RII Track-4: NSF: Enabling Aberration-free Transcranial Photoacoustic Computed Tomography for Human Brain Imaging

光声计算机断层扫描（PACT）是一种新兴的计算成像模式，它利用光学对比和声学检测原理来形成人类/动物组织的高精度图像。然而，经颅脑成像（TBI）对于PACT仍然具有挑战性，因为强烈的颅骨诱导的超声波失真（即，畸变），这导致显著的重建伪影。在这个项目中，PI和一名研究生将与伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的专家合作，开发一个基于高精度建模工具和高性能计算（HPC）的计算数学框架，为TBI提供无畸变的PACT。既有对框架稳定性的科学认识，也有对PACT基本理论的认识。这些进步将改善医疗结果，降低风险，提高患者满意度，降低医疗成本。为了改善亚拉巴马的研究基础设施，PI将积极招募和指导具有不同背景的本科生和研究生（例如，妇女，非洲裔美国人和其他少数民族）参与这项研究，接触K-12教育工作者和学生，以培养学生对STEM领域的兴趣，将研究结果纳入课堂模块，并向公众传播技术和发现。本研究基础设施改善轨道-4 EPSCoR研究员（RII轨道4）项目将为亚拉巴马塔斯卡卢萨大学的一名助理教授提供研究金，并为一名研究生提供培训。该项目将推进经颅PACT的最新技术水平。通过使用伴随状态方法推导数学表达式，该团队将创建一个新的关节重建框架，同时反转TBI的初始压力分布和参数化的耦合流体/固体声音速度图像。该项目还将创建一个基于谱元法（SEM）和相关HPC支持软件的计算JR框架，以实现无畸变经颅PACT。SEM的高阶形状函数精确地表示人体部位（例如，颅骨）的复杂拓扑结构，并有望显着降低畸变效应。科学知识将产生的像差减少效果，扫描电镜可以带来。将对JR不稳定性问题进行数学分析，并制定改进的缓解策略。该项目的成果将解决应用PACT治疗TBI的障碍，填补亚拉巴马缺乏PACT研究的空白，并提高亚拉巴马在生物科学/生物技术方面的竞争力，这是亚拉巴马EPSCoR研究的重点领域之一。亚拉巴马将获得各种PACT相关领域的能力和竞争优势，如脑成像，肌肉骨骼成像和无损评估。由此产生的网络基础设施将使亚拉巴马能够为广泛的计算和数据支持的研究课题做好准备。临床翻译的潜力和显著的患者治疗效果的改善将使该团队能够通过其他外部赠款来培养行业关系，以刺激亚拉巴马的创业精神、研究基础设施和经济发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging computational imaging modality that exploits optical contrast and acoustic detection principles to form high-accuracy images of human/animal tissue. However, transcranial brain imaging (TBI) is still challenging for PACT because of a strong skull-induced ultrasonic wave distortion (i.e., aberration), which leads to significant reconstruction artifacts. In this project, the PI and a graduate student will work with experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to develop a computational mathematical framework based on a highly accurate modeling tool and high-performance computing (HPC) that enables an aberration-free PACT for TBI. Both the scientific knowledge of the framework’s stability and the fundamental PACT theory will be advanced. These advancements will result in improved medical outcomes, reduced risks, higher patient satisfaction, and reduced healthcare costs. To improve the research infrastructures in Alabama, the PI will actively recruit and mentor undergraduate and graduate students with diverse backgrounds (e.g., women, African Americans, and other minorities) to participate in this research, reach out to K-12 educators and students to create student interest in STEM fields, incorporate the findings into class modules, and disseminate the technology and findings to the public.This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-4 EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4) project would provide a Fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at University of Alabama Tuscaloosa. This project will advance the state-of-the-art in transcranial PACT. By deriving the mathematical expressions using the adjoint state method, the team will create a novel joint reconstruction framework that simultaneously inverts the initial pressure distribution and the parameterized, coupled fluid/solid sound of speed images for TBI. The project will also create a computational JR framework based on a spectral element method (SEM) and the associated HPC-enabled software to enable aberration-free transcranial PACT. The high-order shape functions of SEM accurately represent the complex topology of human body parts (e.g, skull bones) and are expected to significantly reduce the aberration effects. Scientific knowledge will be generated on the aberration-reduction effects that SEM can bring. The mathematical analysis will be performed for the JR instability problem, and improved mitigation strategies will be created as well. The project outcomes will address barriers to applying PACT for TBI, fill the void of lacking PACT research in Alabama, and improve Alabama's competitiveness in Biosciences/Biotechnology, which is one of the Key Alabama EPSCoR research priority areas. Alabama will gain the capabilities and competitive advantages for a variety of PACT-related fields such as brain imaging, musculoskeletal imaging, and nondestructive evaluation. The resulting cyberinfrastructure will enable Alabama to be ready for a wide range of computational and data-enabled research topics. The clinical translation potential and significant patient outcome improvements will allow the team to cultivate industrial relationships through other external grants to stimulate Alabama’s entrepreneurship, research infrastructure, and economic development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.