; Willner, Marian; Chabior, Michael; Herzen, Julia; Noël, Peter B; Pfeiffer, Franz

2017-01-01

Phase-contrast x-ray computed tomography (PCCT) is currently investigated as an interesting extension of conventional CT, providing high soft-tissue contrast even if examining weakly absorbing specimen. Until now, the potential for dose reduction was thought to be limited compared to attenuation CT, since meaningful phase retrieval fails for scans with very low photon counts when using the conventional phase retrieval method via phase stepping. In this work, we examine the statistical behaviour of the reverse projection method, an alternative phase retrieval approach and compare the results to the conventional phase retrieval technique. We investigate the noise levels in the projections as well as the image quality and quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed tomographic volumes. The results of our study show that this method performs better in a low-dose scenario than the conventional phase retrieval approach, resulting in lower noise levels, enhanced image quality and more accurate quantitative values. Overall, we demonstrate that the lower statistical limit of the phase stepping procedure as proposed by recent literature does not apply to this alternative phase retrieval technique. However, further development is necessary to overcome experimental challenges posed by this method which would enable mainstream or even clinical application of PCCT.

Portable imaging system method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Freifeld, Barry M.; Kneafsley, Timothy J.; Pruess, Jacob; Tomutsa, Liviu; Reiter, Paul A.; deCastro, Ted M.

2006-07-25

An operator shielded X-ray imaging system has sufficiently low mass (less than 300 kg) and is compact enough to enable portability by reducing operator shielding requirements to a minimum shielded volume. The resultant shielded volume may require a relatively small mass of shielding in addition to the already integrally shielded X-ray source, intensifier, and detector. The system is suitable for portable imaging of well cores at remotely located well drilling sites. The system accommodates either small samples, or small cross-sectioned objects of unlimited length. By rotating samples relative to the imaging device, the information required for computer aided tomographic reconstruction may be obtained. By further translating the samples relative to the imaging system, fully three dimensional (3D) tomographic reconstructions may be obtained of samples having arbitrary length.

Tomographical imaging using uniformly redundant arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cannon, T. M.; Fenimore, E. E.

1979-01-01

An investigation is conducted of the behavior of two types of uniformly redundant array (URA) when used for close-up imaging. One URA pattern is a quadratic residue array whose characteristics for imaging planar sources have been simulated by Fenimore and Cannon (1978), while the second is based on m sequences that have been simulated by Gunson and Polychronopulos (1976) and by MacWilliams and Sloan (1976). Close-up imaging is necessary in order to obtain depth information for tomographical purposes. The properties of the two URA patterns are compared with a random array of equal open area. The goal considered in the investigation is to determine if a URA pattern exists which has the desirable defocus properties of the random array while maintaining artifact-free image properties for in-focus objects.

Giga-pixel lensfree holographic microscopy and tomography using color image sensors.

PubMed

Isikman, Serhan O; Greenbaum, Alon; Luo, Wei; Coskun, Ahmet F; Ozcan, Aydogan

2012-01-01

We report Giga-pixel lensfree holographic microscopy and tomography using color sensor-arrays such as CMOS imagers that exhibit Bayer color filter patterns. Without physically removing these color filters coated on the sensor chip, we synthesize pixel super-resolved lensfree holograms, which are then reconstructed to achieve ~350 nm lateral resolution, corresponding to a numerical aperture of ~0.8, across a field-of-view of ~20.5 mm(2). This constitutes a digital image with ~0.7 Billion effective pixels in both amplitude and phase channels (i.e., ~1.4 Giga-pixels total). Furthermore, by changing the illumination angle (e.g., ± 50°) and scanning a partially-coherent light source across two orthogonal axes, super-resolved images of the same specimen from different viewing angles are created, which are then digitally combined to synthesize tomographic images of the object. Using this dual-axis lensfree tomographic imager running on a color sensor-chip, we achieve a 3D spatial resolution of ~0.35 µm × 0.35 µm × ~2 µm, in x, y and z, respectively, creating an effective voxel size of ~0.03 µm(3) across a sample volume of ~5 mm(3), which is equivalent to >150 Billion voxels. We demonstrate the proof-of-concept of this lensfree optical tomographic microscopy platform on a color CMOS image sensor by creating tomograms of micro-particles as well as a wild-type C. elegans nematode.

Deviations of Mesial Root Canals of Mandibular First Molar Teeth at the Apical Third: A Micro-computed Tomographic Study.

PubMed

Keles, Ali; Keskin, Cangül

2018-06-01

The present study aimed to quantitatively analyze apical foramen deviations of mesial root canals of mandibular first molar teeth by means of micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) imaging. Micro-CT images of the mesial roots of 109 mandibular first molar teeth with independent mesiobuccal (MB) and mesiolingual (ML) root canals were analyzed. The deviations of the apical foramina of the MB, ML, and middle mesial root canals from the anatomic apex were measured. The vertical distance between the apical foramina of each mesial root canal in relation to each other was also calculated. The distances from the apical foramina of the MB, ML, and middle mesial root canals to the anatomic apex of the mesial root were up to 2.51 mm, 3.21 mm, and 5.67 mm, respectively. There was no significant difference between the deviations of MB and ML root canals from each other (P > .05). The middle mesial root canal showed the greatest deviation compared with the MB and ML canals (P < .05). The apical foramina of mesial root canals of mandibular first molar teeth showed greater variations from each other and anatomic apices than previously reported. Clinically, the use of electronic apex locators for the detection of minor apical foramen of each mesial root canal is of the utmost important. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of imaging quality in magnified phase CT of human bone tissue at the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Boliang; Langer, Max; Pacureanu, Alexandra; Gauthier, Remy; Follet, Helene; Mitton, David; Olivier, Cecile; Cloetens, Peter; Peyrin, Francoise

2017-10-01

Bone properties at all length scales have a major impact on the fracture risk in disease such as osteoporosis. However, quantitative 3D data on bone tissue at the cellular scale are still rare. Here we propose to use magnified X-ray phase nano-CT to quantify bone ultra-structure in human bone, on the new setup developed on the beamline ID16A at the ESRF, Grenoble. Obtaining 3D images requires the application of phase retrieval prior to tomographic reconstruction. Phase retrieval is an ill-posed problem for which various approaches have been developed. Since image quality has a strong impact on the further quantification of bone tissue, our aim here is to evaluate different phase retrieval methods for imaging bone samples at the cellular scale. Samples from femurs of female donors were scanned using magnified phase nano-CT at voxel sizes of 120 and 30 nm with an energy of 33 keV. Four CT scans at varying sample-to-detector distances were acquired for each sample. We evaluated three phase retrieval methods adapted to these conditions: Paganin's method at single distance, Paganin's method extended to multiple distances, and the contrast transfer function (CTF) approach for pure phase objects. These methods were used as initialization to an iterative refinement step. Our results based on visual and quantitative assessment show that the use of several distances (as opposed to single one) clearly improves image quality and the two multi-distance phase retrieval methods give similar results. First results on the segmentation of osteocyte lacunae and canaliculi from such images are presented.

Parallel Computing for the Computed-Tomography Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Seungwon

2008-01-01

This software computes the tomographic reconstruction of spatial-spectral data from raw detector images of the Computed-Tomography Imaging Spectrometer (CTIS), which enables transient-level, multi-spectral imaging by capturing spatial and spectral information in a single snapshot.

Identifying High-Traffic Patterns in the Workplace with Radio Tomographic Imaging in 3D Wireless Sensor Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING IN 3D WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS Thea S. Danella, B.S.E.E. Captain, USAF Approved: //signed// Richard K. Martin , PhD (Chairman) //signed...have every one of them in my life. I want to also thank my advisor, Dr. Richard K. Martin , and fellow student, Mr. Jason Pennington. They were...of the Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) J, and as such are the lower bounds on the Normalized Mean Squared Error (NMSE)R for pixel p. In [49], Martin et

Image reconstruction of muon tomographic data using a density-based clustering method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, Kimberly B.

Muons are subatomic particles capable of reaching the Earth's surface before decaying. When these particles collide with an object that has a high atomic number (Z), their path of travel changes substantially. Tracking muon movement through shielded containers can indicate what types of materials lie inside. This thesis proposes using a density-based clustering algorithm called OPTICS to perform image reconstructions using muon tomographic data. The results show that this method is capable of detecting high-Z materials quickly, and can also produce detailed reconstructions with large amounts of data.

The Hellenic Subduction Zone: A tomographic image and its geodynamic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spakman, W.; Wortel, M. J. R.; Vlaar, N. J.

1988-01-01

New tomographic images of the Hellenic subduction zone demonstrate slab penetration in the Aegean Upper Mantle to depths of at least 600 km. Beneath Greece the lower part of the slab appears to be detached at a depth of about 200 km whereas it still seems to be unruptured beneath the southern Aegean. Schematically we derive minimum time estimates for the duration of the Hellenic subduction zone that range from 26 to 40 Ma. This is considerably longer than earlier estimates which vary between 5 and about 13 Ma.

Nose and Nasal Planum Neoplasia, Reconstruction.

PubMed

Worley, Deanna R

2016-07-01

Most intranasal lesions are best treated with radiation therapy. Computed tomographic imaging with intravenous contrast is critical for treatment planning. Computed tomographic images of the nose will best assess the integrity of the cribriform plate for central nervous system invasion by a nasal tumor. Because of an owner's emotional response to an altered appearance of their dog's face, discussions need to include the entire family before proceeding with nasal planectomy or radical planectomy. With careful case selection, nasal planectomy and radical planectomy surgeries can be locally curative. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Pore3D library package for the textural analysis of X-ray computed microtomographic images of rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zandomeneghi, Daria; Mancini, Lucia; Voltolini, Marco; Brun, Francesco; Polacci, Margherita

2010-05-01

Many research fields in Geosciences require the knowledge of the three-dimensional (3D) texture of rocks. X-ray computed microtomography (μCT) supplies an effective method to directly acquire 3D information. Transmission X-ray μCT is a non-destructive technique based on the mapping of the linear attenuation coefficient of X-rays crossing the investigated sample. The 3D distribution of constituents and the contrast based on the different absorption properties of the components can be enhanced by phase-contrast imaging. On an X-ray tomographic dataset, if spatial resolution at the micron scale and proper software are available, a complete textural and morphological quantitative analysis can be carried out and a number of parameters can be extracted, including geometry and organization of discrete rock components (such as crystals, vesicles, fractures, alteration-compositional zones). In the case of volcanic rocks, μCT can be used to image and quantify the textural and morphological characteristics of the rock constituents, such as vesicles (gas bubbles in solidified, erupted products), crystals and glass fibers. For pyroclastic rocks, investigated parameters to characterize the vesicle portion are the size distribution, geometry and orientation of the pores, the pore-throat size and organization, the pore-surface roughness and the topology of the overall pore and pore-throat network. In this work we present several procedures able to extract quantitative information from CT images of volcanic rocks. The imaging experiments have been carried out at the Elettra Synchrotron Light Laboratory in Trieste (Italy) using both the synchrotron radiation at the SYRMEP beamline and a custom-developed μCT system, named TOMOLAB, equipped with a microfocus X-ray tube and based on a cone-beam geometry. The reconstructed 3D images (or volumes) have been elaborated with a software library, named Pore3D, custom-developed by the SYRMEP group at Elettra. The Pore3D software library allows a quantitative description of the morphology and topology of the sample components and it operates directly in the 3D domain, without inferring about the 3D behavior from stacked 2D information. The library has been elaborated to merge together in a common environment some of the features already available in previous research and commercial software, customizing in some cases their applications, adding new tools for the artifact reduction in the tomographic images and enhancing state-of-the-art methods for the quantitative analysis, as based on the specific know-how acquired by the SYRMEP group. The microtomographic experiments on selected pumices and scoriae have given us the opportunity to reconstruct and study the 3D internal structure of very different samples, originated at volcanoes with unique eruptive behavior and hazard potential. In particular, the analysis of vesicle size, shape, distribution, orientation and degree of interconnectivity, quantifies aspects that are directly related to the magma nature and dynamics. In fact, magma near the Earth's surface exists as a multiphase system, including gas bubbles and solid crystals in a liquid medium. The rheology of the magma and the processes that govern the transition between effusive and explosive eruptions can be fully understood if the gas permeability and flow through the bubble networks are quantified. As pyroclasts are natural records of the magma state, in terms of texture and composition, during the last phases of the conduit ascent, the textural 3D information can be coupled to physical, rheological and chemical properties of the parent magma.

Optimization of image quality and acquisition time for lab-based X-ray microtomography using an iterative reconstruction algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Qingyang; Andrew, Matthew; Thompson, William; Blunt, Martin J.; Bijeljic, Branko

2018-05-01

Non-invasive laboratory-based X-ray microtomography has been widely applied in many industrial and research disciplines. However, the main barrier to the use of laboratory systems compared to a synchrotron beamline is its much longer image acquisition time (hours per scan compared to seconds to minutes at a synchrotron), which results in limited application for dynamic in situ processes. Therefore, the majority of existing laboratory X-ray microtomography is limited to static imaging; relatively fast imaging (tens of minutes per scan) can only be achieved by sacrificing imaging quality, e.g. reducing exposure time or number of projections. To alleviate this barrier, we introduce an optimized implementation of a well-known iterative reconstruction algorithm that allows users to reconstruct tomographic images with reasonable image quality, but requires lower X-ray signal counts and fewer projections than conventional methods. Quantitative analysis and comparison between the iterative and the conventional filtered back-projection reconstruction algorithm was performed using a sandstone rock sample with and without liquid phases in the pore space. Overall, by implementing the iterative reconstruction algorithm, the required image acquisition time for samples such as this, with sparse object structure, can be reduced by a factor of up to 4 without measurable loss of sharpness or signal to noise ratio.

Scaled Anatomical Model Creation of Biomedical Tomographic Imaging Data and Associated Labels for Subsequent Sub-surface Laser Engraving (SSLE) of Glass Crystals

PubMed Central

Dethlefs, Christopher R.; Piotrowicz, Justin; Van Avermaete, Tony; Maki, Jeff; Gerstler, Steve; Leevy, W. M.

2017-01-01

Biomedical imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) provide excellent platforms for collecting three-dimensional data sets of patient or specimen anatomy in clinical or preclinical settings. However, the use of a virtual, on-screen display limits the ability of these tomographic images to fully convey the anatomical information embedded within. One solution is to interface a biomedical imaging data set with 3D printing technology to generate a physical replica. Here we detail a complementary method to visualize tomographic imaging data with a hand-held model: Sub Surface Laser Engraving (SSLE) of crystal glass. SSLE offers several unique benefits including: the facile ability to include anatomical labels, as well as a scale bar; streamlined multipart assembly of complex structures in one medium; high resolution in the X, Y, and Z planes; and semi-transparent shells for visualization of internal anatomical substructures. Here we demonstrate the process of SSLE with CT data sets derived from pre-clinical and clinical sources. This protocol will serve as a powerful and inexpensive new tool with which to visualize complex anatomical structures for scientists and students in a number of educational and research settings. PMID:28518066

Automatic transfer function generation for volume rendering of high-resolution x-ray 3D digital mammography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alyassin, Abdal M.

2002-05-01

3D Digital mammography (3DDM) is a new technology that provides high resolution X-ray breast tomographic data. Like any other tomographic medical imaging modalities, viewing a stack of tomographic images may require time especially if the images are of large matrix size. In addition, it may cause difficulty to conceptually construct 3D breast structures. Therefore, there is a need to readily visualize the data in 3D. However, one of the issues that hinder the usage of volume rendering (VR) is finding an automatic way to generate transfer functions that efficiently map the important diagnostic information in the data. We have developed a method that randomly samples the volume. Based on the mean and the standard deviation of these samples, the technique determines the lower limit and upper limit of a piecewise linear ramp transfer function. We have volume rendered several 3DDM data using this technique and compared visually the outcome with the result from a conventional automatic technique. The transfer function generated through the proposed technique provided superior VR images over the conventional technique. Furthermore, the improvement in the reproducibility of the transfer function correlated with the number of samples taken from the volume at the expense of the processing time.

Non-contact continuous-wave diffuse optical tomographic system to capture vascular dynamics in the foot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoi, Jennifer W.; Kim, Hyun K.; Khalil, Michael A.; Fong, Christopher J.; Marone, Alessandro; Shrikhande, Gautam; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2015-03-01

Dynamic optical tomographic imaging has shown promise in diagnosing and monitoring peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects 8 to 12 million in the United States. PAD is the narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the lower extremities. Prolonged reduced blood flow to the foot leads to ulcers and gangrene, which makes placement of optical fibers for contact-based optical tomography systems difficult and cumbersome. Since many diabetic PAD patients have foot wounds, a non-contact interface is highly desirable. We present a novel non-contact dynamic continuous-wave optical tomographic imaging system that images the vasculature in the foot for evaluating PAD. The system images at up to 1Hz by delivering 2 wavelengths of light to the top of the foot at up to 20 source positions through collimated source fibers. Transmitted light is collected with an electron multiplying charge couple device (EMCCD) camera. We demonstrate that the system can resolve absorbers at various locations in a phantom study and show the system's first clinical 3D images of total hemoglobin changes in the foot during venous occlusion at the thigh. Our initial results indicate that this system is effective in capturing the vascular dynamics within the foot and can be used to diagnose and monitor treatment of PAD in diabetic patients.

Computed tomographic-based quantification of emphysema and correlation to pulmonary function and mechanics.

PubMed

Washko, George R; Criner, Gerald J; Mohsenifar, Zab; Sciurba, Frank C; Sharafkhaneh, Amir; Make, Barry J; Hoffman, Eric A; Reilly, John J

2008-06-01

Computed tomographic based indices of emphysematous lung destruction may highlight differences in disease pathogenesis and further enable the classification of subjects with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. While there are multiple techniques that can be utilized for such radiographic analysis, there is very little published information comparing the performance of these methods in a clinical case series. Our objective was to examine several quantitative and semi-quantitative methods for the assessment of the burden of emphysema apparent on computed tomographic scans and compare their ability to predict lung mechanics and function. Automated densitometric analysis was performed on 1094 computed tomographic scans collected upon enrollment into the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. Trained radiologists performed an additional visual grading of emphysema on high resolution CT scans. Full pulmonary function test results were available for correlation, with a subset of subjects having additional measurements of lung static recoil. There was a wide range of emphysematous lung destruction apparent on the CT scans and univariate correlations to measures of lung function were of modest strength. No single method of CT scan analysis clearly outperformed the rest of the group. Quantification of the burden of emphysematous lung destruction apparent on CT scan is a weak predictor of lung function and mechanics in severe COPD with no uniformly superior method found to perform this analysis. The CT based quantification of emphysema may augment pulmonary function testing in the characterization of COPD by providing complementary phenotypic information.

GPU acceleration towards real-time image reconstruction in 3D tomographic diffractive microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailleul, J.; Simon, B.; Debailleul, M.; Liu, H.; Haeberlé, O.

2012-06-01

Phase microscopy techniques regained interest in allowing for the observation of unprepared specimens with excellent temporal resolution. Tomographic diffractive microscopy is an extension of holographic microscopy which permits 3D observations with a finer resolution than incoherent light microscopes. Specimens are imaged by a series of 2D holograms: their accumulation progressively fills the range of frequencies of the specimen in Fourier space. A 3D inverse FFT eventually provides a spatial image of the specimen. Consequently, acquisition then reconstruction are mandatory to produce an image that could prelude real-time control of the observed specimen. The MIPS Laboratory has built a tomographic diffractive microscope with an unsurpassed 130nm resolution but a low imaging speed - no less than one minute. Afterwards, a high-end PC reconstructs the 3D image in 20 seconds. We now expect an interactive system providing preview images during the acquisition for monitoring purposes. We first present a prototype implementing this solution on CPU: acquisition and reconstruction are tied in a producer-consumer scheme, sharing common data into CPU memory. Then we present a prototype dispatching some reconstruction tasks to GPU in order to take advantage of SIMDparallelization for FFT and higher bandwidth for filtering operations. The CPU scheme takes 6 seconds for a 3D image update while the GPU scheme can go down to 2 or > 1 seconds depending on the GPU class. This opens opportunities for 4D imaging of living organisms or crystallization processes. We also consider the relevance of GPU for 3D image interaction in our specific conditions.

Tomographic reconstruction of heat release rate perturbations induced by helical modes in turbulent swirl flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeck, Jonas P.; Bourgouin, Jean-François; Durox, Daniel; Schuller, Thierry; Candel, Sébastien

2013-04-01

Swirl flows with vortex breakdown are widely used in industrial combustion systems for flame stabilization. This type of flow is known to sustain a hydrodynamic instability with a rotating helical structure, one common manifestation of it being the precessing vortex core. The role of this unsteady flow mode in combustion is not well understood, and its interaction with combustion instabilities and flame stabilization remains unclear. It is therefore important to assess the structure of the perturbation in the flame that is induced by this helical mode. Based on principles of tomographic reconstruction, a method is presented to determine the 3-D distribution of the heat release rate perturbation associated with the helical mode. Since this flow instability is rotating, a phase-resolved sequence of projection images of light emitted from the flame is identical to the Radon transform of the light intensity distribution in the combustor volume and thus can be used for tomographic reconstruction. This is achieved with one stationary camera only, a vast reduction in experimental and hardware requirements compared to a multi-camera setup or camera repositioning, which is typically required for tomographic reconstruction. Different approaches to extract the coherent part of the oscillation from the images are discussed. Two novel tomographic reconstruction algorithms specifically tailored to the structure of the heat release rate perturbations related to the helical mode are derived. The reconstruction techniques are first applied to an artificial field to illustrate the accuracy. High-speed imaging data acquired in a turbulent swirl-stabilized combustor setup with strong helical mode oscillations are then used to reconstruct the 3-D structure of the associated perturbation in the flame.

Noninvasive imaging analysis of biological tissue associated with laser thermal injury.

PubMed

Chang, Cheng-Jen; Yu, De-Yi; Hsiao, Yen-Chang; Ho, Kuang-Hua

2017-04-01

The purpose of our study is to use a noninvasive tomographic imaging technique with high spatial resolution to characterize and monitor biological tissue responses associated with laser thermal injury. Optical doppler tomography (ODT) combines laser doppler flowmetry (LDF) with optical coherence tomography (OCT) to obtain high resolution tomographic velocity and structural images of static and moving constituents in highly scattering biological tissues. A SurgiLase XJ150 carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser using a continuous mode of 3 watts (W) was used to create first, second or third degree burns on anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Additional parameters for laser thermal injury were assessed as well. The rationale for using ODT in the evaluation of laser thermal injury offers a means of constructing a high resolution tomographic image of the structure and perfusion of laser damaged skin. In the velocity images, the blood flow is coded at 1300 μm/s and 0 velocity, 1000 μm/s and 0 velocity, 700 μm/s and 0 velocity adjacent to the first, second, and third degree injuries, respectively. ODT produces exceptional spatial resolution while having a non-invasive way of measurement, therefore, ODT is an accurate measuring method for high-resolution fluid flow velocity and structural images for biological tissue with laser thermal injury. Copyright © 2017 Chang Gung University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computerized tomography using video recorded fluoroscopic images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kak, A. C.; Jakowatz, C. V., Jr.; Baily, N. A.; Keller, R. A.

1975-01-01

A computerized tomographic imaging system is examined which employs video-recorded fluoroscopic images as input data. By hooking the video recorder to a digital computer through a suitable interface, such a system permits very rapid construction of tomograms.

Diffractive Optical Elements for Spectral Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D.; Maker, P.; Muller, R.; Mourolis, P.; Descour, M.; Volin, C.; Dereniak, E.

2000-01-01

Diffractive optical elements fabricated on flat and non-flat substrates frequently act as dispersive elements in imaging spectrometers. We describe the design and electron-beam fabrication of blazed and computer-generated-hologram gratings for slit and tomographic imaging spectrometer.

Diffractive Optical Elements for Spectral Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D.; Maker, P.; Muller, R.; Maker, P.; Mouroulis, P.; Descour, M.; Volin, C.; Dereniak, E.

2000-01-01

Diffractive optical elements fabricated on flat and non-flat substrates frequently act as dispersive elements in imaging spectrometers. We describe the design and electron-beam fabrication of blazed and computer-generated-hologram gratings for slit and tomographic imaging spectrometers.

Imaging a photodynamic therapy photosensitizer in vivo with a time-gated fluorescence tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Weirong; Rohrbach, Daniel; Sunar, Ulas

2012-07-01

We report the tomographic imaging of a photodynamic therapy (PDT) photosensitizer, 2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) in vivo with time-domain fluorescence diffuse optical tomography (TD-FDOT). Simultaneous reconstruction of fluorescence yield and lifetime of HPPH was performed before and after PDT. The methodology was validated in phantom experiments, and depth-resolved in vivo imaging was achieved through simultaneous three-dimensional (3-D) mappings of fluorescence yield and lifetime contrasts. The tomographic images of a human head-and-neck xenograft in a mouse confirmed the preferential uptake and retention of HPPH by the tumor 24-h post-injection. HPPH-mediated PDT induced significant changes in fluorescence yield and lifetime. This pilot study demonstrates that TD-FDOT may be a good imaging modality for assessing photosensitizer distributions in deep tissue during PDT monitoring.

Muon tomography imaging algorithms for nuclear threat detection inside large volume containers with the Muon Portal detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riggi, S.; Antonuccio-Delogu, V.; Bandieramonte, M.; Becciani, U.; Costa, A.; La Rocca, P.; Massimino, P.; Petta, C.; Pistagna, C.; Riggi, F.; Sciacca, E.; Vitello, F.

2013-11-01

Muon tomographic visualization techniques try to reconstruct a 3D image as close as possible to the real localization of the objects being probed. Statistical algorithms under test for the reconstruction of muon tomographic images in the Muon Portal Project are discussed here. Autocorrelation analysis and clustering algorithms have been employed within the context of methods based on the Point Of Closest Approach (POCA) reconstruction tool. An iterative method based on the log-likelihood approach was also implemented. Relative merits of all such methods are discussed, with reference to full GEANT4 simulations of different scenarios, incorporating medium and high-Z objects inside a container.

In vivo quantitative bioluminescence tomography using heterogeneous and homogeneous mouse models.

PubMed

Liu, Junting; Wang, Yabin; Qu, Xiaochao; Li, Xiangsi; Ma, Xiaopeng; Han, Runqiang; Hu, Zhenhua; Chen, Xueli; Sun, Dongdong; Zhang, Rongqing; Chen, Duofang; Chen, Dan; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Liang, Jimin; Cao, Feng; Tian, Jie

2010-06-07

Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a new optical molecular imaging modality, which can monitor both physiological and pathological processes by using bioluminescent light-emitting probes in small living animal. Especially, this technology possesses great potential in drug development, early detection, and therapy monitoring in preclinical settings. In the present study, we developed a dual modality BLT prototype system with Micro-computed tomography (MicroCT) registration approach, and improved the quantitative reconstruction algorithm based on adaptive hp finite element method (hp-FEM). Detailed comparisons of source reconstruction between the heterogeneous and homogeneous mouse models were performed. The models include mice with implanted luminescence source and tumor-bearing mice with firefly luciferase report gene. Our data suggest that the reconstruction based on heterogeneous mouse model is more accurate in localization and quantification than the homogeneous mouse model with appropriate optical parameters and that BLT allows super-early tumor detection in vivo based on tomographic reconstruction of heterogeneous mouse model signal.

Two-dimensional tomographic terahertz imaging by homodyne self-mixing.

PubMed

Mohr, Till; Breuer, Stefan; Giuliani, G; Elsäßer, Wolfgang

2015-10-19

We realize a compact two-dimensional tomographic terahertz imaging experiment involving only one photoconductive antenna (PCA) simultaneously serving as a transmitter and receiver of the terahertz radiation. A hollow-core Teflon cylinder filled with α-Lactose monohydrate powder is studied at two terahertz frequencies, far away and at a specific absorption line of the powder. This sample is placed between the antenna and a chopper wheel, which serves as back reflector of the terahertz radiation into the PCA. Amplitude and phase information of the continuous-wave (CW) terahertz radiation are extracted from the measured homodyne self-mixing (HSM) signal after interaction with the cylinder. The influence of refraction is studied by modeling the set-up utilizing ZEMAX and is discussed by means of the measured 1D projections. The tomographic reconstruction by using the Simultaneous Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (SART) allows to identify both object geometry and α-Lactose filling.

Evaluation of sample holders designed for long-lasting X-ray micro-tomographic scans of ex-vivo soft tissue samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudak, J.; Zemlicka, J.; Krejci, F.; Karch, J.; Patzelt, M.; Zach, P.; Sykora, V.; Mrzilkova, J.

2016-03-01

X-ray microradiography and microtomography are imaging techniques with increasing applicability in the field of biomedical and preclinical research. Application of hybrid pixel detector Timepix enables to obtain very high contrast of low attenuating materials such as soft biological tissue. However X-ray imaging of ex-vivo soft tissue samples is a difficult task due to its structural instability. Ex-vivo biological tissue is prone to fast drying-out which is connected with undesired changes of sample size and shape producing later on artefacts within the tomographic reconstruction. In this work we present the optimization of our Timepix equipped micro-CT system aiming to maintain soft tissue sample in stable condition. Thanks to the suggested approach higher contrast of tomographic reconstructions can be achieved while also large samples that require detector scanning can be easily measured.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Carlson, David; Evans, Thomas; Schundler, Elizabeth; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2010-04-01

OPTRA has developed an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach is intended as a referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In this paper, we summarize the design and build and detail system characterization and test of a prototype I-OP-FTIR instrument. System characterization includes radiometric performance and spectral resolution. Results from a series of tomographic reconstructions of sulfur hexafluoride plumes in a laboratory setting are also presented.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Engel, James R.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2008-04-01

OPTRA and University of North Carolina are developing an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach will be considered as a candidate referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In this paper, we summarize progress to date and overall system performance projections based on the instrument, spectroscopy, and tomographic reconstruction accuracy. We then present a preliminary optical design of the I-OP-FTIR.

Fracture mechanics by three-dimensional crack-tip synchrotron X-ray microscopy

PubMed Central

Withers, P. J.

2015-01-01

To better understand the relationship between the nucleation and growth of defects and the local stresses and phase changes that cause them, we need both imaging and stress mapping. Here, we explore how this can be achieved by bringing together synchrotron X-ray diffraction and tomographic imaging. Conventionally, these are undertaken on separate synchrotron beamlines; however, instruments capable of both imaging and diffraction are beginning to emerge, such as ID15 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and JEEP at the Diamond Light Source. This review explores the concept of three-dimensional crack-tip X-ray microscopy, bringing them together to probe the crack-tip behaviour under realistic environmental and loading conditions and to extract quantitative fracture mechanics information about the local crack-tip environment. X-ray diffraction provides information about the crack-tip stress field, phase transformations, plastic zone and crack-face tractions and forces. Time-lapse CT, besides providing information about the three-dimensional nature of the crack and its local growth rate, can also provide information as to the activation of extrinsic toughening mechanisms such as crack deflection, crack-tip zone shielding, crack bridging and crack closure. It is shown how crack-tip microscopy allows a quantitative measure of the crack-tip driving force via the stress intensity factor or the crack-tip opening displacement. Finally, further opportunities for synchrotron X-ray microscopy are explored. PMID:25624521

Comparative evaluation of the cadaveric and computed tomographic features of the coelomic cavity in the green iguana (Iguana iguana), black and white tegu (Tupinambis merianae) and bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps).

PubMed

Banzato, T; Selleri, P; Veladiano, I A; Zotti, A

2013-12-01

Contrast-enhanced computed tomographic studies of the coelomic cavity in four green iguanas, four black and white tegus and four bearded dragons were performed using a conventional CT scanner. Anatomical reference cross sections were obtained from four green iguana, four black and white tegu and six bearded dragon cadavers; the specimens were stored in a -20°C freezer for 24 h then sliced into 5-mm intervals. The frozen sections were cleaned with water and photographed on both sides. The individual anatomical structures were identified by means of the available literature; these were labelled first on the anatomical images and then matched to the corresponding computed tomography images. The results provide an atlas of the normal cross-sectional and computed tomographic anatomy of the coelomic cavity in the green iguana, the black and white tegu and the bearded dragon, which is useful in the interpretation of any imaging modality. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Initial studies using the RatCAP conscious animal PET tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woody, C.; Vaska, P.; Schlyer, D.; Pratte, J.-F.; Junnarkar, S.; Park, S.-J.; Stoll, S.; Purschke, M.; Southekal, S.; Kriplani, A.; Krishnamoorthy, S.; Maramraju, S.; Lee, D.; Schiffer, W.; Dewey, S.; Neill, J.; Kandasamy, A.; O'Connor, P.; Radeka, V.; Fontaine, R.; Lecomte, R.

2007-02-01

The RatCAP is a small, head-mounted PET tomograph designed to image the brain of a conscious rat without the use of anesthesia. The detector is a complete, high-performance 3D tomograph consisting of a 3.8 cm inside-diameter ring containing 12 block detectors, each of which is comprised of a 4×8 array of 2.2×2.2×5 mm 3 LSO crystals readout with a matching APD array and custom ASIC, and has a 1.8 cm axial field of view. Construction of the first working prototype detector has been completed and its performance characteristics have been measured. The results show an intrinsic spatial resolution of 2.1 mm, a time resolution of ˜14 ns FWHM, and a sensitivity of 0.7% at an energy threshold of 150 keV. First preliminary images have been obtained using 18F-FDG and 11C-methamphetamine, which show comparable image quality to those obtained from a commercial MicroPET R4 scanner. Initial studies have also been carried out to study stress levels in rats wearing the RatCAP.

Evaluation of a Multicore-Optimized Implementation for Tomographic Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Agulleiro, Jose-Ignacio; Fernández, José Jesús

2012-01-01

Tomography allows elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of an object from a set of projection images. In life sciences, electron microscope tomography is providing invaluable information about the cell structure at a resolution of a few nanometres. Here, large images are required to combine wide fields of view with high resolution requirements. The computational complexity of the algorithms along with the large image size then turns tomographic reconstruction into a computationally demanding problem. Traditionally, high-performance computing techniques have been applied to cope with such demands on supercomputers, distributed systems and computer clusters. In the last few years, the trend has turned towards graphics processing units (GPUs). Here we present a detailed description and a thorough evaluation of an alternative approach that relies on exploitation of the power available in modern multicore computers. The combination of single-core code optimization, vector processing, multithreading and efficient disk I/O operations succeeds in providing fast tomographic reconstructions on standard computers. The approach turns out to be competitive with the fastest GPU-based solutions thus far. PMID:23139768

Efficient volumetric estimation from plenoptic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anglin, Paul; Reeves, Stanley J.; Thurow, Brian S.

2013-03-01

The commercial release of the Lytro camera, and greater availability of plenoptic imaging systems in general, have given the image processing community cost-effective tools for light-field imaging. While this data is most commonly used to generate planar images at arbitrary focal depths, reconstruction of volumetric fields is also possible. Similarly, deconvolution is a technique that is conventionally used in planar image reconstruction, or deblurring, algorithms. However, when leveraged with the ability of a light-field camera to quickly reproduce multiple focal planes within an imaged volume, deconvolution offers a computationally efficient method of volumetric reconstruction. Related research has shown than light-field imaging systems in conjunction with tomographic reconstruction techniques are also capable of estimating the imaged volume and have been successfully applied to particle image velocimetry (PIV). However, while tomographic volumetric estimation through algorithms such as multiplicative algebraic reconstruction techniques (MART) have proven to be highly accurate, they are computationally intensive. In this paper, the reconstruction problem is shown to be solvable by deconvolution. Deconvolution offers significant improvement in computational efficiency through the use of fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) when compared to other tomographic methods. This work describes a deconvolution algorithm designed to reconstruct a 3-D particle field from simulated plenoptic data. A 3-D extension of existing 2-D FFT-based refocusing techniques is presented to further improve efficiency when computing object focal stacks and system point spread functions (PSF). Reconstruction artifacts are identified; their underlying source and methods of mitigation are explored where possible, and reconstructions of simulated particle fields are provided.

Hyperpolarized (3)He magnetic resonance imaging: comparison with four-dimensional x-ray computed tomography imaging in lung cancer.

PubMed

Mathew, Lindsay; Wheatley, Andrew; Castillo, Richard; Castillo, Edward; Rodrigues, George; Guerrero, Thomas; Parraga, Grace

2012-12-01

Pulmonary functional imaging using four-dimensional x-ray computed tomographic (4DCT) imaging and hyperpolarized (3)He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides regional lung function estimates in patients with lung cancer in whom pulmonary function measurements are typically dominated by tumor burden. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quantitative spatial relationship between 4DCT and hyperpolarized (3)He MRI ventilation maps. Eleven patients with lung cancer provided written informed consent to 4DCT imaging and MRI performed within 11 ± 14 days. Hyperpolarized (3)He MRI was acquired in breath-hold after inhalation from functional residual capacity of 1 L hyperpolarized (3)He, whereas 4DCT imaging was acquired over a single tidal breath of room air. For hyperpolarized (3)He MRI, the percentage ventilated volume was generated using semiautomated segmentation; for 4DCT imaging, pulmonary function maps were generated using the correspondence between identical tissue elements at inspiratory and expiratory phases to generate percentage ventilated volume. After accounting for differences in image acquisition lung volumes ((3)He MRI: 1.9 ± 0.5 L ipsilateral, 2.3 ± 0.7 L contralateral; 4DCT imaging: 1.2 ± 0.3 L ipsilateral, 1.3 ± 0.4 L contralateral), there was no significant difference in percentage ventilated volume between hyperpolarized (3)He MRI (72 ± 11% ipsilateral, 79 ± 12% contralateral) and 4DCT imaging (74 ± 3% ipsilateral, 75 ± 4% contralateral). Spatial correspondence between 4DCT and (3)He MRI ventilation was evaluated using the Dice similarity coefficient index (ipsilateral, 86 ± 12%; contralateral, 88 ± 12%). Despite rather large differences in image acquisition breathing maneuvers, good spatial and significant quantitative agreement was observed for ventilation maps on hyperpolarized (3)He MRI and 4DCT imaging, suggesting that pulmonary regions with good lung function are similar between modalities in this small group of patients with lung cancer. Copyright © 2012 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An endoscopic diffuse optical tomographic method with high resolution based on the improved FOCUSS method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Zhuanping; Ma, Wenjuan; Ren, Shuyan; Geng, Liqing; Li, Jing; Yang, Ying; Qin, Yingmei

2017-02-01

Endoscopic DOT has the potential to apply to cancer-related imaging in tubular organs. Although the DOT has relatively large tissue penetration depth, the endoscopic DOT is limited by the narrow space of the internal tubular tissue, so as to the relatively small penetration depth. Because some adenocarcinomas including cervical adenocarcinoma are located in deep canal, it is necessary to improve the imaging resolution under the limited measurement condition. To improve the resolution, a new FOCUSS algorithm along with the image reconstruction algorithm based on the effective detection range (EDR) is developed. This algorithm is based on the region of interest (ROI) to reduce the dimensions of the matrix. The shrinking method cuts down the computation burden. To reduce the computational complexity, double conjugate gradient method is used in the matrix inversion. For a typical inner size and optical properties of the cervix-like tubular tissue, reconstructed images from the simulation data demonstrate that the proposed method achieves equivalent image quality to that obtained from the method based on EDR when the target is close the inner boundary of the model, and with higher spatial resolution and quantitative ratio when the targets are far from the inner boundary of the model. The quantitative ratio of reconstructed absorption and reduced scattering coefficient can be up to 70% and 80% under 5mm depth, respectively. Furthermore, the two close targets with different depths can be separated from each other. The proposed method will be useful to the development of endoscopic DOT technologies in tubular organs.

Analysis of 21-cm tomographic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellema, Garrelt; Giri, Sambit; Ghara, Raghuna

2018-05-01

The future SKA1-Low radio telescope will be powerful enough to produce tomographic images of the 21-cm signal from the Epoch of Reionization. Here we address how to identify ionized regions in such data sets, taking into account the resolution and noise levels associated with SKA1-Low. We describe three methods of which one, superpixel oversegmentation, consistently performs best.

TomoBank: a tomographic data repository for computational x-ray science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Carlo, Francesco; Gürsoy, Doğa; Ching, Daniel J.; Joost Batenburg, K.; Ludwig, Wolfgang; Mancini, Lucia; Marone, Federica; Mokso, Rajmund; Pelt, Daniël M.; Sijbers, Jan; Rivers, Mark

2018-03-01

There is a widening gap between the fast advancement of computational methods for tomographic reconstruction and their successful implementation in production software at various synchrotron facilities. This is due in part to the lack of readily available instrument datasets and phantoms representative of real materials for validation and comparison of new numerical methods. Recent advancements in detector technology have made sub-second and multi-energy tomographic data collection possible (Gibbs et al 2015 Sci. Rep. 5 11824), but have also increased the demand to develop new reconstruction methods able to handle in situ (Pelt and Batenburg 2013 IEEE Trans. Image Process. 22 5238-51) and dynamic systems (Mohan et al 2015 IEEE Trans. Comput. Imaging 1 96-111) that can be quickly incorporated in beamline production software (Gürsoy et al 2014 J. Synchrotron Radiat. 21 1188-93). The x-ray tomography data bank, tomoBank, provides a repository of experimental and simulated datasets with the aim to foster collaboration among computational scientists, beamline scientists, and experimentalists and to accelerate the development and implementation of tomographic reconstruction methods for synchrotron facility production software by providing easy access to challenging datasets and their descriptors.

Image-guided therapies for myocardial repair: concepts and practical implementation

PubMed Central

Bengel, Frank M.; George, Richard T.; Schuleri, Karl H.; Lardo, Albert C.; Wollert, Kai C.

2013-01-01

Cell- and molecule-based therapeutic strategies to support wound healing and regeneration after myocardial infarction (MI) are under development. These emerging therapies aim at sustained preservation of ventricular function by enhancing tissue repair after myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion. Such therapies will benefit from guidance with regard to timing, regional targeting, suitable candidate selection, and effectiveness monitoring. Such guidance is effectively obtained by non-invasive tomographic imaging. Infarct size, tissue characteristics, muscle mass, and chamber geometry can be determined by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Radionuclide imaging can be used for the tracking of therapeutic agents and for the interrogation of molecular mechanisms such as inflammation, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix activation. This review article portrays the hypothesis that an integrated approach with an early implementation of structural and molecular tomographic imaging in the development of novel therapies will provide a framework for achieving the goal of improved tissue repair after MI. PMID:23720377

Laser-wakefield accelerators as hard x-ray sources for 3D medical imaging of human bone

PubMed Central

Cole, J. M.; Wood, J. C.; Lopes, N. C.; Poder, K.; Abel, R. L.; Alatabi, S.; Bryant, J. S. J.; Jin, A.; Kneip, S.; Mecseki, K.; Symes, D. R.; Mangles, S. P. D.; Najmudin, Z.

2015-01-01

A bright μm-sized source of hard synchrotron x-rays (critical energy Ecrit > 30 keV) based on the betatron oscillations of laser wakefield accelerated electrons has been developed. The potential of this source for medical imaging was demonstrated by performing micro-computed tomography of a human femoral trabecular bone sample, allowing full 3D reconstruction to a resolution below 50 μm. The use of a 1 cm long wakefield accelerator means that the length of the beamline (excluding the laser) is dominated by the x-ray imaging distances rather than the electron acceleration distances. The source possesses high peak brightness, which allows each image to be recorded with a single exposure and reduces the time required for a full tomographic scan. These properties make this an interesting laboratory source for many tomographic imaging applications. PMID:26283308

MO-A-BRD-02: Physics Perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kappadath, S.

2015-06-15

Yttrium-90 (Y90) microsphere therapy, a form of radiation therapy, is an increasingly popular option for care of patients with liver metastases or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The therapy directly delivers Y90 microspheres via the hepatic artery to disease sites. Following delivery, a vast majority of microspheres preferentially lodge in the capillary vessels due to their embolic size and targeted trans-arterial delivery – depositing up to 90% of its energy in the first 5 mm of tissue. There have been a number of advances in tomographic imaging within both interventional radiology and nuclear medicine that has advanced therapy planning techniques. Quantitative imagingmore » of Y90 microsphere distribution post-therapy has also seen innovations that have led to improvements in tumor dosimetry and characterization of tumor response. A review of current trends and recent innovation in Y90 microsphere therapies will be presented. Learning Objectives: To present the imaging requirements for Y90 microsphere therapy planning To explain the standard dosimetry models used in Y90 microsphere therapy planning To report on advances in imaging for therapy planning and posttherapy assessment of tumor dosimetry and response.« less

MO-A-BRD-01: Clinical Perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahvash, A.

2015-06-15

Yttrium-90 (Y90) microsphere therapy, a form of radiation therapy, is an increasingly popular option for care of patients with liver metastases or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The therapy directly delivers Y90 microspheres via the hepatic artery to disease sites. Following delivery, a vast majority of microspheres preferentially lodge in the capillary vessels due to their embolic size and targeted trans-arterial delivery – depositing up to 90% of its energy in the first 5 mm of tissue. There have been a number of advances in tomographic imaging within both interventional radiology and nuclear medicine that has advanced therapy planning techniques. Quantitative imagingmore » of Y90 microsphere distribution post-therapy has also seen innovations that have led to improvements in tumor dosimetry and characterization of tumor response. A review of current trends and recent innovation in Y90 microsphere therapies will be presented. Learning Objectives: To present the imaging requirements for Y90 microsphere therapy planning To explain the standard dosimetry models used in Y90 microsphere therapy planning To report on advances in imaging for therapy planning and posttherapy assessment of tumor dosimetry and response.« less

Tomographic Small-Animal Imaging Using a High-Resolution Semiconductor Camera

PubMed Central

Kastis, GA; Wu, MC; Balzer, SJ; Wilson, DW; Furenlid, LR; Stevenson, G; Barber, HB; Barrett, HH; Woolfenden, JM; Kelly, P; Appleby, M

2015-01-01

We have developed a high-resolution, compact semiconductor camera for nuclear medicine applications. The modular unit has been used to obtain tomographic images of phantoms and mice. The system consists of a 64 x 64 CdZnTe detector array and a parallel-hole tungsten collimator mounted inside a 17 cm x 5.3 cm x 3.7 cm tungsten-aluminum housing. The detector is a 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm x 0.15 cm slab of CdZnTe connected to a 64 x 64 multiplexer readout via indium-bump bonding. The collimator is 7 mm thick, with a 0.38 mm pitch that matches the detector pixel pitch. We obtained a series of projections by rotating the object in front of the camera. The axis of rotation was vertical and about 1.5 cm away from the collimator face. Mouse holders were made out of acrylic plastic tubing to facilitate rotation and the administration of gas anesthetic. Acquisition times were varied from 60 sec to 90 sec per image for a total of 60 projections at an equal spacing of 6 degrees between projections. We present tomographic images of a line phantom and mouse bone scan and assess the properties of the system. The reconstructed images demonstrate spatial resolution on the order of 1–2 mm. PMID:26568676

Rapid prototyping in aortic surgery.

PubMed

Bangeas, Petros; Voulalas, Grigorios; Ktenidis, Kiriakos

2016-04-01

3D printing provides the sequential addition of material layers and, thus, the opportunity to print parts and components made of different materials with variable mechanical and physical properties. It helps us create 3D anatomical models for the better planning of surgical procedures when needed, since it can reveal any complex anatomical feature. Images of abdominal aortic aneurysms received by computed tomographic angiography were converted into 3D images using a Google SketchUp free software and saved in stereolithography format. Using a 3D printer (Makerbot), a model made of polylactic acid material (thermoplastic filament) was printed. A 3D model of an abdominal aorta aneurysm was created in 138 min, while the model was a precise copy of the aorta visualized in the computed tomographic images. The total cost (including the initial cost of the printer) reached 1303.00 euros. 3D imaging and modelling using different materials can be very useful in cases when anatomical difficulties are recognized through the computed tomographic images and a tactile approach is demanded preoperatively. In this way, major complications during abdominal aorta aneurysm management can be predicted and prevented. Furthermore, the model can be used as a mould; the development of new, more biocompatible, less antigenic and individualized can become a challenge in the future. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Representation of photon limited data in emission tomography using origin ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, A.

2008-06-01

Representation and reconstruction of data obtained by emission tomography scanners are challenging due to high noise levels in the data. Typically, images obtained using tomographic measurements are represented using grids. In this work, we define images as sets of origins of events detected during tomographic measurements; we call these origin ensembles (OEs). A state in the ensemble is characterized by a vector of 3N parameters Y, where the parameters are the coordinates of origins of detected events in a three-dimensional space and N is the number of detected events. The 3N-dimensional probability density function (PDF) for that ensemble is derived, and we present an algorithm for OE image estimation from tomographic measurements. A displayable image (e.g. grid based image) is derived from the OE formulation by calculating ensemble expectations based on the PDF using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The approach was applied to computer-simulated 3D list-mode positron emission tomography data. The reconstruction errors for a 10 000 000 event acquisition for simulated ranged from 0.1 to 34.8%, depending on object size and sampling density. The method was also applied to experimental data and the results of the OE method were consistent with those obtained by a standard maximum-likelihood approach. The method is a new approach to representation and reconstruction of data obtained by photon-limited emission tomography measurements.

In vivo histology: optical biopsies with chemical contrast using clinical multiphoton/coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinigel, M.; Breunig, H. G.; Kellner-Höfer, M.; Bückle, R.; Darvin, M. E.; Klemp, M.; Lademann, J.; König, K.

2014-05-01

The majority of existing coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging systems are still huge and complicated laboratory systems and neither compact nor user-friendly nor mobile medically certified CARS systems. We have developed a new flexible multiphoton/CARS tomograph for imaging in a clinical environment. The system offers exceptional 360° flexibility with a very stable setup and enables label free ‘in vivo histology’ with chemical contrast within seconds. It can be completely operated by briefly trained non-laser experts. The imaging capability and flexibility of the novel in vivo tomograph are shown on optical biopsies with subcellular resolution and chemical contrast of patients suffering from psoriasis and squamous cell carcinoma.

Applications of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT): A Short Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanti Bera, Tushar

2018-03-01

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a tomographic imaging method which solves an ill posed inverse problem using the boundary voltage-current data collected from the surface of the object under test. Though the spatial resolution is comparatively low compared to conventional tomographic imaging modalities, due to several advantages EIT has been studied for a number of applications such as medical imaging, material engineering, civil engineering, biotechnology, chemical engineering, MEMS and other fields of engineering and applied sciences. In this paper, the applications of EIT have been reviewed and presented as a short summary. The working principal, instrumentation and advantages are briefly discussed followed by a detail discussion on the applications of EIT technology in different areas of engineering, technology and applied sciences.

New Severity Indices for Quantifying Single-suture Metopic Craniosynostosis

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Correa, Salvador; Starr, Jacqueline R.; Lin, H. Jill; Kapp-Simon, Kathleen A.; Sze, Raymond W.; Ellenbogen, Richard G.; Speltz, Matthew L.; Cunningham, Michael L.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE To describe novel severity indices with which to quantify severity of trigonocephaly malformation in children diagnosed with isolated metopic synostosis. METHODS Computed tomographic scans of the cranium were obtained from 38 infants diagnosed with isolated metopic synostosis and 53 age-matched control patients. Volumetric reformations of the cranium were used to trace two-dimensional planes defined by the cranium-base plane and well-defined brain landmarks. For each patient, novel trigonocephaly severity indices (TSI) were computed from outline cranium shapes on each of these planes. The metopic severity index based on measurements of interlandmark distances was also computed and a receiver operating characteristic analysis used to compare the accuracy of classification based on TSIs versus that based on the metopic severity index. RESULTS The proposed TSIs are a sensitive measure of trigonocephaly malformation that can provide a classification accuracy of 96% with a specificity of 95%, in contrast with 82% of the metopic severity index at the same specificity level. CONCLUSIONS We completed exploratory analysis of outline-based severity measurements computed from computed tomographic image planes of the cranium. These TSIs enable quantitative analysis of cranium features in isolated metopic synostosis that may not be accurately detected by analytic tools derived from a sparse set of traditional interlandmark and semilandmark distances. PMID:18797362

Deciphering complex, functional structures with synchrotron-based absorption and phase contrast tomographic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stampanoni, M.; Reichold, J.; Weber, B.; Haberthür, D.; Schittny, J.; Eller, J.; Büchi, F. N.; Marone, F.

2010-09-01

Nowadays, thanks to the high brilliance available at modern, third generation synchrotron facilities and recent developments in detector technology, it is possible to record volumetric information at the micrometer scale within few minutes. High signal-to-noise ratio, quantitative information on very complex structures like the brain micro vessel architecture, lung airways or fuel cells can be obtained thanks to the combination of dedicated sample preparation protocols, in-situ acquisition schemes and cutting-edge imaging analysis instruments. In this work we report on recent experiments carried out at the TOMCAT beamline of the Swiss Light Source [1] where synchrotron-based tomographic microscopy has been successfully used to obtain fundamental information on preliminary models for cerebral fluid flow [2], to provide an accurate mesh for 3D finite-element simulation of the alveolar structure of the pulmonary acinus [3] and to investigate the complex functional mechanism of fuel cells [4]. Further, we introduce preliminary results on the combination of absorption and phase contrast microscopy for the visualization of high-Z nanoparticles in soft tissues, a fundamental information when designing modern drug delivery systems [5]. As an outlook we briefly discuss the new possibilities offered by high sensitivity, high resolution grating interferomtery as well as Zernike Phase contrast nanotomography [6].

Quantitative Functional Imaging Using Dynamic Positron Computed Tomography and Rapid Parameter Estimation Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koeppe, Robert Allen

Positron computed tomography (PCT) is a diagnostic imaging technique that provides both three dimensional imaging capability and quantitative measurements of local tissue radioactivity concentrations in vivo. This allows the development of non-invasive methods that employ the principles of tracer kinetics for determining physiological properties such as mass specific blood flow, tissue pH, and rates of substrate transport or utilization. A physiologically based, two-compartment tracer kinetic model was derived to mathematically describe the exchange of a radioindicator between blood and tissue. The model was adapted for use with dynamic sequences of data acquired with a positron tomograph. Rapid estimation techniques were implemented to produce functional images of the model parameters by analyzing each individual pixel sequence of the image data. A detailed analysis of the performance characteristics of three different parameter estimation schemes was performed. The analysis included examination of errors caused by statistical uncertainties in the measured data, errors in the timing of the data, and errors caused by violation of various assumptions of the tracer kinetic model. Two specific radioindicators were investigated. ('18)F -fluoromethane, an inert freely diffusible gas, was used for local quantitative determinations of both cerebral blood flow and tissue:blood partition coefficient. A method was developed that did not require direct sampling of arterial blood for the absolute scaling of flow values. The arterial input concentration time course was obtained by assuming that the alveolar or end-tidal expired breath radioactivity concentration is proportional to the arterial blood concentration. The scale of the input function was obtained from a series of venous blood concentration measurements. The method of absolute scaling using venous samples was validated in four studies, performed on normal volunteers, in which directly measured arterial concentrations were compared to those predicted from the expired air and venous blood samples. The glucose analog ('18)F-3-deoxy-3-fluoro-D -glucose (3-FDG) was used for quantitating the membrane transport rate of glucose. The measured data indicated that the phosphorylation rate of 3-FDG was low enough to allow accurate estimation of the transport rate using a two compartment model.

TomoPhantom, a software package to generate 2D-4D analytical phantoms for CT image reconstruction algorithm benchmarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantsev, Daniil; Pickalov, Valery; Nagella, Srikanth; Pasca, Edoardo; Withers, Philip J.

2018-01-01

In the field of computerized tomographic imaging, many novel reconstruction techniques are routinely tested using simplistic numerical phantoms, e.g. the well-known Shepp-Logan phantom. These phantoms cannot sufficiently cover the broad spectrum of applications in CT imaging where, for instance, smooth or piecewise-smooth 3D objects are common. TomoPhantom provides quick access to an external library of modular analytical 2D/3D phantoms with temporal extensions. In TomoPhantom, quite complex phantoms can be built using additive combinations of geometrical objects, such as, Gaussians, parabolas, cones, ellipses, rectangles and volumetric extensions of them. Newly designed phantoms are better suited for benchmarking and testing of different image processing techniques. Specifically, tomographic reconstruction algorithms which employ 2D and 3D scanning geometries, can be rigorously analyzed using the software. TomoPhantom also provides a capability of obtaining analytical tomographic projections which further extends the applicability of software towards more realistic, free from the "inverse crime" testing. All core modules of the package are written in the C-OpenMP language and wrappers for Python and MATLAB are provided to enable easy access. Due to C-based multi-threaded implementation, volumetric phantoms of high spatial resolution can be obtained with computational efficiency.

3D tomographic imaging with the γ-eye planar scintigraphic gamma camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tunnicliffe, H.; Georgiou, M.; Loudos, G. K.; Simcox, A.; Tsoumpas, C.

2017-11-01

γ-eye is a desktop planar scintigraphic gamma camera (100 mm × 50 mm field of view) designed by BET Solutions as an affordable tool for dynamic, whole body, small-animal imaging. This investigation tests the viability of using γ-eye for the collection of tomographic data for 3D SPECT reconstruction. Two software packages, QSPECT and STIR (software for tomographic image reconstruction), have been compared. Reconstructions have been performed using QSPECT’s implementation of the OSEM algorithm and STIR’s OSMAPOSL (Ordered Subset Maximum A Posteriori One Step Late) and OSSPS (Ordered Subsets Separable Paraboloidal Surrogate) algorithms. Reconstructed images of phantom and mouse data have been assessed in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity to varying activity levels and uniformity. The effect of varying the number of iterations, the voxel size (1.25 mm default voxel size reduced to 0.625 mm and 0.3125 mm), the point spread function correction and the weight of prior terms were explored. While QSPECT demonstrated faster reconstructions, STIR outperformed it in terms of resolution (as low as 1 mm versus 3 mm), particularly when smaller voxel sizes were used, and in terms of uniformity, particularly when prior terms were used. Little difference in terms of sensitivity was seen throughout.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raymund, T.D.

Recently, several tomographic techniques for ionospheric electron density imaging have been proposed. These techniques reconstruct a vertical slice image of electron density using total electron content data. The data are measured between a low orbit beacon satellite and fixed receivers located along the projected orbital path of the satellite. By using such tomographic techniques, it may be possible to inexpensively (relative to incoherent scatter techniques) image the ionospheric electron density in a vertical plane several times per day. The satellite and receiver geometry used to measure the total electron content data causes the data to be incomplete; that is, themore » measured data do not contain enough information to completely specify the ionospheric electron density distribution in the region between the satellite and the receivers. A new algorithm is proposed which allows the incorporation of other complementary measurements, such as those from ionosondes, and also includes ways to include a priori information about the unknown electron density distribution in the reconstruction process. The algorithm makes use of two-dimensional basis functions. Illustrative application of this algorithm is made to simulated cases with good results. The technique is also applied to real total electron content (TEC) records collected in Scandinavia in conjunction with the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar. The tomographic reconstructions are compared with the incoherent scatter electron density images of the same region of the ionosphere.« less

Use of a hybrid iterative reconstruction technique to reduce image noise and improve image quality in obese patients undergoing computed tomographic pulmonary angiography.

PubMed

Kligerman, Seth; Mehta, Dhruv; Farnadesh, Mahmmoudreza; Jeudy, Jean; Olsen, Kathryn; White, Charles

2013-01-01

To determine whether an iterative reconstruction (IR) technique (iDose, Philips Healthcare) can reduce image noise and improve image quality in obese patients undergoing computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA). The study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant and approved by our institutional review board. A total of 33 obese patients (average body mass index: 42.7) underwent CTPA studies following standard departmental protocols. The data were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and 3 iDose strengths (iDoseL1, iDoseL3, and iDoseL5) for a total of 132 studies. FBP data were collected from 33 controls (average body mass index: 22) undergoing CTPA. Regions of interest were drawn at 6 identical levels in the pulmonary artery (PA), from the main PA to a subsegmental branch, in both the control group and study groups using each algorithm. Noise and attenuation were measured at all PA levels. Three thoracic radiologists graded each study on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (ideal) by 4 categories: image quality, noise, PA enhancement, and "plastic" appearance. Statistical analysis was performed using an unpaired t test, 1-way analysis of variance, and linear weighted κ. Compared with the control group, there was significantly higher noise with FBP, iDoseL1, and iDoseL3 algorithms (P<0.001) in the study group. There was no significant difference between the noise in the control group and iDoseL5 algorithm in the study group. Analysis within the study group showed a significant and progressive decrease in noise and increase in the contrast-to-noise ratio as the level of IR was increased (P<0.001). Compared with FBP, readers graded overall image quality as being higher using iDoseL1 (P=0.0018), iDoseL3 (P<0.001), and iDoseL5 (P<0.001). Compared with FBP, there was subjective improvement in image noise and PA enhancement with increasing levels of iDose. The use of an IR technique leads to qualitative and quantitative improvements in image noise and image quality in obese patients undergoing CTPA.

Quantitative evaluation of the fetal cerebellar vermis using the median view on three-dimensional ultrasound.

PubMed

Zhao, Dan; Liu, Wei; Cai, Ailu; Li, Jingyu; Chen, Lizhu; Wang, Bing

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness for quantitative evaluation of cerebellar vermis using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound and to establish a nomogram for Chinese fetal vermis measurements during gestation. Sonographic examinations were performed in normal fetuses and in cases suspected of the diagnosis of vermian rotation. 3D median planes were obtained with both OMNIVIEW and tomographic ultrasound imaging. Measurements of the cerebellar vermis were highly correlated between two-dimensional and 3D median planes. The diameter of the cerebellar vermis follows growth approximately predicted by the quadratic regression equation. The normal vermis was almost parallel to the brain stem, with the average angle degree to be <2° in normal fetuses. The average angle degree of the 9 cases of vermian rotation was >5°. Three-dimensional median planes are obtained more easily than two-dimensional ones, and allow accurate measurements of the cerebellar vermis. The 3D approach may enable rapid assessment of fetal cerebral anatomy in standard examination. Measurements of cerebellar vermis may provide a quantitative index for prenatal diagnosis of posterior fossa malformations. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Emission Computed Tomography: A New Technique for the Quantitative Physiologic Study of Brain and Heart in Vivo

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Phelps, M. E.; Hoffman, E. J.; Huang, S. C.; Schelbert, H. R.; Kuhl, D. E.

1978-01-01

Emission computed tomography can provide a quantitative in vivo measurement of regional tissue radionuclide tracer concentrations. This facility when combined with physiologic models and radioactively labeled physiologic tracers that behave in a predictable manner allow measurement of a wide variety of physiologic variables. This integrated technique has been referred to as Physiologic Tomography (PT). PT requires labeled compounds which trace physiologic processes in a known and predictable manner, and physiologic models which are appropriately formulated and validated to derive physiologic variables from ECT data. In order to effectively achieve this goal, PT requires an ECT system that is capable of performing truly quantitative or analytical measurements of tissue tracer concentrations and which has been well characterized in terms of spatial resolution, sensitivity and signal to noise ratios in the tomographic image. This paper illustrates the capabilities of emission computed tomography and provides examples of physiologic tomography for the regional measurement of cerebral and myocardial metabolic rate for glucose, regional measurement of cerebral blood volume, gated cardiac blood pools and capillary perfusion in brain and heart. Studies on patients with stroke and myocardial ischemia are also presented.

Correlation of quantitative computed tomographic subchondral bone density and ash density in horses.

PubMed

Drum, M G; Les, C M; Park, R D; Norrdin, R W; McIlwraith, C W; Kawcak, C E

2009-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare subchondral bone density obtained using quantitative computed tomography with ash density values from intact equine joints, and to determine if there are measurable anatomic variations in mean subchondral bone density. Five adult equine metacarpophalangeal joints were scanned with computed tomography (CT), disarticulated, and four 1-cm(3) regions of interest (ROI) cut from the distal third metacarpal bone. Bone cubes were ashed, and percent mineralization and ash density were recorded. Three-dimensional models were created of the distal third metacarpal bone from CT images. Four ROIs were measured on the distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone at axial and abaxial sites of the medial and lateral condyles for correlation with ash samples. Overall correlations of mean quantitative CT (QCT) density with ash density (r=0.82) and percent mineralization (r=0.93) were strong. There were significant differences between abaxial and axial ROIs for mean QCT density, percent bone mineralization and ash density (p<0.05). QCT appears to be a good measure of bone density in equine subchondral bone. Additionally, differences existed between axial and abaxial subchondral bone density in the equine distal third metacarpal bone.

Partially coherent lensfree tomographic microscopy⋄

PubMed Central

Isikman, Serhan O.; Bishara, Waheb; Ozcan, Aydogan

2012-01-01

Optical sectioning of biological specimens provides detailed volumetric information regarding their internal structure. To provide a complementary approach to existing three-dimensional (3D) microscopy modalities, we have recently demonstrated lensfree optical tomography that offers high-throughput imaging within a compact and simple platform. In this approach, in-line holograms of objects at different angles of partially coherent illumination are recorded using a digital sensor-array, which enables computing pixel super-resolved tomographic images of the specimen. This imaging modality, which forms the focus of this review, offers micrometer-scale 3D resolution over large imaging volumes of, for example, 10–15 mm3, and can be assembled in light weight and compact architectures. Therefore, lensfree optical tomography might be particularly useful for lab-on-a-chip applications as well as for microscopy needs in resource-limited settings. PMID:22193016

Study on feasibility of laser reflective tomography with satellite-accompany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Yu; Hu, Yi-hua; Hao, Shi-qi; Gu, You-lin; Zhao, Nan-xiang; Wang, Yang-yang

2015-10-01

Laser reflective tomography is a long-range, high-resolution active detection technology, whose advantage is that the spatial resolution is unrelated with the imaging distance. Accompany satellite is a specific satellite around the target spacecraft with encircling movement. When using the accompany satellite to detect the target aircraft, multi-angle echo data can be obtained with the application of reflective tomography imaging. The feasibility of such detection working mode was studied in this article. Accompany orbit model was established with horizontal circular fleet and the parameters of accompany flight was defined. The simulation of satellite-to-satellite reflective tomography imaging with satellite-accompany was carried out. The operating mode of reflective tomographic data acquisition from monostatic laser radar was discussed and designed. The flight period, which equals to the all direction received data consuming time, is one of the important accompany flight parameters. The azimuth angle determines the plane of image formation while the elevation angle determines the projection direction. Both of the azimuth and elevation angles guide the satellite attitude stability controller in order to point the laser radar spot on the target. The influences of distance between accompany satellite and target satellite on tomographic imaging consuming time was analyzed. The influences of flight period, azimuth angle and elevation angle on tomographic imaging were analyzed as well. Simulation results showed that the satellite-accompany laser reflective tomography is a feasible and effective method to the satellite-to-satellite detection.

Sodankylä ionospheric tomography dataset 2003-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norberg, J.; Roininen, L.; Kero, A.; Raita, T.; Ulich, T.; Markkanen, M.; Juusola, L.; Kauristie, K.

2015-12-01

Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory has been operating a tomographic receiver network and collecting the produced data since 2003. The collected dataset consists of phase difference curves measured from Russian COSMOS dual-frequency (150/400 MHz) low-Earth-orbit satellite signals, and tomographic electron density reconstructions obtained from these measurements. In this study vertical total electron content (VTEC) values are integrated from the reconstructed electron densities to make a qualitative and quantitative analysis to validate the long-term performance of the tomographic system. During the observation period, 2003-2014, there were three-to-five operational stations at the Fenno-Scandinavian sector. Altogether the analysis consists of around 66 000 overflights, but to ensure the quality of the reconstructions, the examination is limited to cases with descending (north to south) overflights and maximum elevation over 60°. These constraints limit the number of overflights to around 10 000. Based on this dataset, one solar cycle of ionospheric vertical total electron content estimates is constructed. The measurements are compared against International Reference Ionosphere IRI-2012 model, F10.7 solar flux index and sunspot number data. Qualitatively the tomographic VTEC estimate corresponds to reference data very well, but the IRI-2012 model are on average 40 % higher of that of the tomographic results.

Three-dimensional segmentation of the tumor mass in computed tomographic images of neuroblastoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deglint, Hanford J.; Rangayyan, Rangaraj M.; Boag, Graham S.

2004-05-01

Tumor definition and diagnosis require the analysis of the spatial distribution and Hounsfield unit (HU) values of voxels in computed tomography (CT) images, coupled with a knowledge of normal anatomy. Segmentation of the tumor in neuroblastoma is complicated by the fact that the mass is almost always heterogeneous in nature; furthermore, viable tumor, necrosis, fibrosis, and normal tissue are often intermixed. Rather than attempt to separate these tissue types into distinct regions, we propose to explore methods to delineate the normal structures expected in abdominal CT images, remove them from further consideration, and examine the remaining parts of the images for the tumor mass. We explore the use of fuzzy connectivity for this purpose. Expert knowledge provided by the radiologist in the form of the expected structures and their shapes, HU values, and radiological characteristics are also incorporated in the segmentation algorithm. Segmentation and analysis of the tissue composition of the tumor can assist in quantitative assessment of the response to chemotherapy and in the planning of delayed surgery for resection of the tumor. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using cases acquired from the Alberta Children's Hospital.

Gold Nanoparticle Quantitation by Whole Cell Tomography.

PubMed

Sanders, Aric W; Jeerage, Kavita M; Schwartz, Cindi L; Curtin, Alexandra E; Chiaramonti, Ann N

2015-12-22

Many proposed biomedical applications for engineered gold nanoparticles require their incorporation by mammalian cells in specific numbers and locations. Here, the number of gold nanoparticles inside of individual mammalian stem cells was characterized using fast focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy based tomography. Enhanced optical microscopy was used to provide a multiscale map of the in vitro sample, which allows cells of interest to be identified within their local environment. Cells were then serially sectioned using a gallium ion beam and imaged using a scanning electron beam. To confirm the accuracy of single cross sections, nanoparticles in similar cross sections were imaged using transmission electron microscopy and scanning helium ion microscopy. Complete tomographic series were then used to count the nanoparticles inside of each cell and measure their spatial distribution. We investigated the influence of slice thickness on counting single particles and clusters as well as nanoparticle packing within clusters. For 60 nm citrate stabilized particles, the nanoparticle cluster packing volume is 2.15 ± 0.20 times the volume of the bare gold nanoparticles.

Design of a frequency domain instrument for simultaneous optical tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of small animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masciotti, James M.; Rahim, Shaheed; Grover, Jarrett; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2007-02-01

We present a design for frequency domain instrument that allows for simultaneous gathering of magnetic resonance and diffuse optical tomographic imaging data. This small animal imaging system combines the high anatomical resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the high temporal resolution and physiological information provided by diffuse optical tomography (DOT). The DOT hardware comprises laser diodes and an intensified CCD camera, which are modulated up to 1 GHz by radio frequency (RF) signal generators. An optical imaging head is designed to fit inside the 4 cm inner diameter of a 9.4 T MRI system. Graded index fibers are used to transfer light between the optical hardware and the imaging head within the RF coil. Fiducial markers are integrated into the imaging head to allow the determination of the positions of the source and detector fibers on the MR images and to permit co-registration of MR and optical tomographic images. Detector fibers are arranged compactly and focused through a camera lens onto the photocathode of the intensified CCD camera.

Methods to mitigate data truncation artifacts in multi-contrast tomosynthesis image reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, John; Ge, Yongshuai; Li, Ke; Chen, Guang-Hong

2015-03-01

Differential phase contrast imaging is a promising new image modality that utilizes the refraction rather than the absorption of x-rays to image an object. A Talbot-Lau interferometer may be used to permit differential phase contrast imaging with a conventional medical x-ray source and detector. However, the current size of the gratings fabricated for these interferometers are often relatively small. As a result, data truncation image artifacts are often observed in a tomographic acquisition and reconstruction. When data are truncated in x-ray absorption imaging, the methods have been introduced to mitigate the truncation artifacts. However, the same strategy to mitigate absorption truncation artifacts may not be appropriate for differential phase contrast or dark field tomographic imaging. In this work, several new methods to mitigate data truncation artifacts in a multi-contrast imaging system have been proposed and evaluated for tomosynthesis data acquisitions. The proposed methods were validated using experimental data acquired for a bovine udder as well as several cadaver breast specimens using a benchtop system at our facility.

Deformable 3D-2D registration for CT and its application to low dose tomographic fluoroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flach, Barbara; Brehm, Marcus; Sawall, Stefan; Kachelrieß, Marc

2014-12-01

Many applications in medical imaging include image registration for matching of images from the same or different modalities. In the case of full data sampling, the respective reconstructed images are usually of such a good image quality that standard deformable volume-to-volume (3D-3D) registration approaches can be applied. But research in temporal-correlated image reconstruction and dose reductions increases the number of cases where rawdata are available from only few projection angles. Here, deteriorated image quality leads to non-acceptable deformable volume-to-volume registration results. Therefore a registration approach is required that is robust against a decreasing number of projections defining the target position. We propose a deformable volume-to-rawdata (3D-2D) registration method that aims at finding a displacement vector field maximizing the alignment of a CT volume and the acquired rawdata based on the sum of squared differences in rawdata domain. The registration is constrained by a regularization term in accordance with a fluid-based diffusion. Both cost function components, the rawdata fidelity and the regularization term, are optimized in an alternating manner. The matching criterion is optimized by a conjugate gradient descent for nonlinear functions, while the regularization is realized by convolution of the vector fields with Gaussian kernels. We validate the proposed method and compare it to the demons algorithm, a well-known 3D-3D registration method. The comparison is done for a range of 4-60 target projections using datasets from low dose tomographic fluoroscopy as an application example. The results show a high correlation to the ground truth target position without introducing artifacts even in the case of very few projections. In particular the matching in the rawdata domain is improved compared to the 3D-3D registration for the investigated range. The proposed volume-to-rawdata registration increases the robustness regarding sparse rawdata and provides more stable results than volume-to-volume approaches. By applying the proposed registration approach to low dose tomographic fluoroscopy it is possible to improve the temporal resolution and thus to increase the robustness of low dose tomographic fluoroscopy.

Low dose tomographic fluoroscopy: 4D intervention guidance with running prior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flach, Barbara; Kuntz, Jan; Brehm, Marcus

Purpose: Today's standard imaging technique in interventional radiology is the single- or biplane x-ray fluoroscopy which delivers 2D projection images as a function of time (2D+T). This state-of-the-art technology, however, suffers from its projective nature and is limited by the superposition of the patient's anatomy. Temporally resolved tomographic volumes (3D+T) would significantly improve the visualization of complex structures. A continuous tomographic data acquisition, if carried out with today's technology, would yield an excessive patient dose. Recently the authors proposed a method that enables tomographic fluoroscopy at the same dose level as projective fluoroscopy which means that if scanning time ofmore » an intervention guided by projective fluoroscopy is the same as that of an intervention guided by tomographic fluoroscopy, almost the same dose is administered to the patient. The purpose of this work is to extend authors' previous work and allow for patient motion during the intervention.Methods: The authors propose the running prior technique for adaptation of a prior image. This adaptation is realized by a combination of registration and projection replacement. In a first step the prior is deformed to the current position via affine and deformable registration. Then the information from outdated projections is replaced by newly acquired projections using forward and backprojection steps. The thus adapted volume is the running prior. The proposed method is validated by simulated as well as measured data. To investigate motion during intervention a moving head phantom was simulated. Real in vivo data of a pig are acquired by a prototype CT system consisting of a flat detector and a continuously rotating clinical gantry.Results: With the running prior technique it is possible to correct for motion without additional dose. For an application in intervention guidance both steps of the running prior technique, registration and replacement, are necessary. Reconstructed volumes based on the running prior show high image quality without introducing new artifacts and the interventional materials are displayed at the correct position.Conclusions: The running prior improves the robustness of low dose 3D+T intervention guidance toward intended or unintended patient motion.« less

PET Imaging: Basics and New Trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlbom, Magnus

Positron Emission Tomography or PET is a noninvasive molecular imaging method used both in research to study biology and disease, and clinically as a routine diagnostic imaging tool. In PET imaging, the subject is injected with a tracer labeled with a positron-emitting isotope and is then placed in a scanner to localize the radioactive tracer in the body. The localization of the tracer utilizes the unique decay characteristics of isotopes decaying by positron emission. In the PET scanner, a large number of scintillation detectors use coincidence detection of the annihilation radiation that is emitted as a result of the positron decay. By collecting a large number of these coincidence events, together with tomographic image reconstruction methods, the 3-D distribution of the radioactive tracer in the body can be reconstructed. Depending on the type of tracer used, the distribution will reflect a particular biological process, such as glucose metabolism when fluoro-deoxyglucose is used. PET has evolved from a relatively inefficient single-slice imaging system with relatively poor spatial resolution to an efficient, high-resolution imaging modality which can acquire a whole-body scan in a few minutes. This chapter will describe the basic physics and instrumentation used in PET. The various corrections that are necessary to apply to the acquired data in order to produce quantitative images are also described. Finally, some of the latest trends in instrumentation development are also discussed.

Monitoring wound healing by multiphoton tomography/endoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten; Weinigel, Martin; Bückle, Rainer; Kaatz, Martin; Hipler, Christina; Zens, Katharina; Schneider, Stefan W.; Huck, Volker

2015-02-01

Certified clinical multiphoton tomographs are employed to perform rapid label-free high-resolution in vivo histology. Novel tomographs include a flexible 360° scan head attached to a mechano-optical arm for autofluorescence and SHG imaging as well as rigid two-photon GRIN microendoscope. Mitochondrial fluorescent NAD(P)H, fluorescent elastin, keratin, and melanin as well as SHG-active collagen can be imaged with submicron resolution in human skin. The system was employed to study the healing of chronic wounds (venous leg ulcer) and acute wounds (curettage of actinic or seborrheic keratosis) on a subcellular level. Furthermore, a flexible sterile foil as interface between wound and focusing optic was tested.

Imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for 3D cloud profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentz Dupuis, Julia; Mansur, David J.; Vaillancourt, Robert; Carlson, David; Evans, Thomas; Schundler, Elizabeth; Todd, Lori; Mottus, Kathleen

2009-05-01

OPTRA is developing an imaging open-path Fourier transform infrared (I-OP-FTIR) spectrometer for 3D profiling of chemical and biological agent simulant plumes released into test ranges and chambers. An array of I-OP-FTIR instruments positioned around the perimeter of the test site, in concert with advanced spectroscopic algorithms, enables real time tomographic reconstruction of the plume. The approach is intended as a referee measurement for test ranges and chambers. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) effort combines the instrumentation and spectroscopic capabilities of OPTRA, Inc. with the computed tomographic expertise of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Lumbar artery perforators: an anatomical study based on computed tomographic angiography imaging.

PubMed

Sommeling, Casper Emile; Colebunders, Britt; Pardon, Heleen E; Stillaert, Filip B; Blondeel, Phillip N; van Landuyt, Koenraad

2017-08-01

The free lumbar artery perforator flap has recently been introduced as a potentially valuable option for autologous breast reconstruction in a subset of patients. Up to date, few anatomical studies, exploring the lumbar region as a donor site for perforator- based flaps, have been conducted. An anatomical study of the position of the dominant lumbar artery perforator was performed, using the preoperative computed tomographic angiography images of 24 autologous breast reconstruction patients. In total, 61 dominant perforators were determined, 28 on the left and 33 on the right side. A radiologist defined the position of the perforator as coordinates in an xy-grid. Dominant perforators were shown to originate from the lumbar arteries at the level of lumbar vertebrae three or four. Remarkably, approximately 85% of these lumbar artery perforators enter the skin at 7-10 cm lateral from the midline (mean left 8.6 cm, right 8.2 cm). This study concludes a rather constant position of the dominant perforator. Therefore, preoperative-computed tomographic angiography is not always essential to find this perforator and Doppler ultrasound could be considered as an alternative, thereby carefully assessing all advantages and disadvantages inherent to either of these imaging methods.

Early detection of glaucoma using fully automated disparity analysis of the optic nerve head (ONH) from stereo fundus images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Archie; Corona, Enrique; Mitra, Sunanda; Nutter, Brian S.

2006-03-01

Early detection of structural damage to the optic nerve head (ONH) is critical in diagnosis of glaucoma, because such glaucomatous damage precedes clinically identifiable visual loss. Early detection of glaucoma can prevent progression of the disease and consequent loss of vision. Traditional early detection techniques involve observing changes in the ONH through an ophthalmoscope. Stereo fundus photography is also routinely used to detect subtle changes in the ONH. However, clinical evaluation of stereo fundus photographs suffers from inter- and intra-subject variability. Even the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) has not been found to be sufficiently sensitive for early detection. A semi-automated algorithm for quantitative representation of the optic disc and cup contours by computing accumulated disparities in the disc and cup regions from stereo fundus image pairs has already been developed using advanced digital image analysis methodologies. A 3-D visualization of the disc and cup is achieved assuming camera geometry. High correlation among computer-generated and manually segmented cup to disc ratios in a longitudinal study involving 159 stereo fundus image pairs has already been demonstrated. However, clinical usefulness of the proposed technique can only be tested by a fully automated algorithm. In this paper, we present a fully automated algorithm for segmentation of optic cup and disc contours from corresponding stereo disparity information. Because this technique does not involve human intervention, it eliminates subjective variability encountered in currently used clinical methods and provides ophthalmologists with a cost-effective and quantitative method for detection of ONH structural damage for early detection of glaucoma.

Adaptive optics fundus images of cone photoreceptors in the macula of patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

PubMed

Tojo, Naoki; Nakamura, Tomoko; Fuchizawa, Chiharu; Oiwake, Toshihiko; Hayashi, Atsushi

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine cone photoreceptors in the macula of patients with retinitis pigmentosa using an adaptive optics fundus camera and to investigate any correlations between cone photoreceptor density and findings on optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence. We examined two patients with typical retinitis pigmentosa who underwent ophthalmological examination, including measurement of visual acuity, and gathering of electroretinographic, optical coherence tomographic, fundus autofluorescent, and adaptive optics fundus images. The cone photoreceptors in the adaptive optics images of the two patients with retinitis pigmentosa and five healthy subjects were analyzed. An abnormal parafoveal ring of high-density fundus autofluorescence was observed in the macula in both patients. The border of the ring corresponded to the border of the external limiting membrane and the inner segment and outer segment line in the optical coherence tomographic images. Cone photoreceptors at the abnormal parafoveal ring were blurred and decreased in the adaptive optics images. The blurred area corresponded to the abnormal parafoveal ring in the fundus autofluorescence images. Cone densities were low at the blurred areas and at the nasal and temporal retina along a line from the fovea compared with those of healthy controls. The results for cone spacing and Voronoi domains in the macula corresponded with those for the cone densities. Cone densities were heavily decreased in the macula, especially at the parafoveal ring on high-density fundus autofluorescence in both patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Adaptive optics images enabled us to observe in vivo changes in the cone photoreceptors of patients with retinitis pigmentosa, which corresponded to changes in the optical coherence tomographic and fundus autofluorescence images.

Tomographic Imaging of the Seismic Structure Beneath the East Anatolian Plateau, Eastern Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gökalp, Hüseyin

2012-10-01

The high level of seismic activity in eastern Turkey is thought to be mainly associated with the continuing collision of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The determination of a detailed three-dimensional (3D) structure is crucial for a better understanding of this on-going collision or subduction process; therefore, a body wave tomographic inversion technique was performed on the region. The tomographic inversion used high quality arrival times from earthquakes occurring in the region from 1999 to 2001 recorded by a temporary 29 station broadband IRIS-PASSCAL array operated by research groups from the Universities of Boğaziçi (Turkey) and Cornell (USA). The data was inverted and consisted of 3,114 P- and 2,298 S-wave arrival times from 252 local events with magnitudes ( M D) ranging from 2.5 to 4.8. The stability and resolution of the results were qualitatively assessed by two synthetic tests: a spike test and checkerboard resolution test and it was found that the models were well resolved for most parts of the imaged domain. The tomographic inversion results reveal significant lateral heterogeneities in the study area to a depth of ~20 km. The P- and S-wave velocity models are consistent with each other and provide evidence for marked heterogeneities in the upper crustal structure beneath eastern Turkey. One of the most important features in the acquired tomographic images is the high velocity anomalies, which are generally parallel to the main tectonic units in the region, existing at shallow depths. This may relate to the existence of ophiolitic units at shallow depths. The other feature is that low velocities are widely dispersed through the 3D structure beneath the region at deeper crustal depths. This feature can be an indicator of the mantle upwelling or support the hypothesis that the Anatolian Plateau is underlain by a partially molten uppermost mantle.

A maximum entropy reconstruction technique for tomographic particle image velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilsky, A. V.; Lozhkin, V. A.; Markovich, D. M.; Tokarev, M. P.

2013-04-01

This paper studies a novel approach for reducing tomographic PIV computational complexity. The proposed approach is an algebraic reconstruction technique, termed MENT (maximum entropy). This technique computes the three-dimensional light intensity distribution several times faster than SMART, using at least ten times less memory. Additionally, the reconstruction quality remains nearly the same as with SMART. This paper presents the theoretical computation performance comparison for MENT, SMART and MART, followed by validation using synthetic particle images. Both the theoretical assessment and validation of synthetic images demonstrate significant computational time reduction. The data processing accuracy of MENT was compared to that of SMART in a slot jet experiment. A comparison of the average velocity profiles shows a high level of agreement between the results obtained with MENT and those obtained with SMART.

Computed tomographic and cross-sectional anatomy of the normal pacu (Colossoma macroponum).

PubMed

Carr, Alaina; Weber, E P Scott; Murphy, Chris J; Zwingenberger, Alison

2014-03-01

The purpose of this study was to compare and define the normal cross-sectional gross and computed tomographic (CT) anatomy for a species of boney fish to better gain insight into the use of advanced diagnostic imaging for future clinical cases. The pacu (Colossoma macropomum) was used because of its widespread presence in the aquarium trade, its relatively large body size, and its importance in the research and aquaculture settings. Transverse 0.6-mm CT images of three cadaver fish were obtained and compared to corresponding frozen cross sections of the fish. Relevant anatomic structures were identified and labeled at each level; the Hounsfield unit density of major organs was established. The images presented good anatomic detail and provide a reference for future research and clinical investigation.

Quantifying phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell components by X-ray tomographic microscopy.

PubMed

Eberhardt, S H; Marone, F; Stampanoni, M; Büchi, F N; Schmidt, T J

2014-11-01

Synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy is investigated for imaging the local distribution and concentration of phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Phosphoric acid fills the pores of the macro- and microporous fuel cell components. Its concentration in the fuel cell varies over a wide range (40-100 wt% H3PO4). This renders the quantification and concentration determination challenging. The problem is solved by using propagation-based phase contrast imaging and a referencing method. Fuel cell components with known acid concentrations were used to correlate greyscale values and acid concentrations. Thus calibration curves were established for the gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer and membrane in a non-operating fuel cell. The non-destructive imaging methodology was verified by comparing image-based values for acid content and concentration in the gas diffusion layer with those from chemical analysis.

System Performance Simulations of the RatCAP Awake Rat Brain Scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokouhi, S.; Vaska, P.; Schlyer, D. J.; Stoll, S. P.; Villanueva, A.; Kriplani, A.; Woody, C. L.

2005-10-01

The capability to create high quality images from data acquired by the Rat Conscious Animal PET tomograph (RatCAP) has been evaluated using modified versions of the PET Monte Carlo code Simulation System for Emission Tomography (SimSET). The proposed tomograph consists of lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) crystals arranged in 12 4 /spl times/ 8 blocks. The effects of the RatCAPs small ring diameter (/spl sim/40 mm) and its block detector geometry on image quality for small animal studies have been investigated. Since the field of view will be almost as large as the ring diameter, radial elongation artifacts due to parallax error are expected to degrade the spatial resolution and thus the image quality at the edge of the field of view. In addition to Monte Carlo simulations, some preliminary results of experimentally acquired images in both two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D modes are presented.

Optical tomographic detection of rheumatoid arthritis with computer-aided classification schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, Christian D.; Klose, Alexander D.; Netz, Uwe; Beuthan, Jürgen; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2009-02-01

A recent research study has shown that combining multiple parameters, drawn from optical tomographic images, leads to better classification results to identifying human finger joints that are affected or not affected by rheumatic arthritis RA. Building up on the research findings of the previous study, this article presents an advanced computer-aided classification approach for interpreting optical image data to detect RA in finger joints. Additional data are used including, for example, maximum and minimum values of the absorption coefficient as well as their ratios and image variances. Classification performances obtained by the proposed method were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, Youden index and area under the curve AUC. Results were compared to different benchmarks ("gold standard"): magnet resonance, ultrasound and clinical evaluation. Maximum accuracies (AUC=0.88) were reached when combining minimum/maximum-ratios and image variances and using ultrasound as gold standard.

Label-free tomographic reconstruction of optically thick structures using GLIM (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandel, Mikhail E.; Kouzehgarani, Ghazal N.; Ngyuen, Tan H.; Gillette, Martha U.; Popescu, Gabriel

2017-02-01

Although the contrast generated in transmitted light microscopy is due to the elastic scattering of light, multiple scattering scrambles the image and reduces overall visibility. To image both thin and thick samples, we turn to gradient light interference microscopy (GLIM) to simultaneously measure morphological parameters such as cell mass, volume, and surfaces as they change through time. Because GLIM combines multiple intensity images corresponding to controlled phase offsets between laterally sheared beams, incoherent contributions from multiple scattering are implicitly cancelled during the phase reconstruction procedure. As the interfering beams traverse near identical paths, they remain comparable in power and interfere with optimal contrast. This key property lets us obtain tomographic parameters from wide field z-scans after simple numerical processing. Here we show our results on reconstructing tomograms of bovine embryos, characterizing the time-lapse growth of HeLa cells in 3D, and preliminary results on imaging much larger specimen such as brain slices.

Tomographic imaging of OH laser-induced fluorescence in laminar and turbulent jet flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tao; Pareja, Jhon; Fuest, Frederik; Schütte, Manuel; Zhou, Yihui; Dreizler, Andreas; Böhm, Benjamin

2018-01-01

In this paper a new approach for 3D flame structure diagnostics using tomographic laser-induced fluorescence (Tomo-LIF) of the OH radical was evaluated. The approach combined volumetric illumination with a multi-camera detection system of eight views. Single-shot measurements were performed in a methane/air premixed laminar flame and in a non-premixed turbulent methane jet flame. 3D OH fluorescence distributions in the flames were reconstructed using the simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique. The tomographic measurements were compared and validated against results of OH-PLIF in the laminar flame. The effects of the experimental setup of the detection system and the size of the volumetric illumination on the quality of the tomographic reconstructions were evaluated. Results revealed that the Tomo-LIF is suitable for volumetric reconstruction of flame structures with acceptable spatial resolution and uncertainty. It was found that the number of views and their angular orientation have a strong influence on the quality and accuracy of the tomographic reconstruction while the illumination volume thickness influences mainly the spatial resolution.

Maxillary sinusitis and periapical abscess following periodontal therapy: a case report using three-dimensional evaluation.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Hao; Brunsvold, Michael A

2006-01-01

Maxillary sinusitis may develop from the extension of periodontal disease. In this case, reconstructed three-dimensional images from multidetector spiral computed tomographs were helpful in evaluating periodontal bony defects and their relationship with the maxillary sinus. A 42-year-old woman in good general health presented with a chronic deep periodontal pocket on the palatal and interproximal aspects of tooth #14. Probing depths of the tooth ranged from 2 to 9 mm, and it exhibited a Class 1 mobility. Radiographs revealed a close relationship between the root apex and the maxillary sinus. The patient's periodontal diagnosis was localized severe chronic periodontitis. Treatment of the tooth consisted of cause-related therapy, surgical exploration, and bone grafting. A very deep circumferential bony defect at the palatal root of tooth #14 was noted during surgery. After the operation, the wound healed without incidence, but 10 days later, a maxillary sinusitis and periapical abscess developed. To control the infection, an evaluation of sinus and alveolus using computed tomographs was performed, systemic antibiotics were prescribed, and endodontic treatment was initiated. Two weeks after surgical treatment, the infection was relieved with the help of antibiotics and endodontic treatment. Bilateral bony communications between the maxillary sinus and periodontal bony defect of maxillary first molars were shown on three-dimensional computed tomographs. The digitally reconstructed images added valuable information for evaluating the periodontal defects. Three-dimensional images from spiral computed tomographs (CT) aided in evaluating and treating the close relationship between maxillary sinus disease and adjacent periodontal defects.

Uncertainty loops in travel-time tomography from nonlinear wave physics.

PubMed

Galetti, Erica; Curtis, Andrew; Meles, Giovanni Angelo; Baptie, Brian

2015-04-10

Estimating image uncertainty is fundamental to guiding the interpretation of geoscientific tomographic maps. We reveal novel uncertainty topologies (loops) which indicate that while the speeds of both low- and high-velocity anomalies may be well constrained, their locations tend to remain uncertain. The effect is widespread: loops dominate around a third of United Kingdom Love wave tomographic uncertainties, changing the nature of interpretation of the observed anomalies. Loops exist due to 2nd and higher order aspects of wave physics; hence, although such structures must exist in many tomographic studies in the physical sciences and medicine, they are unobservable using standard linearized methods. Higher order methods might fruitfully be adopted.

Tomographic phase microscopy: principles and applications in bioimaging [Invited

PubMed Central

Jin, Di; Zhou, Renjie; Yaqoob, Zahid; So, Peter T. C.

2017-01-01

Tomographic phase microscopy (TPM) is an emerging optical microscopic technique for bioimaging. TPM uses digital holographic measurements of complex scattered fields to reconstruct three-dimensional refractive index (RI) maps of cells with diffraction-limited resolution by solving inverse scattering problems. In this paper, we review the developments of TPM from the fundamental physics to its applications in bioimaging. We first provide a comprehensive description of the tomographic reconstruction physical models used in TPM. The RI map reconstruction algorithms and various regularization methods are discussed. Selected TPM applications for cellular imaging, particularly in hematology, are reviewed. Finally, we examine the limitations of current TPM systems, propose future solutions, and envision promising directions in biomedical research. PMID:29386746

Tomographic imaging of flourescence resonance energy transfer in highly light scattering media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soloviev, Vadim Y.; McGinty, James; Tahir, Khadija B.; Laine, Romain; Stuckey, Daniel W.; Mohan, P. Surya; Hajnal, Joseph V.; Sardini, Alessandro; French, Paul M. W.; Arridge, Simon R.

2010-02-01

Three-dimensional localization of protein conformation changes in turbid media using Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) was investigated by tomographic fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). FRET occurs when a donor fluorophore, initially in its electronic excited state, transfers energy to an acceptor fluorophore in close proximity through non-radiative dipole-dipole coupling. An acceptor effectively behaves as a quencher of the donor's fluorescence. The quenching process is accompanied by a reduction in the quantum yield and lifetime of the donor fluorophore. Therefore, FRET can be localized by imaging changes in the quantum yield and the fluorescence lifetime of the donor fluorophore. Extending FRET to diffuse optical tomography has potentially important applications such as in vivo studies in small animal. We show that FRET can be localized by reconstructing the quantum yield and lifetime distribution from time-resolved non-invasive boundary measurements of fluorescence and transmitted excitation radiation. Image reconstruction was obtained by an inverse scattering algorithm. Thus we report, to the best of our knowledge, the first tomographic FLIM-FRET imaging in turbid media. The approach is demonstrated by imaging a highly scattering cylindrical phantom concealing two thin wells containing cytosol preparations of HEK293 cells expressing TN-L15, a cytosolic genetically-encoded calcium FRET sensor. A 10mM calcium chloride solution was added to one of the wells to induce a protein conformation change upon binding to TN-L15, resulting in FRET and a corresponding decrease in the donor fluorescence lifetime. The resulting fluorescence lifetime distribution, the quantum efficiency, absorption and scattering coefficients were reconstructed.

Tomographic imaging of transparent biological samples using the pyramid phase microscope

PubMed Central

Iglesias, Ignacio

2016-01-01

We show how a pyramid phase microscope can be used to obtain tomographic information of the spatial variation of refractive index in biological samples using the Radon transform. A method that uses the information provided by the phase microscope for axial and lateral repositioning of the sample when it rotates is also described. Its application to the reconstruction of mouse embryos in the blastocyst stage is demonstrated. PMID:27570696

Medical ultrasonic tomographic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyser, R. C.; Lecroissette, D. H.; Nathan, R.; Wilson, R. L.

1977-01-01

An electro-mechanical scanning assembly was designed and fabricated for the purpose of generating an ultrasound tomogram. A low cost modality was demonstrated in which analog instrumentation methods formed a tomogram on photographic film. Successful tomogram reconstructions were obtained on in vitro test objects by using the attenuation of the fist path ultrasound signal as it passed through the test object. The nearly half century tomographic methods of X-ray analysis were verified as being useful for ultrasound imaging.

Comparative evaluation of the cadaveric, radiographic and computed tomographic anatomy of the heads of green iguana (Iguana iguana), common tegu (Tupinambis merianae) and bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps).

PubMed

Banzato, Tommaso; Selleri, Paolo; Veladiano, Irene A; Martin, Andrea; Zanetti, Emanuele; Zotti, Alessandro

2012-05-11

Radiology and computed tomography are the most commonly available diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of pathologies affecting the head and skull in veterinary practice. Nevertheless, accurate interpretation of radiographic and CT studies requires a thorough knowledge of the gross and the cross-sectional anatomy. Despite the increasing success of reptiles as pets, only a few reports over their normal imaging features are currently available. The aim of this study is to describe the normal cadaveric, radiographic and computed tomographic features of the heads of the green iguana, tegu and bearded dragon. 6 adult green iguanas, 4 tegus, 3 bearded dragons, and, the adult cadavers of: 4 green iguana, 4 tegu, 4 bearded dragon were included in the study. 2 cadavers were dissected following a stratigraphic approach and 2 cadavers were cross-sectioned for each species. These latter specimens were stored in a freezer (-20°C) until completely frozen. Transversal sections at 5 mm intervals were obtained by means of an electric band-saw. Each section was cleaned and photographed on both sides. Radiographs of the head of each subject were obtained. Pre- and post- contrast computed tomographic studies of the head were performed on all the live animals. CT images were displayed in both bone and soft tissue windows. Individual anatomic structures were first recognised and labelled on the anatomic images and then matched on radiographs and CT images. Radiographic and CT images of the skull provided good detail of the bony structures in all species. In CT contrast medium injection enabled good detail of the soft tissues to be obtained in the iguana whereas only the eye was clearly distinguishable from the remaining soft tissues in both the tegu and the bearded dragon. The results provide an atlas of the normal anatomical and in vivo radiographic and computed tomographic features of the heads of lizards, and this may be useful in interpreting any imaging modality involving these species.

Comparative evaluation of the cadaveric, radiographic and computed tomographic anatomy of the heads of green iguana (Iguana iguana) , common tegu ( Tupinambis merianae) and bearded dragon ( Pogona vitticeps)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Radiology and computed tomography are the most commonly available diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of pathologies affecting the head and skull in veterinary practice. Nevertheless, accurate interpretation of radiographic and CT studies requires a thorough knowledge of the gross and the cross-sectional anatomy. Despite the increasing success of reptiles as pets, only a few reports over their normal imaging features are currently available. The aim of this study is to describe the normal cadaveric, radiographic and computed tomographic features of the heads of the green iguana, tegu and bearded dragon. Results 6 adult green iguanas, 4 tegus, 3 bearded dragons, and, the adult cadavers of : 4 green iguana, 4 tegu, 4 bearded dragon were included in the study. 2 cadavers were dissected following a stratigraphic approach and 2 cadavers were cross-sectioned for each species. These latter specimens were stored in a freezer (−20°C) until completely frozen. Transversal sections at 5 mm intervals were obtained by means of an electric band-saw. Each section was cleaned and photographed on both sides. Radiographs of the head of each subject were obtained. Pre- and post- contrast computed tomographic studies of the head were performed on all the live animals. CT images were displayed in both bone and soft tissue windows. Individual anatomic structures were first recognised and labelled on the anatomic images and then matched on radiographs and CT images. Radiographic and CT images of the skull provided good detail of the bony structures in all species. In CT contrast medium injection enabled good detail of the soft tissues to be obtained in the iguana whereas only the eye was clearly distinguishable from the remaining soft tissues in both the tegu and the bearded dragon. Conclusions The results provide an atlas of the normal anatomical and in vivo radiographic and computed tomographic features of the heads of lizards, and this may be useful in interpreting any imaging modality involving these species. PMID:22578088

Evaluation of the absorbed dose to the breast using radiochromic film in a dedicated CT mammotomography system employing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray beam.

PubMed

Crotty, Dominic J; Brady, Samuel L; Jackson, D'Vone C; Toncheva, Greta I; Anderson, Colin E; Yoshizumi, Terry T; Tornai, Martin P

2011-06-01

A dual modality SPECT-CT prototype system dedicated to uncompressed breast imaging (mammotomography) has been developed. The computed tomography subsystem incorporates an ultrathick K-edge filtration technique producing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray cone beam that optimizes the dose efficiency of the system for lesion imaging in an uncompressed breast. Here, the absorbed dose in various geometric phantoms and in an uncompressed and pendant cadaveric breast using a normal tomographic cone beam imaging protocol is characterized using both thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements and ionization chamber-calibrated radiochromic film. Initially, two geometric phantoms and an anthropomorphic breast phantom are filled in turn with oil and water to simulate the dose to objects that mimic various breast shapes having effective density bounds of 100% fatty and glandular breast compositions, respectively. Ultimately, an excised human cadaver breast is tomographically scanned using the normal tomographic imaging protocol, and the dose to the breast tissue is evaluated and compared to the earlier phantom-based measurements. Measured trends in dose distribution across all breast geometric and anthropomorphic phantom volumes indicate lower doses in the medial breast and more proximal to the chest wall, with consequently higher doses near the lateral peripheries and nipple regions. Measured doses to the oil-filled phantoms are consistently lower across all volume shapes due to the reduced mass energy-absorption coefficient of oil relative to water. The mean measured dose to the breast cadaver, composed of adipose and glandular tissues, was measured to be 4.2 mGy compared to a mean whole-breast dose of 3.8 and 4.5 mGy for the oil- and water-filled anthropomorphic breast phantoms, respectively. Assuming rotational symmetry due to the tomographic acquisition exposures, these results characterize the 3D dose distributions in an uncompressed human breast tissue volume for this dedicated breast imaging device and illustrate advantages of using the novel ultrathick K-edge filtered beam to minimize the dose to the breast during fully-3D imaging.

Evaluation of the absorbed dose to the breast using radiochromic film in a dedicated CT mammotomography system employing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray beam

PubMed Central

Crotty, Dominic J.; Brady, Samuel L.; Jackson, D’Vone C.; Toncheva, Greta I.; Anderson, Colin E.; Yoshizumi, Terry T.; Tornai, Martin P.

2011-01-01

Purpose: A dual modality SPECT-CT prototype system dedicated to uncompressed breast imaging (mammotomography) has been developed. The computed tomography subsystem incorporates an ultrathick K-edge filtration technique producing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray cone beam that optimizes the dose efficiency of the system for lesion imaging in an uncompressed breast. Here, the absorbed dose in various geometric phantoms and in an uncompressed and pendant cadaveric breast using a normal tomographic cone beam imaging protocol is characterized using both thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements and ionization chamber-calibrated radiochromic film. Methods: Initially, two geometric phantoms and an anthropomorphic breast phantom are filled in turn with oil and water to simulate the dose to objects that mimic various breast shapes having effective density bounds of 100% fatty and glandular breast compositions, respectively. Ultimately, an excised human cadaver breast is tomographically scanned using the normal tomographic imaging protocol, and the dose to the breast tissue is evaluated and compared to the earlier phantom-based measurements. Results: Measured trends in dose distribution across all breast geometric and anthropomorphic phantom volumes indicate lower doses in the medial breast and more proximal to the chest wall, with consequently higher doses near the lateral peripheries and nipple regions. Measured doses to the oil-filled phantoms are consistently lower across all volume shapes due to the reduced mass energy-absorption coefficient of oil relative to water. The mean measured dose to the breast cadaver, composed of adipose and glandular tissues, was measured to be 4.2 mGy compared to a mean whole-breast dose of 3.8 and 4.5 mGy for the oil- and water-filled anthropomorphic breast phantoms, respectively. Conclusions: Assuming rotational symmetry due to the tomographic acquisition exposures, these results characterize the 3D dose distributions in an uncompressed human breast tissue volume for this dedicated breast imaging device and illustrate advantages of using the novel ultrathick K-edge filtered beam to minimize the dose to the breast during fully-3D imaging. PMID:21815398

Scattered image artifacts from cone beam computed tomography and its clinical potential in bone mineral density estimation.

PubMed

Ko, Hoon; Jeong, Kwanmoon; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Jun, Hong Young; Jeong, Changwon; Lee, Myeung Su; Nam, Yunyoung; Yoon, Kwon-Ha; Lee, Jinseok

2016-01-01

Image artifacts affect the quality of medical images and may obscure anatomic structure and pathology. Numerous methods for suppression and correction of scattered image artifacts have been suggested in the past three decades. In this paper, we assessed the feasibility of use of information on scattered artifacts for estimation of bone mineral density (BMD) without dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or quantitative computed tomographic imaging (QCT). To investigate the relationship between scattered image artifacts and BMD, we first used a forearm phantom and cone-beam computed tomography. In the phantom, we considered two regions of interest-bone-equivalent solid material containing 50 mg HA per cm(-3) and water-to represent low- and high-density trabecular bone, respectively. We compared the scattered image artifacts in the high-density material with those in the low-density material. The technique was then applied to osteoporosis patients and healthy subjects to assess its feasibility for BMD estimation. The high-density material produced a greater number of scattered image artifacts than the low-density material. Moreover, the radius and ulna of healthy subjects produced a greater number of scattered image artifacts than those from osteoporosis patients. Although other parameters, such as bone thickness and X-ray incidence, should be considered, our technique facilitated BMD estimation directly without DXA or QCT. We believe that BMD estimation based on assessment of scattered image artifacts may benefit the prevention, early treatment and management of osteoporosis.

Time-resolved C-arm cone beam CT angiography (TR-CBCTA) imaging from a single short-scan C-arm cone beam CT acquisition with intra-arterial contrast injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yinsheng; Garrett, John W.; Li, Ke; Wu, Yijing; Johnson, Kevin; Schafer, Sebastian; Strother, Charles; Chen, Guang-Hong

2018-04-01

Time-resolved C-arm cone-beam CT (CBCT) angiography (TR-CBCTA) images can be generated from a series of CBCT acquisitions that satisfy data sufficiency condition in analytical image reconstruction theory. In this work, a new technique was developed to generate TR-CBCTA images from a single short-scan CBCT data acquisition with contrast media injection. The reconstruction technique enabling this application is a previously developed image reconstruction technique, synchronized multi-artifact reduction with tomographic reconstruction (SMART-RECON). In this new application, the acquired short-scan CBCT projection data were sorted into a union of several sub-sectors of view angles and each sub-sector of view angles corresponds to an individual image volume to be reconstructed. The SMART-RECON method was then used to jointly reconstruct all of these individual image volumes under two constraints: (1) each individual image volume is maximally consistent with the measured cone-beam projection data within the corresponding view angle sector and (2) the nuclear norm of the image matrix is minimized. The difference between these reconstructed individual image volumes is used to generated the desired subtracted angiograms. To validate the technique, numerical simulation data generated from a fractal tree angiogram phantom were used to quantitatively study the accuracy of the proposed method and retrospective in vivo human subject studies were used to demonstrate the feasibility of generating TR-CBCTA in clinical practice.

Statistical iterative material image reconstruction for spectral CT using a semi-empirical forward model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mechlem, Korbinian; Ehn, Sebastian; Sellerer, Thorsten; Pfeiffer, Franz; Noël, Peter B.

2017-03-01

In spectral computed tomography (spectral CT), the additional information about the energy dependence of attenuation coefficients can be exploited to generate material selective images. These images have found applications in various areas such as artifact reduction, quantitative imaging or clinical diagnosis. However, significant noise amplification on material decomposed images remains a fundamental problem of spectral CT. Most spectral CT algorithms separate the process of material decomposition and image reconstruction. Separating these steps is suboptimal because the full statistical information contained in the spectral tomographic measurements cannot be exploited. Statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR) techniques provide an alternative, mathematically elegant approach to obtaining material selective images with improved tradeoffs between noise and resolution. Furthermore, image reconstruction and material decomposition can be performed jointly. This is accomplished by a forward model which directly connects the (expected) spectral projection measurements and the material selective images. To obtain this forward model, detailed knowledge of the different photon energy spectra and the detector response was assumed in previous work. However, accurately determining the spectrum is often difficult in practice. In this work, a new algorithm for statistical iterative material decomposition is presented. It uses a semi-empirical forward model which relies on simple calibration measurements. Furthermore, an efficient optimization algorithm based on separable surrogate functions is employed. This partially negates one of the major shortcomings of SIR, namely high computational cost and long reconstruction times. Numerical simulations and real experiments show strongly improved image quality and reduced statistical bias compared to projection-based material decomposition.

Dental computed tomographic imaging as age estimation: morphological analysis of the third molar of a group of Turkish population.

PubMed

Cantekin, Kenan; Sekerci, Ahmet Ercan; Buyuk, Suleyman Kutalmis

2013-12-01

Computed tomography (CT) is capable of providing accurate and measurable 3-dimensional images of the third molar. The aims of this study were to analyze the development of the mandibular third molar and its relation to chronological age and to create new reference data for a group of Turkish participants aged 9 to 25 years on the basis of cone-beam CT images. All data were obtained from the patients' records including medical, social, and dental anamnesis and cone-beam CT images of 752 patients. Linear regression analysis was performed to obtain regression formulas for dental age calculation with chronological age and to determine the coefficient of determination (r) for each sex. Statistical analysis showed a strong correlation between age and third-molar development for the males (r2 = 0.80) and the females (r2 = 0.78). Computed tomographic images are clinically useful for accurate and reliable estimation of dental ages of children and youth.

IDIOS: An innovative index for evaluating dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices.

PubMed

Barngkgei, Imad; Halboub, Esam; Almashraqi, Abeer Abdulkareem; Khattab, Razan; Al Haffar, Iyad

2016-09-01

The goal of this study was to develop a new index as an objective reference for evaluating current and newly developed indices used for osteoporosis screening based on dental images. Its name; IDIOS, stands for Index of Dental-imaging Indices of Osteoporosis Screening. A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies on dental imaging-based indices for osteoporosis screening. The results of the eligible studies, along with other relevant criteria, were used to develop IDIOS, which has scores ranging from 0 (0%) to 15 (100%). The indices presented in the studies we included were then evaluated using IDIOS. The 104 studies that were included utilized 24, 4, and 9 indices derived from panoramic, periapical, and computed tomographic/cone-beam computed tomographic techniques, respectively. The IDIOS scores for these indices ranged from 0 (0%) to 11.75 (78.32%). IDIOS is a valuable reference index that facilitates the evaluation of other dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices. Furthermore, IDIOS can be utilized to evaluate the accuracy of newly developed indices.

Quantitative impact of pediatric sinus surgery on facial growth.

PubMed

Senior, B; Wirtschafter, A; Mai, C; Becker, C; Belenky, W

2000-11-01

To quantitatively evaluate the long-term impact of sinus surgery on paranasal sinus development in the pediatric patient. Longitudinal review of eight pediatric patients treated with unilateral sinus surgery for periorbital or orbital cellulitis with an average follow-up of 6.9 years. Control subjects consisted of two groups, 9 normal adult patients with no computed tomographic evidence of sinusitis and 10 adult patients with scans consistent with sinusitis and a history of sinus-related symptoms extending to childhood. Application of computed tomography (CT) volumetrics, a technique allowing for precise calculation of volumes using thinly cut CT images, to the study and control groups. Paired Student t test analyses of side-to-side volume comparisons in the normal patients, patients with sinusitis, and patients who had surgery revealed no statistically significant differences. Comparisons between the orbital volumes of patients who did and did not have surgery revealed a statistically significant increase in orbital volume in patients who had surgery. Only minimal changes in facial volume measurements have been found, confirming clinical impressions that sinus surgery in children is safe and without significant cosmetic sequelae.

Fat Plumes May Reflect the Complex Rheology of the Lower Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davaille, A.; Carrez, Ph.; Cordier, P.

2018-02-01

Recent tomographic imaging of the mantle below major hot spots shows slow seismic velocities extending down to the core-mantle boundary, confirming the existence of mantle plumes. However, these plumes are much thicker than previously thought. Using new laboratory experiments and scaling laws, we show that thermal plumes developing in a visco-plastic fluid present much larger diameters than plumes developing in a Newtonian fluid. Such a rheology requiring a yield stress is consistent with a lower mantle predominantly deforming by pure dislocation climb. Yield stress values between 1 and 10 MPa, implying dislocation densities between 108 and 1010 m-2, would be sufficient to reproduce the plumes morphology observed in tomographic images.

Chamber dimensions and functional assessment with coronary computed tomographic angiography as compared to echocardiography using American Society of Echocardiography guidelines

PubMed Central

Rose, Michael; Rubal, Bernard; Hulten, Edward; Slim, Jennifer N; Steel, Kevin; Furgerson, James L; Villines, Todd C

2014-01-01

Background: The correlation between normal cardiac chamber linear dimensions measured during retrospective coronary computed tomographic angiography as compared to transthoracic echocardiography using the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines is not well established. Methods: We performed a review from January 2005 to July 2011 to identify subjects with retrospective electrocardiogram-gated coronary computed tomographic angiography scans for chest pain and transthoracic echocardiography with normal cardiac structures performed within 90 days. Dimensions were manually calculated in both imaging modalities in accordance with the American Society of Echocardiography published guidelines. Left ventricular ejection fraction was calculated on echocardiography manually using the Simpson’s formula and by coronary computed tomographic angiography using the end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes. Results: We reviewed 532 studies, rejected 412 and had 120 cases for review with a median time between studies of 7 days (interquartile range (IQR25,75) = 0–22 days) with no correlation between the measurements made by coronary computed tomographic angiography and transthoracic echocardiography using Bland–Altman analysis. We generated coronary computed tomographic angiography cardiac dimension reference ranges for both genders for our population. Conclusion: Our findings represent a step towards generating cardiac chamber dimensions’ reference ranges for coronary computed tomographic angiography as compared to transthoracic echocardiography in patients with normal cardiac morphology and function using the American Society of Echocardiography guideline measurements that are commonly used by cardiologists. PMID:26770706

Cryotomography x-ray microscopy state

DOEpatents

Le Gros, Mark; Larabell, Carolyn A.

2010-10-26

An x-ray microscope stage enables alignment of a sample about a rotation axis to enable three dimensional tomographic imaging of the sample using an x-ray microscope. A heat exchanger assembly provides cooled gas to a sample during x-ray microscopic imaging.

A Comparison of 3D3C Velocity Measurement Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Foy, Roderick; Vlachos, Pavlos

2013-11-01

The velocity measurement fidelity of several 3D3C PIV measurement techniques including tomographic PIV, synthetic aperture PIV, plenoptic PIV, defocusing PIV, and 3D PTV are compared in simulations. A physically realistic ray-tracing algorithm is used to generate synthetic images of a standard calibration grid and of illuminated particle fields advected by homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The simulated images for the tomographic, synthetic aperture, and plenoptic PIV cases are then used to create three-dimensional reconstructions upon which cross-correlations are performed to yield the measured velocity field. Particle tracking algorithms are applied to the images for the defocusing PIV and 3D PTV to directly yield the three-dimensional velocity field. In all cases the measured velocity fields are compared to one-another and to the true velocity field using several metrics.

Magnified hard x-ray microtomography: toward tomography with submicron resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroer, Christian G.; Benner, Boris; Guenzler, Til F.; Kuhlmann, Marion; Lengeler, Bruno; Rau, Christoph; Weitkamp, Timm; Snigirev, Anatoly A.; Snigireva, Irina

2002-01-01

Parabolic compound refractive lenses (PCRLs) are high quality imaging optics for hard x-rays that can be used as an objective lens in a new type of hard x-ray full field microscope. Using an aluminium PCRL, this new type of microscope has been shown to have a resolution of 350 nm. Further improvement of the resolution down to 50 nm can be expected using beryllium as a lens material. The large depth of field (several mm) of the microscope results in sharp projection images for samples that fit into the field of view of about 300 micrometers. This allows to combine magnified imaging with tomographic techniques. First results of magnified microtomography are shown. Contrast formation in the microscope and the consequences for tomographic reconstruction are discussed. An outlook on further developments is given.

X-ray fluorescence tomographic system design and image reconstruction.

PubMed

Cong, Wenxiang; Shen, Haiou; Cao, Guohua; Liu, Hong; Wang, Ge

2013-01-01

In this paper, we presented a new design of x-ray fluorescence CT imaging system. For detecting fuorescence signals of gold nanoparticles in-vivo, multiple spectroscopic detectors are arranged and rotated orthogonal to an excited region of interest so that a localized scan can be acquired with a maximized efficiency. Excitation filtration was employed to minimize the effects of low-energy x-rays and background scattering for lowering radiation dose to the object. Numerical simulations showed that the radiation dose is less than 300 mGy/second for a complete 30 views tomographic scan; and the sensitivity of 3D fluorescence signal detection is up to 0.2% contrast concentrations of nanoparticles. The x-ray fluorescence computed tomography is an important molecular imaging tool. It can be used directly in samall animal research. It has great translational potential for future clinical applications.

Classification of wet aged related macular degeneration using optical coherence tomographic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haq, Anam; Mir, Fouwad Jamil; Yasin, Ubaid Ullah; Khan, Shoab A.

2013-12-01

Wet Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a type of age related macular degeneration. In order to detect Wet AMD we look for Pigment Epithelium detachment (PED) and fluid filled region caused by choroidal neovascularization (CNV). This form of AMD can cause vision loss if not treated in time. In this article we have proposed an automated system for detection of Wet AMD in Optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images. The proposed system extracts PED and CNV from OCT images using segmentation and morphological operations and then detailed feature set are extracted. These features are then passed on to the classifier for classification. Finally performance measures like accuracy, sensitivity and specificity are calculated and the classifier delivering the maximum performance is selected as a comparison measure. Our system gives higher performance using SVM as compared to other methods.

Development of low-dose photon-counting contrast-enhanced tomosynthesis with spectral imaging.

PubMed

Schmitzberger, Florian F; Fallenberg, Eva Maria; Lawaczeck, Rüdiger; Hemmendorff, Magnus; Moa, Elin; Danielsson, Mats; Bick, Ulrich; Diekmann, Susanne; Pöllinger, Alexander; Engelken, Florian J; Diekmann, Felix

2011-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of low-dose photon-counting tomosynthesis in combination with a contrast agent (contrast material-enhanced tomographic mammography) for the differentiation of breast cancer. All studies were approved by the institutional review board, and all patients provided written informed consent. A phantom model with wells of iodinated contrast material (3 mg of iodine per milliliter) 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 mm in diameter was assessed. Nine patients with malignant lesions and one with a high-risk lesion (atypical papilloma) were included (all women; mean age, 60.7 years). A multislit photon-counting tomosynthesis system was utilized (spectral imaging) to produce both low- and high-energy tomographic data (below and above the k edge of iodine, respectively) in a single scan, which allowed for dual-energy visualization of iodine. Images were obtained prior to contrast material administration and 120 and 480 seconds after contrast material administration. Four readers independently assessed the images along with conventional mammograms, ultrasonographic images, and magnetic resonance images. Glandular dose was estimated. Contrast agent was visible in the phantom model with simulated spherical tumor diameters as small as 5 mm. The average glandular dose was measured as 0.42 mGy per complete spectral imaging tomosynthesis scan of one breast. Because there were three time points (prior to contrast medium administration and 120 and 480 seconds after contrast medium administration), this resulted in a total dose of 1.26 mGy for the whole procedure in the breast with the abnormality. Seven of 10 cases were categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score of 4 or higher by all four readers when reviewing spectral images in combination with mammograms. One lesion near the chest wall was not captured on the spectral image because of a positioning problem. The use of contrast-enhanced tomographic mammography has been demonstrated successfully in patients with promising diagnostic benefit. Further studies are necessary to fully assess diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. RSNA, 2011

Multi-Source 3d Models Supporting Ultrasonic Test to Investigate AN Egyptian Sculpture of the Archaeological Museum in Bologna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Pietra, V.; Donadio, E.; Picchi, D.; Sambuelli, L.; Spanò, A.

2017-02-01

The paper presents the workflow and the results of an ultrasonic 3D investigation and a 3D survey application aimed at the assessment of the internal integrity of an ancient sculpture. The work aimed at highlighting the ability of methods devoted to the 3D geometry acquisition of small objects when applied to diagnosis performed by geophysical investigation. In particular, two methods widely applied for small objects modelling are considered and compared, the digital Photogrammetry with the Structure from Motion (SFM) technique and hand-held 3D scanners. The study concludes with the aim to enhance the final graphical representation of the tomographic results and to subject the obtained results to a quantitative analysis. The survey is applied to the Egyptian naophorous statue of Amenmes and Reshpu, which dates to the reign of Ramses II (1279-1213 BC) or later and is now preserved in the Civic Archaeological Museum in Bologna. In order to evaluate the internal persistency of fractures and visible damages, a 3D Ultrasonic Tomographic Imaging (UTI) test has been performed and a multi-sensor survey (image and range based) was conducted, in order to evaluate the locations of the source and receiver points as accurate as possible The presented test allowed to evaluate the material characteristics, its porosity and degradation state, which particularly affect the lower part of the statue. More in general, the project demonstrated how solution coming from the field of 3D modelling of Cultural Heritage allow the application of 3D ultrasonic tomography also on objects with complex shapes, in addition to the improved representation of the obtained results.

Automated 3-D cell counting method for grading uveitis of rodent eye in vivo with optical coherence tomograph.

PubMed

Choi, Woo June; Pepple, Kathryn L; Wang, Ruikang K

2018-05-24

In preclinical vision research, cell grading in small animal models is essential for the quantitative evaluation of intraocular inflammation. Here, we present a new and practical optical coherence tomography (OCT) image analysis method for the automated detection and counting of aqueous cells in the anterior chamber (AC) of a rodent model of uveitis. Anterior segment OCT (AS-OCT) images are acquired with a 100kHz swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) system. The proposed method consists of two steps. In the first step, we first despeckle and binarize each OCT image. After removing AS structures in the binary image, we then apply area thresholding to isolate cell-like objects. Potential cell candidates are selected based on their best fit to roundness. The second step performs the cell counting within the whole AC, in which additional cell tracking analysis is conducted on the successive OCT images to eliminate redundancy in cell counting. Finally, 3-D cell grading using the proposed method is demonstrated in longitudinal OCT imaging of a mouse model of anterior uveitis in vivo. Rendering of anterior segment (orange) of mouse eye and automatically counted anterior chamber cells (green). Inset is a top view of the rendering, showing the cell distribution across the anterior chamber. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Retrospective Analysis of the Outcome of Ridge Preservation with Anorganic Bovine Bone Minerals: Microcomputed Tomographic Assessment of Wound Healing in Grafted Extraction Sockets.

PubMed

Bakhshalian, Neema; Freire, Marcelo; Min, Seiko; Wu, Ivy; Zadeh, Homayoun H

A total of 68 extraction sockets were grafted with anorganic bovine bone mineral and covered by dense polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. Quantitative analysis of three-dimensional microcomputed tomography imaging of core samples retrieved after a mean of 21.0 ± 14.2 weeks revealed 40.1% bone volume fraction (bone volume [BV]/total volume [TV]) and 12% residual graft. Evidence of de novo bone formation was observed in the form of discrete islands of newly formed bone in direct apposition to graft particles, separated from parent bone. Anterior sockets exhibited a significantly higher percentage of residual graft compared to premolar sockets (P = .05). The BV/TV and percentage of residual graft correlated well with histomorphometric analysis of the same sites, but not with implant outcomes.

Three-Dimensional Atom-Probe Tomography: Advances and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidman, David N.

2007-08-01

This review presents the historical temporal evolution of an atom-probe tomograph (APT) from its genesis (1973) from field-ion microscope images of individual tungsten atoms (1955). The capabilities of modern APTs employing either electrical or laser pulsing are discussed. The results of the application of APTs to specific materials science problems are presented for research performed at Northwestern University on the following problems: (a) the segregation of Mg at α-Al/Al3Sc heterophase interfaces, (b) phase decomposition in ternary Ni-Al-Cr and quaternary Ni-Al-Cr-Re alloys, and (c) 3-D nanoscale composition mapping of an InAs semiconductor nanowire whose growth was catalyzed by gold. These results demonstrate that it is now possible to obtain highly quantitative information from APT that can be compared with modeling, theory, simulations, and/or first-principles calculations.

Lamb Wave Tomography for Corrosion Mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinders, Mark K.; McKeon, James C. P.

1999-01-01

As the world-wide civil aviation fleet continues to age, methods for accurately predicting the presence of structural flaws-such as hidden corrosion-that compromise airworthiness become increasingly necessary. Ultrasonic guided waves, Lamb waves, allow large sections of aircraft structures to be rapidly inspected. However, extracting quantitative information from Lamb wave data has always involved highly trained personnel with a detailed knowledge of mechanical-waveguide physics. Our work focuses on using a variety of different tomographic reconstruction techniques to graphically represent the Lamb wave data in images that can be easily interpreted by technicians. Because the velocity of Lamb waves depends on thickness, we can convert the travel times of the fundamental Lamb modes into a thickness map of the inspection region. In this paper we show results for the identification of single or multiple back-surface corrosion areas in typical aluminum aircraft skin structures.

Simulation of Tomographic Reconstruction of Magnetosphere Plasma Distribution By Multi-spacecraft Systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunitsyn, V.; Nesterov, I.; Andreeva, E.; Zelenyi, L.; Veselov, M.; Galperin, Y.; Buchner, J.

A satellite radiotomography method for electron density distributions was recently proposed for closely-space multi-spacecraft group of high-altitude satellites to study the physics of reconnection process. The original idea of the ROY project is to use a constellation of spacecrafts (one main and several sub-satellites) in order to carry out closely-spaced multipoint measurements and 2D tomographic reconstruction of elec- tron density in the space between the main satellite and the subsatellites. The distances between the satellites were chosen to vary from dozens to few hundreds of kilometers. The easiest data interpretation is achieved when the subsatellites are placed along the plasma streamline. Then, whenever a plasma density irregularity moves between the main satellite and the subsatellites it will be scanned in different directions and we can get 2D distribution of plasma using these projections. However in general sub- satellites are not placed exactly along the plasma streamline. The method of plasma velocity determination relative to multi-spacecraft systems is considered. Possibilities of 3D tomographic imaging using multi-spacecraft systems are analyzed. The model- ing has shown that efficient scheme for 3D tomographic imaging would be to place spacecrafts in different planes so that the angle between the planes would make not more then ten degrees. Work is supported by INTAS PROJECT 2000-465.

CT Imaging of Hardwood Logs for Lumber Production

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt; Pei Li; A. Lynn Abbott

1996-01-01

Hardwood sawmill operators need to improve the conversion of raw material (logs) into lumber. Internal log scanning provides detailed information that can aid log processors in improving lumber recovery. However, scanner data (i.e. tomographic images) need to be analyzed prior to presentation to saw operators. Automatic labeling of computer tomography (CT) images is...

Simultaneous multi-headed imager geometry calibration method

DOEpatents

Tran, Vi-Hoa [Newport News, VA; Meikle, Steven Richard [Penshurst, AU; Smith, Mark Frederick [Yorktown, VA

2008-02-19

A method for calibrating multi-headed high sensitivity and high spatial resolution dynamic imaging systems, especially those useful in the acquisition of tomographic images of small animals. The method of the present invention comprises: simultaneously calibrating two or more detectors to the same coordinate system; and functionally correcting for unwanted detector movement due to gantry flexing.

Bridging the Gap between Basic and Clinical Sciences: A Description of a Radiological Anatomy Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Anna; Staskiewicz, Grzegorz J.; Lisiecka, Justyna; Pietrzyk, Lukasz; Czekajlo, Michael; Arancibia, Carlos U.; Maciejewski, Ryszard; Torres, Kamil

2016-01-01

A wide variety of medical imaging techniques pervade modern medicine, and the changing portability and performance of tools like ultrasound imaging have brought these medical imaging techniques into the everyday practice of many specialties outside of radiology. However, proper interpretation of ultrasonographic and computed tomographic images…

Left main coronary artery stenosis: severity evaluation and implications for management.

PubMed

Habibi, Susan E; Shah, Rahman; Berzingi, Chalak O; Melchior, Ryan; Sumption, Kevin F; Jovin, Ion S

2017-03-01

The significant stenosis of the left main coronary artery is associated with poor outcomes and is considered a strong indication for revascularization. However, deciding whether the stenosis is significant can sometimes be challenging, especially when the degree of stenosis is intermediate, and can necessitate additional tests and imaging modalities. Areas covered: We did a literature search using keywords like 'left main', 'imaging', 'intravascular ultrasound', 'fractional flow reserve', 'computed tomographic angiography' and 'magnetic resonance imaging'. The most commonly used methods for better characterizing intermediate left main coronary stenoses are intravascular ultrasound and fractional flow reserve, while optical coherence tomography is the newer technique that provides better images, but for which not as much data is available. The noninvasive techniques are coronary computed tomographic angiography and, to a lesser degree, coronary magnetic resonance imaging. Expert commentary: Accurately determining the severity of left main coronary stenosis can mean the difference between a major intervention and conservative therapy. The reviewed newer imaging modalities give us greater confidence that patients with left main stenosis are assigned to the right treatment modality.

Quantitative Whole Body Biodistribution of Fluorescent-Labeled Agents by Non-Invasive Tomographic Imaging

PubMed Central

Vasquez, Kristine O.; Casavant, Chelsea; Peterson, Jeffrey D.

2011-01-01

When small molecules or proteins are injected into live animals, their physical and chemical properties will significantly affect pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, and the ultimate routes of metabolism and clearance. Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) offers the ability to non-invasively image and quantify temporal changes in fluorescence throughout the major organ systems of living animals, in a manner analogous to traditional approaches with radiolabeled agents. This approach is best used with biotherapeutics (therapeutic antibodies, or other large proteins) or large-scaffold drug-delivery vectors, that are minimally affected by low-level fluorophore conjugation. Application to small molecule drugs should take into account the significant impact of fluorophore labeling on size and physicochemical properties, however, the presents studies show that this technique is readily applied to small molecule agents developed for far-red (FR) or near infrared (NIR) imaging. Quantification by non-invasive FMT correlated well with both fluorescence from tissue homogenates as well as with planar (2D) fluorescence reflectance imaging of excised intact organs (r2 = 0.996 and 0.969, respectively). Dynamic FMT imaging (multiple times from 0 to 24 h) performed in live mice after the injection of four different FR/NIR-labeled agents, including immunoglobulin, 20–50 nm nanoparticles, a large vascular imaging agent, and a small molecule integrin antagonist, showed clear differences in the percentage of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) in liver, kidney, and bladder signal. Nanoparticles and IgG1 favored liver over kidney signal, the small molecule integrin-binding agent favored rapid kidney and bladder clearance, and the vascular agent, showed both liver and kidney clearance. Further assessment of the volume of distribution of these agents by fluorescent volume added information regarding their biodistribution and highlighted the relatively poor extravasation into tissue by IgG1. These studies demonstrate the ability of quantitative FMT imaging of FR/NIR agents to non-invasively visualize and quantify the biodistribution of different agents over time. PMID:21731618

Data-processing strategies for nano-tomography with elemental specification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yijin; Cats, Korneel H.; Nelson Weker, Johanna; Andrews, Joy C.; Weckhuysen, Bert M.; Pianetta, Piero

2013-10-01

Combining the energy tunability provided by synchrotron X-ray sources with transmission X-ray microscopy, the morphology of materials can be resolved in 3D at spatial resolution down to 30 nm with elemental/chemical specification. In order to study the energy dependence of the absorption coefficient over the investigated volume, the tomographic reconstruction and image registration (before and/or after the tomographic reconstruction) are critical. We show in this paper the comparison of two different data processing strategies and conclude that the signal to noise ratio (S/N) in the final result can be improved via performing tomographic reconstruction prior to the evaluation of energy dependence. Our result echoes the dose fractionation theorem, and is particularly helpful when the element of interest has low concentration.

MO-A-BRD-00: Current Trends in Y90-Microsphere Therapy: Delivery and Dosimetry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2015-06-15

Yttrium-90 (Y90) microsphere therapy, a form of radiation therapy, is an increasingly popular option for care of patients with liver metastases or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The therapy directly delivers Y90 microspheres via the hepatic artery to disease sites. Following delivery, a vast majority of microspheres preferentially lodge in the capillary vessels due to their embolic size and targeted trans-arterial delivery – depositing up to 90% of its energy in the first 5 mm of tissue. There have been a number of advances in tomographic imaging within both interventional radiology and nuclear medicine that has advanced therapy planning techniques. Quantitative imagingmore » of Y90 microsphere distribution post-therapy has also seen innovations that have led to improvements in tumor dosimetry and characterization of tumor response. A review of current trends and recent innovation in Y90 microsphere therapies will be presented. Learning Objectives: To present the imaging requirements for Y90 microsphere therapy planning To explain the standard dosimetry models used in Y90 microsphere therapy planning To report on advances in imaging for therapy planning and posttherapy assessment of tumor dosimetry and response.« less

New imaging systems in nuclear medicine. Final report, January 1, 1993--December 31, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

The aim of this program has been to improve the performance of positron emission tomography (PET) to achieve high resolution with high sensitivity. Towards this aim, the authors have carried out the following studies: (1) explored new techniques for detection of annihilation radiation including new detector materials and system geometries, specific areas that they have studied include--exploration of factors related to resolution and sensitivity of PET instrumentation including geometry, detection materials and coding, and the exploration of technique to improve the image quality by use of depth of interaction and increased sampling; (2) complete much of the final testing ofmore » PCR-II, an analog-coded cylindrical positron tomograph, developed and constructed during the current funding period; (3) developed the design of a positron microtomograph with mm resolution for quantitative studies in small animals, a single slice version of this device has been designed and studied by use of computer simulation; (4) continued and expanded the program of biological studies in animal models. Current studies have included imaging of animal models of Parkinson`s and Huntington`s disease and cancer. These studies have included new radiopharmaceuticals and techniques involving molecular biology.« less

Tomographic inversion techniques incorporating physical constraints for line integrated spectroscopy in stellarators and tokamaks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pablant, N. A.; Bell, R. E.; Bitter, M.

2014-11-15

Accurate tomographic inversion is important for diagnostic systems on stellarators and tokamaks which rely on measurements of line integrated emission spectra. A tomographic inversion technique based on spline optimization with enforcement of constraints is described that can produce unique and physically relevant inversions even in situations with noisy or incomplete input data. This inversion technique is routinely used in the analysis of data from the x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) installed at the Large Helical Device. The XICS diagnostic records a 1D image of line integrated emission spectra from impurities in the plasma. Through the use of Doppler spectroscopy andmore » tomographic inversion, XICS can provide profile measurements of the local emissivity, temperature, and plasma flow. Tomographic inversion requires the assumption that these measured quantities are flux surface functions, and that a known plasma equilibrium reconstruction is available. In the case of low signal levels or partial spatial coverage of the plasma cross-section, standard inversion techniques utilizing matrix inversion and linear-regularization often cannot produce unique and physically relevant solutions. The addition of physical constraints, such as parameter ranges, derivative directions, and boundary conditions, allow for unique solutions to be reliably found. The constrained inversion technique described here utilizes a modified Levenberg-Marquardt optimization scheme, which introduces a condition avoidance mechanism by selective reduction of search directions. The constrained inversion technique also allows for the addition of more complicated parameter dependencies, for example, geometrical dependence of the emissivity due to asymmetries in the plasma density arising from fast rotation. The accuracy of this constrained inversion technique is discussed, with an emphasis on its applicability to systems with limited plasma coverage.« less

Tomographic inversion techniques incorporating physical constraints for line integrated spectroscopy in stellarators and tokamaksa)

DOE PAGES

Pablant, N. A.; Bell, R. E.; Bitter, M.; ...

2014-08-08

Accurate tomographic inversion is important for diagnostic systems on stellarators and tokamaks which rely on measurements of line integrated emission spectra. A tomographic inversion technique based on spline optimization with enforcement of constraints is described that can produce unique and physically relevant inversions even in situations with noisy or incomplete input data. This inversion technique is routinely used in the analysis of data from the x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) installed at LHD. The XICS diagnostic records a 1D image of line integrated emission spectra from impurities in the plasma. Through the use of Doppler spectroscopy and tomographic inversion, XICSmore » can provide pro file measurements of the local emissivity, temperature and plasma flow. Tomographic inversion requires the assumption that these measured quantities are flux surface functions, and that a known plasma equilibrium reconstruction is available. In the case of low signal levels or partial spatial coverage of the plasma cross-section, standard inversion techniques utilizing matrix inversion and linear-regularization often cannot produce unique and physically relevant solutions. The addition of physical constraints, such as parameter ranges, derivative directions, and boundary conditions, allow for unique solutions to be reliably found. The constrained inversion technique described here utilizes a modifi ed Levenberg-Marquardt optimization scheme, which introduces a condition avoidance mechanism by selective reduction of search directions. The constrained inversion technique also allows for the addition of more complicated parameter dependencies, for example geometrical dependence of the emissivity due to asymmetries in the plasma density arising from fast rotation. The accuracy of this constrained inversion technique is discussed, with an emphasis on its applicability to systems with limited plasma coverage.« less

Iterative Reconstruction of Volumetric Particle Distribution for 3D Velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieneke, Bernhard; Neal, Douglas

2011-11-01

A number of different volumetric flow measurement techniques exist for following the motion of illuminated particles. For experiments that have lower seeding densities, 3D-PTV uses recorded images from typically 3-4 cameras and then tracks the individual particles in space and time. This technique is effective in flows that have lower seeding densities. For flows that have a higher seeding density, tomographic PIV uses a tomographic reconstruction algorithm (e.g. MART) to reconstruct voxel intensities of the recorded volume followed by the cross-correlation of subvolumes to provide the instantaneous 3D vector fields on a regular grid. A new hybrid algorithm is presented which iteratively reconstructs the 3D-particle distribution directly using particles with certain imaging properties instead of voxels as base functions. It is shown with synthetic data that this method is capable of reconstructing densely seeded flows up to 0.05 particles per pixel (ppp) with the same or higher accuracy than 3D-PTV and tomographic PIV. Finally, this new method is validated using experimental data on a turbulent jet.

Virtual endoscopic imaging of the spine.

PubMed

Kotani, Toshiaki; Nagaya, Shigeyuki; Sonoda, Masaru; Akazawa, Tsutomu; Lumawig, Jose Miguel T; Nemoto, Tetsuharu; Koshi, Takana; Kamiya, Koshiro; Hirosawa, Naoya; Minami, Shohei

2012-05-20

Prospective trial of virtual endoscopy in spinal surgery. To investigate the utility of virtual endoscopy of the spine in conjunction with spinal surgery. Several studies have described clinical applications of virtual endoscopy to visualize the inside of the bronchi, paranasal sinus, stomach, small intestine, pancreatic duct, and bile duct, but, to date, no study has described the use of virtual endoscopy in the spine. Virtual endoscopy is a realistic 3-dimensional intraluminal simulation of tubular structures that is generated by postprocessing of computed tomographic data sets. Five patients with spinal disease were selected: 2 patients with degenerative disease, 2 patients with spinal deformity, and 1 patient with spinal injury. Virtual endoscopy software allows an observer to explore the spinal canal with a mouse, using multislice computed tomographic data. Our study found that virtual endoscopy of the spine has advantages compared with standard imaging methods because surgeons can noninvasively explore the spinal canal in all directions. Virtual endoscopy of the spine may be useful to surgeons for diagnosis, preoperative planning, and postoperative assessment by obviating the need to mentally construct a 3-dimensional picture of the spinal canal from 2-dimensional computed tomographic scans.

Hybrid Photoacoustic/Ultrasound Tomograph for Real-Time Finger Imaging.

PubMed

Oeri, Milan; Bost, Wolfgang; Sénégond, Nicolas; Tretbar, Steffen; Fournelle, Marc

2017-10-01

We report a target-enclosing, hybrid tomograph with a total of 768 elements based on capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer technology and providing fast, high-resolution 2-D/3-D photoacoustic and ultrasound tomography tailored to finger imaging. A freely programmable ultrasound beamforming platform sampling data at 80 MHz was developed to realize plane wave transmission under multiple angles. A multiplexing unit enables the connection and control of a large number of elements. Fast image reconstruction is provided by GPU processing. The tomograph is composed of four independent and fully automated movable arc-shaped transducers, allowing imaging of all three finger joints. The system benefits from photoacoustics, yielding high optical contrast and enabling visualization of finger vascularization, and ultrasound provides morphologic information on joints and surrounding tissue. A diode-pumped, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and an optical parametric oscillator are used to broaden the spectrum of emitted wavelengths to provide multispectral imaging. Custom-made optical fiber bundles enable illumination of the region of interest in the plane of acoustic detection. Precision in positioning of the probe in motion is ensured by use of a motor-driven guide slide. The current position of the probe is encoded by the stage and used to relate ultrasound and photoacoustic signals to the corresponding region of interest of the suspicious finger joint. The system is characterized in phantoms and a healthy human finger in vivo. The results obtained promise to provide new opportunities in finger diagnostics and establish photoacoustic/ultrasound-tomography in medical routine. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulating patient-specific heart shape and motion using SPECT perfusion images with the MCAT phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faber, Tracy L.; Garcia, Ernest V.; Lalush, David S.; Segars, W. Paul; Tsui, Benjamin M.

2001-05-01

The spline-based Mathematical Cardiac Torso (MCAT) phantom is a realistic software simulation designed to simulate single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) data. It incorporates a heart model of known size and shape; thus, it is invaluable for measuring accuracy of acquisition, reconstruction, and post-processing routines. New functionality has been added by replacing the standard heart model with left ventricular (LV) epicaridal and endocardial surface points detected from actual patient SPECT perfusion studies. LV surfaces detected from standard post-processing quantitation programs are converted through interpolation in space and time into new B-spline models. Perfusion abnormalities are added to the model based on results of standard perfusion quantification. The new LV is translated and rotated to fit within existing atria and right ventricular models, which are scaled based on the size of the LV. Simulations were created for five different patients with myocardial infractions who had undergone SPECT perfusion imaging. Shape, size, and motion of the resulting activity map were compared visually to the original SPECT images. In all cases, size, shape and motion of simulated LVs matched well with the original images. Thus, realistic simulations with known physiologic and functional parameters can be created for evaluating efficacy of processing algorithms.

Prompt gamma ray imaging for verification of proton boron fusion therapy: A Monte Carlo study.

PubMed

Shin, Han-Back; Yoon, Do-Kun; Jung, Joo-Young; Kim, Moo-Sub; Suh, Tae Suk

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to verify acquisition feasibility of a single photon emission computed tomography image using prompt gamma rays for proton boron fusion therapy (PBFT) and to confirm an enhanced therapeutic effect of PBFT by comparison with conventional proton therapy without use of boron. Monte Carlo simulation was performed to acquire reconstructed image during PBFT. We acquired percentage depth dose (PDD) of the proton beams in a water phantom, energy spectrum of the prompt gamma rays, and tomographic images, including the boron uptake region (BUR; target). The prompt gamma ray image was reconstructed using maximum likelihood expectation maximisation (MLEM) with 64 projection raw data. To verify the reconstructed image, both an image profile and contrast analysis according to the iteration number were conducted. In addition, the physical distance between two BURs in the region of interest of each BUR was measured. The PDD of the proton beam from the water phantom including the BURs shows more efficient than that of conventional proton therapy on tumour region. A 719keV prompt gamma ray peak was clearly observed in the prompt gamma ray energy spectrum. The prompt gamma ray image was reconstructed successfully using 64 projections. Different image profiles including two BURs were acquired from the reconstructed image according to the iteration number. We confirmed successful acquisition of a prompt gamma ray image during PBFT. In addition, the quantitative image analysis results showed relatively good performance for further study. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel flexible clinical multiphoton tomograph for early melanoma detection, skin analysis, testing of anti-age products, and in situ nanoparticle tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinigel, Martin; Breunig, Hans Georg; Gregory, Axel; Fischer, Peter; Kellner-Höfer, Marcel; Bückle, Rainer; König, Karsten

2010-02-01

High-resolution 3D microscopy based on multiphoton induced autofluorescence and second harmonic generation have been introduced in 1990. 13 years later, CE-marked clinical multiphoton systems for 3D imaging of human skin with subcellular resolution have first been launched by JenLab company with the tomography DermaInspect®. This year, the second generation of clinical multiphoton tomographs was introduced. The novel multiphoton tomograph MPTflex, equipped with a flexible articulated optical arm, provides an increased flexibility and accessibility especially for clinical and cosmetical examinations. Improved image quality and signal to noise ratio (SNR) are achieved by a very short source-drain spacing, by larger active areas of the detectors and by single photon counting (SPC) technology. Shorter image acquisition time due to improved image quality reduces artifacts and simplifies the operation of the system. The compact folded optical design and the light-weight structure of the optical head eases the handling. Dual channel detectors enable to distinguish between intratissue elastic fibers and collagenous structures simultaneously. Through the use of piezo-driven optics a stack of optical cross-sections (optical sectioning) can be acquired and 3D imaging can be performed. The multiphoton excitation of biomolecules like NAD(P)H, flavins, porphyrins, elastin, and melanin is done by picojoule femtosecond laser pulses from an tunable turn-key femtosescond near infrared laser system. The ability for rapid high-quality image acquisition, the user-friendly operation of the system and the compact and flexible design qualifies this system to be used for melanoma detection, diagnostics of dermatological disorders, cosmetic research and skin aging measurements as well as in situ drug monitoring and animal research.

Rapid and high-resolution imaging of human liver specimens by full-field optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yue; Gao, Wanrong; Zhou, Yuan; Guo, Yingcheng; Guo, Feng; He, Yong

2015-11-01

We report rapid and high-resolution tomographic en face imaging of human liver specimens by full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT). First, the arrangement of the FF-OCT system was described and the performance of the system was measured. The measured axial and lateral resolutions of the system are 0.8 and 0.9 μm, respectively. The system has a sensitivity of ˜60 dB and can achieve an imaging rate of 7 fps and a penetration depth of ˜80 μm. The histological structures of normal liver can be seen clearly in the en face tomographic images, including central veins, cords of hepatocytes separated by sinusoidal spaces, and portal area (portal vein, the hepatic arteriole, and the bile duct). A wide variety of histological subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in en face tomographic images, revealing notable cancerous features, including the nuclear atypia (enlarged convoluted nuclei), the polygonal tumor cells with obvious resemblance to hepatocytes with enlarged nuclei. In addition, thicker fibrous bands, which make the cytoplasmic plump vesicular nuclei indistinct, were also seen in the images. Finally, comparison between the portal vein in a normal specimen versus that seen in the rare type of cholangiocarcinoma was made. The results show that the cholangiocarcinoma presents with a blurred pattern of portal vein in the lateral direction and an aggregated distribution in the axial direction; the surrounding sinusoidal spaces and nuclei of cholangiocarcinoma are absent. The findings in this work may be used as additional signs of liver cancer or cholangiocarcinoma, demonstrating capacity of FF-OCT device for early cancer diagnosis and many other tumor-related studies in biopsy.

Development of a multiperspective optical measuring system for investigating decaying switching arcs at the nozzle exit of circuit breakers.

PubMed

Stoffels, M; Simon, S; Nikolic, P G; Stoller, P; Carstensen, J

2017-03-01

High-voltage gas circuit breakers, which play an important role in the operation and protection of the power grid, function by drawing an arc between two contacts and then extinguishing it by cooling it using a transonic gas flow. Improving the design of circuit breakers requires an understanding of the physical processes in the interruption of the arc, particularly during the zero crossing of the alternating current (the point in time when the arc can be interrupted). Most diagnostic techniques currently available focus on measurement of current, voltage, and gas pressure at defined locations. However, these integral properties do not give sufficient insight into the arc physics. To understand the current interruption process, spatially resolved information about the density, temperature, and conductivity of the arc and surrounding gas flow is needed. Owing to the three-dimensional, unstable nature of the arc in a circuit breaker, especially near current zero, a spatially resolved, tomographic diagnostic technique is required that is capable of freezing the rapid, transient behavior and that is insensitive to the vibrations and electromagnetic interference inherent in the interruption of short-circuit current arcs. Here a new measurement system, based on background-oriented schlieren (BOS) imaging, is presented and assessed. BOS imaging using four beams consisting of white light sources, a background pattern, imaging optics, and a camera permits measurement of the line-of-sight integrated refractive index. Tomographic reconstruction is used to determine the three-dimensional, spatially resolved index of refraction distribution that in turn is used to calculate the density. The quantitative accuracy of a single beam of the BOS setup is verified by using a calibration lens with a known focal length. The ability of the tomographic reconstruction to detect asymmetric features of the arc and surrounding gas flow is assessed semiquantitatively using a nozzle that generates two gas jets, as described in [Exp. Fluids43, 241 (2007)EXFLDU0723-486410.1007/s00348-007-0331-1]. Experiments using a simple model of a circuit breaker, which provides optical access to an ∼1  kA arc that burns between two contacts and is blown through a nozzle system by synthetic air from a high pressure reservoir, are also described. The density in the decaying arc and surrounding gas flow is reconstructed, and the limitations of the technique, which are related to the temporal and spatial resolution, are addressed.

Development of the two Korean adult tomographic computational phantoms for organ dosimetry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Choonsik; Lee, Choonik; Park, Sang-Hyun

2006-02-15

Following the previously developed Korean tomographic phantom, KORMAN, two additional whole-body tomographic phantoms of Korean adult males were developed from magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) images, respectively. Two healthy male volunteers, whose body dimensions were fairly representative of the average Korean adult male, were recruited and scanned for phantom development. Contiguous whole body MR images were obtained from one subject exclusive of the arms, while whole-body CT images were acquired from the second individual. A total of 29 organs and tissues and 19 skeletal sites were segmented via image manipulation techniques such as gray-level thresholding, region growing, andmore » manual drawing, in which each of segmented image slice was subsequently reviewed by an experienced radiologist for anatomical accuracy. The resulting phantoms, the MR-based KTMAN-1 (Korean Typical MAN-1) and the CT-based KTMAN-2 (Korean Typical MAN-2), consist of 300x150x344 voxels with a voxel resolution of 2x2x5 mm{sup 3} for both phantoms. Masses of segmented organs and tissues were calculated as the product of a nominal reference density, the prevoxel volume, and the cumulative number of voxels defining each organs or tissue. These organs masses were then compared with those of both the Asian and the ICRP reference adult male. Organ masses within both KTMAN-1 and KTMAN-2 showed differences within 40% of Asian and ICRP reference values, with the exception of the skin, gall bladder, and pancreas which displayed larger differences. The resulting three-dimensional binary file was ported to the Monte Carlo code MCNPX2.4 to calculate organ doses following external irradiation for illustrative purposes. Colon, lung, liver, and stomach absorbed doses, as well as the effective dose, for idealized photon irradiation geometries (anterior-posterior and right lateral) were determined, and then compared with data from two other tomographic phantoms (Asian and Caucasian), and stylized ORNL phantom. The armless KTMAN-1 can be applied to dosimetry for computed tomography or lateral x-ray examination, while the whole body KTMAN-2 can be used for radiation protection dosimetry.« less

Updated Tomographic Seismic Imaging at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okubo, P.; Johnson, J.; Felts, E. S.; Flores, N.

2013-12-01

Improved and more detailed geophysical, geological, and geochemical observations and measurements at Kilauea, along with prolonged eruptions at its summit caldera and east rift zone, are encouraging more ambitious interpretation and modeling of volcanic processes over a range of temporal and spatial scales. We are updating three-dimensional models of seismic wave-speed distributions within Kilauea using local earthquake arrival time tomography to support waveform-based modeling of seismic source mechanisms. We start from a tomographic model derived from a combination of permanent seismic stations comprising the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) seismographic network and a dense deployment of temporary stations in the Kilauea caldera region in 1996. Using P- and S-wave arrival times measured from the HVO network for local earthquakes from 1997 through 2012, we compute velocity models with the finite difference tomographic seismic imaging technique implemented by Benz and others (1996), and applied to numerous volcanoes including Kilauea. Particular impetus to our current modeling was derived from a focused effort to review seismicity occurring in Kilauea's summit caldera and adjoining regions in 2012. Our results reveal clear P-wave low-velocity features at and slightly below sea level beneath Kilauea's summit caldera, lying between Halemaumau Crater and the north-facing scarps that mark the southern caldera boundary. The results are also suggestive of changes in seismic velocity distributions between 1996 and 2012. One example of such a change is an apparent decrease in the size and southeastward extent, compared to the earlier model, of the low VP feature imaged with the more recent data. However, we recognize the distinct possibility that these changes are reflective of differences in earthquake and seismic station distributions in the respective datasets, and we need to further populate the more recent HVO seismicity catalogs to possibly address this concern. We also look forward to more complete implementation at HVO of seismic imaging techniques that use ambient seismic noise retrieved from continuous seismic recordings, and to using earthquake arrival times and ambient seismic noise jointly to tomographically image Kilauea.

The accuracy of tomographic particle image velocimetry for measurements of a turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkinson, Callum; Coudert, Sebastien; Foucaut, Jean-Marc; Stanislas, Michel; Soria, Julio

2011-04-01

To investigate the accuracy of tomographic particle image velocimetry (Tomo-PIV) for turbulent boundary layer measurements, a series of synthetic image-based simulations and practical experiments are performed on a high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer at Reθ = 7,800. Two different approaches to Tomo-PIV are examined using a full-volume slab measurement and a thin-volume "fat" light sheet approach. Tomographic reconstruction is performed using both the standard MART technique and the more efficient MLOS-SMART approach, showing a 10-time increase in processing speed. Random and bias errors are quantified under the influence of the near-wall velocity gradient, reconstruction method, ghost particles, seeding density and volume thickness, using synthetic images. Experimental Tomo-PIV results are compared with hot-wire measurements and errors are examined in terms of the measured mean and fluctuating profiles, probability density functions of the fluctuations, distributions of fluctuating divergence through the volume and velocity power spectra. Velocity gradients have a large effect on errors near the wall and also increase the errors associated with ghost particles, which convect at mean velocities through the volume thickness. Tomo-PIV provides accurate experimental measurements at low wave numbers; however, reconstruction introduces high noise levels that reduces the effective spatial resolution. A thinner volume is shown to provide a higher measurement accuracy at the expense of the measurement domain, albeit still at a lower effective spatial resolution than planar and Stereo-PIV.

A PC-controlled microwave tomographic scanner for breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padhi, Shantanu; Howard, John; Fhager, A.; Bengtsson, Sebastian

2011-01-01

This article presents the design and development of a personal computer based controller for a microwave tomographic system for breast cancer detection. The system uses motorized, dual-polarized antennas and a custom-made GUI interface to control stepper motors, a wideband vector network analyzer (VNA) and to coordinate data acquisition and archival in a local MDSPlus database. Both copolar and cross-polar scattered field components can be measured directly. Experimental results are presented to validate the various functionalities of the scanner.

Medical tomograph system using ultrasonic transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyser, Richard C. (Inventor); Nathan, Robert (Inventor)

1978-01-01

Ultrasonic energy transmission in rectilinear array scanning patterns of soft tissue provides projection density values of the tissue which are recorded as a function of scanning position and angular relationship, .theta., of the subject with a fixed coordinate system. A plurality of rectilinear scan arrays in the same plane for different angular relationships .theta..sub.1 . . . .theta..sub.n thus recorded are superimposed. The superimposition of intensity values thus yields a tomographic image of an internal section of the tissue in the scanning plane.

Three-dimensional reconstructions from computed tomographic scans on smartphones and tablets: a simple tutorial for the ward and operating room using public domain software.

PubMed

Ketoff, Serge; Khonsari, Roman Hossein; Schouman, Thomas; Bertolus, Chloé

2014-11-01

Handling 3-dimensional reconstructions of computed tomographic scans on portable devices is problematic because of the size of the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) stacks. The authors provide a user-friendly method allowing the production, transfer, and sharing of good-quality 3-dimensional reconstructions on smartphones and tablets. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protein secondary structure determination by constrained single-particle cryo-electron tomography.

PubMed

Bartesaghi, Alberto; Lecumberry, Federico; Sapiro, Guillermo; Subramaniam, Sriram

2012-12-05

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a powerful technique for 3D structure determination of protein complexes by averaging information from individual molecular images. The resolutions that can be achieved with single-particle cryo-EM are frequently limited by inaccuracies in assigning molecular orientations based solely on 2D projection images. Tomographic data collection schemes, however, provide powerful constraints that can be used to more accurately determine molecular orientations necessary for 3D reconstruction. Here, we propose "constrained single-particle tomography" as a general strategy for 3D structure determination in cryo-EM. A key component of our approach is the effective use of images recorded in tilt series to extract high-resolution information and correct for the contrast transfer function. By incorporating geometric constraints into the refinement to improve orientational accuracy of images, we reduce model bias and overrefinement artifacts and demonstrate that protein structures can be determined at resolutions of ∼8 Å starting from low-dose tomographic tilt series. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using the technique of computed tomography for nondestructive analysis of pharmaceutical dosage forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, José Martins, Jr.; Mangini, F. Salvador; Carvalho Vila, Marta Maria Duarte; ViníciusChaud, Marco

2013-05-01

This work presents an alternative and non-conventional technique for evaluatingof physic-chemical properties of pharmaceutical dosage forms, i.e. we used computed tomography (CT) technique as a nondestructive technique to visualize internal structures of pharmaceuticals dosage forms and to conduct static and dynamical studies. The studies were conducted involving static and dynamic situations through the use of tomographic images, generated by the scanner at University of Sorocaba - Uniso. We have shown that through the use of tomographic images it is possible to conduct studies of porosity, densities, analysis of morphological parameters and performing studies of dissolution. Our results are in agreement with the literature, showing that CT is a powerful tool for use in the pharmaceutical sciences.

S-values calculated from a tomographic head/brain model for brain imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Tsi-chian; Xu, X. George

2004-11-01

A tomographic head/brain model was developed from the Visible Human images and used to calculate S-values for brain imaging procedures. This model contains 15 segmented sub-regions including caudate nucleus, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, cerebral white matter, corpus callosum, eyes, lateral ventricles, lenses, lentiform nucleus, optic chiasma, optic nerve, pons and middle cerebellar peduncle, skull CSF, thalamus and thyroid. S-values for C-11, O-15, F-18, Tc-99m and I-123 have been calculated using this model and a Monte Carlo code, EGS4. Comparison of the calculated S-values with those calculated from the MIRD (1999) stylized head/brain model shows significant differences. In many cases, the stylized head/brain model resulted in smaller S-values (as much as 88%), suggesting that the doses to a specific patient similar to the Visible Man could have been underestimated using the existing clinical dosimetry.

Tomographic imaging of non-local media based on space-fractional diffusion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buonocore, Salvatore; Semperlotti, Fabio

2018-06-01

We investigate a generalized tomographic imaging framework applicable to a class of inhomogeneous media characterized by non-local diffusive energy transport. Under these conditions, the transport mechanism is well described by fractional-order continuum models capable of capturing anomalous diffusion that would otherwise remain undetected when using traditional integer-order models. Although the underlying idea of the proposed framework is applicable to any transport mechanism, the case of fractional heat conduction is presented as a specific example to illustrate the methodology. By using numerical simulations, we show how complex inhomogeneous media involving non-local transport can be successfully imaged if fractional order models are used. In particular, results will show that by properly recognizing and accounting for the fractional character of the host medium not only allows achieving increased resolution but, in case of strong and spatially distributed non-locality, it represents the only viable approach to achieve a successful reconstruction.

3D Cosmic Ray Muon Tomography from an Underground Tunnel

DOE PAGES

Guardincerri, Elena; Rowe, Charlotte Anne; Schultz-Fellenz, Emily S.; ...

2017-03-31

Here, we present an underground cosmic ray muon tomographic experiment imaging 3D density of overburden, part of a joint study with differential gravity. Muon data were acquired at four locations within a tunnel beneath Los Alamos, New Mexico, and used in a 3D tomographic inversion to recover the spatial variation in the overlying rock–air interface, and compared with a priori knowledge of the topography. Densities obtained exhibit good agreement with preliminary results of the gravity modeling, which will be presented elsewhere, and are compatible with values reported in the literature. The modeled rock–air interface matches that obtained from LIDAR withinmore » 4 m, our resolution, over much of the model volume. This experiment demonstrates the power of cosmic ray muons to image shallow geological targets using underground detectors, whose development as borehole devices will be an important new direction of passive geophysical imaging.« less

3D Cosmic Ray Muon Tomography from an Underground Tunnel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guardincerri, Elena; Rowe, Charlotte Anne; Schultz-Fellenz, Emily S.

Here, we present an underground cosmic ray muon tomographic experiment imaging 3D density of overburden, part of a joint study with differential gravity. Muon data were acquired at four locations within a tunnel beneath Los Alamos, New Mexico, and used in a 3D tomographic inversion to recover the spatial variation in the overlying rock–air interface, and compared with a priori knowledge of the topography. Densities obtained exhibit good agreement with preliminary results of the gravity modeling, which will be presented elsewhere, and are compatible with values reported in the literature. The modeled rock–air interface matches that obtained from LIDAR withinmore » 4 m, our resolution, over much of the model volume. This experiment demonstrates the power of cosmic ray muons to image shallow geological targets using underground detectors, whose development as borehole devices will be an important new direction of passive geophysical imaging.« less

3D Cosmic Ray Muon Tomography from an Underground Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guardincerri, Elena; Rowe, Charlotte; Schultz-Fellenz, Emily; Roy, Mousumi; George, Nicolas; Morris, Christopher; Bacon, Jeffrey; Durham, Matthew; Morley, Deborah; Plaud-Ramos, Kenie; Poulson, Daniel; Baker, Diane; Bonneville, Alain; Kouzes, Richard

2017-05-01

We present an underground cosmic ray muon tomographic experiment imaging 3D density of overburden, part of a joint study with differential gravity. Muon data were acquired at four locations within a tunnel beneath Los Alamos, New Mexico, and used in a 3D tomographic inversion to recover the spatial variation in the overlying rock-air interface, and compared with a priori knowledge of the topography. Densities obtained exhibit good agreement with preliminary results of the gravity modeling, which will be presented elsewhere, and are compatible with values reported in the literature. The modeled rock-air interface matches that obtained from LIDAR within 4 m, our resolution, over much of the model volume. This experiment demonstrates the power of cosmic ray muons to image shallow geological targets using underground detectors, whose development as borehole devices will be an important new direction of passive geophysical imaging.

Gadolinium-enhanced computed tomographic angiography: current status.

PubMed

Rosioreanu, Alex; Alberico, Ronald A; Litwin, Alan; Hon, Man; Grossman, Zachary D; Katz, Douglas S

2005-01-01

This article reviews the research to date, as well as our clinical experience from two institutions, on gadolinium-enhanced computed tomographic angiography (gCTA) for imaging the body. gCTA may be an appropriate examination for the small percentage of patients who would benefit from noninvasive vascular imaging, but who have contraindications to both iodinated contrast and magnetic resonance imaging. gCTA is more expensive than CTA with iodinated contrast, due to the dose of gadolinium administered, and gCTA has limitations compared with CTA with iodinated contrast, in that parenchymal organs are not optimally enhanced at doses of 0.5 mmol/kg or lower. However, in our experience, gCTA has been a very useful problem-solving examination in carefully selected patients. With the advent of 16-64 detector CT, in combination with bolus tracking, we believe that the overall dose of gadolinium needed for diagnostic CTA examinations, while relatively high, can be safely administered.

Validation of pore network simulations of ex-situ water distributions in a gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells with X-ray tomographic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agaesse, Tristan; Lamibrac, Adrien; Büchi, Felix N.; Pauchet, Joel; Prat, Marc

2016-11-01

Understanding and modeling two-phase flows in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of proton exchange membrane fuel cells are important in order to improve fuel cells performance. They are scientifically challenging because of the peculiarities of GDLs microstructures. In the present work, simulations on a pore network model are compared to X-ray tomographic images of water distributions during an ex-situ water invasion experiment. A method based on watershed segmentation was developed to extract a pore network from the 3D segmented image of the dry GDL. Pore network modeling and a full morphology model were then used to perform two-phase simulations and compared to the experimental data. The results show good agreement between experimental and simulated microscopic water distributions. Pore network extraction parameters were also benchmarked using the experimental data and results from full morphology simulations.

Applications of Collisional Radiative Modeling of Helium and Deuterium for Image Tomography Diagnostic of Te, Ne, and ND in the DIII-D Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munoz Burgos, J. M.; Brooks, N. H.; Fenstermacher, M. E.; Meyer, W. H.; Unterberg, E. A.; Schmitz, O.; Loch, S. D.; Balance, C. P.

2011-10-01

We apply new atomic modeling techniques to helium and deuterium for diagnostics in the divertor and scrape-off layer regions. Analysis of tomographically inverted images is useful for validating detachment prediction models and power balances in the divertor. We apply tomographic image inversion from fast tangential cameras of helium and Dα emission at the divertor in order to obtain 2D profiles of Te, Ne, and ND (neutral ion density profiles). The accuracy of the atomic models for He I will be cross-checked against Thomson scattering measurements of Te and Ne. This work summarizes several current developments and applications of atomic modeling into diagnostic at the DIII-D tokamak. Supported in part by the US DOE under DE-AC05-06OR23100, DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-AC52-07NA27344, and DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Assessment of Normal Eyeball Protrusion Using Computed Tomographic Imaging and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction in Korean Adults.

PubMed

Shin, Kang-Jae; Gil, Young-Chun; Lee, Shin-Hyo; Kim, Jeong-Nam; Yoo, Ja-Young; Kim, Soon-Heum; Choi, Hyun-Gon; Shin, Hyun Jin; Koh, Ki-Seok; Song, Wu-Chul

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess normal eyeball protrusion from the orbital rim using two- and three-dimensional images and demonstrate the better suitability of CT images for assessment of exophthalmos. The facial computed tomographic (CT) images of Korean adults were acquired in sagittal and transverse views. The CT images were used in reconstructing three-dimensional volume of faces using computer software. The protrusion distances from orbital rims and the diameters of eyeballs were measured in the two views of the CT image and three-dimensional volume of the face. Relative exophthalmometry was calculated by the difference in protrusion distance between the right and left sides. The eyeball protrusion was 4.9 and 12.5 mm in sagittal and transverse views, respectively. The protrusion distances were 2.9 mm in the three-dimensional volume of face. There were no significant differences between right and left sides in the degree of protrusion, and the difference was within 2 mm in more than 90% of the subjects. The results of the present study will provide reliable criteria for precise diagnosis and postoperative monitoring using CT imaging of diseases such as thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and orbital tumors.

Clinical studies of pigmented lesions in human skin by using a multiphoton tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balu, Mihaela; Kelly, Kristen M.; Zachary, Christopher B.; Harris, Ronald M.; Krasieva, Tatiana B.; König, Karsten; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2013-02-01

In vivo imaging of pigmented lesions in human skin was performed with a clinical multiphoton microscopy (MPM)-based tomograph (MPTflex, JenLab, Germany). Two-photon excited fluorescence was used for visualizing endogenous fluorophores such as NADH/FAD, keratin, melanin in the epidermal cells and elastin fibers in the dermis. Collagen fibers were imaged by second harmonic generation. Our study involved in vivo imaging of benign melanocytic nevi, atypical nevi and melanoma. The goal of this preliminary study was to identify in vivo the characteristic features and their frequency in pigmented lesions at different stages (benign, atypical and malignant) and to evaluate the ability of in vivo MPM to distinguish atypical nevi from melanoma. Comparison with histopathology was performed for the biopsied lesions. Benign melanocytic nevi were characterized by the presence of nevus cell nests at the epidermal-dermal junction. In atypical nevi, features such as lentiginous hyperplasia, acanthosis and architectural disorder were imaged. Cytological atypia was present in all the melanoma lesions imaged, showing the strongest correlation with malignancy. The MPM images demonstrated very good correlation with corresponding histological images, suggesting that MPM could be a promising tool for in vivo non-invasive pigmented lesion diagnosis, particularly distinguishing atypical nevi from melanoma.

Solitonic Excitations in Fermionic Superfluids and Progress towards Fermi Gas in Uniform Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, Mark; Mukherjee, Biswaroop; Guardado-Sanchez, Elmer; Yan, Zhenjie; Patel, Parth; Yefsah, Tarik; Struck, Julian; Zwierlein, Martin

2015-05-01

We follow the evolution of a superfluid Fermi gas of 6Li atoms following a one-sided π phase imprint. Via tomographic imaging, we observe the formation of a planar dark soliton, and its subsequent snaking and decay into a vortex ring. The latter eventually breaks at the boundary of the superfluid, finally leaving behind a single, remnant solitonic vortex. The nodal surface is directly imaged and reveals its decay into a vortex ring via a puncture of the initial soliton plane. At intermediate stages we find evidence for more exotic structures resembling Φ-solitons. The observed evolution of the nodal surface represents dynamics that occurs at the length scale of the interparticle spacing, thus providing new experimental input for microscopic theories of strongly correlated fermions. We also report on the trapping of fermionic atoms of 6Li in a quasi-homogenous all-optical potential, and discuss progress towards directly observing the momentum distribution of the fermions in a box. This new tool offers the possibility to quantitatively study Fermi gases at finite temperature and in the presence of spin-imbalance, with unprecedented accuracy.

Assessment of a New High-Performance Small-Animal X-Ray Tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaquero, J. J.; Redondo, S.; Lage, E.; Abella, M.; Sisniega, A.; Tapias, G.; Montenegro, M. L. Soto; Desco, M.

2008-06-01

We have developed a new X-ray cone-beam tomograph for in vivo small-animal imaging using a flat panel detector (CMOS technology with a microcolumnar CsI scintillator plate) and a microfocus X-ray source. The geometrical configuration was designed to achieve a spatial resolution of about 12 lpmm with a field of view appropriate for laboratory rodents. In order to achieve high performance with regard to per-animal screening time and cost, the acquisition software takes advantage of the highest frame rate of the detector and performs on-the-fly corrections on the detector raw data. These corrections include geometrical misalignments, sensor non-uniformities, and defective elements. The resulting image is then converted to attenuation values. We measured detector modulation transfer function (MTF), detector stability, system resolution, quality of the reconstructed tomographic images and radiated dose. The system resolution was measured following the standard test method ASTM E 1695 -95. For image quality evaluation, we assessed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) as a function of the radiated dose. Dose studies for different imaging protocols were performed by introducing TLD dosimeters in representative organs of euthanized laboratory rats. Noise figure, measured as standard deviation, was 50 HU for a dose of 10 cGy. Effective dose with standard research protocols is below 200 mGy, confirming that the system is appropriate for in vivo imaging. Maximum spatial resolution achieved was better than 50 micron. Our experimental results obtained with image quality phantoms as well as with in-vivo studies show that the proposed configuration based on a CMOS flat panel detector and a small micro-focus X-ray tube leads to a compact design that provides good image quality and low radiated dose, and it could be used as an add-on for existing PET or SPECT scanners.

Applications of Micro-CT scanning in medicine and dentistry: Microstructural analyses of a Wistar Rat mandible and a urinary tract stone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latief, F. D. E.; Sari, D. S.; Fitri, L. A.

2017-08-01

High-resolution tomographic imaging by means of x-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) has been widely utilized for morphological evaluations in dentistry and medicine. The use of μCT follows a standard procedure: image acquisition, reconstruction, processing, evaluation using image analysis, and reporting of results. This paper discusses methods of μCT using a specific scanning device, the Bruker SkyScan 1173 High Energy Micro-CT. We present a description of the general workflow, information on terminology for the measured parameters and corresponding units, and further analyses that can potentially be conducted with this technology. Brief qualitative and quantitative analyses, including basic image processing (VOI selection and thresholding) and measurement of several morphometrical variables (total VOI volume, object volume, percentage of total volume, total VOI surface, object surface, object surface/volume ratio, object surface density, structure thickness, structure separation, total porosity) were conducted on two samples, the mandible of a wistar rat and a urinary tract stone, to illustrate the abilities of this device and its accompanying software package. The results of these analyses for both samples are reported, along with a discussion of the types of analyses that are possible using digital images obtained with a μCT scanning device, paying particular attention to non-diagnostic ex vivo research applications.

Measurement of spatial refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers by digital holographic microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Feng; Deng, Yating; Ma, Xichao; Xiao, Wen

2017-11-01

Digital holographic microtomography is improved and applied to the measurements of three-dimensional refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers. Tomographic images are reconstructed from full-angle phase projection images obtained with a setup-rotation approach, in which the laser source, the optical system and the image sensor are arranged on an optical breadboard and synchronously rotated around the fixed object. For retrieving high-quality tomographic images, a numerical method is proposed to compensate the unwanted movements of the object in the lateral, axial and vertical directions during rotation. The compensation is implemented on the two-dimensional phase images instead of the sinogram. The experimental results exhibit distinctly the internal structures of fusion splices between a single-mode fiber and other fibers, including a multi-mode fiber, a panda polarization maintaining fiber, a bow-tie polarization maintaining fiber and a photonic crystal fiber. In particular, the internal structure distortion in the fusion areas can be intuitively observed, such as the expansion of the stress zones of polarization maintaining fibers, the collapse of the air holes of photonic crystal fibers, etc.

Fast 3-D Tomographic Microwave Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection

PubMed Central

Meaney, Paul M.; Kaufman, Peter A.; diFlorio-Alexander, Roberta M.; Paulsen, Keith D.

2013-01-01

Microwave breast imaging (using electromagnetic waves of frequencies around 1 GHz) has mostly remained at the research level for the past decade, gaining little clinical acceptance. The major hurdles limiting patient use are both at the hardware level (challenges in collecting accurate and noncorrupted data) and software level (often plagued by unrealistic reconstruction times in the tens of hours). In this paper we report improvements that address both issues. First, the hardware is able to measure signals down to levels compatible with sub-centimeter image resolution while keeping an exam time under 2 min. Second, the software overcomes the enormous time burden and produces similarly accurate images in less than 20 min. The combination of the new hardware and software allows us to produce and report here the first clinical 3-D microwave tomographic images of the breast. Two clinical examples are selected out of 400+ exams conducted at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, NH). The first example demonstrates the potential usefulness of our system for breast cancer screening while the second example focuses on therapy monitoring. PMID:22562726

IDIOS: An innovative index for evaluating dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices

PubMed Central

Halboub, Esam; Almashraqi, Abeer Abdulkareem; Khattab, Razan; Al Haffar, Iyad

2016-01-01

Purpose The goal of this study was to develop a new index as an objective reference for evaluating current and newly developed indices used for osteoporosis screening based on dental images. Its name; IDIOS, stands for Index of Dental-imaging Indices of Osteoporosis Screening. Materials and Methods A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies on dental imaging-based indices for osteoporosis screening. The results of the eligible studies, along with other relevant criteria, were used to develop IDIOS, which has scores ranging from 0 (0%) to 15 (100%). The indices presented in the studies we included were then evaluated using IDIOS. Results The 104 studies that were included utilized 24, 4, and 9 indices derived from panoramic, periapical, and computed tomographic/cone-beam computed tomographic techniques, respectively. The IDIOS scores for these indices ranged from 0 (0%) to 11.75 (78.32%). Conclusion IDIOS is a valuable reference index that facilitates the evaluation of other dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices. Furthermore, IDIOS can be utilized to evaluate the accuracy of newly developed indices. PMID:27672615

Upper mantle seismic structure beneath southwest Africa from finite-frequency P- and S-wave tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youssof, Mohammad; Yuan, Xiaohui; Tilmann, Frederik; Heit, Benjamin; Weber, Michael; Jokat, Wilfried; Geissler, Wolfram; Laske, Gabi; Eken, Tuna; Lushetile, Bufelo

2015-04-01

We present a 3D high-resolution seismic model of the southwestern Africa region from teleseismic tomographic inversion of the P- and S- wave data recorded by the amphibious WALPASS network. We used 40 temporary stations in southwestern Africa with records for a period of 2 years (the OBS operated for 1 year), between November 2010 and November 2012. The array covers a surface area of approximately 600 by 1200 km and is located at the intersection of the Walvis Ridge, the continental margin of northern Namibia, and extends into the Congo craton. Major questions that need to be understood are related to the impact of asthenosphere-lithosphere interaction, (plume-related features), on the continental areas and the evolution of the continent-ocean transition that followed the break-up of Gondwana. This process is supposed to leave its imprint as distinct seismic signature in the upper mantle. Utilizing 3D sensitivity kernels, we invert traveltime residuals to image velocity perturbations in the upper mantle down to 1000 km depth. To test the robustness of our tomographic image we employed various resolution tests which allow us to evaluate the extent of smearing effects and help defining the optimum inversion parameters (i.e., damping and smoothness) used during the regularization of inversion process. Resolution assessment procedure includes also a detailed investigation of the effect of the crustal corrections on the final images, which strongly influenced the resolution for the mantle structures. We present detailed tomographic images of the oceanic and continental lithosphere beneath the study area. The fast lithospheric keel of the Congo Craton reaches a depth of ~250 km. Relatively low velocity perturbations have been imaged within the orogenic Damara Belt down to a depth of ~150 km, probably related to surficial suture zones and the presence of fertile material. A shallower depth extent of the lithospheric plate of ~100 km was observed beneath the ocean, consistent with plate-cooling models. In addition to tomographic images, the seismic anisotropy measurements within the upper mantle inferred from teleseismic shear waves indicate a predominant NE-SW orientation for most of the land stations. Current results indicate no evidence for a consistent signature of fossil plume.

Scatter characterization and correction for simultaneous multiple small-animal PET imaging.

PubMed

Prasad, Rameshwar; Zaidi, Habib

2014-04-01

The rapid growth and usage of small-animal positron emission tomography (PET) in molecular imaging research has led to increased demand on PET scanner's time. One potential solution to increase throughput is to scan multiple rodents simultaneously. However, this is achieved at the expense of deterioration of image quality and loss of quantitative accuracy owing to enhanced effects of photon attenuation and Compton scattering. The purpose of this work is, first, to characterize the magnitude and spatial distribution of the scatter component in small-animal PET imaging when scanning single and multiple rodents simultaneously and, second, to assess the relevance and evaluate the performance of scatter correction under similar conditions. The LabPET™-8 scanner was modelled as realistically as possible using Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission Monte Carlo simulation platform. Monte Carlo simulations allow the separation of unscattered and scattered coincidences and as such enable detailed assessment of the scatter component and its origin. Simple shape-based and more realistic voxel-based phantoms were used to simulate single and multiple PET imaging studies. The modelled scatter component using the single-scatter simulation technique was compared to Monte Carlo simulation results. PET images were also corrected for attenuation and the combined effect of attenuation and scatter on single and multiple small-animal PET imaging evaluated in terms of image quality and quantitative accuracy. A good agreement was observed between calculated and Monte Carlo simulated scatter profiles for single- and multiple-subject imaging. In the LabPET™-8 scanner, the detector covering material (kovar) contributed the maximum amount of scatter events while the scatter contribution due to lead shielding is negligible. The out-of field-of-view (FOV) scatter fraction (SF) is 1.70, 0.76, and 0.11% for lower energy thresholds of 250, 350, and 400 keV, respectively. The increase in SF ranged between 25 and 64% when imaging multiple subjects (three to five) of different size simultaneously in comparison to imaging a single subject. The spill-over ratio (SOR) increases with increasing the number of subjects in the FOV. Scatter correction improved the SOR for both water and air cold compartments of single and multiple imaging studies. The recovery coefficients for different body parts of the mouse whole-body and rat whole-body anatomical models were improved for multiple imaging studies following scatter correction. The magnitude and spatial distribution of the scatter component in small-animal PET imaging of single and multiple subjects simultaneously were characterized, and its impact was evaluated in different situations. Scatter correction improves PET image quality and quantitative accuracy for single rat and simultaneous multiple mice and rat imaging studies, whereas its impact is insignificant in single mouse imaging.

Sodankylä ionospheric tomography data set 2003-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norberg, Johannes; Roininen, Lassi; Kero, Antti; Raita, Tero; Ulich, Thomas; Markkanen, Markku; Juusola, Liisa; Kauristie, Kirsti

2016-07-01

Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory has been operating a receiver network for ionospheric tomography and collecting the produced data since 2003. The collected data set consists of phase difference curves measured from COSMOS navigation satellites from the Russian Parus network (Wood and Perry, 1980) and tomographic electron density reconstructions obtained from these measurements. In this study vertical total electron content (VTEC) values are integrated from the reconstructed electron densities to make a qualitative and quantitative analysis to validate the long-term performance of the tomographic system. During the observation period, 2003-2014, there were three to five operational stations at the Fennoscandia sector. Altogether the analysis consists of around 66 000 overflights, but to ensure the quality of the reconstructions, the examination is limited to cases with descending (north to south) overflights and maximum elevation over 60°. These constraints limit the number of overflights to around 10 000. Based on this data set, one solar cycle of ionospheric VTEC estimates is constructed. The measurements are compared against the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)-2012 model, F10.7 solar flux index and sunspot number data. Qualitatively the tomographic VTEC estimate corresponds to reference data very well, but the IRI-2012 model results are on average 40 % higher than that of the tomographic results.

Outcomes of the JNT 1955 Phase I Viability Study of Gamma Emission Tomography for Spent Fuel Verification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobsson-Svard, Staffan; Smith, Leon E.; White, Timothy

The potential for gamma emission tomography (GET) to detect partial defects within a spent nuclear fuel assembly has been assessed within the IAEA Support Program project JNT 1955, phase I, which was completed and reported to the IAEA in October 2016. Two safeguards verification objectives were identified in the project; (1) independent determination of the number of active pins that are present in a measured assembly, in the absence of a priori information about the assembly; and (2) quantitative assessment of pin-by-pin properties, for example the activity of key isotopes or pin attributes such as cooling time and relative burnup,more » under the assumption that basic fuel parameters (e.g., assembly type and nominal fuel composition) are known. The efficacy of GET to meet these two verification objectives was evaluated across a range of fuel types, burnups and cooling times, while targeting a total interrogation time of less than 60 minutes. The evaluations were founded on a modelling and analysis framework applied to existing and emerging GET instrument designs. Monte Carlo models of different fuel types were used to produce simulated tomographer responses to large populations of “virtual” fuel assemblies. The simulated instrument response data were then processed using a variety of tomographic-reconstruction and image-processing methods, and scoring metrics were defined and used to evaluate the performance of the methods.This paper describes the analysis framework and metrics used to predict tomographer performance. It also presents the design of a “universal” GET (UGET) instrument intended to support the full range of verification scenarios envisioned by the IAEA. Finally, it gives examples of the expected partial-defect detection capabilities for some fuels and diversion scenarios, and it provides a comparison of predicted performance for the notional UGET design and an optimized variant of an existing IAEA instrument.« less

Ultrasonic guided wave tomography of pipes: A development of new techniques for the nondestructive evaluation of cylindrical geometries and guided wave multi-mode analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonard, Kevin Raymond

This dissertation concentrates on the development of two new tomographic techniques that enable wide-area inspection of pipe-like structures. By envisioning a pipe as a plate wrapped around upon itself, the previous Lamb Wave Tomography (LWT) techniques are adapted to cylindrical structures. Helical Ultrasound Tomography (HUT) uses Lamb-like guided wave modes transmitted and received by two circumferential arrays in a single crosshole geometry. Meridional Ultrasound Tomography (MUT) creates the same crosshole geometry with a linear array of transducers along the axis of the cylinder. However, even though these new scanning geometries are similar to plates, additional complexities arise because they are cylindrical structures. First, because it is a single crosshole geometry, the wave vector coverage is poorer than in the full LWT system. Second, since waves can travel in both directions around the circumference of the pipe, modes can also constructively and destructively interfere with each other. These complexities necessitate improved signal processing algorithms to produce accurate and unambiguous tomographic reconstructions. Consequently, this work also describes a new algorithm for improving the extraction of multi-mode arrivals from guided wave signals. Previous work has relied solely on the first arriving mode for the time-of-flight measurements. In order to improve the LWT, HUT and MUT systems reconstructions, improved signal processing methods are needed to extract information about the arrival times of the later arriving modes. Because each mode has different through-thickness displacement values, they are sensitive to different types of flaws, and the information gained from the multi-mode analysis improves understanding of the structural integrity of the inspected material. Both tomographic frequency compounding and mode sorting algorithms are introduced. It is also shown that each of these methods improve the reconstructed images both qualitatively and quantitatively.

3D spectral imaging with synchrotron Fourier transform infrared spectro-microtomography

Treesearch

Michael C. Martin; Charlotte Dabat-Blondeau; Miriam Unger; Julia Sedlmair; Dilworth Y. Parkinson; Hans A. Bechtel; Barbara Illman; Jonathan M. Castro; Marco Keiluweit; David Buschke; Brenda Ogle; Michael J. Nasse; Carol J. Hirschmugl

2013-01-01

We report Fourier transform infrared spectro-microtomography, a nondestructive three-dimensional imaging approach that reveals the distribution of distinctive chemical compositions throughout an intact biological or materials sample. The method combines mid-infrared absorption contrast with computed tomographic data acquisition and reconstruction to enhance chemical...

Investigation of Terra Cotta artefacts with terahertz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labaune, Julien; Jackson, J. Bianca; Fukunaga, Kaori; White, Jeffrey; D'Alessandro, Laura; Whyte, Alison; Menu, Michel; Mourou, Gerard

2011-10-01

Terahertz Time Domain Imaging has been used in the last few years for the investigation of cultural heritage. In this article, the authors demonstrate the possibility to apply it for the investigation of clay artifacts. Tomographic images were obtained of a model in reflection, and an Egyptian vessel in transmission.

An index of beam hardening artifact for two-dimensional cone-beam CT tomographic images: establishment and preliminary evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Fusong; Lv, Peijun; Yang, Huifang; Wang, Yong; Sun, Yuchun

2015-07-01

Objectives: Based on the pixel gray value measurements, establish a beam-hardening artifacts index of the cone-beam CT tomographic image, and preliminarily evaluate its applicability. Methods: The 5mm-diameter metal ball and resin ball were fixed on the light-cured resin base plate respectively, while four vitro molars were fixed above and below the ball, on the left and right respectively, which have 10mm distance with the metal ball. Then, cone beam CT was used to scan the fixed base plate twice. The same layer tomographic images were selected from the two data and imported into the Photoshop software. The circle boundary was built through the determination of the center and radius of the circle, according to the artifact-free images section. Grayscale measurement tools were used to measure the internal boundary gray value G0, gray value G1 and G2 of 1mm and 20mm artifacts outside the circular boundary, the length L1 of the arc with artifacts in the circular boundary, the circumference L2. Hardening artifacts index was set A = (G1 / G0) * 0.5 + (G2 / G1) * 0.4 + (L2 / L1) * 0.1. Then, the A values of metal and resin materials were calculated respectively. Results: The A value of cobalt-chromium alloy material is 1, and resin material is 0. Conclusion: The A value reflects comprehensively the three factors of hardening artifacts influencing normal oral tissue image sharpness of cone beam CT. The three factors include relative gray value, the decay rate and range of artifacts.

Tomographic PIV behind a prosthetic heart valve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasler, D.; Landolt, A.; Obrist, D.

2016-05-01

The instantaneous three-dimensional velocity field past a bioprosthetic heart valve was measured using tomographic particle image velocimetry. Two digital cameras were used together with a mirror setup to record PIV images from four different angles. Measurements were conducted in a transparent silicone phantom with a simplified geometry of the aortic root. The refraction indices of the silicone phantom and the working fluid were matched to minimize optical distortion from the flow field to the cameras. The silicone phantom of the aorta was integrated in a flow loop driven by a piston pump. Measurements were conducted for steady and pulsatile flow conditions. Results of the instantaneous, ensemble and phase-averaged flow field are presented. The three-dimensional velocity field reveals a flow topology, which can be related to features of the aortic valve prosthesis.

A new apparatus for electron tomography in the scanning electron microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morandi, V., E-mail: morandi@bo.imm.cnr.it; Maccagnani, P.; Masini, L.

2015-06-23

The three-dimensional reconstruction of a microscopic specimen has been obtained by applying the tomographic algorithm to a set of images acquired in a Scanning Electron Microscope. This result was achieved starting from a series of projections obtained by stepwise rotating the sample under the beam raster. The Scanning Electron Microscope was operated in the scanning-transmission imaging mode, where the intensity of the transmitted electron beam is a monotonic function of the local mass-density and thickness of the specimen. The detection strategy has been implemented and tailored in order to maintain the projection requirement over the large tilt range, as requiredmore » by the tomographic workflow. A Si-based electron detector and an eucentric-rotation specimen holder have been specifically developed for the purpose.« less

Validation of Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) Ionospheric Tomography using ALTAIR Incoherent Scatter Radar Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dymond, K.; Nicholas, A. C.; Budzien, S. A.; Stephan, A. W.; Coker, C.; Hei, M. A.; Groves, K. M.

2015-12-01

The Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) instruments are ultraviolet limb scanning sensors flying on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites. The SSULIs observe the 80-170 nanometer wavelength range covering emissions at 91 and 136 nm, which are produced by radiative recombination of the ionosphere. We invert these emissions tomographically using newly developed algorithms that include optical depth effects due to pure absorption and resonant scattering. We present the details of our approach including how the optimal altitude and along-track sampling were determined and the newly developed approach we are using for regularizing the SSULI tomographic inversions. Finally, we conclude with validations of the SSULI inversions against ALTAIR incoherent scatter radar measurements and demonstrate excellent agreement between the measurements.

Three-dimensional Image Reconstruction in J-PET Using Filtered Back-projection Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shopa, R. Y.; Klimaszewski, K.; Kowalski, P.; Krzemień, W.; Raczyński, L.; Wiślicki, W.; Białas, P.; Curceanu, C.; Czerwiński, E.; Dulski, K.; Gajos, A.; Głowacz, B.; Gorgol, M.; Hiesmayr, B.; Jasińska, B.; Kisielewska-Kamińska, D.; Korcyl, G.; Kozik, T.; Krawczyk, N.; Kubicz, E.; Mohammed, M.; Pawlik-Niedźwiecka, M.; Niedźwiecki, S.; Pałka, M.; Rudy, Z.; Sharma, N. G.; Sharma, S.; Silarski, M.; Skurzok, M.; Wieczorek, A.; Zgardzińska, B.; Zieliński, M.; Moskal, P.

We present a method and preliminary results of the image reconstruction in the Jagiellonian PET tomograph. Using GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission), interactions of the 511 keV photons with a cylindrical detector were generated. Pairs of such photons, flying back-to-back, originate from e+e- annihilations inside a 1-mm spherical source. Spatial and temporal coordinates of hits were smeared using experimental resolutions of the detector. We incorporated the algorithm of the 3D Filtered Back Projection, implemented in the STIR and TomoPy software packages, which differ in approximation methods. Consistent results for the Point Spread Functions of ~5/7,mm and ~9/20, mm were obtained, using STIR, for transverse and longitudinal directions, respectively, with no time of flight information included.

How does electromagnetic navigation stack up against infrared navigation in minimally invasive total knee arthroplasties?

PubMed

Lionberger, David R; Weise, Jennifer; Ho, David M; Haddad, John L

2008-06-01

Forty-six primary total knee arthroplasties were performed using either an electromagnetic (EM) or infrared (IR) navigation system. In this IRB-approved study, patients were evaluated clinically and for accuracy using spiral computed tomographic imaging and 36-in standing radiographs. Although EM navigation was subject to metal interference, it was not as drastic as line-of-sight interference with IR navigation. Mechanical alignment was ideal in 92.9% of EM and 90.0% of IR cases based on spiral computed tomographic imaging and 100% of EM and 95% of IR cases based on x-ray. Individual measurements of component varus/valgus and sagittal measurements showed EM to be equivalent to IR, with both systems producing subdegree accuracy in 95% of the readings.

A room temperature operating cryogenic cell for in vivo monitoring of dry snow metamorphism by X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calonne, N.; Flin, F.; Lesaffre, B.; Dufour, A.; Roulle, J.; Puglièse, P.; Philip, A.; Lahoucine, F.; Rolland du Roscoat, S.; Geindreau, C.

2013-12-01

Three-dimensional (3D) images of snow offer the possibility of studying snow metamorphism at the grain scale by analysing the time evolution of its complex microstructure. Such images are also particularly useful for providing physical effective properties of snow arising in macroscopic models. In the last 15 years, several experiments have been developed in order to get 3D images of snow by X-ray microtomography. Up to now, two different approaches have been used: a static and an in vivo approach. The static method consists in imaging a snow sample whose structural evolution has been stopped by impregnation and/or very cold temperature conditions. The sample is placed in a cryogenic cell that can operate at the ambient temperature of the tomograph room (e.g. Brzoska et al., 1999, Coléou et al., 2001). The in vivo technique uses a non impregnated sample which continues to undergo structural evolutions and is put in a cell that controls the temperature conditions at the boundaries of the sample. This kind of cell requires a cold environnement and the whole tomographic acquisition process takes place in a cold room (e.g. Schneebeli and Sokratov, 2004, Pinzer and Schneebeli, 2009). The 2nd approach has the major advantage to provide the time evolution of the microstructure of a same snow sample but requires a dedicated cold-room tomographic scanner, whereas the static method can be used with any tomographic scanner operating at ambient conditions. We developed a new in vivo cryogenic cell which benefits from the advantages of each of the above methods: it (1) allows to follow the evolution of the same sample with time and (2) is usable with a wide panel of tomographic scanners provided with large cabin sizes, which has many advantages in terms of speed, resolution, and availability of new technologies. The thermal insulation between the snow sample and the outside is ensured by a double wall vacuum system of thermal conductivity of about 0.0015 Wm-1K-1. An air pumping system is thus permanently active during the experiment. Two Peltier cells are used to regulate the temperature at the top and bottom of the snow sample, allowing to impose the conditions of metamorphism (isothermal, temperature gradient). The snow sample consists of a cylinder of 1 cm radius and 1 cm height. During its positioning into the cryogenic cell, it is protected from the room conditions by a sealed and cold copper sample holder. The whole apparatus (cell, pumping system) is able to rotate of 360° synchronously during the tomographic acquisition. After X-ray tomography and image processing, this cell provides a set of 3D images showing the time evolution of the microstructure of a snow sample during its metamorphism under well-defined imposed conditions. Preliminary results give promising outlooks for the study of snow and firn physical processes. Brzoska, J.-B. and 7 others. 1999. ESRF Newsletter, 32, 22-23. Coléou, C., B. Lesaffre, J.-B. Brzoska, W. Ludwig and E. Boller. 2001. Ann. Glaciol., 32, 75-81. Pinzer, B. and M. Schneebeli. 2009. Meas. Sci. Technol., 20, 095705. Schneebeli, M. and S. A. Sokratov. 2004. Hydrol. Process., 18, 3655 - 3665.

Neural network analysis for geological interpretation of tomographic images beneath the Japan Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwatani, T.; Toriumi, M.

2009-12-01

Recent advances in methodologies of geophysical observations, such as seismic tomography, seismic reflection method and geomagnetic method, provide us a large amount and a wide variety of data for physical properties of a crust and upper mantle (e.g. Matsubara et al. (2008)). However, it has still been difficult to specify a rock type and its physical conditions, mainly because (1) available data usually have a lot of error and uncertainty, and (2) physical properties of rocks are greatly affected by fluid and microstructures. The objective interpretation and quantitative evaluation for lithology and fluid-related structure require the statistical analyses of integrated geophysical and geological data. Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) are unsupervised artificial neural networks that map the input space into clusters in a topological form whose organization is related to trends in the input data (Kohonen 2001). SOMs are powerful neural network techniques to classify and interpret multiattribute data sets. Results of SOM classifications can be represented as 2D images, called feature maps which illustrate the complexity and interrelationships among input data sets. Recently, some works have used SOM in order to interpret multidimensional, non-linear, and highly noised geophysical data for purposes of geological prediction (e.g. Klose 2006; Tselentis et al. 2007; Bauer et al. 2008). This paper describes the application of SOM to the 3D velocity structure beneath the whole Japan islands (e.g. Matsubara et al. 2008). From the obtained feature maps, we can specify the lithology and qualitatively evaluate the effect of fluid-related structures. Moreover, re-projection of feature maps onto the 3D velocity structures resulted in detailed images of the structures within the plates. The Pacific plate and the Philippine Sea plate subducting beneath the Eurasian plate can be imaged more clearly than the original P- and S-wave velocity structures. In order to understand more precise prediction of lithology and its structure, we will use the additional input data sets, such as tomographic images of random velocity fluctuation (Takahashi et al. 2009) and b-value mapping data. Additionally, different kinds of data sets, including the experimental and petrological results (e.g. Christensen 1991; Hacker et al. 2003) can be applied to our analyses.

Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle: a classification system based on computed tomographic appearances.

PubMed

Chen, Min-jie; Yang, Chi; Qiu, Ya-ting; Zhou, Qin; Huang, Dong; Shi, Hui-min

2014-09-01

The objectives of this study were to introduce the classification of osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle based on computed tomographic images and to present our treatment experiences. From January 2002 and December 2012, a total of 61 patients with condylar osteochondroma were treated in our division. Both clinical and radiologic aspects were reviewed. The average follow-up period was 24.3 months with a range of 6 to 120 months. Two types of condylar osteochondroma were presented: type 1 (protruding expansion) in 50 patients (82.0%) and type 2 (globular expansion) in 11 patients (18.0%). Type 1 condylar osteochondroma presented 5 forms: anterior/anteromedial (58%), posterior/posteromedial (6%), medial (16%), lateral (6%), and gigantic (14%). Local resection was performed on patients with type 1 condylar osteochondroma. Subtotal condylectomy/total condylectomy using costochondral graft reconstruction with/without orthognathic surgeries was performed on patients with type 2 condylar osteochondroma. During the follow-up period, tumor reformation, condyle absorption, and new deformity were not detected. The patients almost reattained facial symmetry. Preoperative classification based on computed tomographic images will help surgeons to choose the suitable surgical procedure to treat the condylar osteochondroma.

3D homogeneity study in PMMA layers using a Fourier domain OCT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briones-R., Manuel de J.; Torre-Ibarra, Manuel H. De La; Tavera, Cesar G.; Luna H., Juan M.; Mendoza-Santoyo, Fernando

2016-11-01

Micro-metallic particles embedded in polymers are now widely used in several industrial applications in order to modify the mechanical properties of the bulk. A uniform distribution of these particles inside the polymers is highly desired for instance, when a biological backscattering is simulated or a bio-framework is designed. A 3D Fourier domain optical coherence tomography system to detect the polymer's internal homogeneity is proposed. This optical system has a 2D camera sensor array that records a fringe pattern used to reconstruct with a single shot the tomographic image of the sample. The system gathers the full 3D tomographic and optical phase information during a controlled deformation by means of a motion linear stage. This stage avoids the use of expensive tilting stages, which in addition are commonly controlled by piezo drivers. As proof of principle, a series of different deformations were proposed to detect the uniform or non-uniform internal deposition of copper micro particles. The results are presented as images coming from the 3D tomographic micro reconstruction of the samples, and the 3D optical phase information that identifies the in-homogeneity regions within the Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) volume.

Tomographic assessment of the spine in children with spondylocostal dysotosis syndrome.

PubMed

Kaissi, Ali Al; Klaushofer, Klaus; Grill, Franz

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to perform a detailed tomographic analysis of the skull base, craniocervical junction, and the entire spine in seven patients with spondylocostal dysostosis syndrome. Detailed scanning images have been organized in accordance with the most prominent clinical pathology. The reasons behind plagiocephaly, torticollis, short immobile neck, scoliosis and rigid back have been detected. Radiographic documentation was insufficient modality. Detailed computed tomography scans provided excellent delineation of the osseous abnormality pattern in our patients. This article throws light on the most serious osseous manifestations of spondylocostal dysostosissyndrome.

Analysis of computer images in the presence of metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzmakov, Alexey; Ingacheva, Anastasia; Prun, Victor; Nikolaev, Dmitry; Chukalina, Marina; Ferrero, Claudio; Asadchikov, Victor

2018-04-01

Artifacts caused by intensely absorbing inclusions are encountered in computed tomography via polychromatic scanning and may obscure or simulate pathologies in medical applications. To improve the quality of reconstruction if high-Z inclusions in presence, previously we proposed and tested with synthetic data an iterative technique with soft penalty mimicking linear inequalities on the photon-starved rays. This note reports a test at the tomographic laboratory set-up at the Institute of Crystallography FSRC "Crystallography and Photonics" RAS in which tomographic scans were successfully made of temporary tooth without inclusion and with Pb inclusion.

Experimental and theoretical analysis for improved microscope design of optical projection tomographic microscopy.

PubMed

Coe, Ryan L; Seibel, Eric J

2013-09-01

We present theoretical and experimental results of axial displacement of objects relative to a fixed condenser focal plane (FP) in optical projection tomographic microscopy (OPTM). OPTM produces three-dimensional, reconstructed images of single cells from two-dimensional projections. The cell rotates in a microcapillary to acquire projections from different perspectives where the objective FP is scanned through the cell while the condenser FP remains fixed at the center of the microcapillary. This work uses a combination of experimental and theoretical methods to improve the OPTM instrument design.

Toward regional-scale adjoint tomography in the deep earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Y.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2013-12-01

Thanks to the development of efficient numerical computation methods, such as the Spectral Element Method (SEM) and to the increasing power of computer clusters, it is now possible to obtain regional-scale images of the Earth's interior using adjoint-tomography (e.g. Tape, C., et al., 2009). As for now, these tomographic models are limited to the upper layers of the earth, i.e., they provide us with high-resolution images of the crust and the upper part of the mantle. Given the gigantic amount of calculation it represents, obtaing similar models at the global scale (i.e. images of the entire Earth) seems out of reach at the moment. Furthermore, it's likely that the first generation of such global adjoint tomographic models will have a resolution significantly smaller than the current regional models. In order to image regions of interests in the deep Earth, such as plumes, slabs or large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs), while keeping the computation tractable, we are developing new tools that will allow us to perform regional-scale adjoint-tomography at arbitrary depths. In a recent study (Masson et al., 2013), we showed that a numerical equivalent of the time reversal mirrors used in experimental acoustics permits to confine the wave propagation computations (i.e. using SEM simulations) inside the region to be imaged. With this ability to limit wave propagation modeling inside a region of interest, obtaining the adjoint sensitivity kernels needed for tomographic imaging is only two steps further. First, the local wavefield modeling needs to be coupled with field extrapolation techniques in order to obtain synthetic seismograms at the surface of the earth. These seismograms will account for the 3D structure inside the region of interest in a quasi-exact manner. We will present preliminary results where the field-extrapolation is performed using Green's function computed in a 1D Earth model thanks to the Direct Solution Method (DSM). Once synthetic seismograms can be obtained, it is possible to evaluate the misfit between observed and computed seismograms. The second step will then be to extrapolate the misfit function back into the SEM region in order to compute local adjoint sensitivity kernels. When available, these kernels will allow us to perform regional-scale adjoint tomography at arbitrary locations inside the earth. Masson Y., Cupillard P., Capdeville Y., & Romanowicz B., 2013. On the numerical implementation of time-reversal mirrors for tomographic imaging, Journal of Geophysical Research (under review). Tape, C., et al. (2009). "Adjoint tomography of the southern California crust." Science 325(5943): 988-992.

In vivo bioluminescence tomography based on multi-view projection and 3D surface reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuang; Wang, Kun; Leng, Chengcai; Deng, Kexin; Hu, Yifang; Tian, Jie

2015-03-01

Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a powerful optical molecular imaging modality, which enables non-invasive realtime in vivo imaging as well as 3D quantitative analysis in preclinical studies. In order to solve the inverse problem and reconstruct inner light sources accurately, the prior structural information is commonly necessary and obtained from computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. This strategy requires expensive hybrid imaging system, complicated operation protocol and possible involvement of ionizing radiation. The overall robustness highly depends on the fusion accuracy between the optical and structural information. In this study we present a pure optical bioluminescence tomographic system (POBTS) and a novel BLT method based on multi-view projection acquisition and 3D surface reconstruction. The POBTS acquired a sparse set of white light surface images and bioluminescent images of a mouse. Then the white light images were applied to an approximate surface model to generate a high quality textured 3D surface reconstruction of the mouse. After that we integrated multi-view luminescent images based on the previous reconstruction, and applied an algorithm to calibrate and quantify the surface luminescent flux in 3D.Finally, the internal bioluminescence source reconstruction was achieved with this prior information. A BALB/C mouse with breast tumor of 4T1-fLuc cells mouse model were used to evaluate the performance of the new system and technique. Compared with the conventional hybrid optical-CT approach using the same inverse reconstruction method, the reconstruction accuracy of this technique was improved. The distance error between the actual and reconstructed internal source was decreased by 0.184 mm.

Tomographic image via background subtraction using an x-ray projection image and a priori computed tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Jin; Yi Byongyong; Lasio, Giovanni

Kilovoltage x-ray projection images (kV images for brevity) are increasingly available in image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for patient positioning. These images are two-dimensional (2D) projections of a three-dimensional (3D) object along the x-ray beam direction. Projecting a 3D object onto a plane may lead to ambiguities in the identification of anatomical structures and to poor contrast in kV images. Therefore, the use of kV images in IGRT is mainly limited to bony landmark alignments. This work proposes a novel subtraction technique that isolates a slice of interest (SOI) from a kV image with the assistance of a priori information frommore » a previous CT scan. The method separates structural information within a preselected SOI by suppressing contributions to the unprocessed projection from out-of-SOI-plane structures. Up to a five-fold increase in the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) was observed in selected regions of the isolated SOI, when compared to the original unprocessed kV image. The tomographic image via background subtraction (TIBS) technique aims to provide a quick snapshot of the slice of interest with greatly enhanced image contrast over conventional kV x-ray projections for fast and accurate image guidance of radiation therapy. With further refinements, TIBS could, in principle, provide real-time tumor localization using gantry-mounted x-ray imaging systems without the need for implanted markers.« less

Effect of increasing the sampling interval to 2 seconds on the radiation dose and accuracy of CT perfusion of the head and neck.

PubMed

Tawfik, Ahmed M; Razek, Ahmed A; Elhawary, Galal; Batouty, Nihal M

2014-01-01

To evaluate the effect of increasing the sampling interval from 1 second (1 image per second) to 2 seconds (1 image every 2 seconds) on computed tomographic (CT) perfusion (CTP) of head and neck tumors. Twenty patients underwent CTP studies of head and neck tumors with images acquired in cine mode for 50 seconds using sampling interval of 1 second. Using deconvolution-based software, analysis of CTP was done with sampling interval of 1 second and then 2 seconds. Perfusion maps representing blood flow, blood volume, mean transit time, and permeability surface area product (PS) were obtained. Quantitative tumor CTP values were compared between the 2 sampling intervals. Two blinded radiologists compared the subjective quality of CTP maps using a 3-point scale between the 2 sampling intervals. Radiation dose parameters were recorded for the 2 sampling interval rates. No significant differences were observed between the means of the 4 perfusion parameters generated using both sampling intervals; all P >0.05. The 95% limits of agreement between the 2 sampling intervals were -65.9 to 48.1) mL/min per 100 g for blood flow, -3.6 to 3.1 mL/100 g for blood volume, -2.9 to 3.8 seconds for mean transit time, and -10.0 to 12.5 mL/min per 100 g for PS. There was no significant difference between the subjective quality scores of CTP maps obtained using the 2 sampling intervals; all P > 0.05. Radiation dose was halved when sampling interval increased from 1 to 2 seconds. Increasing the sampling interval rate to 1 image every 2 seconds does not compromise the image quality and has no significant effect on quantitative perfusion parameters of head and neck tumors. The radiation dose is halved.

Nanoscale Fresnel coherent diffraction imaging tomography using ptychography.

PubMed

Peterson, I; Abbey, B; Putkunz, C T; Vine, D J; van Riessen, G A; Cadenazzi, G A; Balaur, E; Ryan, R; Quiney, H M; McNulty, I; Peele, A G; Nugent, K A

2012-10-22

We demonstrate Fresnel Coherent Diffractive Imaging (FCDI) tomography in the X-ray regime. The method uses an incident X-ray illumination with known curvature in combination with ptychography to overcome existing problems in diffraction imaging. The resulting tomographic reconstruction represents a 3D map of the specimen's complex refractive index at nano-scale resolution. We use this technique to image a lithographically fabricated glass capillary, in which features down to 70nm are clearly resolved.

Diagnostic cardiology: Noninvasive imaging techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Come, P.C.

1985-01-01

This book contains 23 chapters. Some of the chapter titles are: The chest x-ray and cardiac series; Computed tomographic scanning of the heart, coronary arteries, and great vessels; Digital subtraction angiography in the assessment of cardiovascular disease; Magnetic resonance: technique and cardiac applications; Basics of radiation physics and instrumentation; and Nuclear imaging: the assessment of cardiac performance.

A Method for Identifying Contours in Processing Digital Images from Computer Tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roşu, Şerban; Pater, Flavius; Costea, Dan; Munteanu, Mihnea; Roşu, Doina; Fratila, Mihaela

2011-09-01

The first step in digital processing of two-dimensional computed tomography images is to identify the contour of component elements. This paper deals with the collective work of specialists in medicine and applied mathematics in computer science on elaborating new algorithms and methods in medical 2D and 3D imagery.

Soil structure characterized using computed tomographic images

Treesearch

Zhanqi Cheng; Stephen H. Anderson; Clark J. Gantzer; J. W. Van Sambeek

2003-01-01

Fractal analysis of soil structure is a relatively new method for quantifying the effects of management systems on soil properties and quality. The objective of this work was to explore several methods of studying images to describe and quantify structure of soils under forest management. This research uses computed tomography and a topological method called Multiple...

Frequency and Relevance of Acute Peritraumatic Pulmonary Thrombus Diagnosed by Computed Tomographic Imaging in Combat Casualties

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

variable. Tourniquet and tranexamic acid (TXA) use before CT imaging were also recorded. Admission temperature and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were...Trauma Data Bank. Ann Surg. 2004;240:490Y498. 11. Morrison JJ, Dubose JJ, Rasmussen TE, Midwinter MJ. Military appli- cation of tranexamic acid in

Tomographic PIV: particles versus blobs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champagnat, Frédéric; Cornic, Philippe; Cheminet, Adam; Leclaire, Benjamin; Le Besnerais, Guy; Plyer, Aurélien

2014-08-01

We present an alternative approach to tomographic particle image velocimetry (tomo-PIV) that seeks to recover nearly single voxel particles rather than blobs of extended size. The baseline of our approach is a particle-based representation of image data. An appropriate discretization of this representation yields an original linear forward model with a weight matrix built with specific samples of the system’s point spread function (PSF). Such an approach requires only a few voxels to explain the image appearance, therefore it favors much more sparsely reconstructed volumes than classic tomo-PIV. The proposed forward model is general and flexible and can be embedded in a classical multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) or a simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (SMART) inversion procedure. We show, using synthetic PIV images and by way of a large exploration of the generating conditions and a variety of performance metrics, that the model leads to better results than the classical tomo-PIV approach, in particular in the case of seeding densities greater than 0.06 particles per pixel and of PSFs characterized by a standard deviation larger than 0.8 pixels.

Ultrasoft x-ray imaging system for the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stutman, D.; Finkenthal, M.; Soukhanovskii, V.; May, M. J.; Moos, H. W.; Kaita, R.

1999-01-01

A spectrally resolved ultrasoft x-ray imaging system, consisting of arrays of high resolution (<2 Å) and throughput (⩾tens of kHz) miniature monochromators, and based on multilayer mirrors and absolute photodiodes, is being designed for the National Spherical Torus Experiment. Initially, three poloidal arrays of diodes filtered for C 1s-np emission will be implemented for fast tomographic imaging of the colder start-up plasmas. Later on, mirrors tuned to the C Lyα emission will be added in order to enable the arrays to "see" the periphery through the hot core and to study magnetohydrodynamic activity and impurity transport in this region. We also discuss possible core diagnostics, based on tomographic imaging of the Lyα emission from the plume of recombined, low Z impurity ions left by neutral beams or fueling pellets. The arrays can also be used for radiated power measurements and to map the distribution of high Z impurities injected for transport studies. The performance of the proposed system is illustrated with results from test channels on the CDX-U spherical torus at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

In vivo tomographic imaging of lung colonization of tumour in mouse with simultaneous fluorescence and X-ray CT.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; Gao, Fuping; Wang, Mengjiao; Cao, Xu; Liu, Fei; Wang, Xin; Luo, Jianwen; Wang, Guangzhi; Bai, Jing

2014-01-01

Non-invasive in vivo imaging of diffuse and wide-spread colonization within the lungs, rather than distinct solid primary tumors, is still a challenging work. In this work, a lung colonization mouse model bearing A549 human lung tumor was simultaneously scanned by a dual-modality fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) system in vivo. A two steps method which incorporates CT structural information into the FMT reconstruction procedure is employed to provide concurrent anatomical and functional information. By using the target-specific fluorescence agent, the fluorescence tomographic results show elevated fluorescence intensity deep within the lungs which is colonized with diffuse and wide-spread tumors. The results were confirmed with ex vivo fluorescence reflectance imaging and histological examination of the lung tissues. With FMT reconstruction combined with the CT information, the dual-modality FMT/micro-CT system is expected to offer sensitive and noninvasive imaging of diffuse tumor colonization within the lungs in vivo. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gynecologic electrical impedance tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korjenevsky, A.; Cherepenin, V.; Trokhanova, O.; Tuykin, T.

2010-04-01

Electrical impedance tomography extends to the new and new areas of the medical diagnostics: lungs, breast, prostate, etc. The feedback from the doctors who use our breast EIT diagnostic system has induced us to develop the 3D electrical impedance imaging device for diagnostics of the cervix of the uterus - gynecologic impedance tomograph (GIT). The device uses the same measuring approach as the breast imaging system: 2D flat array of the electrodes arranged on the probe with handle is placed against the body. Each of the 32 electrodes of the array is connected in turn to the current source while the rest electrodes acquire the potentials on the surface. The current flows through the electrode of the array and returns through the remote electrode placed on the patient's limb. The voltages are measured relative to another remote electrode. The 3D backprojection along equipotential surfaces is used to reconstruct conductivity distribution up to approximately 1 cm in depth. Small number of electrodes enables us to implement real time imaging with a few frames per sec. rate. The device is under initial testing and evaluation of the imaging capabilities and suitability of usage.

An efficient and accurate approach to MTE-MART for time-resolved tomographic PIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynch, K. P.; Scarano, F.

2015-03-01

The motion-tracking-enhanced MART (MTE-MART; Novara et al. in Meas Sci Technol 21:035401, 2010) has demonstrated the potential to increase the accuracy of tomographic PIV by the combined use of a short sequence of non-simultaneous recordings. A clear bottleneck of the MTE-MART technique has been its computational cost. For large datasets comprising time-resolved sequences, MTE-MART becomes unaffordable and has been barely applied even for the analysis of densely seeded tomographic PIV datasets. A novel implementation is proposed for tomographic PIV image sequences, which strongly reduces the computational burden of MTE-MART, possibly below that of regular MART. The method is a sequential algorithm that produces a time-marching estimation of the object intensity field based on an enhanced guess, which is built upon the object reconstructed at the previous time instant. As the method becomes effective after a number of snapshots (typically 5-10), the sequential MTE-MART (SMTE) is most suited for time-resolved sequences. The computational cost reduction due to SMTE simply stems from the fewer MART iterations required for each time instant. Moreover, the method yields superior reconstruction quality and higher velocity field measurement precision when compared with both MART and MTE-MART. The working principle is assessed in terms of computational effort, reconstruction quality and velocity field accuracy with both synthetic time-resolved tomographic images of a turbulent boundary layer and two experimental databases documented in the literature. The first is the time-resolved data of flow past an airfoil trailing edge used in the study of Novara and Scarano (Exp Fluids 52:1027-1041, 2012); the second is a swirling jet in a water flow. In both cases, the effective elimination of ghost particles is demonstrated in number and intensity within a short temporal transient of 5-10 frames, depending on the seeding density. The increased value of the velocity space-time correlation coefficient demonstrates the increased velocity field accuracy of SMTE compared with MART.

High resolution and sensitivity infrared tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fillard, J. P.; Montgomery, P. C.; Gall, P.; Castagné, M.; Bonnafé, J.

1990-06-01

Laser scanning tomography was proposed some years ago by Ogawa and coworkers as a qualification test for semiconductor materials. From that time on, this technique has been used profitably to obtain images of internal defect distributions in III-V compounds as well as in II-VI compounds or even in silicon. These images especially reveal micro precipitates (e.g. decorated dislocations) distributed in the volume of the bulk material. Previously images sale were adapted to wafer examination (centimeter scale) but it appeared later that a major interest was to improve the resolution down to the microscopical range in order to investigate smaller zones and, above all, thinner sections. Nevertheless there is a limitation in the range of 10 μm for the minimum thickness of LST planes and this drawback prevents the using of this technique in the analysis of thin epilayers or structures. In this paper the emphasis is put on the fundamental and practical limits of the resolution, contrast and detectivity. Special optical arrangements will be suggested to reach the best specifications. Other possible dark field scattering tomographical microscopy methods have been evaluated and will be comparatively discussed in the light of preliminary results. Typical results relative to III-V compounds as well as silicon will be presented and quantitative specifications of the methods will be compared.

Technical Note: Synchrotron-based high-energy x-ray phase sensitive microtomography for biomedical research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Huiqiang; Wu, Xizeng, E-mail: xwu@uabmc.edu, E-mail: tqxiao@sinap.ac.cn; Xiao, Tiqiao, E-mail: xwu@uabmc.edu, E-mail: tqxiao@sinap.ac.cn

Purpose: Propagation-based phase-contrast CT (PPCT) utilizes highly sensitive phase-contrast technology applied to x-ray microtomography. Performing phase retrieval on the acquired angular projections can enhance image contrast and enable quantitative imaging. In this work, the authors demonstrate the validity and advantages of a novel technique for high-resolution PPCT by using the generalized phase-attenuation duality (PAD) method of phase retrieval. Methods: A high-resolution angular projection data set of a fish head specimen was acquired with a monochromatic 60-keV x-ray beam. In one approach, the projection data were directly used for tomographic reconstruction. In two other approaches, the projection data were preprocessed bymore » phase retrieval based on either the linearized PAD method or the generalized PAD method. The reconstructed images from all three approaches were then compared in terms of tissue contrast-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution. Results: The authors’ experimental results demonstrated the validity of the PPCT technique based on the generalized PAD-based method. In addition, the results show that the authors’ technique is superior to the direct PPCT technique as well as the linearized PAD-based PPCT technique in terms of their relative capabilities for tissue discrimination and characterization. Conclusions: This novel PPCT technique demonstrates great potential for biomedical imaging, especially for applications that require high spatial resolution and limited radiation exposure.« less

Techniques of noninvasive optical tomographic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Joseph; Abookasis, David; Gokhler, Mark

2006-01-01

Recently invented methods of optical tomographic imaging through scattering and absorbing media are presented. In one method, the three-dimensional structure of an object hidden between two biological tissues is recovered from many noisy speckle pictures obtained on the output of a multi-channeled optical imaging system. Objects are recovered from many speckled images observed by a digital camera through two stereoscopic microlens arrays. Each microlens in each array generates a speckle image of the object buried between the layers. In the computer each image is Fourier transformed jointly with an image of the speckled point-like source captured under the same conditions. A set of the squared magnitudes of the Fourier-transformed pictures is accumulated to form a single average picture. This final picture is again Fourier transformed, resulting in the three-dimensional reconstruction of the hidden object. In the other method, the effect of spatial longitudinal coherence is used for imaging through an absorbing layer with different thickness, or different index of refraction, along the layer. The technique is based on synthesis of multiple peak spatial degree of coherence. This degree of coherence enables us to scan simultaneously different sample points on different altitudes, and thus decreases the acquisition time. The same multi peak degree of coherence is also used for imaging through the absorbing layer. Our entire experiments are performed with a quasi-monochromatic light source. Therefore problems of dispersion and inhomogeneous absorption are avoided.

ACOUSTICAL IMAGING AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOFT ROCK AND MARINE SEDIMENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thurman E. Scott, Jr., Ph.D.; Younane Abousleiman, Ph.D.; Musharraf Zaman, Ph.D., P.E.

2002-11-18

During the sixth quarter of this research project the research team developed a method and the experimental procedures for acquiring the data needed for ultrasonic tomography of rock core samples under triaxial stress conditions as outlined in Task 10. Traditional triaxial compression experiments, where compressional and shear wave velocities are measured, provide little or no information about the internal spatial distribution of mechanical damage within the sample. The velocities measured between platen-to-platen or sensor-to-sensor reflects an averaging of all the velocities occurring along that particular raypath across the boundaries of the rock. The research team is attempting to develop andmore » refine a laboratory equivalent of seismic tomography for use on rock samples deformed under triaxial stress conditions. Seismic tomography, utilized for example in crosswell tomography, allows an imaging of the velocities within a discrete zone within the rock. Ultrasonic or acoustic tomography is essentially the extension of that field technology applied to rock samples deforming in the laboratory at high pressures. This report outlines the technical steps and procedures for developing this technology for use on weak, soft chalk samples. Laboratory tests indicate that the chalk samples exhibit major changes in compressional and shear wave velocities during compaction. Since chalk is the rock type responsible for the severe subsidence and compaction in the North Sea it was selected for the first efforts at tomographic imaging of soft rocks. Field evidence from the North Sea suggests that compaction, which has resulted in over 30 feet of subsidence to date, is heterogeneously distributed within the reservoir. The research team will attempt to image this very process in chalk samples. The initial tomographic studies (Scott et al., 1994a,b; 1998) were accomplished on well cemented, competent rocks such as Berea sandstone. The extension of the technology to weaker samples is more difficult but potentially much more rewarding. The chalk, since it is a weak material, also attenuates wave propagation more than other rock types. Three different types of sensors were considered (and tested) for the tomographic imaging project: 600 KHz PZT, 1 MHz PZT, and PVDF film sensors. 600 KHz PZT crystals were selected because they generated a sufficiently high amplitude pulse to propagate across the damaged chalk. A number of different configurations were considered for placement of the acoustic arrays. It was decided after preliminary testing that the most optimum arrangement of the acoustic sensors was to place three arrays of sensors, with each array containing twenty sensors, around the sample. There would be two horizontal arrays to tomographically image two circular cross-sectional planes through the rock core sample. A third array would be vertically oriented to provide a vertical cross-sectional view of the sample. A total of 260 acoustic raypaths would be shot and acquired in the horizontal acoustic array to create each horizontal tomographic image. The sensors can be used as both acoustic sources or as acoustic each of the 10 pulsers to the 10 receivers.« less

Time-Dependent Computed Tomographic Perfusion Thresholds for Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

PubMed

d'Esterre, Christopher D; Boesen, Mari E; Ahn, Seong Hwan; Pordeli, Pooneh; Najm, Mohamed; Minhas, Priyanka; Davari, Paniz; Fainardi, Enrico; Rubiera, Marta; Khaw, Alexander V; Zini, Andrea; Frayne, Richard; Hill, Michael D; Demchuk, Andrew M; Sajobi, Tolulope T; Forkert, Nils D; Goyal, Mayank; Lee, Ting Y; Menon, Bijoy K

2015-12-01

Among patients with acute ischemic stroke, we determine computed tomographic perfusion (CTP) thresholds associated with follow-up infarction at different stroke onset-to-CTP and CTP-to-reperfusion times. Acute ischemic stroke patients with occlusion on computed tomographic angiography were acutely imaged with CTP. Noncontrast computed tomography and magnectic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging between 24 and 48 hours were used to delineate follow-up infarction. Reperfusion was assessed on conventional angiogram or 4-hour repeat computed tomographic angiography. Tmax, cerebral blood flow, and cerebral blood volume derived from delay-insensitive CTP postprocessing were analyzed using receiver-operator characteristic curves to derive optimal thresholds for combined patient data (pooled analysis) and individual patients (patient-level analysis) based on time from stroke onset-to-CTP and CTP-to-reperfusion. One-way ANOVA and locally weighted scatterplot smoothing regression was used to test whether the derived optimal CTP thresholds were different by time. One hundred and thirty-two patients were included. Tmax thresholds of >16.2 and >15.8 s and absolute cerebral blood flow thresholds of <8.9 and <7.4 mL·min(-1)·100 g(-1) were associated with infarct if reperfused <90 min from CTP with onset <180 min. The discriminative ability of cerebral blood volume was modest. No statistically significant relationship was noted between stroke onset-to-CTP time and the optimal CTP thresholds for all parameters based on discrete or continuous time analysis (P>0.05). A statistically significant relationship existed between CTP-to-reperfusion time and the optimal thresholds for cerebral blood flow (P<0.001; r=0.59 and 0.77 for gray and white matter, respectively) and Tmax (P<0.001; r=-0.68 and -0.60 for gray and white matter, respectively) parameters. Optimal CTP thresholds associated with follow-up infarction depend on time from imaging to reperfusion. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Total variation iterative constraint algorithm for limited-angle tomographic reconstruction of non-piecewise-constant structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krauze, W.; Makowski, P.; Kujawińska, M.

2015-06-01

Standard tomographic algorithms applied to optical limited-angle tomography result in the reconstructions that have highly anisotropic resolution and thus special algorithms are developed. State of the art approaches utilize the Total Variation (TV) minimization technique. These methods give very good results but are applicable to piecewise constant structures only. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for 3D limited-angle tomography - Total Variation Iterative Constraint method (TVIC) which enhances the applicability of the TV regularization to non-piecewise constant samples, like biological cells. This approach consists of two parts. First, the TV minimization is used as a strong regularizer to create a sharp-edged image converted to a 3D binary mask which is then iteratively applied in the tomographic reconstruction as a constraint in the object domain. In the present work we test the method on a synthetic object designed to mimic basic structures of a living cell. For simplicity, the test reconstructions were performed within the straight-line propagation model (SIRT3D solver from the ASTRA Tomography Toolbox), but the strategy is general enough to supplement any algorithm for tomographic reconstruction that supports arbitrary geometries of plane-wave projection acquisition. This includes optical diffraction tomography solvers. The obtained reconstructions present resolution uniformity and general shape accuracy expected from the TV regularization based solvers, but keeping the smooth internal structures of the object at the same time. Comparison between three different patterns of object illumination arrangement show very small impact of the projection acquisition geometry on the image quality.

Multislice coronary computed tomographic angiography in emergency department presentations of unsuspected acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Hecht, Harvey S; Bhatti, Tandeep

2009-01-01

Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is not indicated in the setting of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department (ED). Nonetheless, acute coronary syndromes may have atypical presentations, and CCTA may be inadvertently performed in this setting. This study was designed to determine the frequency and characteristics of CCTA imaging of unsuspected acute myocardial infarction in the ED. All CCTAs performed in the ED at Lenox Hill Hospital were reviewed for clinical indications and subsequent course; patients with documented acute myocardial infarction were identified. Of the 500 CCTAs performed on ED patients in the Lenox Hill laboratory, 5 patients (1%) were imaged during the initial phase of an unsuspected acute myocardial infarction; in all cases the CCTAs were key to the diagnosis. The imaging characteristics were (1) total or subtotal occlusion and (2) transmural hypodensity in the infarct area. Although acute myocardial infarction on CCTA in ED patients is an infrequent event, proper and prompt recognition is critical for appropriate patient care, particularly as applications to the ED increase.

Prototype of a Muon Tomography Station with GEM detectors for Detection of Shielded Nuclear Contraband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staib, Michael; Bhopatkar, Vallary; Bittner, William; Hohlmann, Marcus; Locke, Judson; Twigger, Jessie; Gnanvo, Kondo

2012-03-01

Muon tomography for homeland security aims at detecting well-shielded nuclear contraband in cargo and imaging it in 3D. The technique exploits multiple scattering of atmospheric cosmic ray muons, which is stronger in dense, high-Z materials, e.g. enriched uranium, than in low-Z and medium-Z shielding materials. We have constructed and are operating a compact Muon Tomography Station (MTS) that tracks muons with eight 30 cm x 30 cm Triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors placed on the sides of a cubic-foot imaging volume. A point-of-closest-approach algorithm applied to reconstructed incident and exiting tracks is used to create a tomographic reconstruction of the material within the active volume. We discuss the performance of this MTS prototype including characterization and commissioning of the GEM detectors and the data acquisition systems. We also present experimental tomographic images of small high-Z objects including depleted uranium with and without shielding and discuss the performance of material discrimination using this method.

Tomographic data fusion with CFD simulations associated with a planar sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Liu, S.; Sun, S.; Zhou, W.; Schlaberg, I. H. I.; Wang, M.; Yan, Y.

2017-04-01

Tomographic techniques have great abilities to interrogate the combustion processes, especially when it is combined with the physical models of the combustion itself. In this study, a data fusion algorithm is developed to investigate the flame distribution of a swirl-induced environmental (EV) burner, a new type of burner for low NOx combustion. An electric capacitance tomography (ECT) system is used to acquire 3D flame images and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to calculate an initial distribution of the temperature profile for the EV burner. Experiments were also carried out to visualize flames at a series of locations above the burner. While the ECT images essentially agree with the CFD temperature distribution, discrepancies exist at a certain height. When data fusion is applied, the discrepancy is visibly reduced and the ECT images are improved. The methods used in this study can lead to a new route where combustion visualization can be much improved and applied to clean energy conversion and new burner development.

Neural network analysis of crosshole tomographic images: The seismic signature of gas hydrate bearing sediments in the Mackenzie Delta (NW Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, K.; Pratt, R. G.; Haberland, C.; Weber, M.

2008-10-01

Crosshole seismic experiments were conducted to study the in-situ properties of gas hydrate bearing sediments (GHBS) in the Mackenzie Delta (NW Canada). Seismic tomography provided images of P velocity, anisotropy, and attenuation. Self-organizing maps (SOM) are powerful neural network techniques to classify and interpret multi-attribute data sets. The coincident tomographic images are translated to a set of data vectors in order to train a Kohonen layer. The total gradient of the model vectors is determined for the trained SOM and a watershed segmentation algorithm is used to visualize and map the lithological clusters with well-defined seismic signatures. Application to the Mallik data reveals four major litho-types: (1) GHBS, (2) sands, (3) shale/coal interlayering, and (4) silt. The signature of seismic P wave characteristics distinguished for the GHBS (high velocities, strong anisotropy and attenuation) is new and can be used for new exploration strategies to map and quantify gas hydrates.

Singular value decomposition: a diagnostic tool for ill-posed inverse problems in optical computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanen, Theo A.; Watt, David W.

1995-10-01

Singular value decomposition has served as a diagnostic tool in optical computed tomography by using its capability to provide insight into the condition of ill-posed inverse problems. Various tomographic geometries are compared to one another through the singular value spectrum of their weight matrices. The number of significant singular values in the singular value spectrum of a weight matrix is a quantitative measure of the condition of the system of linear equations defined by a tomographic geometery. The analysis involves variation of the following five parameters, characterizing a tomographic geometry: 1) the spatial resolution of the reconstruction domain, 2) the number of views, 3) the number of projection rays per view, 4) the total observation angle spanned by the views, and 5) the selected basis function. Five local basis functions are considered: the square pulse, the triangle, the cubic B-spline, the Hanning window, and the Gaussian distribution. Also items like the presence of noise in the views, the coding accuracy of the weight matrix, as well as the accuracy of the accuracy of the singular value decomposition procedure itself are assessed.

Experimentally enhanced model-based deconvolution of propagation-based phase-contrast data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichotka, M.; Palma, K.; Hasn, S.; Jakubek, J.; Vavrik, D.

2016-12-01

In recent years phase-contrast has become a much investigated modality in radiographic imaging. The radiographic setups employed in phase-contrast imaging are typically rather costly and complex, e.g. high performance Talbot-Laue interferometers operated at synchrotron light sources. In-line phase-contrast imaging states the most pedestrian approach towards phase-contrast enhancement. Utilizing small angle deflection within the imaged sample and the entailed interference of the deflected and un-deflected beam during spatial propagation, in-line phase-contrast imaging only requires a well collimated X-ray source with a high contrast & high resolution detector. Employing high magnification the above conditions are intrinsically fulfilled in cone-beam micro-tomography. As opposed of 2D imaging, where contrast enhancement is generally considered beneficial, in tomographic modalities the in-line phase-contrast effect can be quite a nuisance since it renders the inverse problem posed by tomographic reconstruction inconsistent, thus causing reconstruction artifacts. We present an experimentally enhanced model-based approach to disentangle absorption and in-line phase-contrast. The approach employs comparison of transmission data to a system model computed iteratively on-line. By comparison of the forward model to absorption data acquired in continuous rotation strong local deviations of the data residual are successively identified as likely candidates for in-line phase-contrast. By inducing minimal vibrations (few mrad) to the sample around the peaks of such deviations the transmission signal can be decomposed into a constant absorptive fraction and an oscillating signal caused by phase-contrast which again allows to generate separate maps for absorption and phase-contrast. The contributions of phase-contrast and the corresponding artifacts are subsequently removed from the tomographic dataset. In principle, if a 3D handling of the sample is available, this method also allows to track discontinuities throughout the volume and therefore states a powerful tool in 3D defectoscopy.

Towards Crustal Structure of Java Island (Sunda Arc) from Ambient Seismic Noise Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyantoro, Sri; Zulhan, Zulfakriza; Martha, Agustya; Saygin, Erdinc; Cummins, Phil

2015-04-01

In our previous studies, P- and S-wave velocity structures beneath the Sunda Arc were successfully imaged using a global data set and a nested regional-global tomographic method was employed. To obtain more detailed P- and S-wave velocity structures beneath Java, in the central part of the Sunda Arc, we then used local data sets, i.e. newline from the MErapi AMphibious EXperiment (MERAMEX) and the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (MCGA), as well as employed a double-difference technique for tomographic imaging. The results of the imaging show e.g. that P- and S-wave velocities are significantly reduced in the uppermost mantle beneath central Java. In order to obtain detailed crustal structure information beneath Java, the Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) method was used. The application of this method to the MERAMEX data has produced a good crustal model beneath central Java. We continue our experiment to image crustal structure of eastern Java. We have used seismic waveform data recorded by 22 MCGA stationary seismographic stations and 25 portable seismographs installed for 2 to 8 weeks. The data were processed to obtain waveforms of cross-correlated noise between pairs of seismographic stations. Our preliminary results presented here indicate that the Kendeng zone, an area of low gravity anomaly, is associated with a low velocity zone. On the other hand, the southern mountain range, which has a high gravity anomaly, is related to a high velocity anomaly (as shown by our tomographic images). In future work we will install more seismographic stations in eastern Java as well as in western Java to conduct ANT imaging for the whole of Java Island. The expected result combined with the mantle velocity models resulting from our body wave tomography will allow for accurate location of earthquake hypocenters and determination of regional tectonic structures. Both of these are valuable for understanding seismic hazard in Java, the most densely populated island in the world.

4D imaging and quantification of pore structure modifications inside natural building stones by means of high resolution X-ray CT.

PubMed

Dewanckele, J; De Kock, T; Boone, M A; Cnudde, V; Brabant, L; Boone, M N; Fronteau, G; Van Hoorebeke, L; Jacobs, P

2012-02-01

Weathering processes have been studied in detail for many natural building stones. The most commonly used analytical techniques in these studies are thin-section petrography, SEM, XRD and XRF. Most of these techniques are valuable for chemical and mineralogical analysis of the weathering patterns. However, to obtain crucial quantitative information on structural evolutions like porosity changes and growth of weathering crusts in function of time, non-destructive techniques become necessary. In this study, a Belgian historical calcareous sandstone, the Lede stone, was exposed to gaseous SO(2) under wet surface conditions according to the European Standard NBN EN 13919 (2003). Before, during and after the strong acid test, high resolution X-ray tomography has been performed to visualize gypsum crust formation to yield a better insight into the effects of gaseous SO(2) on the pore modification in 3D. The tomographic scans were taken at the Centre for X-ray Tomography at Ghent University (UGCT). With the aid of image analysis, partial porosity changes were calculated in different stadia of the process. Increasing porosity has been observed visually and quantitatively below the new superficial formed layer of gypsum crystals. In some cases micro-cracks and dissolution zones were detected on the grain boundaries of quartz. By using Morpho+, an in-house developed image analysis program, radial porosity, partial porosity, ratio of open and closed porosity and equivalent diameter of individual pore structures have been calculated. The results obtained in this study are promising for a better understanding of gypsum weathering mechanisms, porosity changes and patterns on natural building stones in four dimensions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Heat Treatment of Nickel-Titanium Rotary Endodontic Instruments on Apical Preparation: A Micro-Computed Tomographic Study.

PubMed

de Almeida, Bernardo Corrêa; Ormiga, Fabíola; de Araújo, Marcos César Pimenta; Lopes, Ricardo Tadeu; Lima, Inayá Corrêa Barbosa; dos Santos, Bernardo Camargo; Gusman, Heloisa

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to make a 3-dimensional comparison of the canal transportation and changes in apical geometry using micro-computed tomographic imaging after canal preparation with K3 (SybronEndo, Orange, CA) and K3XF (SybronEndo) file systems. Twenty-eight mandibular molars were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the rotary system used in instrumentation: K3 or K3XF. The specimens were scanned by micro-computed tomographic imaging before and after instrumentation. Images before and after instrumentation from each group were compared with regard to canal volume, surface area, and structure model index (SMI) (paired t test, P < .05). After instrumentation, the canals from each group were compared regarding the changes in volume, surface area, SMI, and canal transportation in the last 4 apical mm (t test, P < .05). Instrumentation with the 2 rotary systems significantly changed the canal volume, surface area, and SMI (P < .05). There were no significant differences between instrument types concerning these parameters (P > .05). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regard to canal transportation in the last 4 apical mm (P > .05). Both rotary systems showed adequate canal preparations with reduced values of canal transportation. Heat treatment did not influence changes in root canal geometry in the apical region. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical multiphoton FLIM tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Karsten

2012-03-01

This paper gives an overview on current clinical high resolution multiphoton fluorescence lifetime imaging in volunteers and patients. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) in Life Sciences was introduced in Jena/Germany in 1988/89 based on a ZEISS confocal picosecond dye laser scanning microscope equipped with a single photon counting unit. The porphyrin distribution in living cells and living tumor-bearing mice was studied with high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. Ten years later, time-gated cameras were employed to detect dental caries in volunteers based on one-photon excitation of autofluorescent bacteria with long fluorescence lifetimes. Nowadays, one-photon FLIM based on picosecond VIS laser diodes are used to study ocular diseases in humans. Already one decade ago, first clinical twophoton FLIM images in humans were taken with the certified clinical multiphoton femtosecond laser tomograph DermaInspectTM. Multiphoton tomographs with FLIM modules are now operating in hospitals at Brisbane, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, London, Modena and other European cities. Multiple FLIM detectors allow spectral FLIM with a temporal resolution down to 20 ps (MCP) / 250 ps (PMT) and a spectral resolution of 10 nm. Major FLIM applications include the detection of intradermal sunscreen and tattoo nanoparticles, the detection of different melanin types, the early diagnosis of dermatitis and malignant melanoma, as well as the measurement of therapeutic effects in pateints suffering from dermatitis. So far, more than 1,000 patients and volunteers have been investigated with the clinical multiphoton FLIM tomographs DermaInspectTM and MPTflexTM.

Effect of Donepezil on Wernicke Aphasia After Bilateral Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction: Subtraction Analysis of Brain F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomographic Images.

PubMed

Yoon, Seo Yeon; Kim, Je-Kyung; An, Young-Sil; Kim, Yong Wook

2015-01-01

Aphasia is one of the most common neurologic deficits occurring after stroke. Although the speech-language therapy is a mainstream option for poststroke aphasia, pharmacotherapy is recently being tried to modulate different neurotransmitter systems. However, the efficacy of those treatments is still controversial. We present a case of a 53-year-old female patient with Wernicke aphasia, after the old infarction in the territory of left middle cerebral artery for 8 years and the recent infarction in the right middle cerebral artery for 4 months. On the initial evaluation, the Aphasia Quotient in Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery was 25.6 of 100. Baseline brain F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic images demonstrated a decreased cerebral metabolism in the left temporoparietal area and right temporal lobe. Donepezil hydrochloride, a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, was orally administered 5 mg/d for 6 weeks after the initial evaluation and was increased to 10 mg/d for the following 6 weeks. After the donepezil treatment, the patient showed improvement in language function, scoring 51.0 of 100 on Aphasia Quotient. A subtraction analysis of the brain F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic images after donepezil medication demonstrated increased uptake in both middle temporal gyri, extended to the occipital area and the left cerebellum. Thus, we suggest that donepezil can be an effective therapeutic choice for the treatment of Wernicke aphasia.

Rapid tomographic reconstruction based on machine learning for time-resolved combustion diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tao; Cai, Weiwei; Liu, Yingzheng

2018-04-01

Optical tomography has attracted surged research efforts recently due to the progress in both the imaging concepts and the sensor and laser technologies. The high spatial and temporal resolutions achievable by these methods provide unprecedented opportunity for diagnosis of complicated turbulent combustion. However, due to the high data throughput and the inefficiency of the prevailing iterative methods, the tomographic reconstructions which are typically conducted off-line are computationally formidable. In this work, we propose an efficient inversion method based on a machine learning algorithm, which can extract useful information from the previous reconstructions and build efficient neural networks to serve as a surrogate model to rapidly predict the reconstructions. Extreme learning machine is cited here as an example for demonstrative purpose simply due to its ease of implementation, fast learning speed, and good generalization performance. Extensive numerical studies were performed, and the results show that the new method can dramatically reduce the computational time compared with the classical iterative methods. This technique is expected to be an alternative to existing methods when sufficient training data are available. Although this work is discussed under the context of tomographic absorption spectroscopy, we expect it to be useful also to other high speed tomographic modalities such as volumetric laser-induced fluorescence and tomographic laser-induced incandescence which have been demonstrated for combustion diagnostics.

Rapid tomographic reconstruction based on machine learning for time-resolved combustion diagnostics.

PubMed

Yu, Tao; Cai, Weiwei; Liu, Yingzheng

2018-04-01

Optical tomography has attracted surged research efforts recently due to the progress in both the imaging concepts and the sensor and laser technologies. The high spatial and temporal resolutions achievable by these methods provide unprecedented opportunity for diagnosis of complicated turbulent combustion. However, due to the high data throughput and the inefficiency of the prevailing iterative methods, the tomographic reconstructions which are typically conducted off-line are computationally formidable. In this work, we propose an efficient inversion method based on a machine learning algorithm, which can extract useful information from the previous reconstructions and build efficient neural networks to serve as a surrogate model to rapidly predict the reconstructions. Extreme learning machine is cited here as an example for demonstrative purpose simply due to its ease of implementation, fast learning speed, and good generalization performance. Extensive numerical studies were performed, and the results show that the new method can dramatically reduce the computational time compared with the classical iterative methods. This technique is expected to be an alternative to existing methods when sufficient training data are available. Although this work is discussed under the context of tomographic absorption spectroscopy, we expect it to be useful also to other high speed tomographic modalities such as volumetric laser-induced fluorescence and tomographic laser-induced incandescence which have been demonstrated for combustion diagnostics.

Computed tomographic atlas for the new international lymph node map for lung cancer: A radiation oncologist perspective.

PubMed

Lynch, Rod; Pitson, Graham; Ball, David; Claude, Line; Sarrut, David

2013-01-01

To develop a reproducible definition for each mediastinal lymph node station based on the new TNM classification for lung cancer. This paper proposes an atlas using the new international lymph node map used in the seventh edition of the TNM classification for lung cancer. Four radiation oncologists and 1 diagnostic radiologist were involved in the project to put forward a reproducible radiologic description for the lung lymph node stations. The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer lymph node definitions for stations 1 to 11 have been described and illustrated on axial computed tomographic scan images using a certified radiotherapy planning system. This atlas will assist both diagnostic radiologists and radiation oncologists in accurately defining the lymph node stations on computed tomographic scan in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Xiaoqi; Yao, Lei; Xi, Lei

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of functional photoacoustic tomography (fPAT) for high resolution detection and characterization of breast cancer and to demonstrate for the first time quantitative hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation images of breasts that were formed with model-based reconstruction of tomographic photoacoustic data. Methods: The study was HIPAA compliant and was approved by the university institutional review board. Written informed consents were obtained from all the participants. Ten cases, including six cancer and four healthy (mean age = 50 yr; age range = 41–66 yr), were examined. Functional images of breast tissue including absolute total hemoglobin concentration (Hb{submore » T}) and oxygen saturation (StO{sub 2}%) were obtained by fPAT and cross validated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) readings and/or histopathology. Results: Hb{sub T} and StO{sub 2}% maps from all six pathology-confirmed cancer cases (60%) show clear detection of tumor, while MR images indicate clear detection of tumor for five of six cancer cases; one small tumor was read as near-complete-resolution by MRI. The average Hb{sub T} and StO{sub 2}% value of suspicious lesion area for the cancer cases was 61.6 ± 18.9 μM/l and 67.5% ± 5.2% compared to 25.6 ± 7.4 μM/l and 65.2% ± 3.8% for background normal tissue. Conclusions: fPAT has the potential to be a significant add-on in breast cancer detection and characterization as it provides submillimeter resolution functional images of breast lesions.« less

A joint estimation detection of Glaucoma progression in 3D spectral domain optical coherence tomography optic nerve head images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belghith, Akram; Bowd, Christopher; Weinreb, Robert N.; Zangwill, Linda M.

2014-03-01

Glaucoma is an ocular disease characterized by distinctive changes in the optic nerve head (ONH) and visual field. Glaucoma can strike without symptoms and causes blindness if it remains without treatment. Therefore, early disease detection is important so that treatment can be initiated and blindness prevented. In this context, important advances in technology for non-invasive imaging of the eye have been made providing quantitative tools to measure structural changes in ONH topography, an essential element for glaucoma detection and monitoring. 3D spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), an optical imaging technique, has been commonly used to discriminate glaucomatous from healthy subjects. In this paper, we present a new framework for detection of glaucoma progression using 3D SD-OCT images. In contrast to previous works that the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurement provided by commercially available spectral-domain optical coherence tomograph, we consider the whole 3D volume for change detection. To integrate a priori knowledge and in particular the spatial voxel dependency in the change detection map, we propose the use of the Markov Random Field to handle a such dependency. To accommodate the presence of false positive detection, the estimated change detection map is then used to classify a 3D SDOCT image into the "non-progressing" and "progressing" glaucoma classes, based on a fuzzy logic classifier. We compared the diagnostic performance of the proposed framework to existing methods of progression detection.

A joint estimation detection of Glaucoma progression in 3D spectral domain optical coherence tomography optic nerve head images.

PubMed

Belghith, Akram; Bowd, Christopher; Weinreb, Robert N; Zangwill, Linda M

2014-03-18

Glaucoma is an ocular disease characterized by distinctive changes in the optic nerve head (ONH) and visual field. Glaucoma can strike without symptoms and causes blindness if it remains without treatment. Therefore, early disease detection is important so that treatment can be initiated and blindness prevented. In this context, important advances in technology for non-invasive imaging of the eye have been made providing quantitative tools to measure structural changes in ONH topography, an essential element for glaucoma detection and monitoring. 3D spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), an optical imaging technique, has been commonly used to discriminate glaucomatous from healthy subjects. In this paper, we present a new framework for detection of glaucoma progression using 3D SD-OCT images. In contrast to previous works that the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurement provided by commercially available spectral-domain optical coherence tomograph, we consider the whole 3D volume for change detection. To integrate a priori knowledge and in particular the spatial voxel dependency in the change detection map, we propose the use of the Markov Random Field to handle a such dependency. To accommodate the presence of false positive detection, the estimated change detection map is then used to classify a 3D SDOCT image into the "non-progressing" and "progressing" glaucoma classes, based on a fuzzy logic classifier. We compared the diagnostic performance of the proposed framework to existing methods of progression detection.

Solving the inverse scattering problem in reflection-mode dynamic speckle-field phase microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Renjie; So, Peter T. C.; Yaqoob, Zahid; Jin, Di; Hosseini, Poorya; Kuang, Cuifang; Singh, Vijay Raj; Kim, Yang-Hyo; Dasari, Ramachandra R.

2017-02-01

Most of the quantitative phase microscopy systems are unable to provide depth-resolved information for measuring complex biological structures. Optical diffraction tomography provides a non-trivial solution to it by 3D reconstructing the object with multiple measurements through different ways of realization. Previously, our lab developed a reflection-mode dynamic speckle-field phase microscopy (DSPM) technique, which can be used to perform depth resolved measurements in a single shot. Thus, this system is suitable for measuring dynamics in a layer of interest in the sample. DSPM can be also used for tomographic imaging, which promises to solve the long-existing "missing cone" problem in 3D imaging. However, the 3D imaging theory for this type of system has not been developed in the literature. Recently, we have developed an inverse scattering model to rigorously describe the imaging physics in DSPM. Our model is based on the diffraction tomography theory and the speckle statistics. Using our model, we first precisely calculated the defocus response and the depth resolution in our system. Then, we further calculated the 3D coherence transfer function to link the 3D object structural information with the axially scanned imaging data. From this transfer function, we found that in the reflection mode excellent sectioning effect exists in the low lateral spatial frequency region, thus allowing us to solve the "missing cone" problem. Currently, we are working on using this coherence transfer function to reconstruct layered structures and complex cells.

A Detailed Study of Sonar Tomographic Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

BPA ) to form an object image. As the data is collected radially about the axis of rotation, one computation method computes an inverse Fourier...images are not quite as sharp. It is concluded UNCLASSIFIED iii DSTO–RR–0394 UNCLASSIFIED that polar BPA processing requires an appropriate choice of...attenuation factor to reduce the effect of the specular reflections, while for the 2DIFT BPA approach the degrading effect from these reflections is

Chest CT window settings with multiscale adaptive histogram equalization: pilot study.

PubMed

Fayad, Laura M; Jin, Yinpeng; Laine, Andrew F; Berkmen, Yahya M; Pearson, Gregory D; Freedman, Benjamin; Van Heertum, Ronald

2002-06-01

Multiscale adaptive histogram equalization (MAHE), a wavelet-based algorithm, was investigated as a method of automatic simultaneous display of the full dynamic contrast range of a computed tomographic image. Interpretation times were significantly lower for MAHE-enhanced images compared with those for conventionally displayed images. Diagnostic accuracy, however, was insufficient in this pilot study to allow recommendation of MAHE as a replacement for conventional window display.

Fast Neutron Tomography of Low-Z Object in High-Z Material Shielding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babai, Ruth Weiss; Sabo-Napadensky, Iris; Bar, Doron; Mor, Ilan; Tamim, Noam; Dangendorf, Volker; Tittelmeier, Kai; Bromberger, Benjamin; Weierganz, Mathias

The technique and first results of Fast Neutron Tomography (FNCT) experiments are presented which are performed at the accelerator facility of PTB, Germany. A high-intensity neutron beam of broad spectral distribution with an average energy of 5.5 MeV, was produced by 11.5 MeV deuterons impinging upon a thick beryllium target. The capability of FNCT for high contrast imaging of low-Z materials embedded in thick high-Z shielding materials is demonstrated, which is superior to more conventional high-energy X-ray imaging techniques. For demonstrating the method special test objects were prepared: One consisted of an assembled polyethylene cylinder with holes of various diameters and directions drilled in its surface and inner parts. The plastic phantom was inserted into lead cylinders of different thicknesses. The detector system consisted of a plastic scintillator along with a dedicated optics, image-intensifier and a CCD camera. Two scintillator screens were compared: a bulk plastic scintillator screen and a fibres optical scintillator screen. The tomographic scans were taken in two geometrical configurations: cone beam and semi-fan beam configuration. The image quality favours the semi-fan beam configuration which on the other hand is more time consuming The obtained tomographic images and a comparison of the imaging quality between the different experimental conditions will be presented.

Nanometer resolution optical coherence tomography using broad bandwidth XUV and soft x-ray radiation

DOE PAGES

Fuchs, Silvio; Rödel, Christian; Blinne, Alexander; ...

2016-02-10

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive technique for cross-sectional imaging. It is particularly advantageous for applications where conventional microscopy is not able to image deeper layers of samples in a reasonable time, e.g. in fast moving, deeper lying structures. However, at infrared and optical wavelengths, which are commonly used, the axial resolution of OCT is limited to about 1 μm, even if the bandwidth of the light covers a wide spectral range. Here, we present extreme ultraviolet coherence tomography (XCT) and thus introduce a new technique for non-invasive cross-sectional imaging of nanometer structures. XCT exploits the nanometerscale coherence lengthsmore » corresponding to the spectral transmission windows of, e.g., silicon samples. The axial resolution of coherence tomography is thus improved from micrometers to a few nanometers. Tomographic imaging with an axial resolution better than 18 nm is demonstrated for layer-type nanostructures buried in a silicon substrate. Using wavelengths in the water transmission window, nanometer-scale layers of platinum are retrieved with a resolution better than 8 nm. As a result, XCT as a nondestructive method for sub-surface tomographic imaging holds promise for several applications in semiconductor metrology and imaging in the water window.« less

A computerized tomography system for transcranial ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Tang, Sai Chun; Clement, Gregory T

Hardware for tomographic imaging presents both challenge and opportunity for simplification when compared with traditional pulse-echo imaging systems. Specifically, point diffraction tomography does not require simultaneous powering of elements, in theory allowing just a single transmit channel and a single receive channel to be coupled with a switching or multiplexing network. In our ongoing work on transcranial imaging, we have developed a 512-channel system designed to transmit and/or receive a high voltage signal from/to arbitrary elements of an imaging array. The overall design follows a hierarchy of modules including a software interface, microcontroller, pulse generator, pulse amplifier, high-voltage power converter, switching mother board, switching daughter board, receiver amplifier, analog-to-digital converter, peak detector, memory, and USB communication. Two pulse amplifiers are included, each capable of producing up to 400Vpp via power MOSFETS. Switching is based around mechanical relays that allow passage of 200V, while still achieving switching times of under 2ms, with an operating frequency ranging from below 100kHz to 10MHz. The system is demonstrated through ex vivo human skulls using 1MHz transducers. The overall system design is applicable to planned human studies in transcranial image acquisition, and may have additional tomographic applications for other materials necessitating a high signal output.

Cone Beam Computed Tomographic imaging in orthodontics.

PubMed

Scarfe, W C; Azevedo, B; Toghyani, S; Farman, A G

2017-03-01

Over the last 15 years, cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging has emerged as an important supplemental radiographic technique for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning, especially in situations which require an understanding of the complex anatomic relationships and surrounding structures of the maxillofacial skeleton. CBCT imaging provides unique features and advantages to enhance orthodontic practice over conventional extraoral radiographic imaging. While it is the responsibility of each practitioner to make a decision, in tandem with the patient/family, consensus-derived, evidence-based clinical guidelines are available to assist the clinician in the decision-making process. Specific recommendations provide selection guidance based on variables such as phase of treatment, clinically-assessed treatment difficulty, the presence of dental and/or skeletal modifying conditions, and pathology. CBCT imaging in orthodontics should always be considered wisely as children have conservatively, on average, a three to five times greater radiation risk compared with adults for the same exposure. The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the operation of CBCT equipment as it relates to image quality and dose, highlight the benefits of the technique in orthodontic practice, and provide guidance on appropriate clinical use with respect to radiation dose and relative risk, particularly for the paediatric patient. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

Imaging Coronal Mass Ejections and Large-Scale Solar Wind Structure Using IPS and Thomson-Scattered Sunlight (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clover, J. M.; Jackson, B. V.; Buffington, A.; Hick, P. P.; Bisi, M. M.; Tokumaru, M.; Fujiki, K.

2010-12-01

The Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) observes Thomson-scattered white light from heliospheric electrons across almost all of the sky nearly all of the time since early 2003. Interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations of velocity and g-level provide similar structure information but with a less-complete sky-and-time coverage. The Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) twin spacecraft outer Heliospheric Imagers (HI-2) currently image the heliosphere in Thomson-scattered light near the ecliptic plane far from Earth. The Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory (STELab) IPS observations provide IPS velocity and g-level values, which in conjunction with our tomographic reconstruction program, yield velocities and densities of the inner heliosphere in three dimensions. The same tomographic program substitutes SMEI Thomson-scattering brightness information for the g-level values to derive heliospheric densities from these data alone. We look at the global structure of the heliosphere concentrating mainly on three events from 2007 through the rise phase of Solar Cycle 24. The first event, observed in both the IPS and SMEI defines the three-dimensional velocity and density structure around the time of the shock observed at Earth on 02:02 UT 17 December 2007. The second event, seen only by SMEI, is that of the 23-26 April 2008 coronal mass ejection (CME) and its interplanetary counterpart. The third event is the CME (and its interplanetary counterpart) that took place 17 January 2010 and arrived at STEREO-B about four days later. For each event, we isolate the particular portion of the heliosphere attributed to the transient density structure using our tomographic technique, and then estimate its extent.

Fractional Flow Reserve and Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography: A Review and Critical Analysis.

PubMed

Hecht, Harvey S; Narula, Jagat; Fearon, William F

2016-07-08

Invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) is now the gold standard for intervention. Noninvasive functional imaging analyses derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) offer alternatives for evaluating lesion-specific ischemia. CT-FFR, CT myocardial perfusion imaging, and transluminal attenuation gradient/corrected contrast opacification have been studied using invasive FFR as the gold standard. CT-FFR has demonstrated significant improvement in specificity and positive predictive value compared with CTA alone for predicting FFR of ≤0.80, as well as decreasing the frequency of nonobstructive invasive coronary angiography. High-risk plaque characteristics have also been strongly implicated in abnormal FFR. Myocardial computed tomographic perfusion is an alternative method with promising results; it involves more radiation and contrast. Transluminal attenuation gradient/corrected contrast opacification is more controversial and may be more related to vessel diameter than stenosis. Important considerations remain: (1) improvement of CTA quality to decrease unevaluable studies, (2) is the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR sufficient? (3) can CT-FFR guide intervention without invasive FFR confirmation? (4) what are the long-term outcomes of CT-FFR-guided treatment and how do they compare with other functional imaging-guided paradigms? (5) what degree of stenosis on CTA warrants CT-FFR? (6) how should high-risk plaque be incorporated into treatment decisions? (7) how will CT-FFR influence other functional imaging test utilization, and what will be the effect on the practice of cardiology? (8) will a workstation-based CT-FFR be mandatory? Rapid progress to date suggests that CTA-based lesion-specific ischemia will be the gatekeeper to the cardiac catheterization laboratory and will transform the world of intervention. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

MicroCT with energy-resolved photon-counting detectors

PubMed Central

Wang, X; Meier, D; Mikkelsen, S; Maehlum, G E; Wagenaar, D J; Tsui, BMW; Patt, B E; Frey, E C

2011-01-01

The goal of this paper was to investigate the benefits that could be realistically achieved on a microCT imaging system with an energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray detector. To this end, we built and evaluated a prototype microCT system based on such a detector. The detector is based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) radiation sensors and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) readouts. Each detector pixel can simultaneously count x-ray photons above six energy thresholds, providing the capability for energy-selective x-ray imaging. We tested the spectroscopic performance of the system using polychromatic x-ray radiation and various filtering materials with Kabsorption edges. Tomographic images were then acquired of a cylindrical PMMA phantom containing holes filled with various materials. Results were also compared with those acquired using an intensity-integrating x-ray detector and single-energy (i.e. non-energy-selective) CT. This paper describes the functionality and performance of the system, and presents preliminary spectroscopic and tomographic results. The spectroscopic experiments showed that the energy-resolved photon-counting detector was capable of measuring energy spectra from polychromatic sources like a standard x-ray tube, and resolving absorption edges present in the energy range used for imaging. However, the spectral quality was degraded by spectral distortions resulting from degrading factors, including finite energy resolution and charge sharing. We developed a simple charge-sharing model to reproduce these distortions. The tomographic experiments showed that the availability of multiple energy thresholds in the photon-counting detector allowed us to simultaneously measure target-to-background contrasts in different energy ranges. Compared with single-energy CT with an integrating detector, this feature was especially useful to improve differentiation of materials with different attenuation coefficient energy dependences. PMID:21464527

MicroCT with energy-resolved photon-counting detectors.

PubMed

Wang, X; Meier, D; Mikkelsen, S; Maehlum, G E; Wagenaar, D J; Tsui, B M W; Patt, B E; Frey, E C

2011-05-07

The goal of this paper was to investigate the benefits that could be realistically achieved on a microCT imaging system with an energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray detector. To this end, we built and evaluated a prototype microCT system based on such a detector. The detector is based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) radiation sensors and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) readouts. Each detector pixel can simultaneously count x-ray photons above six energy thresholds, providing the capability for energy-selective x-ray imaging. We tested the spectroscopic performance of the system using polychromatic x-ray radiation and various filtering materials with K-absorption edges. Tomographic images were then acquired of a cylindrical PMMA phantom containing holes filled with various materials. Results were also compared with those acquired using an intensity-integrating x-ray detector and single-energy (i.e. non-energy-selective) CT. This paper describes the functionality and performance of the system, and presents preliminary spectroscopic and tomographic results. The spectroscopic experiments showed that the energy-resolved photon-counting detector was capable of measuring energy spectra from polychromatic sources like a standard x-ray tube, and resolving absorption edges present in the energy range used for imaging. However, the spectral quality was degraded by spectral distortions resulting from degrading factors, including finite energy resolution and charge sharing. We developed a simple charge-sharing model to reproduce these distortions. The tomographic experiments showed that the availability of multiple energy thresholds in the photon-counting detector allowed us to simultaneously measure target-to-background contrasts in different energy ranges. Compared with single-energy CT with an integrating detector, this feature was especially useful to improve differentiation of materials with different attenuation coefficient energy dependences.

Brain Correlates of Stuttering and Syllable Production: Gender Comparison and Replication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingham, Roger J.; Fox, Peter T.; Ingham, Janis C.; Xiong, Jinhu; Zamarripa, Frank; Hardies, L. Jean; Lancaster, Jack L.

2004-01-01

This article reports a gender replication study of the P. T. Fox et a. (2000) performance correlation analysis of neural systems that distinguish between normal and stuttered speech in adult males. Positron-emission tomographic (PET) images of cerebral blood flow (CBF) were correlated with speech behavior scores obtained during PET imaging for 10…

Tomographic assessment of the spine in children with spondylocostal dysotosis syndrome

PubMed Central

Kaissi, Ali Al; Klaushofer, Klaus; Grill, Franz

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to perform a detailed tomographic analysis of the skull base, craniocervical junction, and the entire spine in seven patients with spondylocostal dysostosis syndrome. METHOD: Detailed scanning images have been organized in accordance with the most prominent clinical pathology. The reasons behind plagiocephaly, torticollis, short immobile neck, scoliosis and rigid back have been detected. Radiographic documentation was insufficient modality. RESULTS: Detailed computed tomography scans provided excellent delineation of the osseous abnormality pattern in our patients. CONCLUSION: This article throws light on the most serious osseous manifestations of spondylocostal dysostosis syndrome. PMID:21120293

An image filtering technique for SPIDER visible tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fonnesu, N., E-mail: nicola.fonnesu@igi.cnr.it; Agostini, M.; Brombin, M.

2014-02-15

The tomographic diagnostic developed for the beam generated in the SPIDER facility (100 keV, 50 A prototype negative ion source of ITER neutral beam injector) will characterize the two-dimensional particle density distribution of the beam. The simulations described in the paper show that instrumental noise has a large influence on the maximum achievable resolution of the diagnostic. To reduce its impact on beam pattern reconstruction, a filtering technique has been adapted and implemented in the tomography code. This technique is applied to the simulated tomographic reconstruction of the SPIDER beam, and the main results are reported.

Biomedical research with cyclotron produced radionuclides. Progress report, October 1, 1977--September 30, 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laughlin, J.S.; Benua, R.S.; Tilbury, R.S.

1978-09-30

Progress is reported on biomedical studies using cyclotron-produced /sup 18/F, /sup 15/O, /sup 11/C, /sup 13/N, /sup 52/Fe, /sup 38/K, /sup 206/Bi, /sup 73/Se, /sup 53/Co, and /sup 43/K. The following research projects are described: tumor detection and diagnosis; neurological studies; radiopharmaceutical development; /sup 38/K as an indicator of blood flow to the myocardium; dosimetry for internally deposited isotopes in animals and man; cyclotron development; positron tomographic imaging with the TOKIM System; and review of positron emission transaxial tomograph instruments. (HLW)

Relationship between the upper mantle high velocity seismic lid and the continental lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priestley, Keith; Tilmann, Frederik

2009-04-01

The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary corresponds to the base of the "rigid" plates - the depth at which heat transport changes from advection in the convecting deeper upper mantle to conduction in the shallow upper mantle. Although this boundary is a fundamental feature of the Earth, mapping it has been difficult because it does not correspond to a sharp change in temperature or composition. Various definitions of the lithosphere and asthenosphere are based on the analysis of different types of geophysical and geological observations. The depth to the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary determined from these different observations often shows little agreement when they are applied to the same region because the geophysical and geological observations (i.e., seismic velocity, strain rate, electrical resistivity, chemical depletion, etc.) are proxies for the change in rheological properties rather than a direct measure of the rheological properties. In this paper, we focus on the seismic mapping of the upper mantle high velocity lid and low velocity zone and its relationship to the lithosphere and asthenosphere. We have two goals: (a) to examine the differences in how teleseismic body-wave travel-time tomography and surface-wave tomography image upper mantle seismic structure; and (b) to summarise how upper mantle seismic velocity structure can be related to the structure of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. Surface-wave tomography provides reasonably good depth resolution, especially when higher modes are included in the analysis, but lateral resolution is limited by the horizontal wavelength of the long-period surface waves used to constrain upper mantle velocity structure. Teleseismic body-wave tomography has poor depth resolution in the upper mantle, particularly when no strong lateral contrasts are present. If station terms are used, features with large lateral extent and gradual boundaries are attenuated in the tomographic image. Body-wave models are not useful in mapping the thickness of the high velocity upper mantle lid because this type of analysis often determines wave speed perturbations from an unknown horizontal average and not absolute velocities. Thus, any feature which extends laterally across the whole region beneath a seismic network becomes invisible in the teleseismic body-wave tomographic image. We compare surface-wave and body-wave tomographic results using southern Africa as an example. Surface-wave tomographic images for southern Africa show a strong, high velocity upper mantle lid confined to depths shallower than ~ 200 km, whereas body-wave tomographic images show weak high velocity in the upper mantle extending to depths of ~ 300 km or more. However, synthetic tests show that these results are not contradictory. The absolute seismic velocity structure of the upper mantle provided by surface wave analysis can be used to map the thermal lithosphere. Priestley and McKenzie (Priestley, K., McKenzie, D., 2006. The thermal structure of the lithosphere from shear wave velocities. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 244, 285-301.) derive an empirical relationship between shear wave velocity and temperature. This relationship is used to obtain temperature profiles from the surface-wave tomographic models of the continental mantle. The base of the lithosphere is shown by a change in the gradient of the temperature profiles indicative of the depth where the mode of heat transport changes from conduction to advection. Comparisons of the geotherms determined from the conversion of surface-wave wave speeds to temperatures with upper mantle nodule-derived geotherms demonstrate that estimates of lithospheric thickness from Vs and from the nodule mineralogy agree to within about 25 km. The lithospheric thickness map for Africa derived from the surface-wave tomographic results shows that thick lithosphere underlies most of the Archean crust in Africa. The distribution of diamondiferous kimberlites provides an independent estimate of where thick lithosphere exists. Diamondiferous kimberlites generally occur where the lower part of the thermal lithosphere as indicated by seismology is in the diamond stability field.

A digital-signal-processor-based optical tomographic system for dynamic imaging of joint diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasker, Joseph M.

Over the last decade, optical tomography (OT) has emerged as viable biomedical imaging modality. Various imaging systems have been developed that are employed in preclinical as well as clinical studies, mostly targeting breast imaging, brain imaging, and cancer related studies. Of particular interest are so-called dynamic imaging studies where one attempts to image changes in optical properties and/or physiological parameters as they occur during a system perturbation. To successfully perform dynamic imaging studies, great effort is put towards system development that offers increasingly enhanced signal-to-noise performance at ever shorter data acquisition times, thus capturing high fidelity tomographic data within narrower time periods. Towards this goal, I have developed in this thesis a dynamic optical tomography system that is, unlike currently available analog instrumentation, based on digital data acquisition and filtering techniques. At the core of this instrument is a digital signal processor (DSP) that collects, collates, and processes the digitized data set. Complementary protocols between the DSP and a complex programmable logic device synchronizes the sampling process and organizes data flow. Instrument control is implemented through a comprehensive graphical user interface which integrates automated calibration, data acquisition, and signal post-processing. Real-time data is generated at frame rates as high as 140 Hz. An extensive dynamic range (˜190 dB) accommodates a wide scope of measurement geometries and tissue types. Performance analysis demonstrates very low system noise (˜1 pW rms noise equivalent power), excellent signal precision (˜0.04%--0.2%) and long term system stability (˜1% over 40 min). Experiments on tissue phantoms validate spatial and temporal accuracy of the system. As a potential new application of dynamic optical imaging I present the first application of this method to use vascular hemodynamics as a means of characterizing joint diseases, especially effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the proximal interphalangeal finger joints. Using a dual-wavelength tomographic imaging system and previously implemented reconstruction scheme, I have performed initial dynamic imaging case studies on healthy volunteers and patients diagnosed with RA. These studies support our hypothesis that differences in the vascular and metabolic reactivity exist between affected and unaffected joints and can be used for diagnostic purposes.

Breast imaging technology: Recent advances in imaging endogenous or transferred gene expression utilizing radionuclide technologies in living subjects - applications to breast cancer

PubMed Central

Berger, Frank; Sam Gambhir, Sanjiv

2001-01-01

A variety of imaging technologies is being investigated as tools for studying gene expression in living subjects. Two technologies that use radiolabeled isotopes are single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). A relatively high sensitivity, a full quantitative tomographic capability, and the ability to extend small animal imaging assays directly into human applications characterize radionuclide approaches. Various radiolabeled probes (tracers) can be synthesized to target specific molecules present in breast cancer cells. These include antibodies or ligands to target cell surface receptors, substrates for intracellular enzymes, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide probes for targeting mRNA, probes for targeting intracellular receptors, and probes for genes transferred into the cell. We briefly discuss each of these imaging approaches and focus in detail on imaging reporter genes. In a PET reporter gene system for in vivo reporter gene imaging, the protein products of the reporter genes sequester positron emitting reporter probes. PET subsequently measures the PET reporter gene dependent sequestration of the PET reporter probe in living animals. We describe and review reporter gene approaches using the herpes simplex type 1 virus thymidine kinase and the dopamine type 2 receptor genes. Application of the reporter gene approach to animal models for breast cancer is discussed. Prospects for future applications of the transgene imaging technology in human gene therapy are also discussed. Both SPECT and PET provide unique opportunities to study animal models of breast cancer with direct application to human imaging. Continued development of new technology, probes and assays should help in the better understanding of basic breast cancer biology and in the improved management of breast cancer patients. PMID:11250742

Evaluation of radiographic, computed tomographic, and cadaveric anatomy of the head of boa constrictors.

PubMed

Banzato, Tommaso; Russo, Elisa; Di Toma, Anna; Palmisano, Giuseppe; Zotti, Alessandro

2011-12-01

To evaluate the radiographic, computed tomographic (CT), and cadaveric anatomy of the head of boa constrictors. 4 Boa constrictor imperator cadavers. Cadavers weighed 3.4 to 5.6 kg and had a body length ranging from 189 to 221 cm. Radiographic and CT images were obtained with a high-detail screen-film combination, and conventional CT was performed with a slice thickness of 1.5 mm. Radiographic images were obtained in ventrodorsal, dorsoventral, and left and right laterolateral recumbency; CT images were obtained with the animals positioned in ventral recumbency directly laying on a plastic support. At the end of the radiographic and CT imaging session, 2 heads were sectioned following a stratigraphic approach; the other 2, carefully maintained in the same position on the plastic support, were moved into a freezer (-20°C) until completely frozen and then sectioned into 3-mm slices, respecting the imaging protocol. The frozen sections were cleaned and then photographed on each side. Anatomic structures were identified and labeled on gross anatomic images and on the corresponding CT or radiographic image with the aid of available literature. Radiographic and CT images provided high detail for visualization of bony structures; soft tissues were not easily identified on radiographic and CT images. Results provide an atlas of stratigraphic and cross-sectional gross anatomy and radiographic and CT anatomy of the heads of boa constrictors that might be useful in the interpretation of any imaging modality in this species.

Colorectal cancer screening with virtual colonoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Yaorong; Vining, David J.; Ahn, David K.; Stelts, David R.

1999-05-01

Early detection and removal of colorectal polyps have been proven to reduce mortality from colorectal carcinoma (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Unfortunately, traditional techniques for CRC examination (i.e., barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy) are unsuitable for mass screening because of either low accuracy or poor public acceptance, costs, and risks. Virtual colonoscopy (VC) is a minimally invasive alternative that is based on tomographic scanning of the colon. After a patient's bowel is optimally cleansed and distended with gas, a fast tomographic scan, typically helical computed tomography (CT), of the abdomen is performed during a single breath-hold acquisition. Two-dimensional (2D) slices and three-dimensional (3D) rendered views of the colon lumen generated from the tomographic data are then examined for colorectal polyps. Recent clinical studies conducted at several institutions including ours have shown great potential for this technology to be an effective CRC screening tool. In this paper, we describe new methods to improve bowel preparation, colon lumen visualization, colon segmentation, and polyp detection. Our initial results show that VC with the new bowel preparation and imaging protocol is capable of achieving accuracy comparable to conventional colonoscopy and our new algorithms for image analysis contribute to increased accuracy and efficiency in VC examinations.

Optical nanoscopy of high T c cuprate nanoconstriction devices patterned by helium ion beams

DOE PAGES

Gozar, Adrian; Litombe, N. E.; Hoffman, Jennifer E.; ...

2017-02-06

Helium ion beams (HIB) focused to subnanometer scales have emerged as powerful tools for high-resolution imaging as well as nanoscale lithography, ion milling, or deposition. Quantifying irradiation effects is an essential step toward reliable device fabrication, but most of the depth profiling information is provided by computer simulations rather than the experiment. Here, we demonstrate the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) to provide three-dimensional (3D) dielectric characterization of high-temperature superconductor devices fabricated by HIB. By imaging the infrared dielectric response obtained from light demodulation at multiple harmonics of the AFM tapping frequency,more » we find that amorphization caused by the nominally 0.5 nm HIB extends throughout the entire 26.5 nm thickness of the cuprate film and by ~500 nm laterally. This unexpectedly widespread damage in morphology and electronic structure can be attributed to a helium depth distribution substantially modified by the internal device interfaces. Lastly, our study introduces AFM-SNOM as a quantitative tomographic technique for noninvasive 3D characterization of irradiation damage in a wide variety of nanoscale devices.« less

Quantitative Cryo-Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy of Biological Materials.

PubMed

Elbaum, Michael

2018-05-11

Electron tomography provides a detailed view into the 3D structure of biological cells and tissues. Physical fixation by vitrification of the aqueous medium provides the most faithful preservation of biological specimens in the native, fully hydrated state. Cryo-microscopy is challenging, however, because of the sensitivity to electron irradiation and due to the weak electron scattering of organic material. Tomography is even more challenging because of the dependence on multiple exposures of the same area. Tomographic imaging is typically performed in wide-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) mode with phase contrast generated by defocus. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is an alternative mode based on detection of scattering from a focused probe beam, without imaging optics following the specimen. While careful configuration of the illumination and detectors is required to generate useful contrast, STEM circumvents the major restrictions of phase contrast TEM to very thin specimens and provides a signal that is more simply interpreted in terms of local composition and density. STEM has gained popularity in recent years for materials science. The extension of STEM to cryomicroscopy and tomography of cells and macromolecules is summarized herein. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Using ultrasound tomography to identify the distributions of density throughout the breast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sak, Mark; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter; Sherman, Mark E.; Gierach, Gretchen L.

2016-04-01

Women with high breast density are at increased risk of developing breast cancer. Breast density has usually been defined using mammography as the ratio of fibroglandular tissue to total breast area. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is an emerging modality that can also be used to measure breast density. UST creates tomographic sound speed images of the patient's breast which is useful as sound speed is directly proportional to tissue density. Furthermore, the volumetric and quantitative information contained in the sound speed images can be used to describe the distribution of breast density. The work presented here measures the UST sound speed density distributions of 165 women with negative screening mammography. Frequency distributions of the sound speed voxel information were examined for each patient. In a preliminary analysis, the UST sound speed distributions were averaged across patients and grouped by various patient and density-related factors (e.g., age, body mass index, menopausal status, average mammographic breast density). It was found that differences in the distribution of density could be easily visualized for different patient groupings. Furthermore, findings suggest that the shape of the distributions may be used to identify participants with varying amounts of dense and non-dense tissue.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gomori, J.M.; Horev, G.; Tamary, H.

Iron deposits demonstrate characteristically shortened T2 relaxation times. Several previously published studies reported poor correlation between the in vivo hepatic 1/T2 measurements made by means of midfield magnetic resonance (MR) units and the hepatic iron content of iron-overloaded patients. In this study, the authors assessed the use of in vivo 1/T2 measurements obtained by means of MR imaging at 0.5 T using short echo times (13.4 and 30 msec) and single-echo-sequences as well as computed tomographic (CT) attenuation as a measure of liver iron concentration in 10 severely iron-overloaded patients with beta-thalassemia major. The iron concentrations in surgical wedge biopsymore » samples of the liver, which varied between 3 and 9 mg/g of wet weight (normal, less than or equal to 0.5 mg/g), correlated well (r = .93, P less than or equal to .0001) with the preoperative in vivo hepatic 1/T2 measurements. The CT attenuation did not correlate with liver iron concentration. Quantitative MR imaging is a readily available noninvasive method for the assessment of hepatic iron concentration in iron-overloaded patients, reducing the need for needle biopsies of the liver.« less

Subgingival calculus imaging based on swept-source optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Yao-Sheng; Ho, Yi-Ching; Lee, Shyh-Yuan; Lu, Chih-Wei; Jiang, Cho-Pei; Chuang, Ching-Cheng; Wang, Chun-Yang; Sun, Chia-Wei

2011-07-01

We characterized and imaged dental calculus using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). The refractive indices of enamel, dentin, cementum, and calculus were measured as 1.625 +/- 0.024, 1.534 +/- 0.029, 1.570 +/- 0.021, and 2.097 +/- 0.094, respectively. Dental calculus leads strong scattering properties, and thus, the region can be identified from enamel with SS-OCT imaging. An extracted human tooth with calculus is covered with gingiva tissue as an in vitro sample for tomographic imaging.

Magnetoacoustic tomographic imaging of electrical impedance with magnetic induction

PubMed Central

Xia, Rongmin; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2008-01-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently introduced method for imaging tissue electrical impedance properties by integrating magnetic induction and ultrasound measurements. In the present study, we have developed a focused cylindrical scanning mode MAT-MI system and the corresponding reconstruction algorithms. Using this system, we demonstrated 3-dimensional MAT-MI imaging in a physical phantom, with cylindrical scanning combined with ultrasound focusing, and the ability of MAT-MI in imaging electrical conductivity properties of biological tissue. PMID:19169372

Magnetoacoustic tomographic imaging of electrical impedance with magnetic induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Rongmin; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2007-08-01

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently introduced method for imaging tissue electrical impedance properties by integrating magnetic induction and ultrasound measurements. In the present study, the authors have developed a focused cylindrical scanning mode MAT-MI system and the corresponding reconstruction algorithms. Using this system, they demonstrated a three-dimensional MAT-MI imaging approach in a physical phantom, with cylindrical scanning combined with ultrasound focusing, and the ability of MAT-MI in imaging electrical conductivity properties of biological tissue.

Magnetoacoustic tomographic imaging of electrical impedance with magnetic induction.

PubMed

Xia, Rongmin; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2007-08-22

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a recently introduced method for imaging tissue electrical impedance properties by integrating magnetic induction and ultrasound measurements. In the present study, we have developed a focused cylindrical scanning mode MAT-MI system and the corresponding reconstruction algorithms. Using this system, we demonstrated 3-dimensional MAT-MI imaging in a physical phantom, with cylindrical scanning combined with ultrasound focusing, and the ability of MAT-MI in imaging electrical conductivity properties of biological tissue.

Comparison of sound speed measurements on two different ultrasound tomography devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sak, Mark; Duric, Neb; Littrup, Peter; Bey-Knight, Lisa; Sherman, Mark; Gierach, Gretchen; Malyarenko, Antonina

2014-03-01

Ultrasound tomography (UST) employs sound waves to produce three-dimensional images of breast tissue and precisely measures the attenuation of sound speed secondary to breast tissue composition. High breast density is a strong breast cancer risk factor and sound speed is directly proportional to breast density. UST provides a quantitative measure of breast density based on three-dimensional imaging without compression, thereby overcoming the shortcomings of many other imaging modalities. The quantitative nature of the UST breast density measures are tied to an external standard, so sound speed measurement in breast tissue should be independent of specific hardware. The work presented here compares breast sound speed measurement obtained with two different UST devices. The Computerized Ultrasound Risk Evaluation (CURE) system located at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan was recently replaced with the SoftVue ultrasound tomographic device. Ongoing clinical trials have used images generated from both sets of hardware, so maintaining consistency in sound speed measurements is important. During an overlap period when both systems were in the same exam room, a total of 12 patients had one or both of their breasts imaged on both systems on the same day. There were 22 sound speed scans analyzed from each system and the average breast sound speeds were compared. Images were either reconstructed using saved raw data (for both CURE and SoftVue) or were created during the image acquisition (saved in DICOM format for SoftVue scans only). The sound speed measurements from each system were strongly and positively correlated with each other. The average difference in sound speed between the two sets of data was on the order of 1-2 m/s and this result was not statistically significant. The only sets of images that showed a statistical difference were the DICOM images created during the SoftVue scan compared to the SoftVue images reconstructed from the raw data. However, the discrepancy between the sound speed values could be easily handled by uniformly increasing the DICOM sound speed by approximately 0.5 m/s. These results suggest that there is no fundamental difference in sound speed measurement for the two systems and support combining data generated with these instruments in future studies.

Mid-infrared laser absorption tomography for quantitative 2D thermochemistry measurements in premixed jet flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Chuyu; Pineda, Daniel I.; Paxton, Laurel; Egolfopoulos, Fokion N.; Spearrin, R. Mitchell

2018-06-01

A tomographic laser absorption spectroscopy technique, utilizing mid-infrared light sources, is presented as a quantitative method to spatially resolve species and temperature profiles in small-diameter reacting flows relevant to combustion systems. Here, tunable quantum and interband cascade lasers are used to spectrally resolve select rovibrational transitions near 4.98 and 4.19 μm to measure CO and {CO2}, respectively, as well as their vibrational temperatures, in piloted premixed jet flames. Signal processing methods are detailed for the reconstruction of axial and radial profiles of thermochemical structure in a canonical ethylene-air jet flame. The method is further demonstrated to quantitatively distinguish between different turbulent flow conditions.

Portable Ultrasound Imaging of the Brain for Use in Forward Battlefield Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

ultrasound measurement of skull thickness and sound speed, phase correction of beam distortion, the tomographic reconstruction algorithm, and the final...produce a coherent imaging source. We propose a corrective technique that will use ultrasound-based phased -array beam correction [3], optimized...not expected to be a significant factor in the ability to phase -correct the imaging beam . In addition to planning (2.2.1), the data is also be used

Optoacoustic imaging in five dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deán-Ben, X. L.; Gottschalk, Sven; Fehm, Thomas F.; Razansky, Daniel

2015-03-01

We report on an optoacoustic imaging system capable of acquiring volumetric multispectral optoacoustic data in real time. The system is based on simultaneous acquisition of optoacoustic signals from 256 different tomographic projections by means of a spherical matrix array. Thereby, volumetric reconstructions can be done at high frame rate, only limited by the pulse repetition rate of the laser. The developed tomographic approach presents important advantages over previously reported systems that use scanning for attaining volumetric optoacoustic data. First, dynamic processes, such as the biodistribution of optical biomarkers, can be monitored in the entire volume of interest. Second, out-of-plane and motion artifacts that could degrade the image quality when imaging living specimens can be avoided. Finally, real-time 3D performance can obviously save time required for experimental and clinical observations. The feasibility of optoacoustic imaging in five dimensions, i.e. real time acquisition of volumetric datasets at multiple wavelengths, is reported. In this way, volumetric images of spectrally resolved chromophores are rendered in real time, thus offering an unparallel imaging performance among the current bio-imaging modalities. This performance is subsequently showcased by video-rate visualization of in vivo hemodynamic changes in mouse brain and handheld visualization of blood oxygenation in deep human vessels. The newly discovered capacities open new prospects for translating the optoacoustic technology into highly performing imaging modality for biomedical research and clinical practice with multiple applications envisioned, from cardiovascular and cancer diagnostics to neuroimaging and ophthalmology.

Utility of cervical spinal and abdominal computed tomography in diagnosing occult pneumothorax in patients with blunt trauma: Computed tomographic imaging protocol matters.

PubMed

Akoglu, Haldun; Akoglu, Ebru Unal; Evman, Serdar; Akoglu, Tayfun; Denizbasi, Arzu; Guneysel, Ozlem; Onur, Ozge; Onur, Ender

2012-10-01

Small pneumothoraces (PXs), which are not initially recognized with a chest x-ray film and diagnosed by a thoracic computed tomography (CT), are described as occult PX (OCPX). The objective of this study was to evaluate cervival spine (C-spine) and abdominal CT (ACT) for diagnosing OCPX and overt PX (OVPX). All patients with blunt trauma who presented consecutively to the emergency department during a 26-months period were included. Among all the chest CTs (CCTs) (6,155 patients) conducted during that period, 254 scans were confirmed to have a true PX. The findings in their C-spine CT and ACT were compared with the findings in CCTs. Among these patients, 254 had a diagnosis of PX confirmed with CCT. OCPXs were identified on the chest computed tomographic scan of 128 patients (70.3%), whereas OVPXs were evident in 54 patients (29.7%). Computed tomographic imaging of the C-spine was performed in 74% of patients with OCPX and 66.7% of patients with OVPX trauma. Only 45 (35.2%) cases of OCPX and 42 (77.8%) cases of OVPX were detected by C-spine CT. ACT was performed in almost all patients, and 121 (95.3%) of 127 of these correctly identified an existing OCPX. Sensitivity of C-spine CT and ACT was 35.1% and 96.5%, respectively; specificity was 100% and 100%, respectively. Almost all OCPXs, regardless of intrathoracic location, could be detected by ACT or by combining C-spine and abdominal computed tomographic screening for patients. If the junction of the first and second vertebra is used as the caudad extent, C-spine CT does not have sufficient power to diagnose more than a third of the cases. Diagnostic study, level III.

The Use of Chest Computed Tomographic Angiography in Blunt Trauma Pediatric Population.

PubMed

Hasadia, Rabea; DuBose, Joseph; Peleg, Kobi; Stephenson, Jacob; Givon, Adi; Kessel, Boris

2018-02-05

Blunt chest trauma in children is common. Although rare, associated major thoracic vascular injuries (TVIs) are lethal potential sequelae of these mechanisms. The preferred study for definitive diagnosis of TVI in stable patients is computed tomographic angiography imaging of the chest. This imaging modality is, however, associated with high doses of ionizing radiation that represent significant carcinogenic risk for pediatric patients. The aim of the present investigation was to define the incidence of TVI among blunt pediatric trauma patients in an effort to better elucidate the usefulness of computed tomographic angiography use in this population. A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all blunt pediatric (age < 14 y) trauma victims registered in Israeli National Trauma Registry maintained by Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research between the years 1997 and 2015. Data collected included age, sex, mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, and incidence of chest named vessel injuries. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS statistical software version 9.2 (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC). Among 433,325 blunt trauma victims, 119,821patients were younger than 14 years. Twelve (0.0001%, 12/119821) of these children were diagnosed with TVI. The most common mechanism in this group was pedestrian hit by a car. Mortality was 41.7% (5/12). Thoracic vascular injury is exceptionally rare among pediatric blunt trauma victims but does contribute to the high morbidity and mortality seen with blunt chest trauma. Computed tomographic angiography, with its associated radiation exposure risk, should not be used as a standard tool after trauma in injured children. Clinical protocols are needed in this population to minimize radiation risk while allowing prompt identification of life-threatening injuries.

Influence of using a single facial vein as outflow in full-face transplantation: A three-dimensional computed tomographic study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Lorenzo, Andres; Audolfsson, Thorir; Wong, Corrine; Cheng, Angela; Arbique, Gary; Nowinski, Daniel; Rozen, Shai

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of a single unilateral facial vein in the venous outflow of total-face allograft using three-dimensional computed tomographic imaging techniques to further elucidate the mechanisms of venous complications following total-face transplant. Full-face soft-tissue flaps were harvested from fresh adult human cadavers. A single facial vein was identified and injected distally to the submandibular gland with a radiopaque contrast (barium sulfate/gelatin mixture) in every specimen. Following vascular injections, three-dimensional computed tomographic venographies of the faces were performed. Images were viewed using TeraRecon Software (Teracon, Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA) allowing analysis of the venous anatomy and perfusion in different facial subunits by observing radiopaque filling venous patterns. Three-dimensional computed tomographic venographies demonstrated a venous network with different degrees of perfusion in subunits of the face in relation to the facial vein injection side: 100% of ipsilateral and contralateral forehead units, 100% of ipsilateral and 75% of contralateral periorbital units, 100% of ipsilateral and 25% of contralateral cheek units, 100% of ipsilateral and 75% of contralateral nose units, 100% of ipsilateral and 75% of contralateral upper lip units, 100% of ipsilateral and 25% of contralateral lower lip units, and 50% of ipsilateral and 25% of contralateral chin units. Venographies of the full-face grafts revealed better perfusion in the ipsilateral hemifaces from the facial vein in comparison with the contralateral hemifaces. Reduced perfusion was observed mostly in the contralateral cheek unit and contralateral lower face including the lower lip and chin units. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-situ tomographic observation of tissue surface during laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haruna, Masamitsu; Konoshita, Ryuh; Ohmi, Masato; Kunizawa, Naomi; Miyachi, Mayumi

2001-07-01

In laser ablation of tissues, tomography of the tissue surface is necessary for measurement of the crater depth and observation of damage of the surrounding tissue. We demonstrate here OCT images of craters made by UV laser ablation of different tissues. The maximum depth of a crater is found among several OCT images, and then the ablation rate is determined. The conventional OCT of the spatial resolution of 15 μm was used in our experiment, but OCT of the resolution of the order of 1 μm is required because the ablation rate is usually a few microns per pulse. Such a high-resolution OCT is also demonstrated in this paper, where the light source is a halogen lamp. Combination of laser ablation and OCT will lead to in situ tomographic observation of tissue surface during laser ablation, which should allow us to develop new laser surgeries.

Tomographic techniques for the study of exceptionally preserved fossils

PubMed Central

Sutton, Mark D

2008-01-01

Three-dimensional fossils, especially those preserving soft-part anatomy, are a rich source of palaeontological information; they can, however, be difficult to work with. Imaging of serial planes through an object (tomography) allows study of both the inside and outside of three-dimensional fossils. Tomography may be performed using physical grinding or sawing coupled with photography, through optical techniques of serial focusing, or using a variety of scanning technologies such as neutron tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and most usefully X-ray computed tomography. This latter technique is applicable at a variety of scales, and when combined with a synchrotron X-ray source can produce very high-quality data that may be augmented by phase-contrast information to enhance contrast. Tomographic data can be visualized in several ways, the most effective of which is the production of isosurface-based ‘virtual fossils’ that can be manipulated and dissected interactively. PMID:18426749

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asaba, Shinsuke; Hikage, Chiaki; Koyama, Kazuya

We perform a principal component analysis to assess ability of future observations to measure departures from General Relativity in predictions of the Poisson and anisotropy equations on linear scales. In particular, we focus on how the measurements of redshift-space distortions (RSD) observed from spectroscopic galaxy redshift surveys will improve the constraints when combined with lensing tomographic surveys. Assuming a Euclid-like galaxy imaging and redshift survey, we find that adding the 3D information decreases the statistical uncertainty by a factor between 3 and 7 compared to the case when only observables from lensing tomographic surveys are used. We also find thatmore » the number of well-constrained modes increases by a factor between 3 and 6. Our study indicates the importance of joint galaxy imaging and redshift surveys such as SuMIRe and Euclid to give more stringent tests of the ΛCDM model and to distinguish between various modified gravity and dark energy models.« less

Zernike phase-contrast electron cryotomography applied to marine cyanobacteria infected with cyanophages.

PubMed

Dai, Wei; Fu, Caroline; Khant, Htet A; Ludtke, Steven J; Schmid, Michael F; Chiu, Wah

2014-11-01

Advances in electron cryotomography have provided new opportunities to visualize the internal 3D structures of a bacterium. An electron microscope equipped with Zernike phase-contrast optics produces images with markedly increased contrast compared with images obtained by conventional electron microscopy. Here we describe a protocol to apply Zernike phase plate technology for acquiring electron tomographic tilt series of cyanophage-infected cyanobacterial cells embedded in ice, without staining or chemical fixation. We detail the procedures for aligning and assessing phase plates for data collection, and methods for obtaining 3D structures of cyanophage assembly intermediates in the host by subtomogram alignment, classification and averaging. Acquiring three or four tomographic tilt series takes ∼12 h on a JEM2200FS electron microscope. We expect this time requirement to decrease substantially as the technique matures. The time required for annotation and subtomogram averaging varies widely depending on the project goals and data volume.

Nitrogen-13-labeled ammonia for myocardial imaging.

PubMed

Walsh, W F; Fill, H R; Harper, P V

1977-01-01

Cyclotron-produced nitrogen-13 (half-life 10 min), as labeled ammonia (13NH4+), has been evaluated as a myocardial perfusion imaging agent. The regional myocardial uptake of 13NH4+ has been shown to be proportional to regional tissue perfusion in animal studies. Intravenously administered 13NH4+ is rapidly cleared from the circulation, being extracted by the liver (15%), lungs, myocardium (2%-4%), brain, kidney, and bladder. Myocardial ammonia is metabolized mainly to glutamine via the glutamine synthetase pathway. Pulmonary uptake is substantial, but usually transient, except in smokers where clearance may be delayed. The position annihilation irradiation (511 keV) of 13N may be imaged with a scintillation camera, using either a specially designed tungsten collimator or a pinhole collimator. After early technical problems with collimation and the production method of 13NH4+ were overcome, reproducible high quality myocardial images were consistently obtained. The normal myocardial image was established to be of a homogeneous "doughnut" configuration. Imaging studies performed in patients with varying manifestations of ischemic and valvular heart disease showed a high incidence of localized perfusion defects, especially in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Sequential studies at short intervals in patients with acute infarction showed correlation between alterations in regional perfusion and the clinical course of the patient. It is concluded that myocardial imaging with 13NH4+ and a scintillation camera provides a valid and noninvasive means of assessing regional myocardial perfusion. This method is especially suitable for sequential studies of acute cardiac patients at short intervals. Coincidence imaging of the 511 keV annihilation irradiation provides a tomographic and potentially quantitative assessment of the regional myocardial uptake of 13NH4+.

Tomographic images of subducted oceans matched to the accretionary records of orogens - Case study of North America and relevance to Central Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigloch, Karin; Mihalynuk, Mitchell G.; Hosseini, Kasra

2016-04-01

Accretionary orogens are the surface record of subduction on the 100-million-year timescale; they aggregate buoyant crustal welts that resisted subduction. The other record of subduction is found in the deep subsurface: oceanic lithosphere preserved in the mantle that records ocean basin closure between successive generations of arcs. Seismic tomography maps out these crumpled paleo-oceans down to the core-mantle boundary, where slab accumulates. One such accumulation of enormous scale is under Eastern Asia, recording the assembly of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Deep CAOB slab has hardly been explored because tomographic image resolution in the lowermost mantle is limited, but this is rapidly improving. We present new images of the CAOB slabs from our P-wave tomography that includes core-diffracted waves as a technical novelty. The previous slab blur sharpens into the type of elongated geometries expected to trace paleo-trench lines. Since the North American Cordillera is younger than the CAOB (mostly <200 m.y. versus ~650-250 m.y.), its slabs have descended only to mid-mantle depths (<2000 km), where tomographic resolution is much better. Hence we can make a detailed, spatiotemporal match between 3-D slab geometries and the accretion history of the Cordillera - a blueprint for continental-scale investigations in other accretionary orogens, including what may become possible for the CAOB. Lower-mantle slabs beneath North America reveal evolving configurations of arc-trench positions back to the breakup of Pangea. These can be combined with quantitative plate reconstructions to show where and when the westward-drifting continent overrode pre-existing, intra-oceanic subduction zones, and accreted their associated arcs and basement terranes in Jurassic and Cretaceous times. Tectonic predictions from this "tomographic time machine" can be checked against the geological record. To demonstrate, we propose a resolution to the longstanding debate of how and when western North America accreted the microcontinental Insular Superterrane (Wrangellia, Alexander, Peninsular) and its southern relative, the Guerrero Superterrane. Mantle structure supports an unconventional paleogeography whereby these Mesozoic arcs had grown in a long-lived archipelago located 2000-4000 km west of Pangean North America, its paleo-trench lines marked by massive, steep slab walls >10,000 km long. North America converged on the two microcontinents by westward subduction of two intervening basins (which we name Mezcalera and Angayucham oceans), culminating in diachronous suturing between ~150 Ma and ~50 Ma. Hence geophysical subsurface evidence negates the widely accepted "Andean-style" model of Farallon-beneath-continent subduction since at least 180 Ma, and supports a Jura-Cretaceous paleogeography closer to today's Southwestern Pacific, or to the Paleozoic CAOB. Though advocated since the 1970's by a minority of geologists, this scenario had not gained wide acceptance due to a record obscured by overprinting, margin-parallel translation, and oroclinal bending. The new subsurface evidence provides specific indications where to seek the decisive Mezcalera-Angayucham suture. The suture is evident in a trail of collapsed Jura-Cretaceous basin relics that run the length of the Cordillera. Reference: Sigloch, K., & Mihalynuk, M. G. (2013). Intra-oceanic subduction shaped the assembly of Cordilleran North America. Nature, 496(7443), 50-56. doi:10.1038/nature12019

High-resolution imaging of biological tissue with full-field optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yue; Gao, Wanrong

2015-03-01

A new full-field optical coherence tomography system with high-resolution has been developed for imaging of cells and tissues. Compared with other FF-OCT (Full-field optical coherence tomography, FF-OCT) systems illuminated with optical fiber bundle, the improved Köhler illumination arrangement with a halogen lamp was used in the proposed FF-OCT system. High numerical aperture microscopic objectives were used for imaging and a piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) was used for phase-shifting. En-face tomographic images can be obtained by applying the five-step phase-shifting algorithm to a series of interferometric images which are recorded by a smart camera. Three-dimensional images can be generated from these tomographic images. Imaging of the chip of Intel Pentium 4 processor demonstrated the ultrahigh resolution of the system (lateral resolution is 0.8μm ), which approaches the theoretical resolution 0.7 μm× 0.5 μm (lateral × axial). En-face images of cells of onion show an excellent performance of the system in generating en-face images of biological tissues. Then, unstained pig stomach was imaged as a tissue and gastric pits could be easily recognized using FF-OCT system. Our study provides evidence for the potential ability of FFOCT in identifying gastric pits from pig stomach tissue. Finally, label-free and unstained ex vivo human liver tissues from both normal and tumor were imaged with this FFOCT system. The results show that the setup has the potential for medical diagnosis applications such liver cancer diagnosis.

High-Resolution Imaging of Axial Volcano, Juan de Fuca ridge.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnulf, A. F.; Harding, A. J.; Kent, G. M.

2014-12-01

To date, seismic experiments have been key in our understanding of the internal structure of volcanic systems. However, most experiments, especially subaerial-based, are often restricted to refraction geometries with limited numbers of sources and receivers, and employ smoothing constraints required by tomographic inversions that produce smoothed and blurry images with spatial resolutions well below the length scale of important features that define these magmatic systems. Taking advantage of the high density of sources and receivers from multichannel seismic (MCS) data should, in principle, allow detailed images of velocity and reflectivity to be recovered. Unfortunately, the depth of mid-ocean ridges has the detrimental effect of concealing critical velocity information behind the seafloor reflection, preventing first arrival travel-time tomographic approaches from imaging the shallowest and most heterogeneous part of the crust. To overcome the limitations of the acquisition geometry, here we are using an innovative multistep approach. We combine a synthetic ocean bottom experiment (SOBE), 3-D traveltime tomography, 2D elastic full waveform and a reverse time migration (RTM) formalism, and present one of the most detailed imagery to date of a massive and complex magmatic system beneath Axial seamount, an active submarine volcano that lies at the intersection of the Juan de Fuca ridge and the Cobb-Eickelberg seamount chain. We present high-resolution images along 12 seismic lines that span the volcano. We refine the extent/volume of the main crustal magma reservoir that lies beneath the central caldera. We investigate the extent, volume and physical state of a secondary magma body present to the southwest and study its connections with the main magma reservoir. Additionally, we present a 3D tomographic model of the entire volcano that reveals a subsiding caldera floor that provides a near perfect trap for the ponding of lava flows, supporting a "trapdoor" mechanism for caldera formation. Finally, we show that crustal aging (increase in layer 2A velocity with age) is controlled by pipe-like pattern of focused hydrothermal mineralization.

Evaluation of Coronary Artery Stenosis by Quantitative Flow Ratio During Invasive Coronary Angiography: The WIFI II Study (Wire-Free Functional Imaging II).

PubMed

Westra, Jelmer; Tu, Shengxian; Winther, Simon; Nissen, Louise; Vestergaard, Mai-Britt; Andersen, Birgitte Krogsgaard; Holck, Emil Nielsen; Fox Maule, Camilla; Johansen, Jane Kirk; Andreasen, Lene Nyhus; Simonsen, Jo Krogsgaard; Zhang, Yimin; Kristensen, Steen Dalby; Maeng, Michael; Kaltoft, Anne; Terkelsen, Christian Juhl; Krusell, Lars Romer; Jakobsen, Lars; Reiber, Johan H C; Lassen, Jens Flensted; Bøttcher, Morten; Bøtker, Hans Erik; Christiansen, Evald Høj; Holm, Niels Ramsing

2018-03-01

Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel diagnostic modality for functional testing of coronary artery stenosis without the use of pressure wires and induction of hyperemia. QFR is based on computation of standard invasive coronary angiographic imaging. The purpose of WIFI II (Wire-Free Functional Imaging II) was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of QFR in unselected consecutive patients. WIFI II was a predefined substudy to the Dan-NICAD study (Danish Study of Non-Invasive Diagnostic Testing in Coronary Artery Disease), referring 362 consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease on coronary computed tomographic angiography for diagnostic invasive coronary angiography. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) was measured in all segments with 30% to 90% diameter stenosis. Blinded observers calculated QFR (Medis Medical Imaging bv, The Netherlands) for comparison with FFR. FFR was measured in 292 lesions from 191 patients. Ten (5%) and 9 patients (5%) were excluded because of FFR and angiographic core laboratory criteria, respectively. QFR was successfully computed in 240 out of 255 lesions (94%) with a mean diameter stenosis of 50±12%. Mean difference between FFR and QFR was 0.01±0.08. QFR correctly classified 83% of the lesions using FFR with cutoff at 0.80 as reference standard. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.91) with a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of 77%, 86%, 75%, and 87%, respectively. A QFR-FFR hybrid approach based on the present results enables wire-free and adenosine-free procedures in 68% of cases. Functional lesion evaluation by QFR assessment showed good agreement and diagnostic accuracy compared with FFR. Studies comparing clinical outcome after QFR- and FFR-based diagnostic strategies are required. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02264717. © 2018 The Authors.

Quantitative PET and SPECT performance characteristics of the Albira Trimodal pre-clinical tomograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinks, T. J.; Karia, D.; Leach, M. O.; Flux, G.

2014-02-01

The Albira Trimodal pre-clinical scanner comprises PET, SPECT and CT sub-systems and thus provides a range of pre-clinical imaging options. The PET component consists of three rings of single-crystal LYSO detectors with axial/transverse fields-of-view (FOVs) of 148/80 mm. The SPECT component has two opposing CsI detectors (100 × 100 mm2) with single-pinhole (SPH) or multi(9)-pinhole (MPH) collimators; the detectors rotate in 6° increments and their spacing can be adjusted to provide different FOVs (25 to 120 mm). The CT sub-system provides ‘low’ (200 µA, 35 kVp) or ‘high’ (400 µA, 45 kVp) power x-rays onto a flat-panel CsI detector. This study examines the performance characteristics and quantitative accuracy of the PET and SPECT components. Using the NEMA NU 4-2008 specifications (22Na point source), the PET spatial resolution is 1.5 + 0.1 mm on axis and sensitivity 6.3% (axial centre) and 4.6% (central 70 mm). The usable activity range is ≤ 10 MBq (18F) over which good linearity (within 5%) is obtained for a uniform cylinder spanning the axial FOV; increasing deviation from linearity with activity is, however, observed for the NEMA (mouse) line source phantom. Image uniformity axially is within 5%. Spatial resolution (SPH/MPH) for the minimum SPECT FOV used for mouse imaging (50 mm) is 1.5/1.7 mm and point source sensitivity 69/750 cps MBq-1. Axial uniformity of SPECT images (%CV of regions-of-interest counts along the axis) is mostly within 8% although there is a range of 30-40% for the largest FOV. The variation is significantly smaller within the central 40 mm. Instances of count rate nonlinearity (PET) and axial non-uniformity (SPECT) were found to be reproducible and thus amenable to empirical correction.

Evaluation Experiment of Ultrasound Computed Tomography for the Abdominal Sound Speed Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogami, Keisuke; Yamada, Akira

2007-07-01

Abdominal sound speed tomographic imaging using through-transmission travel time data on the body surface was investigated. To this end, a hundred kHz range low-frequency wave was used to reduce the wave attenuation within an inner body medium. A method was investigated for the reconstruction of the image with the smallest possible number of path data around the abdominal surface. Specifically, the data from a strong scattering spinal cord should be avoided. To fulfill the requirement, the smoothed path algebraic reconstruction technique was introduced. The validity of this method was examined both on the numerically synthesized data and the experimentally measured data for the phantom specimen and actual human subject. It was shown that an abdominal tomographic sound speed image could be successfully obtained by preparing only 32 transducer locations at the circumference around the abdominal surface and their combination of less than 100 number of observation path data as well as by avoiding the data intersecting the spinal cord. In addition, fat regions were extracted having a sound speed lower than the threshold value to demonstrate the possibility of this method for metabolic syndrome diagnosis.

Computational modeling of optical projection tomographic microscopy using the finite difference time domain method.

PubMed

Coe, Ryan L; Seibel, Eric J

2012-12-01

We present a method for modeling image formation in optical projection tomographic microscopy (OPTM) using high numerical aperture (NA) condensers and objectives. Similar to techniques used in computed tomography, OPTM produces three-dimensional, reconstructed images of single cells from two-dimensional projections. The model is capable of simulating axial scanning of a microscope objective to produce projections, which are reconstructed using filtered backprojection. Simulation of optical scattering in transmission optical microscopy is designed to analyze all aspects of OPTM image formation, such as degree of specimen staining, refractive-index matching, and objective scanning. In this preliminary work, a set of simulations is performed to examine the effect of changing the condenser NA, objective scan range, and complex refractive index on the final reconstruction of a microshell with an outer radius of 1.5 μm and an inner radius of 0.9 μm. The model lays the groundwork for optimizing OPTM imaging parameters and triaging efforts to further improve the overall system design. As the model is expanded in the future, it will be used to simulate a more realistic cell, which could lead to even greater impact.

Ambulatory diffuse optical tomography and multimodality physiological monitoring system for muscle and exercise applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Gang; Zhang, Quan; Ivkovic, Vladimir; Strangman, Gary E.

2016-09-01

Ambulatory diffuse optical tomography (aDOT) is based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and enables three-dimensional imaging of regional hemodynamics and oxygen consumption during a person's normal activities. Although NIRS has been previously used for muscle assessment, it has been notably limited in terms of the number of channels measured, the extent to which subjects can be ambulatory, and/or the ability to simultaneously acquire synchronized auxiliary data such as electromyography (EMG) or electrocardiography (ECG). We describe the development of a prototype aDOT system, called NINscan-M, capable of ambulatory tomographic imaging as well as simultaneous auxiliary multimodal physiological monitoring. Powered by four AA size batteries and weighing 577 g, the NINscan-M prototype can synchronously record 64-channel NIRS imaging data, eight channels of EMG, ECG, or other analog signals, plus force, acceleration, rotation, and temperature for 24+ h at up to 250 Hz. We describe the system's design, characterization, and performance characteristics. We also describe examples of isometric, cycle ergometer, and free-running ambulatory exercise to demonstrate tomographic imaging at 25 Hz. NINscan-M represents a multiuse tool for muscle physiology studies as well as clinical muscle assessment.

In vivo tomographic imaging of deep seated cancer using fluorescence lifetime contrast

PubMed Central

Rice, William L.; Shcherbakova, Daria M; Verkusha, Vladislav V.; Kumar, Anand T.N.

2015-01-01

Preclinical cancer research would benefit from non-invasive imaging methods that allow tracking and visualization of early stage metastasis in vivo. While fluorescent proteins revolutionized intravital microscopy, two major challenges which still remain are tissue autofluorescence and hemoglobin absorption, which act to limit intravital optical techniques to large or subcutaneous tumors. Here we employ time-domain technology for the effective separation of tissue autofluorescence from extrinsic fluorophores, based on their distinct fluorescence lifetimes. Additionally, we employ cancer cells labelled with near infra-red fluorescent proteins (iRFP) to allow deep-tissue imaging. Our results demonstrate that time-domain imaging allows the detection of metastasis in deep-seated organs of living mice with a more than 20-fold increase in sensitivity compared to conventional continuous wave techniques. Furthermore, the distinct fluorescence lifetimes of each iRFP enables lifetime multiplexing of three different tumors, each expressing unique iRFP labels in the same animal. Fluorescence tomographic reconstructions reveal 3D distributions of iRFP720-expressing cancer cells in lungs and brain of live mice, allowing ready longitudinal monitoring of cancer cell fate with greater sensitivity than otherwise currently possible. PMID:25670171

A synchrotron radiation microtomography system for the analysis of trabecular bone samples.

PubMed

Salomé, M; Peyrin, F; Cloetens, P; Odet, C; Laval-Jeantet, A M; Baruchel, J; Spanne, P

1999-10-01

X-ray computed microtomography is particularly well suited for studying trabecular bone architecture, which requires three-dimensional (3-D) images with high spatial resolution. For this purpose, we describe a three-dimensional computed microtomography (microCT) system using synchrotron radiation, developed at ESRF. Since synchrotron radiation provides a monochromatic and high photon flux x-ray beam, it allows high resolution and a high signal-to-noise ratio imaging. The principle of the system is based on truly three-dimensional parallel tomographic acquisition. It uses a two-dimensional (2-D) CCD-based detector to record 2-D radiographs of the transmitted beam through the sample under different angles of view. The 3-D tomographic reconstruction, performed by an exact 3-D filtered backprojection algorithm, yields 3-D images with cubic voxels. The spatial resolution of the detector was experimentally measured. For the application to bone investigation, the voxel size was set to 6.65 microm, and the experimental spatial resolution was found to be 11 microm. The reconstructed linear attenuation coefficient was calibrated from hydroxyapatite phantoms. Image processing tools are being developed to extract structural parameters quantifying trabecular bone architecture from the 3-D microCT images. First results on human trabecular bone samples are presented.

Computed tomographic imaging of stapes implants.

PubMed

Warren, Frank M; Riggs, Sterling; Wiggins, Richard H

2008-08-01

Computed tomographic (CT) imaging of stapes prostheses is inaccurate. Clinical situations arise in which it would be helpful to determine the depth of penetration of a stapes prosthesis into the vestibule. The accuracy of CT imaging for this purpose has not been defined. This study was aimed to determine the accuracy of CT imaging to predict the depth of intrusion of stapes prostheses into the vestibule. The measurement of stapes prostheses by CT scan was compared with physical measurements in 8 cadaveric temporal bones. The depth of intrusion into the vestibule of the piston was underestimated in specimens with the fluoroplastic piston by a mean of 0.5 mm when compared with the measurements obtained in the temporal bones. The depth of penetration of the stainless steel implant was overestimated by 0.5 mm when compared with that in the temporal bone. The type of implant must be taken into consideration when estimating the depth of penetration into the vestibule using CT scanning because the imaging characteristics of the implanted materials differ. The position of fluoroplastic pistons cannot be accurately measured in the vestibule. Metallic implants are well visualized, and measurements exceeding 2.2 mm increase the suspicion of otolithic impingement. Special reconstructions along the length of the piston may be more accurate in estimating the position of stapes implants.

Three-dimensional tomographic imaging for dynamic radiation behavior study using infrared imaging video bolometers in large helical device plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sano, Ryuichi; Iwama, Naofumi; Peterson, Byron J.

A three-dimensional (3D) tomography system using four InfraRed imaging Video Bolometers (IRVBs) has been designed with a helical periodicity assumption for the purpose of plasma radiation measurement in the large helical device. For the spatial inversion of large sized arrays, the system has been numerically and experimentally examined using the Tikhonov regularization with the criterion of minimum generalized cross validation, which is the standard solver of inverse problems. The 3D transport code EMC3-EIRENE for impurity behavior and related radiation has been used to produce phantoms for numerical tests, and the relative calibration of the IRVB images has been carried outmore » with a simple function model of the decaying plasma in a radiation collapse. The tomography system can respond to temporal changes in the plasma profile and identify the 3D dynamic behavior of radiation, such as the radiation enhancement that starts from the inboard side of the torus, during the radiation collapse. The reconstruction results are also consistent with the output signals of a resistive bolometer. These results indicate that the designed 3D tomography system is available for the 3D imaging of radiation. The first 3D direct tomographic measurement of a magnetically confined plasma has been achieved.« less

Initial experience with a nuclear medicine viewing workstation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witt, Robert M.; Burt, Robert W.

1992-07-01

Graphical User Interfaced (GUI) workstations are now available from commercial vendors. We recently installed a GUI workstation in our nuclear medicine reading room for exclusive use of staff and resident physicians. The system is built upon a Macintosh platform and has been available as a DELTAmanager from MedImage and more recently as an ICON V from Siemens Medical Systems. The workstation provides only display functions and connects to our existing nuclear medicine imaging system via ethernet. The system has some processing capabilities to create oblique, sagittal and coronal views from transverse tomographic views. Hard copy output is via a screen save device and a thermal color printer. The DELTAmanager replaced a MicroDELTA workstation which had both process and view functions. The mouse activated GUI has made remarkable changes to physicians'' use of the nuclear medicine viewing system. Training time to view and review studies has been reduced from hours to about 30-minutes. Generation of oblique views and display of brain and heart tomographic studies has been reduced from about 30-minutes of technician''s time to about 5-minutes of physician''s time. Overall operator functionality has been increased so that resident physicians with little prior computer experience can access all images on the image server and display pertinent patient images when consulting with other staff.

Computational diffraction tomographic microscopy with transport of intensity equation using a light-emitting diode array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiaji; Chen, Qian; Zhang, Jialin; Zuo, Chao

2017-10-01

Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) is an effective label-free technique for quantitatively refractive index imaging, which enables long-term monitoring of the internal three-dimensional (3D) structures and molecular composition of biological cells with minimal perturbation. However, existing optical tomographic methods generally rely on interferometric configuration for phase measurement and sophisticated mechanical systems for sample rotation or beam scanning. Thereby, the measurement is suspect to phase error coming from the coherent speckle, environmental vibrations, and mechanical error during data acquisition process. To overcome these limitations, we present a new ODT technique based on non-interferometric phase retrieval and programmable illumination emitting from a light-emitting diode (LED) array. The experimental system is built based on a traditional bright field microscope, with the light source replaced by a programmable LED array, which provides angle-variable quasi-monochromatic illumination with an angular coverage of +/-37 degrees in both x and y directions (corresponding to an illumination numerical aperture of ˜ 0.6). Transport of intensity equation (TIE) is utilized to recover the phase at different illumination angles, and the refractive index distribution is reconstructed based on the ODT framework under first Rytov approximation. The missing-cone problem in ODT is addressed by using the iterative non-negative constraint algorithm, and the misalignment of the LED array is further numerically corrected to improve the accuracy of refractive index quantification. Experiments on polystyrene beads and thick biological specimens show that the proposed approach allows accurate refractive index reconstruction while greatly reduced the system complexity and environmental sensitivity compared to conventional interferometric ODT approaches.

Cone beam tomographic imaging anatomy of the maxillofacial region.

PubMed

Angelopoulos, Christos

2008-10-01

Multiplanar imaging is a fairly new concept in diagnostic imaging available with a number of contemporary imaging modalities such as CT, MR imaging, diagnostic ultrasound, and others. This modality allows reconstruction of images in different planes (flat or curved) from a volume of data that was acquired previously. This concept makes the diagnostic process more interactive, and proper use may increase diagnostic potential. At the same time, the complexity of the anatomical structures on the maxillofacial region may make it harder for these images to be interpreted. This article reviews the anatomy of maxillofacial structures in planar imaging, and more specifically cone-beam CT images.

A small animal time-resolved optical tomography platform using wide-field excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venugopal, Vivek

Small animal imaging plays a critical role in present day biomedical research by filling an important gap in the translation of research from the bench to the bedside. Optical techniques constitute an emerging imaging modality which have tremendous potential in preclinical applications. Optical imaging methods are capable of non-invasive assessment of the functional and molecular characteristics of biological tissue. The three-dimensional optical imaging technique, referred to as diffuse optical tomography, provides an approach for the whole-body imaging of small animal models and can provide volumetric maps of tissue functional parameters (e.g. blood volume, oxygen saturation etc.) and/or provide 3D localization and quantification of fluorescence-based molecular markers in vivo. However, the complex mathematical reconstruction problem associated with optical tomography and the cumbersome instrumental designs limits its adoption as a high-throughput quantitative whole-body imaging modality in current biomedical research. The development of new optical imaging paradigms is thus necessary for a wide-acceptance of this new technology. In this thesis, the design, development, characterization and optimization of a small animal optical tomography system is discussed. Specifically, the platform combines a highly sensitive time-resolved imaging paradigm with multi-spectral excitation capability and CCD-based detection to provide a system capable of generating spatially, spectrally and temporally dense measurement datasets. The acquisition of such data sets however can take long and translate to often unrealistic acquisition times when using the classical point source based excitation scheme. The novel approach in the design of this platform is the adoption of a wide-field excitation scheme which employs extended excitation sources and in the process allows an estimated ten-fold reduction in the acquisition time. The work described herein details the design of the imaging platform employing DLP-based excitation and time-gated intensified CCD detection and the optimal system operation parameters are determined. The feasibility this imaging approach and accuracy of the system in reconstructing functional parameters and fluorescence markers based on lifetime contrast is established through phantom studies. As a part of the system characterization, the effect of noise in time-resolved optical tomography is investigated and propagation of system noise in optical reconstructions is established. Furthermore, data processing and measurement calibration techniques aimed at reducing the effect of noise in reconstructions are defined. The optimization of excitation pattern selection is established through a novel measurement-guided iterative pattern correction scheme. This technique referred to as Adaptive Full-Field Optical Tomography was shown to improve reconstruction performances in murine models by reducing the dynamic range in photon flux measurements on the surface. Lastly, the application of the unique attributes of this platform to a biologically relevant imaging application, referred to as Forster Resonance Energy Transfer is described. The tomographic imaging of FRET interaction in vivo on a whole-body scale is achieved using the wide-field imaging approach based on lifetime contrast. This technique represents the first demonstration of tomographic FRET imaging in small animals and has significant potential in the development of optical imaging techniques in varied applications ranging from drug discovery to in vivo study of protein-protein interaction.

Estimation of the Above Ground Biomass of Tropical Forests using Polarimetric and Tomographic SAR Data Acquired at P Band and 3-D Imaging Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferro-Famil, L.; El Hajj Chehade, B.; Ho Tong Minh, D.; Tebaldini, S.; LE Toan, T.

2016-12-01

Developing and improving methods to monitor forest biomass in space and time is a timely challenge, especially for tropical forests, for which SAR imaging at larger wavelength presents an interesting potential. Nevertheless, directly estimating tropical forest biomass from classical 2-D SAR images may reveal a very complex and ill-conditioned problem, since a SAR echo is composed of numerous contributions, whose features and importance depend on many geophysical parameters, such has ground humidity, roughness, topography… that are not related to biomass. Recent studies showed that SAR modes of diversity, i.e. polarimetric intensity ratios or interferometric phase centers, do not fully resolve this under-determined problem, whereas Pol-InSAR tree height estimates may be related to biomass through allometric relationships, with, in general over tropical forests, significant levels of uncertainty and lack of robustness. In this context, 3-D imaging using SAR tomography represents an appealing solution at larger wavelengths, for which wave penetration properties ensures a high quality mapping of a tropical forest reflectivity in the vertical direction. This paper presents a series of studies led, in the frame of the preparation of the next ESA mission BIOMASS, on the estimation of biomass over a tropical forest in French Guiana, using Polarimetric SAR Tomographic (Pol-TomSAR) data acquired at P band by ONERA. It is then shown that Pol-TomoSAR significantly improves the retrieval of forest above ground biomass (AGB) in a high biomass forest (200 up to 500 t/ha), with an error of only 10% at 1.5-ha resolution using a reflectivity estimates sampled at a predetermined elevation. The robustness of this technique is tested by applying the same approach over another site, and results show a similar relationship between AGB and tomographic reflectivity over both sites. The excellent ability of Pol-TomSAR to retrieve both canopy top heights and ground topography with an error of the order of 2m compared to LiDAR estimates, is then used to generalize this tomographic technique by selecting in an adaptive way the height at which reflectivity is estimated. Results indicate that this generalized techniques reduces the estimation error to values inferior to 10% and improve the representativity of the obtained AGB maps.

Diffuse Optical Tomography for Brain Imaging: Continuous Wave Instrumentation and Linear Analysis Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacometti, Paolo; Diamond, Solomon G.

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is a functional brain imaging technique that measures cerebral blood oxygenation and blood volume changes. This technique is particularly useful in human neuroimaging measurements because of the coupling between neural and hemodynamic activity in the brain. DOT is a multichannel imaging extension of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). NIRS uses laser sources and light detectors on the scalp to obtain noninvasive hemodynamic measurements from spectroscopic analysis of the remitted light. This review explains how NIRS data analysis is performed using a combination of the modified Beer-Lambert law (MBLL) and the diffusion approximation to the radiative transport equation (RTE). Laser diodes, photodiode detectors, and optical terminals that contact the scalp are the main components in most NIRS systems. Placing multiple sources and detectors over the surface of the scalp allows for tomographic reconstructions that extend the individual measurements of NIRS into DOT. Mathematically arranging the DOT measurements into a linear system of equations that can be inverted provides a way to obtain tomographic reconstructions of hemodynamics in the brain.

Imaging of magma intrusions beneath Harrat Al-Madinah in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelwahed, Mohamed F.; El-Masry, Nabil; Moufti, Mohamed Rashad; Kenedi, Catherine Lewis; Zhao, Dapeng; Zahran, Hani; Shawali, Jamal

2016-04-01

High-resolution tomographic images of the crust and upper mantle beneath Harrat Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, are obtained by inverting high-quality arrival-time data of local earthquakes and teleseismic events recorded by newly installed borehole seismic stations to investigate the AD 1256 volcanic eruption and the 1999 seismic swarm in the study region. Our tomographic images show the existence of strong heterogeneities marked with low-velocity zones extending beneath the AD 1256 volcanic center and the 1999 seismic swarm area. The low-velocity zone coinciding with the hypocenters of the 1999 seismic swarm suggests the presence of a shallow magma reservoir that is apparently originated from a deeper source (60-100 km depths) and is possibly connected with another reservoir located further north underneath the NNW-aligned scoria cones of the AD 1256 eruption. We suggest that the 1999 seismic swarm may represent an aborted volcanic eruption and that the magmatism along the western margin of Arabia is largely attributed to the uplifting and thinning of its lithosphere by the Red Sea rifting.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ent, Rolf

With two options studied at Brookhaven National Lab and Jefferson Laboratory the U.S., an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) of energy √s=20-100 GeV was under design. Furthermore, the recent 2015 US Nuclear Science Long-Range Planning effort included a future EIC as a recommendation for future construction. The EIC will be unique in colliding polarised electrons off polarised protons and light nuclei, providing the spin degrees of freedom essential to pursue its physics program driven by spin structure, multi-dimensional tomographic images of protons and nuclei, and discovery of the role of collective effects of gluons in nuclei. The foreseen luminosity of the EIC,more » coupled with its energy variability and reach, will allow unprecedented three-dimensional imaging of the gluon and sea quark distributions, via both TMDs and GPDs, and to explore correlations amongst them. Its hermetic detection capability of correlated fragments promises to similar allow for precise tomographic images of the quark-gluon landscape in nuclei, transcending from light few-body nuclei to the heaviest nuclei, and could uncover how the TMD and GPD landscape changes when gluons display an anticipated collective behavior at the higher energies.« less

DoctorEye: A clinically driven multifunctional platform, for accurate processing of tumors in medical images.

PubMed

Skounakis, Emmanouil; Farmaki, Christina; Sakkalis, Vangelis; Roniotis, Alexandros; Banitsas, Konstantinos; Graf, Norbert; Marias, Konstantinos

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel, open access interactive platform for 3D medical image analysis, simulation and visualization, focusing in oncology images. The platform was developed through constant interaction and feedback from expert clinicians integrating a thorough analysis of their requirements while having an ultimate goal of assisting in accurately delineating tumors. It allows clinicians not only to work with a large number of 3D tomographic datasets but also to efficiently annotate multiple regions of interest in the same session. Manual and semi-automatic segmentation techniques combined with integrated correction tools assist in the quick and refined delineation of tumors while different users can add different components related to oncology such as tumor growth and simulation algorithms for improving therapy planning. The platform has been tested by different users and over large number of heterogeneous tomographic datasets to ensure stability, usability, extensibility and robustness with promising results. the platform, a manual and tutorial videos are available at: http://biomodeling.ics.forth.gr. it is free to use under the GNU General Public License.

Normal cord in infants and children examined with computed tomographic metrizamide myelography.

PubMed

Resjö, I M; Harwood-Nash, D C; Fitz, C R; Chuang, S

1979-03-01

Computed tomographic metrizamide myelography (CTMM) was performed on 25 infants and children and 2 adults with normal spinal cords. Both the cord and the cauda equina were precisely outlined. The most detailed information was obtained with a small window setting, with the image subsequently magnified and color-reversed. Hounsfield-unit measurements alone were inaccurate. Advantages of CTMM include: high accuracy in demonstrating the intrathecal contents of the spine; less need for general anesthesia; and the need for a smaller amount of water-soluble contrast material than in conventional myelography. In selected cases of intraspinal abnormality in children, CTMM is recommended.

Tomographic PIV investigation of roughness-induced transition in a hypersonic boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avallone, F.; Ye, Q.; Schrijer, F. F. J.; Scarano, F.; Cardone, G.

2014-11-01

The disturbance generated by roughness elements in a hypersonic laminar boundary layer is investigated, with attention to its three-dimensional properties. The transition of the boundary layer is inspected with tomographic particle image velocimetry that is applied for the first time at Mach 7.5 inside a short duration hypersonic wind tunnel. A low aspect ratio cylindrical roughness element is installed on a flat plate, and experiments are conducted downstream of the element describing the mean velocity field and the turbulent fluctuations. Details of the experimental procedure needed to realize these measurements are discussed, along with the fluid dynamic behaviour of the perturbed hypersonic boundary layer.

Contralateral decubitus positioning enhances computed tomographic angiographic evaluation of pulmonary vasculature in a patient with a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation.

PubMed

Tafti, Bashir Akhavan; Berenji, Gholam R; Santiago, Silverio; Barack, Bruce M

2012-11-01

Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography has become the diagnostic procedure of choice in patients suspected of having a pulmonary embolus. However, intrapulmonary shunting of blood in a variety of pathologic conditions can cause suboptimal opacification of the pulmonary arterial circulation and result in a suboptimal or even nondiagnostic study. Radiologists should be aware of these conditions and be familiar with positioning techniques to minimize such shunting. We report a patient suspected of having pulmonary embolism, in whom a preexisting unilateral arteriovenous malformation prevented adequate evaluation of the pulmonary circulation. Positioning the patient in the contralateral decubitus position significantly enhanced image quality.

NECTAR—A fission neutron radiography and tomography facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bücherl, T.; Lierse von Gostomski, Ch.; Breitkreutz, H.; Jungwirth, M.; Wagner, F. M.

2011-09-01

NECTAR (Neutron Computerized Tomography and Radiography) is a versatile facility for radiographic and tomographic investigations as well as for neutron activation experiments using fission neutrons. The radiation sources for this facility are two plates of highly enriched uranium situated in the moderator vessel in FRM II. Thermal neutrons originating from the main fuel element of the reactor generate in these plates fast neutrons. These can escape through a horizontal beam tube without moderation. The beam can be filtered and manipulated in order to reduce the accompanying gamma radiation and to match the specific experimental tasks. A summary of the main parameters required for experimental set-up and (quantitative) data evaluation is presented. The (measured) spectra of the neutron and gamma radiations are shown along with the effect of different filters on their behavior. The neutron and gamma fluxes, dose rates, L/ D-ratios, etc. and the main parameters of the actually used detection systems for neutron imaging are given, too.

Bayesian estimation of optical properties of the human head via 3D structural MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Alexander H.; Culver, Joseph P.; Sorensen, A. Gregory; Dale, Anders M.; Boas, David A.

2003-10-01

Knowledge of the baseline optical properties of the tissues of the human head is essential for absolute cerebral oximetry, and for quantitative studies of brain activation. In this work we numerically model the utility of signals from a small 6-optode time-resolved diffuse optical tomographic apparatus for inferring baseline scattering and absorption coefficients of the scalp, skull and brain, when complete geometric information is available from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We use an optical model where MRI-segmented tissues are assumed homogeneous. We introduce a noise model capturing both photon shot noise and forward model numerical accuracy, and use Bayesian inference to predict errorbars and correlations on the measurments. We also sample from the full posterior distribution using Markov chain Monte Carlo. We conclude that ~ 106 detected photons are sufficient to measure the brain"s scattering and absorption to a few percent. We present preliminary results using a fast multi-layer slab model, comparing the case when layer thicknesses are known versus unknown.

Right ventricular performance and mass by use of cine MRI late after atrial repair of transposition of the great arteries.

PubMed

Lorenz, C H; Walker, E S; Graham, T P; Powers, T A

1995-11-01

The long-term adaptation of the right ventricle after atrial repair of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) remains a subject of major concern. Cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with its tomographic capabilities, allows unique quantitative evaluation of both right and left ventricular function and mass. Our purpose was to use MRI and an age-matched normal population to examine the typical late adaptation of the right and left ventricles after atrial repair of TGA. Cine MRI was used to study ventricular function and mass in 22 patients after atrial repair of TGA. Images were obtained in short-axis sections from base to apex to derive normalized right and left ventricular mass (RVM and LVM, g/m2), interventricular septal mass (IVSM, g/m2), RV and LV end-diastolic volumes (EDV, mL/m2), and ejection fractions (EF). Results 8 to 23 years after repair were compared with analysis of 24 age- and sex-matched normal volunteers and revealed markedly elevated RVM, decreased LVM and IVSM, normal RV size, and only mildly depressed RVEF. Only 1 of 22 patients had clinical RV dysfunction, and this patient had increased RVM. Cine MRI allows quantitative evaluation of both RV and LV mass and function late after atrial repair of TGA. Longitudinal studies that include these measurements should prove useful in determining the mechanism of late RV failure in these patients. On the basis of these early data, inadequate hypertrophy does not appear to be the cause of late dysfunction in this patient group.

Characterization of reactive flow-induced evolution of carbonate rocks using digital core analysis- part 1: Assessment of pore-scale mineral dissolution and deposition.

PubMed

Qajar, Jafar; Arns, Christoph H

2016-09-01

The application of X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) for quantitatively characterizing reactive-flow induced pore structure evolution including local particle detachment, displacement and deposition in carbonate rocks is investigated. In the studies conducted in this field of research, the experimental procedure has involved alternating steps of imaging and ex-situ core sample alteration. Practically, it is impossible to return the sample, with micron precision, to the same position and orientation. Furthermore, successive images of a sample in pre- and post-alteration states are usually taken at different conditions such as different scales, resolutions and signal-to-noise ratios. These conditions accompanying with subresolution features in the images make voxel-by-voxel comparisons of successive images problematic. In this paper, we first address the respective challenges in voxel-wise interpretation of successive images of carbonate rocks subject to reactive flow. Reactive coreflood in two carbonate cores with different rock types are considered. For the first rock, we used the experimental and imaging results published by Qajar et al. (2013) which showed a quasi-uniform dissolution regime. A similar reactive core flood was conducted in the second rock which resulted in wormhole-like dissolution regime. We particularly examine the major image processing operations such as transformation of images to the same grey-scale, noise filtering and segmentation thresholding and propose quantitative methods to evaluate the effectiveness of these operations in voxel-wise analysis of successive images of a sample. In the second part, we generalize the methodology based on the three-phase segmentation of normalized images, microporosity assignment and 2D histogram of image intensities to estimate grey-scale changes of individual image voxels for a general case where the greyscale images are segmented into arbitrary number of phases. The results show that local (voxel-based) porosity changes can be decomposed into local mineral dissolution and deposition. Moreover, it is found that the microporosity evolutions are differently distributed in the samples after the reactive coreflood experiments. In the last part of the paper, for the case of quasi-uniform dissolution, we combine the tomographic images with numerical calculations of permeability along the core to characterize the relationship between changes in permeability and the fractions of the mineral dissolved and deposited. A consistency is found between the calculated longitudinal permeability changes and the quantified distribution of mineral dissolved and deposited along the sample. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of reactive flow-induced evolution of carbonate rocks using digital core analysis- part 1: Assessment of pore-scale mineral dissolution and deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qajar, Jafar; Arns, Christoph H.

2016-09-01

The application of X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) for quantitatively characterizing reactive-flow induced pore structure evolution including local particle detachment, displacement and deposition in carbonate rocks is investigated. In the studies conducted in this field of research, the experimental procedure has involved alternating steps of imaging and ex-situ core sample alteration. Practically, it is impossible to return the sample, with micron precision, to the same position and orientation. Furthermore, successive images of a sample in pre- and post-alteration states are usually taken at different conditions such as different scales, resolutions and signal-to-noise ratios. These conditions accompanying with subresolution features in the images make voxel-by-voxel comparisons of successive images problematic. In this paper, we first address the respective challenges in voxel-wise interpretation of successive images of carbonate rocks subject to reactive flow. Reactive coreflood in two carbonate cores with different rock types are considered. For the first rock, we used the experimental and imaging results published by Qajar et al. (2013) which showed a quasi-uniform dissolution regime. A similar reactive core flood was conducted in the second rock which resulted in wormhole-like dissolution regime. We particularly examine the major image processing operations such as transformation of images to the same grey-scale, noise filtering and segmentation thresholding and propose quantitative methods to evaluate the effectiveness of these operations in voxel-wise analysis of successive images of a sample. In the second part, we generalize the methodology based on the three-phase segmentation of normalized images, microporosity assignment and 2D histogram of image intensities to estimate grey-scale changes of individual image voxels for a general case where the greyscale images are segmented into arbitrary number of phases. The results show that local (voxel-based) porosity changes can be decomposed into local mineral dissolution and deposition. Moreover, it is found that the microporosity evolutions are differently distributed in the samples after the reactive coreflood experiments. In the last part of the paper, for the case of quasi-uniform dissolution, we combine the tomographic images with numerical calculations of permeability along the core to characterize the relationship between changes in permeability and the fractions of the mineral dissolved and deposited. A consistency is found between the calculated longitudinal permeability changes and the quantified distribution of mineral dissolved and deposited along the sample.

Three-dimensional quantitative evaluation of midfacial skeletal changes after trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis for midfacial hypoplasia in growing patients with cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Tong, Haizhou; Gao, Feng; Yin, Jiapeng; Shi, Zehong; Song, Tao; Li, Haidong; Sun, Xiaomei; Wang, Yongqian; Yin, Ningbei; Zhao, Zhenmin

2015-11-01

Trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis (TSDO) is an alternative method for the early treatment of midfacial hypoplasia in growing patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). The purpose of this study was to analyze three-dimensional (3D) midfacial skeletal changes after TSDO and to explore the mechanism in this process. All patients with nonsyndromic CLP who underwent bone-borne TSDO for midfacial hypoplasia from 2005 to 2014 were reviewed in this retrospective study. 3D morphological and quantitative measurement analyses were performed to evaluate midfacial skeletal changes by superimposition of preoperative and postoperative computed tomographic images. Twenty-six patients with mean age of 11.5 years met the inclusion criteria. The 3D morphological findings exhibited the most significant suture stress changes at the pterygomaxillary suture area, with obvious bone generation in all patients. The whole midfacial skeleton had progressively increased advancement in a craniocaudal direction along the midface segment, associated with morphological changes in skeleton itself. The 3D quantitative measurement findings showed differential advancement of each landmark at the maxillary alveolar, zygomatic bone, orbital rim, and nasal bone, which was consistent with morphological findings. TSDO allows rotation advancement of the midfacial skeleton to achieve occlusal correction and facial harmony through the mechanism of both suture remodeling and bone remodeling. Copyright © 2015 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developments of Finite-Frequency Seismic Theory and Applications to Regional Tomographic Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-31

banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels of teleseismic body waves to image the crust and mantle beneath eastern Eurasia. We have collected and processed...In this project, we use the “ banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels of teleseismic body waves to image the crust and mantle beneath eastern Eurasia...replaced body-wave ray paths with “ banana -doughnut” sensitivity kernels calculated in 1D (Dahlen et al., 2000; Hung et al., 2000; Zhao et al., 2000

Tomographic digital subtraction angiography for lung perfusion estimation in rodents.

PubMed

Badea, Cristian T; Hedlund, Laurence W; De Lin, Ming; Mackel, Julie S Boslego; Samei, Ehsan; Johnson, G Allan

2007-05-01

In vivo measurements of perfusion present a challenge to existing small animal imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance microscopy, micro computed tomography, micro positron emission tomography, and microSPECT, due to combined requirements for high spatial and temporal resolution. We demonstrate the use of tomographic digital subtraction angiography (TDSA) for estimation of perfusion in small animals. TDSA augments conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) by providing three-dimensional spatial information using tomosynthesis algorithms. TDSA is based on the novel paradigm that the same time density curves can be reproduced in a number of consecutive injections of microL volumes of contrast at a series of different angles of rotation. The capabilities of TDSA are established in studies on lung perfusion in rats. Using an imaging system developed in-house, we acquired data for four-dimensional (4D) imaging with temporal resolution of 140 ms, in-plane spatial resolution of 100 microm, and slice thickness on the order of millimeters. Based on a structured experimental approach, we optimized TDSA imaging providing a good trade-off between slice thickness, the number of injections, contrast to noise, and immunity to artifacts. Both DSA and TDSA images were used to create parametric maps of perfusion. TDSA imaging has potential application in a number of areas where functional perfusion measurements in 4D can provide valuable insight into animal models of disease and response to therapeutics.

Variational-based segmentation of bio-pores in tomographic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Benjamin; Cai, Xiaohao; Peth, Stephan; Schladitz, Katja; Steidl, Gabriele

2017-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) combined with a quantitative analysis of the resulting volume images is a fruitful technique in soil science. However, the variations in X-ray attenuation due to different soil components keep the segmentation of single components within these highly heterogeneous samples a challenging problem. Particularly demanding are bio-pores due to their elongated shape and the low gray value difference to the surrounding soil structure. Recently, variational models in connection with algorithms from convex optimization were successfully applied for image segmentation. In this paper we apply these methods for the first time for the segmentation of bio-pores in CT images of soil samples. We introduce a novel convex model which enforces smooth boundaries of bio-pores and takes the varying attenuation values in the depth into account. Segmentation results are reported for different real-world 3D data sets as well as for simulated data. These results are compared with two gray value thresholding methods, namely indicator kriging and a global thresholding procedure, and with a morphological approach. Pros and cons of the methods are assessed by considering geometric features of the segmented bio-pore systems. The variational approach features well-connected smooth pores while not detecting smaller or shallower pores. This is an advantage in cases where the main bio-pores network is of interest and where infillings, e.g., excrements of earthworms, would result in losing pore connections as observed for the other thresholding methods.

Display And Analysis Of Tomographic Volumetric Images Utilizing A Vari-Focal Mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, L. D.; Camp, J. J.

1984-10-01

A system for the three-dimensional (3-D) display and analysis of stacks of tomographic images is described. The device utilizes the principle of a variable focal (vari-focal) length optical element in the form of an aluminized membrane stretched over a loudspeaker to generate a virtual 3-D image which is a visible representation of a 3-D array of image elements (voxels). The system displays 500,000 voxels per mirror cycle in a 3-D raster which appears continuous and demonstrates no distracting artifacts. The display is bright enough so that portions of the image can be dimmed without compromising the number of shades of gray. For x-ray CT, a displayed volume image looks like a 3-D radiograph which appears to be in the space directly behind the mirror. The viewer sees new views by moving his/her head from side to side or up and down. The system facilitates a variety of operator interactive functions which allow the user to point at objects within the image, control the orientation and location of brightened oblique planes within the volume, numerically dissect away selected image regions, and control intensity window levels. Photographs of example volume images displayed on the system illustrate, to the degree possible in a flat picture, the nature of displayed images and the capabilities of the system. Preliminary application of the display device to the analysis of volume reconstructions obtained from the Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor indicates significant utility of the system in selecting oblique sections and gaining an appreciation of the shape and dimensions of complex organ systems.

Optimal parameters for near infrared fluorescence imaging of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models

PubMed Central

Raymond, S B; Kumar, A T N; Boas, D A; Bacskai, B J

2012-01-01

Amyloid-β plaques are an Alzheimer’s disease biomarker which present unique challenges for near-infrared fluorescence tomography because of size (<50 μm diameter) and distribution. We used high-resolution simulations of fluorescence in a digital Alzheimer’s disease mouse model to investigate the optimal fluorophore and imaging parameters for near-infrared fluorescence tomography of amyloid plaques. Fluorescence was simulated for amyloid-targeted probes with emission at 630 and 800 nm, plaque-to-background ratios from 1–1000, amyloid burden from 0–10%, and for transmission and reflection measurement geometries. Fluorophores with high plaque-to-background contrast ratios and 800 nm emission performed significantly better than current amyloid imaging probes. We tested idealized fluorophores in transmission and full-angle tomographic measurement schemes (900 source–detector pairs), with and without anatomical priors. Transmission reconstructions demonstrated strong linear correlation with increasing amyloid burden, but underestimated fluorescence yield and suffered from localization artifacts. Full-angle measurements did not improve upon the transmission reconstruction qualitatively or in semi-quantitative measures of accuracy; anatomical and initial-value priors did improve reconstruction localization and accuracy for both transmission and full-angle schemes. Region-based reconstructions, in which the unknowns were reduced to a few distinct anatomical regions, produced highly accurate yield estimates for cortex, hippocampus and brain regions, even with a reduced number of measurements (144 source–detector pairs). PMID:19794239

Cortical Surface Registration for Image-Guided Neurosurgery Using Laser-Range Scanning

PubMed Central

Sinha, Tuhin K.; Cash, David M.; Galloway, Robert L.; Weil, Robert J.

2013-01-01

In this paper, a method of acquiring intraoperative data using a laser range scanner (LRS) is presented within the context of model-updated image-guided surgery. Registering textured point clouds generated by the LRS to tomographic data is explored using established point-based and surface techniques as well as a novel method that incorporates geometry and intensity information via mutual information (SurfaceMI). Phantom registration studies were performed to examine accuracy and robustness for each framework. In addition, an in vivo registration is performed to demonstrate feasibility of the data acquisition system in the operating room. Results indicate that SurfaceMI performed better in many cases than point-based (PBR) and iterative closest point (ICP) methods for registration of textured point clouds. Mean target registration error (TRE) for simulated deep tissue targets in a phantom were 1.0 ± 0.2, 2.0 ± 0.3, and 1.2 ± 0.3 mm for PBR, ICP, and SurfaceMI, respectively. With regard to in vivo registration, the mean TRE of vessel contour points for each framework was 1.9 ± 1.0, 0 9 ± 0.6, and 1.3 ± 0.5 for PBR, ICP, and SurfaceMI, respectively. The methods discussed in this paper in conjunction with the quantitative data provide impetus for using LRS technology within the model-updated image-guided surgery framework. PMID:12906252

Experimental Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae challenge in swine: Comparison of computed tomographic and radiographic findings during disease

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In pigs, diseases of the respiratory tract like pleuropneumonia due to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) infection have led to high economic losses for decades. Further research on disease pathogenesis, pathogen-host-interactions and new prophylactic and therapeutic approaches are needed. In most studies, a large number of experimental animals are required to assess lung alterations at different stages of the disease. In order to reduce the required number of animals but nevertheless gather information on the nature and extent of lung alterations in living pigs, a computed tomographic scoring system for quantifying gross pathological findings was developed. In this study, five healthy pigs served as control animals while 24 pigs were infected with App, the causative agent of pleuropneumonia in pigs, in an established model for respiratory tract disease. Results Computed tomographic (CT) findings during the course of App challenge were verified by radiological imaging, clinical, serological, gross pathology and histological examinations. Findings from clinical examinations and both CT and radiological imaging, were recorded on day 7 and day 21 after challenge. Clinical signs after experimental App challenge were indicative of acute to chronic disease. Lung CT findings of infected pigs comprised ground-glass opacities and consolidation. On day 7 and 21 the clinical scores significantly correlated with the scores of both imaging techniques. At day 21, significant correlations were found between clinical scores, CT scores and lung lesion scores. In 19 out of 22 challenged pigs the determined disease grades (not affected, slightly affected, moderately affected, severely affected) from CT and gross pathological examination were in accordance. Disease classification by radiography and gross pathology agreed in 11 out of 24 pigs. Conclusions High-resolution, high-contrast CT examination with no overlapping of organs is superior to radiography in the assessment of pneumonic lung lesions after App challenge. The new CT scoring system allows for quantification of gross pathological lung alterations in living pigs. However, computed tomographic findings are not informative of the etiology of respiratory disease. PMID:22546414

Electrical Impedance Tomography Technology (EITT) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliva-Buisson, Yvette J.

2014-01-01

Development of a portable, lightweight device providing two-dimensional tomographic imaging of the human body using impedance mapping. This technology can be developed to evaluate health risks and provide appropriate medical care on the ISS, during space travel and on the ground.

Procedures for Geometric Data Reduction in Solid Log Modelling

Treesearch

Luis G. Occeña; Wenzhen Chen; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1995-01-01

One of the difficulties in solid log modelling is working with huge data sets, such as those that come from computed axial tomographic imaging. Algorithmic procedures are described in this paper that have successfully reduced data without sacrificing modelling integrity.