Real-Time Tomosynthesis Imaging for Vascular Dynamics

描述（申请人提供）：恶性肿瘤的生理特征，如血流和血管通透性与治疗效果密切相关。断层扫描血管动态信息在监测肿瘤生长和血管募集以及评估新型化疗药物的治疗反应方面具有巨大的实用价值。我们建议将新型固定x射线源阵列技术与现有的平板探测器相结合，开发一种实时断层合成（TS）系统来成像血管动力学。该系统将适用于中等大小物体的血管研究，如人类乳房或小动物，特别是小鼠和大鼠，因为它们被广泛用于包括癌症在内的人类疾病模型。动态成像系统将提供时间分辨层析成像图像。在我们设计，制造和鉴定系统之后，我们将使用幻影来评估它，以获取实时层析图像数据集。这些数据集将为指导固定式x射线源技术和实时TS系统的进一步工程开发提供重要信息。本R21提案的具体目标是：目标1。构建用于血管分析的实时多源层析成像系统（1年级）演示固定源操作和量化系统的时间和空间性能使用幻影和最先进的图像评估技术。（二年级）本提案中提出的用于演示的固定x射线源可能会对医学成像技术的其他领域产生重大影响。这些来源带来的提高成像速度和实现新型采集几何形状的潜力，可能导致紧凑、价格合理的CT和数字TS系统的发展，用于医院、诊所、农村地区和实验室，从而使医疗保健和研究领域都受益。公共健康相关性：我们建议通过开发x射线成像系统来显著改善医学成像技术，该系统将允许癌症研究人员拍摄三维x射线运动图像。这种设备在提高成像速度、降低系统成本和实现新型采集几何形状方面的潜力，可能会导致紧凑、价格合理的CT和数字断层合成系统的发展，适用于医院、诊所、农村地区和实验室，从而使医疗保健和研究领域受益。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Physiological characteristics of malignant tumors such as blood flow and vascular permeability are strongly coupled to therapeutic effects. Tomographic vascular dynamic information is of enormous utility in monitoring tumor growth and vessel recruitment, as well as in assessing the therapeutic response of novel chemotherapeutic agents. We propose to develop a real-time tomosynthesis (TS) system to image vascular dynamics by integrating novel stationary x-ray source array technology with an existing flat-panel detector. The system will be suitable for vascular studies in modestly sized objects such as human breasts or small animals, particularly mice and rats because they are widely used for models of human diseases, including cancer. The dynamic imaging system will provide time-resolved tomographic images. After we design, fabricate, and qualify the system, we will evaluate it using phantoms to acquire real-time tomographic image data sets. These data sets will provide important information to guide the further engineering development of the stationary x-ray source technology and real-time TS system. The specific aims of this R21 proposal are to: Aim 1. Construct a real-time multi-source tomographic imaging system for vascular analysis (Year 1) Aim 2. Demonstrate stationary source operation and quantify system temporal and spatial performance using phantoms and state-of-the-art image assessment techniques. (Year 2) The stationary x-ray source proposed for demonstration in this proposal could significantly impact other areas of medical imaging technology. The potential for increased imaging speed and the implementation of novel acquisition geometries imparted by such sources could lead to the development of compact, affordable CT and digital TS systems for use in hospitals, clinics, rural areas, and laboratories, and thereby benefit both the medical care and research fields. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We propose to significantly improve medical imaging technology by developing an x-ray imaging system that will allow cancer researchers to take three-dimensional x-ray motion pictures. The potential for increased imaging speed, reduced system cost, and the implementation of novel acquisition geometries imparted by such a device could lead to the development of compact, affordable CT and digital tomosynthesis systems for use in hospitals, clinics, rural areas, and laboratories, and thereby benefit both the medical care and research fields.