Image Reconstruction and Processing in Dynamic Computed Tomography

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Dynamic contrast enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) is a widely used non-invasive imaging test for assessing microvascular hemodynamics in various tissue injuries and diseases. This method relies on scanning the tissue of interest with a CT scanner for a short period of time (half to few minutes) after injecting x-ray dye. One limitation of this approach is potential cancer risk from exposure to x-rays (ionizing radiation). Radiation induced injury can be minimized by scanning with much less x-rays but the resulting image errors will affect the evaluation of physiological parameters assessed with DCE-CT (similar to the excessive noise in low-light photography). In this research program, we will implement new image reconstruction and processing methods to minimize errors in DCE-CT images acquired from extremely low radiation scanning. The proposed methods will be optimized using phantoms and validated in animals against gold standards. We anticipate that this research will lead to a significant reduction in radiation exposure in DCE CT studies and facilitate a wider use of DCE-CT for assessing the pathophysiology of various diseases and for therapeutic drug development. The proposed research program will also provide excellent opportunities for trainees to pursue impactful imaging research in an environment with experienced mentors and state-of-the-art imaging facilities.