Emphasis
The emphasis is on: simulation, design and development of new x-ray sources and detector systems for imaging; new readout methods that enhance the signal quality for x-ray image generation; designs of novel imaging geometries for dedicated, general or multi-purpose imaging; algorithms that compensate for the physical properties of the detection system to improve the clinical reliability of the image (reconstruction algorithms); and approaches to radiation dose reduction, especially in CT. Of interest are diagnostic image enhancements via energy sensitive photon counting, dual/multi energy imaging and quantification, and new applications of cone-beam tomography.
Relevance
The emphasized topics are meant to lead toward: improved clinical CT and planar x-ray (e.g. mammography) systems or new camera geometries; new signal-processing and image-generation algorithms; corrections for image artifacts for enhanced reliability of clinical images; studies of x-ray physics to estimate absorbed energy of diagnostic scans; and methods of visualizing or measuring therapy doses. Investigating the associated dosimetry estimations helps to decrease the risk of diagnostic and therapy techniques.
Examples of emphasis
- improvement in compact x-ray source technologies
- development & construction of flat panel detector arrays
- evaluation of new semiconductor, scintillation and other novel radiation detectors
- reconstruction algorithms for CT and cone-beam geometry
- advances of photon counting or dual/multi-energy in CT
- techniques for improved image spatial resolution and sensitivity
- investigating x-ray luminescence tomography
- design and manufacture of x-ray gratings
- investigating interferometry and (tissue-induced) phase contrast techniques as well as development of usable phase contrast systems
- combining modalities for clinically relevant hybrid cameras (e.g. coupling x-ray CT to SPECT and PET, ultrasound, optical, MRI or other modalities)
- software algorithms and imaging protocols to estimate patient dosimetry
- improvements in digital radiography and digital fluoroscopy
- novel interaction processing such as those using scattered x-rays
- developing ion beams for novel clinical applications
- new diagnostics applied to image-guided therapy and theranostics
Additional support
- improvements in digital radiography and digital fluoroscopy
- novel interaction processing such as those using scattered x-rays
- developing ion beams for novel clinical applications
- new diagnostics applied to image-guided therapy and theranostics
Notes
- clinical application of image-guided therapy and theranostics is supported by the Image-Guided Interventions program
- development of imaging molecular agents is supported by the Molecular Imaging program
- novel evaluation of images is supported by the Image Processing, Visual Perception and Display program
Related News
A tiny, four-fingered “hand” folded from a single piece of DNA can pick up the virus that causes COVID-19 for highly sensitive rapid detection and can even block viral particles from entering cells to infect them, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report. Source: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign News Bureau
As AI is deployed in clinical centers across the U.S., one important consideration is to assure that models are fair and perform equally across patient groups and populations. To better understand the fairness of medical imaging AI, researchers trained over 3,000 models spanning multiple model configurations, algorithms, and clinical tasks. Their analysis of these models reinforced some previous findings about bias in AI algorithms and uncovered new insights about deployment of models in diverse settings.
NIH has just awarded $17 million for a group of projects undertaken by small and mid-sized businesses, nonprofit organizations, and academia participating in the Blueprint MedTech program.
Physical human feats require a high level of coordination between sensory and motor functions. What kind of achievements could robots perform with the same cohesion between sensing and action? In the medical space, researchers have begun to explore the possibilities.
Due to its high accuracy, lab-based PCR testing is the gold standard for infectious disease diagnostics. Yet PCR's availability is limited, especially in low-resource settings. New research suggests a new kind of test could be more streamlined without sacrificing performance.