An innovative new micro-CT system: Proof-of-principle in biomedical imaging of atherosclerosis

创新的微型 CT 系统：动脉粥样硬化生物医学成像原理验证

• 批准号: 523522-2018
• 负责人: Duncan, Robin
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=649768
• 关键词: innovative; new; micro; CT; system

Micro-computed-tomography (m-CT) scanners can take pictures inside the body non-invasively. Knowing**what changes happen in progressive disease conditions like obesity, cancer, and heart disease, and when and**how they start to become really dangerous to the body, is critical for effectively diagnosing people and**targeting treatments. Most of the research that leads to these discoveries is done in mice that have the same**organ systems as humans, and develop many of the same diseases. Having a tool that would allow scientists to**capture detailed images inside mice at different stages of disease development would provide a huge amount of**new information, and accelerate disease research in multiple fields. Currently, there are some tools that can do**this - but they aren't widely used, for several reasons: 1) They cost too much for most labs to afford. 2) They**use very high levels of radiation that damage DNA, causing mutations that disrupt the research. 3) They**produce low-resolution pictures, which don't provide enough detail for studying things like hardening of the**arteries, or cancer cell invasion. To solve these problems, engineers at the Canadian company KA Imaging**built an innovative new m-CT scanner that takes super-high-resolution pictures, uses only low-dose radiation,**and can be made in Canada for a fraction of the cost of current m-CT systems. However, before researchers,**and eventually doctors, will use it, it needs to be optimized and validated. However, Engineers don't have the**expertise to know what cells and tissues should look like. In this work, Engineers will work with Biomedical**researchers to take pictures and analyze artery plaques from mice in both traditional ways, and using the new**m-CT. This will help to operationalize the innovative new m-CT system, as a necessary step in**commercialization. Outcomes will benefit Canada's image as a leader in medical technology, and will help**provide a cost-effective tool that will be made-in-Canada, providing high-tech jobs, and revolutionizing**medical research and diagnostic capabilities globally.

微型计算机断层扫描（m-CT）扫描仪可以无创地拍摄人体内部的照片。了解在肥胖、癌症和心脏病等进行性疾病中发生了什么变化，以及它们何时、如何开始对身体构成真正的危险，对于有效诊断和靶向治疗至关重要。导致这些发现的大多数研究都是在老鼠身上进行的，老鼠的器官系统和人类一样，也会患上许多相同的疾病。拥有一种工具，可以让科学家在疾病发展的不同阶段捕获老鼠体内的详细图像，这将提供大量的新信息，并加速多个领域的疾病研究。目前，有一些工具可以做到这一点，但它们并没有被广泛使用，原因如下：1)它们的成本太高，大多数实验室负担不起。2)他们使用非常高水平的辐射，破坏DNA，导致突变，破坏研究。3)它们产生的图像分辨率很低，无法为研究动脉硬化或癌细胞入侵等问题提供足够的细节。为了解决这些问题，加拿大KA Imaging公司的工程师们制造了一种创新的m-CT扫描仪，它可以拍摄超高分辨率的图像，只使用低剂量的辐射，并且可以在加拿大制造，成本只是目前m-CT系统的一小部分。然而，在研究人员和医生使用它之前，它需要被优化和验证。然而，工程师们并没有专业知识来知道细胞和组织应该是什么样子。在这项工作中，工程师将与生物医学研究人员合作，以传统的方式和使用新的m-CT对小鼠的动脉斑块进行拍照和分析。这将有助于创新的m-CT系统的运行，作为**商业化的必要步骤。结果将有利于加拿大作为医疗技术领导者的形象，并将帮助**提供加拿大制造的具有成本效益的工具，提供高科技就业机会，并在全球范围内彻底改变**医学研究和诊断能力。