Center for Virtual Imaging Trials

摘要-虚拟成像试验中心 医学成像设备和方法日益复杂的速度大大超过了该领域的能力 评估和优化它们的设计和临床应用。通过临床试验来实现这一点通常是不可行的，或者 由于道德限制、费用、时间要求和/或根本缺乏基本事实 (确切的病人解剖和情况)。目前评估外部成像技术的大多数方法 临床试验依赖于简单化的模型和对图像美学的主观感知，结果并不容易 预测临床疗效。为了填补这一空白，虚拟成像试验中心的广泛目标是开发 用于评估特定临床的医学成像系统和方法的有效性的虚拟平台 任务。最初的焦点是计算机断层扫描(CT)，这既是因为它广泛的医学用途，也是因为它 被列为最大的医疗辐射源。虚拟成像试验提供了一种有效的评估手段 通过模拟患者、成像系统和图像评估来模拟电子计算机中的成像概念和技术。 这种虚拟试验可以在计算机上快速且经济高效地进行，为研究人员提供了一种 使用精确的控制和准确的知识回答基本问题的实用方法 模特儿病人。它们还可以客观地优化当前和新兴的成像技术 (硬件和软件)以最大限度地减少辐射风险，并提供定量的准确性。通过加速和 改善成像技术的评估和优化，虚拟试验支持质量、安全和有效 实行以病人为中心的护理。 为了实现其目标，中心将开发、提炼和传播必要的资源，以现实地 模拟和代表a)患者、b)成像系统和c)图像评估。这些资源包括 三个技术研发(TRD)项目，它们协同工作并提供 协作项目(CP)和服务项目(SP)的资源。A技术培训和 传播部门将分配中心的资源并提供必要的培训。 管理提供基础设施、监督和集成。总体的具体目标是：(1)发展， 整合并简化所需的组件，以支持现有和新兴的虚拟映像试验 CT成像方法，(2)将虚拟试验定位为量化、评估和 优化CT成像，以及(3)向研究社区传播有效的虚拟试验工具 CT和培训研究人员有效地使用它们。使用最先进的模拟和分析方法， 中心将提供第一个全面的平台来评估成像技术的诊断能力 从设计到使用的完整轨迹。该中心将对严谨和 从CT开始，医学成像的可重复的科学设计、预测和实践，导致 辐射剂量的测量减少，图像质量的改善，以及精确成像的进步。

ABSTRACT – Center for Virtual Imaging Trials The accelerating complexity of medical imaging devices and methods has largely outpaced the field's ability to evaluate and optimize their design and clinical use. Doing so through clinical trials is often not feasible or definitive due to ethical limitations, expense, time requirements, and/or a fundamental lack of ground truth (exact patient anatomy and condition). Most current approaches to assess imaging technologies outside of clinical trials rely on simplistic models and subjective perception of image aesthetics, and results cannot readily predict clinical efficacy. To fill this gap, the broad objective of the Center for Virtual Imaging Trials is to develop a virtual platform for assessing the effectiveness of medical imaging systems and methods for specific clinical tasks. The initial focus is on computed tomography (CT), both due to its widespread medical utility and its status as the largest source of medical radiation. Virtual imaging trials offer an efficient means to evaluate imaging concepts and technologies in silico by simulating the patient, imaging system, and image evaluation. Such virtual trials can be conducted quickly and cost effectively on a computer, providing researchers a practical way to answer fundamental questions using the precise controls and the exact knowledge of a modeled patient. They also enable objective optimization of current and emerging imaging technologies (hardware and software) to minimize radiation risk and provide quantitative accuracy. By accelerating and improving imaging technologies' evaluation and optimization, virtual trials support quality, safety, and effective practice of patient-centered care. To achieve its objective, the Center will develop, refine, and disseminate the essential resources to realistically model and represent a) patients, b) imaging systems, and c) image evaluation. These resources comprise the three Technology Research and Development (TRD) projects, which work synergistically with and provide resources to Collaborative Projects (CPs) and Service Projects (SPs). A Technology Training and Dissemination (TTD) component will distribute the Center's resources and provide the necessary training. Administration provides infrastructure, oversight, and integration. The overall Specific Aims are to (1) develop, consolidate, and streamline the required components to enable virtual imaging trials of existing and emerging CT imaging methods, (2) position virtual trials as an alternative methodology to quantify, evaluate, and optimize CT imaging, and (3) disseminate to the research community validated tools for efficient virtual trials in CT and train researchers to use them effectively. Using state-of-the-art simulation and analysis methods, the Center will provide the first comprehensive platform to assess the diagnostic capability of imaging technologies in their complete trajectory from design to use. The Center will have a notable impact on rigorous and reproducible scientific design, prediction, and practice of medical imaging, starting with CT, leading to measured reductions in radiation dose, improvements in image quality, and advancement of precision imaging.